In-Depth Workshops

Interactive, half-day sessions that take a deep dive into the most critical issues in banking today, facilitated by the world’s foremost experts in their fields.

All workshops will be held on Monday, April 13th, and are open to bank and credit union attendees only. Space is limited, so get your ticket today and reserve your preferred workshops before it’s too late!

These masterclasses are just one component of the Forum 2026 agenda — three days packed with real-world case studies, how-to strategy sessions, and inspirational keynotes that will accelerate your organization’s growth. Stay tuned… more content tracks will be announced soon!

More coming soon!

This is only one part of a three-day agenda loaded with big ideas, emerging trends, and groundbreaking innovations transforming the future of financial services.

More content tracks will be released shortly, including Breakout Presentations, the Executive Leadership Series, CMO Masterminds, Growth Strategies Lab, Power Breakfasts, Lunch & Learns, and the Sponsor Solutions Showcase.

Agenda Overview

AI Masterclass

Next-Level Generative AI Applications in Banking

Instructor: Ben Udell, SVP/Product Marketing & Innovation at Marquis
Date/Time: Monday April 13th, 2026 at 8:30 am PT
Duration: 2.5 hours
Ideal for: Everyone

Why you should attend:

Whether you’re a novice or seasoned expert, this workshop will show you how financial execs across the industry are turning generative AI into a massive competitive advantage. From senior leaders to frontline teams, this session brings everyone to the table in an immersive, interactive, hands-on learning environment.

Dive into practical real-world examples — from customer communications and marketing campaigns, to process automation, training, and much more — as you uncover ways to use AI for critical tasks that will help you become a better communicator, collaborator, and leader.

Don’t miss this workshop; the instructor knows what he’s talking about. Led by the former SVP/Digital Innovation & AI at Lake Ridge Bank for over 13 years, Ben Udell’s sessions have been our highest rated since he first took the stage.

This workshop will teach banking executives:

Practical and proven plug-and-play use cases that you can apply immediately
Effective gen AI prompt strategies that apply across departments
How to save time and boost creativity using your generative AI tool of choice
How to encourage broader adoption within your organization without expensive investments in AI platforms
How your peers have overcome roadblocks to build momentum and move from hesitation to innovation

Behavioral Marketing Masterclass

16 Brain Science Hacks to Overcome Costly Marketing Mistakes

Instructor: Nancy Harhut, Chief Creative Officer at HBT Marketing
Date/Time: Monday April 13th, 2026 at 8:30 am PT
Duration: 2.5 hours
Ideal for: Your entire marketing team, and anyone with input on marketing strategy

Why you should attend:

Banking executives believe rational, data-driven decisions drive their marketing strategy. But in reality, unseen biases, myths, and blind spots derail their campaigns.

This workshop will show you how to overcome these costly mistakes by revealing the science behind the decision-defaults that guide consumer behavior — what they are, why they work, and how to exploit them — with numerous examples from a variety of verticals.

Through hands-on interactive exercises, you’ll learn 16 proven tactics you can apply immediately — from small copy tweaks to full-blown campaign strategies — that will increase engagement and outperform your competition.

This workshop will teach banking executives:

The faulty assumptions and common misconceptions that undermine the “conventional wisdom” of accepted “best practices”
What behavioral science reveals about how people really make buying decisions
The subtle differences between campaigns that trigger sales — and those that fall flat
How to tap into the instinctive shortcuts, biases, and behavioral triggers that drive consumers to take action
The AI-fueled myth that is tanking marketing messages today and what you should say instead
The biggest mistake financial marketers are making with their pricing strategies and the simple way to avoid this misstep

CMO Masterclass

The CMO Playbook for 2026 and Beyond

Instructor: Eric Fulwiler, CEO/Co-Founder of Rival
Date/Time: Monday April 13th, 2026 at 8:30 am PT
Duration: 2.5 hours
Ideal for: Anyone who currently is- or will be a CMO someday

Why you should attend:

In today’s disruptive environment, the role of CMOs in banking is changing fast. Get a behind-the-scenes look at what the world’s most respected marketing leaders are seeing, thinking, and doing to prepare for the future.

In this workshop, we’ll unpack the major trends, key challenges, and critical opportunities reshaping the future of financial marketing — and what they mean for your strategic plan.

Based on insights gathered from banking’s marketing leaders, this workshop brings to life the real-world strategies and emerging best practices top-performers are using to fuel growth and build their brands.

