Growth Strategies Lab
See innovative growth strategies and hear breakthrough marketing stories directly from banks and credit unions in these 40-minute case studies presented by retail banking executives and financial marketers.
More coming soon!
This is only one component of a three-day agenda packed with real-world case studies, how-to strategy sessions, and inspirational keynotes.
More content tracks will be released shortly, including the Executive Leadership Series, CMO Masterminds, Power Breakfasts, Lunch & Learns, and the Sponsor Solutions Showcase.
Turning NIL Investments Into Real ROI with AI
Presenter: Emily Stewart, VP/Growth Strategies at Meritrust Credit Union
Core Themes: AI Strategy, Market Expansion, Youth Marketing
Why you should attend:
When Meritrust entered a new market, they needed to build brand awareness quickly. They turned to college athlete influencers to create immediate on-campus visibility and connect with student-age consumers through familiar, trusted faces.
In this case study, you’ll see how Meritrust used AI to analyze local NIL trends, athlete influence patterns, and content formats that would resonate most with their target audience.
This session will teach banking executives:
- How to leverage AI to identify and prioritize high-value NIL partnerships
- Strategies for connecting with student-age consumers through authentic athlete-driven content
- How to measure and maximize ROI from influencer marketing investments
- Practical approaches for building brand presence in new markets quickly
Fueling Merger Momentum With an Enterprise Data Foundation
Presenter: Troy Carmichael, SVP/Enterprise Data Management at Renasant Bank
Core Themes: Data Strategy & Governance, M&A
Why you should attend:
Renasant Bank’s M&A growth strategy is built on years of investment in an enterprise-wide data framework. This case study based on a recent acquisition will show you how they minimize customer disruption and accelerate new revenue opportunities with accurate data that’s consolidated and connected across business lines.
This session will teach banking executives:
- How to build a data integration strategy that sustains momentum through acquisitions
- How to analyze post-merger growth opportunities using consolidated data
- How to support a smooth rollout that keeps leadership focused on culture, customer retention, and growth
- Common integration pitfalls to avoid during M&A transitions
Advanced Data Analysis to Drive Growth and Marketing ROI
Presenter: Sean Sanchez, EVP/Head of Client Services at FirstBank
Core Themes: Data Strategy, Growth Analytics, Marketing Optimization
Why you should attend:
Hear how FirstBank uses advanced data analysis — including national benchmarks built from thousands of peer data sets — to uncover capacity and propensity factors they can’t see with internal data alone. Explore how these insights reveal quantifiable growth gaps, and guide personalized marketing strategies with optimally priced offers at the household, customer, product, and wallet-share level.
This session will teach banking executives:
- How to leverage national benchmarks to identify growth gaps invisible with internal data alone
- How to develop personalized marketing strategies at the household level
- How to produce measurable marketing ROI with creative campaign examples
- How to benchmark performance against industry norms for continuous improvement
Accelerating New Market Growth Using a Hyper-Local Strategy
Presenter: Jake Engle, AVP/Brand Communications & Strategy at Financial Center
Core Themes: Market Expansion, Go-to-Market Strategy, Community Engagement
Why you should attend:
When Financial Center entered a fast-growing, affluent market, they ditched the old playbook most institutions rely on. This case study explores how innovative, on-the-ground activations — from sidewalk outreach and pop-up events to hand-delivered gift boxes — created immediate visibility and drove traffic that converted to new relationships.
This session will teach banking executives:
- How sustained human effort with boots on the ground outperforms paid promotional strategies
- How to generate stronger deposit momentum than traditional launch tactics
- High-impact introductory offers that drive conversion in new markets
- Practical activation strategies for building immediate community presence
Fixing AI Search Blind Spots Across Your Digital Presence
Presenter: Kevin Farley, VP/Experience & Engagement at United Heritage Credit Union
Core Themes: AI Search & Discovery, Digital Optimization
Why you should attend:
See how generative AI engines interpret a financial institution’s website today — what they surface, what they misread, and what they ignore altogether. This session includes a live demonstration that evaluates a site the same way AI search tools do, revealing visibility gaps across core products and showing where focus will have the greatest impact.
This session will teach banking executives:
- How to prioritize fixes that improve AI-driven discoverability without heavy IT lift
- How to quantify the potential impact of AI search optimization
- A practical method to assess your own digital presence for AI readiness
- Immediate steps to strengthen how AI engines represent your institution
From AI Pilots to Scale: What’s Working, What’s Not, and Real Use Cases in Banking
Presenter: John Kaprelian, SVP/Retail Innovation and Strategy at Forward Bank
Presenter: Cayla Keyes, VP/Retail Sales Manager at INB
Moderator: Eric Cook, CEO & Chief Digital Strategist
at WSI
Core Themes: AI Strategy & Execution
Why you should attend:
Hear candid perspectives from banking leaders at different stages of AI adoption — from early experimentation to more advanced operational use. Panelists walk through what they tried, where they struggled, and which internal shifts actually moved their organizations forward.
The session explores how teams balance innovation with risk, train employees for new ways of working, and recognize early signs of success beyond traditional KPIs.
This session will teach banking executives:
- Real-world AI use cases that are improving efficiency, decision-making, and customer experience
- How to balance innovation with risk when piloting AI initiatives
- How to train employees for new AI-enabled ways of working
- Early signs of success to look for beyond traditional KPIs