2025 Conference Agenda

7:00 AM - 5:15 PM

Registration Open 

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Refreshment Break

8:30 AM - 11:15 AM

Pre-Conference Workshops (for a complete listing of Pre-Conference Workshops, click here.)

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Lunch and Exhibit Hall Opens

Welcoming Remarks, Vendor Fast Pitch

Moderators: Jimmy Sawyers, Chairman, Co-Founder, Sawyers & Jacobs, LLC

Kevin Olsen, AAP, NCP, APRP, CHPC, The Payments Professor & SVP Innovation & Strategy, Pidgin 

Keynote Session - Today's Top Tech Trends and Cybersecurity Threats

Picking one's battles has never been more important, especially in the areas of technology and cybersecurity. Learn which technological innovations are worth your time and attention and which are simply fads driven by hyperbole.

Jimmy Sawyers, Chairman, Co-Founder, Sawyers & Jacobs, LLC

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Refreshment Break & Exhibit Hall Open 

Concurrent Sessions 

Fraud Track

Defending the Digital Frontier: Confronting Payments Fraud in the Modern Era (Synthetic IDs)

Join this session to hear how you can fortify your defenses against payments fraud, scams and check fraud as well as hear how the Federal Reserve is working with Industry stakeholders to mitigate these threats.

Risk & Compliance Track

Receiving Funds: A Review of Recent Cases and Changes to Rules

This session will review the evolving rights and obligations of RDFIs.

Scott Jones, Partner-in-Charge, Adams and Reese, LLP

The Organization is not Innovating Enough and IT May or May Not Be Your Fault

This session we will highlight the challenges you may face in bringing innovation forward and learn helpful tips in overcoming objections from people.

Sean Carter, AAP, APRP, NCP, President & CEO, NEACH

AI as a Tool for Risk Management in Banking

Learn how to utilize AI to optimize risk management and operations within your financial institution.

Angela Murphy, Ph.D.; Vice President of Marketing and Solutions, Pidgin

Peter Tapling, Managing Director, PTap Advisory, LLC

Kevin Miyamoto, COO and Co-Founder, Identifee

Decoding Reg E and Debit Card Disputes

Secure, Fast, and Easy: The Rise of Pay by Bank Payments

Join us for an enlightening session on "Pay by Bank," where we examine the transformative power of direct bank payments in the evolving landscape of digital transactions.

7:00 AM - 4:30 PM 

Registration Open

Networking Continental Breakfast & Exhibit Hall Open

Opening Remarks 

Kevin Olsen, AAP, NCP, APRP, CHPC, The Payments Professor & SVP Innovation & Strategy, Pidgin

General Session: Instant Payments: Big Benefits & Big Questions, Panel

Hear experts discuss strategies to accelerate adoption of sending instant payments, unlocking the full potential of this ecosystem.

Debbie Smart, CTP, Senior Product Marketer, Q2 - Moderator

Keith Gray, Vice President, The Clearing House

Nell Campbell-Drake, VP Industry Relations, Federal Reserve Financial Services

Tim Mills, Regions Digital - EVP, Emerging and Digital Payments Group Manager

Bradley Wilkes, CEO and Co-Founder of Open Payment Network, Inc.

Refreshment Break & Exhibit Hall Open 

Concurrent Sessions

Funds Transfer Case Update: An Overview of Recent Cases Related to Funds Transfers Fraud and Other Funds Transfer Issues

This Session provides an annual update on recent fraud statistics published by the FBI, an overview of Article 4A of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) and reviews recent cases analyzing funds transfer issues and fraud.

Scott Jones, Partner-in-Charge, Adams and Reese LLC

Jordan Bennett, AAP, APRP, Senior Director, Network Risk Management, Nacha

Tim Thorson, AAP, CTP, Senior Vice President – Payments Risk, Regions Bank

Generations Driving Change in Payments – You Are Included!

Join this interactive session on how generational preferences and the many payment options are shaping the market to meet the needs of the diverse end users.

Nell Campbell-Drake, VP, Industry Relations, Federal Reserve Financial Services

Refreshment Break & Exhibit Hall Open 

Concurrent Sessions 

The Understated, Under-Utilized Fraud Enemy - Positive Pay and How to Relaunch this Powerful Solution

Join this powerful session to learn how you can increase adoption rates, educate your business customers and maybe, just maybe make a little bit of extra non-interest income doing it.

Debbie Smart, CTP, Senior Product Marketer, Q2

Jennifer Maggio, Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company Business Solutions Manager

RTP Rules

Join this session for an overview of the RTP Network Rules.

Monique Canty, Manager, RTP® Network Administration, The Clearing House

The Financial Institution is the Digital Conductor

With the FI acting as a “Digital Conductor”, it can now address client’s needs with cutting edge cross-border payment and routing solutions via API integrations to maintain a competitive edge and grow deposits.

John Min, Chief Economist, Monex USA

Jeffrey Lewis, Independent Consultant, MBA, RR, CTP, CCM, AAP

Stephen Kuhl, CFA, Managing Director: Financial Institutions, StoneX

12:15 PM - 12:45 PM

Lunch Buffet

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

General Session -Ripped from the Headlines

This session will explore the latest developments in the payments industry. We'll cover trending topics from the news preceding the event, engaging in discussions, and debates, and possibly even refuting some points in a lively, game show-like format.

1:45 PM - 2:45 PM

Concurrent Sessions 

Fraud Track

U.S. Postal Inspector Collaboration and Crime Trends

Learn how the criminals are committing crimes against FIs and their customers.

John McCullough, CPP, CFE, President of the Financial and Retailers Protection Association (FRPA)

Michael Maxey, United States Postal Inspection Service

TBD

Payments Strategy Track

Innovation Showdown: Future-Proofing Banking!

Through a series of fun and thought-provoking games, in this session you'll discover strategies to enhance security, streamline operations, and meet the demands of a tech-savvy customer base.

Jorge Jimenez, Founder, CEO and President of both Global Fintech Forum LLC and Juniper Payments LLC

Reed Luthanen, Executive Director, U.S. Faster Payments Council

Concurrent Sessions  

TBD

The New Regs and What to Do About Them

Winning and Serving SMB Clients: Best Practices for Success

In this session, you will learn best practices for creating stronger, more profitable SMB relationships and come away with real strategies you can use to win in your markets, too.

Debbie Smart, CTP, Senior Product Marketer, Q2

Jennifer Maggio, Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company Business Solutions Manager

Breakfast Buffet 

General Session - Back to the Future (Of Banking) 

 Join us as we gaze into the past and use it as a springboard for a peek into banking’s future.

Kevin Moland, Senior Advisory Payments Strategist at Jack Henry

General Session - Banking the Heart: Protecting the Human Being Behind our Transactions

In this session, you will learn about some of the top financially motivated human crimes and how inherent gaps in the financial services ecosystem are being exploited to support these crimes.

Ian Mitchell, The Knoble| Mission Omega

Refreshment Break 

General Session - Payments Professor's Predictions 

Prize Drawings and Conference Wrap-Up 

Southern Financial Exchange Team