This workshop will teach banking executives:

The major marketing trends and critical growth issues impacting financial institutions of all sizes
Real-world examples of what’s working right now and what isn’t
How you need to rethink org design, agency models, and tech stacks to drive impact
Cross-industry patterns and pitfalls
Strategies, structures, and campaigns that are delivering results — and what’s falling short
How to ensure marketing aligns with business strategy and outcomes
The skills, tools, and frameworks you need to stay ahead of the AI revolution

Strategic Leadership Masterclass

Strategic Planning for Banking Execs: Steering Growth Through Disruptive Uncertainty

Instructor: Dr. Sean Payant, President of Haberfeld
Date/Time: Monday April 13th, 2026 at 1:00 pm PT
Duration: 2.5 hours
Ideal for: Your C-suite, board members, and execs looking towards more strategic roles

Why you should attend:

In today’s chaotic rapidly evolving financial ecosystem — marked by economic uncertainty, digital disruption, regulatory shifts, interest rate pressure, and rising customer expectations — strategic planning isn’t the annual exercise it once was. Now it is an essential, existential function.

Specifically engineered for CEOs and C-level executives, this focused workshop is designed to help you set the right strategic direction, allocate resources, and drive transformational change at your organization.

Through a blend of executive insights, real-world banking case studies, and interactive discussions, senior leadership teams will explore how to develop a strategic planning process that is both agile and execution-focused. The session will explore how to align strategic initiatives with organizational objectives, respond to market changes, and foster long-term value creation.

This workshop will teach banking executives:

Advanced executive-level strategic planning frameworks and best practices
Navigating economic, regulatory, and technological uncertainty
How to accelerate the gap between strategy formulation vs. execution:
Aligning organizational structure and culture with strategic priorities

Digital Marketing Masterclass

The Strategic AI Toolkit: What Everyone in Financial Marketing Needs Now

Instructors: Wil Reynolds, CEO/Founder of Seer Interactive and Alisa Scharf, VP of AI at Seer Interactive
Date/Time: Monday April 13th, 2026 at 1:00 pm PT
Duration: 2.5 hours
Ideal for: Digital marketers, CMOs, and those in online, website and SEO roles

Why you should attend:

Last year’s marketing playbook doesn’t work anymore. People are asking ChatGPT about mortgage rates, and Google’s AI Overviews answer credit card questions without sending traffic to your site. Competitors are using AI tools to outmaneuver you, and more tools explode onto the market daily. So what happens if your web traffic suddenly goes to zero? It could happen… tomorrow.

This workshop cuts through the AI hype to focus on four critical areas every financial marketer needs to master right now. We’ll share the playbook, the tools we’ve tested, tools we’ve built, and other innovative concepts that have had real impact in bank marketing — what’s working, what’s changing, and what’s to come.

You’ll leave with specific action items, recommendations, and frameworks you can implement immediately, including real-life workflows and team processes proven in regulated industries.

This workshop will teach banking executives:

How to restructure the right operating model and scale marketing processes for the AI era
How to prove marketing ROI and recalibrate KPIs around AI outcomes, even as the funnel keeps shifting
Strategic approaches to audit, understand, and influence how you (and your competitors) appear in LLMs
Implement ‘friction-finder systems’ that identify CX breakdowns to quickly cut wasted spend and fix mismatches

Retail Branding Masterclass

Gen Z & The Future of Finance

Instructor: Juliet D’Ambrosio, CXO at Adrenaline
Date/Time: Monday April 13th, 2026 at 1:00 pm PT
Duration: 2.5 hours
Ideal for: Those in CX, retail delivery, branch strategy, and branding/marketing roles

Why you should attend:

By 2030, Gen Z will comprise 74% of the global workforce, and engaging these consumers is a tricky balancing act between high-tech and high-touch.

This highly interactive workshop will show you how to deliver the personalized and seamless banking experiences Gen Z demands, while also meeting these digital natives where they are.

Packed with best practices for branding, marketing, and retail design, you’ll gain actionable strategies to break through, connect, and build loyalty with this influential demographic (and beyond).

This workshop will teach banking executives:

Strategies from inside and outside the banking industry proven to build loyalty with next-gen consumers
Real-world case studies from financial institutions successfully repositioning their brands for future growth
Key findings and insights from research on Gen Z’s banking and brand preferences
Scorecards to calculate your brand’s strength with Gen Z, and how you stack up against competitors
How community financial institutions can make the most of their advantage when engaging Gen Z