Join John Best at the next CU Town Hall Wednesday, October 15th, 2025 at 3 PM ET
Recorded live for the first time ever at ACU’s Strategic Growth Conference, this CU Town Hall took on a lively “Pardon the Interruption” format as John Best, Joe Keller (Visions), Karen Bejarano (TruWest), and Glen Sarvady (154 Advisors) tackled today’s most pressing industry issues. From the CFPB, open banking, stablecoins, AI & quantum, branch strategy, next-gen members/wealth transfer, fraud, and fintech partnerships—this fast-paced session delivered candid insights, audience interaction, and plenty of laughs.
Getting Real About Artificial Intelligence at Finovate
Key takeaways from last week’s Finovate Fall conference, including interviews with the founders of Best of Show winners Casap and Vertice AI. Also- Glen’s recap of the full Best of Show slate, and thoughts on what the 63 demo firehose tells us about today’s state of fintech.
CU Town Hall Episode 139: Fun with Fraud- How AI is Changing the Game
Fraud has always been a moving target, but artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules at a scale and speed we’ve never seen before. From voice-cloning scams that can fool your own family members, to deepfake identities used to open accounts, to AI-powered bots that can run thousands of phishing attempts in seconds, the landscape is shifting fast.
In this interactive session, we’ll swap stories and insights about the new wave of fraud we’re all encountering. Come and find out from your peers what they’re experiencing because you’re likely next. If it’s happening to them, it’s going to happen to you. The goal isn’t just to learn what’s out there, it’s to connect the dots together so we can stay one step ahead. Because if fraudsters are having fun with AI, we need to be just as innovative, and a lot smarter.
CU Town Hall Episode 138: LIVE at ACU’s Strategic Growth Conference
Recorded live for the first time ever at ACU’s Strategic Growth Conference, this CU Town Hall took on a lively “Pardon the Interruption” format as John Best, Joe Keller (Visions), Karen Bejarano (TruWest), and Glen Sarvady (154 Advisors) tackled today’s most pressing industry issues. From the CFPB, open banking, stablecoins, AI & quantum, branch strategy, next-gen members/wealth transfer, fraud, and fintech partnerships—this fast-paced session delivered candid insights, audience interaction, and plenty of laughs.
The Voice of Fintech Funding
Glen connects with TTV Capital Partner Sean Banks and Technology Association of Georgia CEO Larry Williams to unpack the state of fintech venture capital investment, Georgia’s role in the global ecosystem and the upcoming Fintech South conference. Also, Illuma Founder/CEO Milind Borkar responds to Sam Altman’s warning flare than voice authentication has been “defeated.”
Starting Simple, Small and with Purpose
Glen speaks with the CU De Novo Collective’s Denise Wymore about the grassroots groundswell of interest in starting new credit unions, overcoming the challenges of progressing from concept to market, and why a voice for CU creation is needed to counter a one-way trend. Also- Fiserv’s stablecoin play, The FTA’s attempt to preserve open banking, and how AI regulation became a budget issue.
Utah Community Credit Union and TransWest Credit Union Complete Core-Systems Merger in Record Five Months, Supported by Best Innovation Group
PROVO, Utah–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Utah Community Credit Union (UCCU) and TransWest Credit Union today announced the successful completion of their core-systems merger just five months after signing the letter of intent. By partnering closely with Best Innovation Group (BIG) and blending UCCU’s member-service culture with BIG’s rapid-deployment methodology, the team delivered a seamless transition with zero member downtime.
Circle’s Stroke of Genius/Can Anyone Regulate AI?
John and Glen ruminate on a pair of major events reshuffling the fintech world- The Circle IPO’s impact on venture funding, and the Big Beautiful Bill’s unorthodox approach to throttling AI regulation. Also- John gets “spun out on quantum,” and admits a surprising change of heart regarding his outlook for AI.
CU Town Hall Episode 136: Headlines and Hot Takes
In this session, we dove into the chaos, in a good way. With everything from AI developments to economic curveballs making waves across the financial world, we opened the floor for a timely discussion on what’s happening now, what’s coming next, and how to stay ready for whatever the future throws at us.
CU Town Hall Episode 135: The Spring Circuit Rundown
As the dust settles on a packed spring conference season, John, Mike, Glen and Lou led a lively discussion on the top trends and takeaways from recent credit union and fintech events. From emerging tech to shifting compliance priorities, we unpacked what’s driving conversations and decisions across the industry.