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How DBSI's Signature Event Brought Top Financial Industry Thought Leaders Under One Roof
In March, financial leaders from across the country gathered at DBSI's Ideation Center in Chandler, Arizona, for Visionary Voices 2026. Over two packed days, attendees explored the future of branch transformation through expert-led sessions, hands-on collaboration, and one unforgettable evening inside a brand-new branch.
Visionary Leaders, Industry-Shaping Conversations
DBSI’s Chief Experience Officer EJ Kritz kicked things off with a welcome that set the tone for two days of candid, forward-looking conversation.
Leslie Higgison, Retail & Financial Services Executive, opened the speaker lineup with "Transformation Defined," challenging attendees to rethink what transformation actually looks like beyond buzzwords and blueprints. From there, Tom Long, Founder & Principal of The Long Group, Josephine Moran, President & CEO of Ledyard Bank, and Aimée Sundstrom, Director of Member Expansion at Elevations Credit Union, took the stage for a panel on data-driven design, exploring how financial institutions can use research and analytics to make smarter decisions about where and how they build.
Day 2 brought a fresh wave of energy. Ryan Zilker, EVP and Chief Growth Officer at Sound Credit Union, shared how his team is building a culture of transformation from the inside out. A fireside chat between Robyn Breshears, Executive Director of Sales, Service & Support at Arvest Bank, and Carla Trombly, SVP of Banking Transformation at DBSI, tackled one of the industry's most pressing challenges: how workforce optimization is the key to unlocking successful branch transformation.
Kristin Ronca, SVP of Brand & Growth Strategy at TruMark Financial Credit Union, walked the room through her institution's full rebrand, offering a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to redefine how a financial institution shows up in its market. Later, a localization panel featuring Corey Wrinn, Managing Director at Rivel Banking Research, Kalyn Dennis, VP of Marketing & Communications at Wilson Bank & Trust, and Brian Lynott, Regional Senior VP of Retail Banking at Valley Bank, explored how to turn local market intelligence into a competitive branch strategy.
Over lunch, Josh DeTar, EVP of Evangelism at Tyfone, gave attendees an inside look at their charitable initiative Java4Kids, a program DBSI is proud to partner with. Java4Kids brings technology education and access to underserved youth. It served as a reminder that transformation doesn't stop at the branch door.
Two interactive sessions gave attendees a chance to get hands-on: the Build-A-Branch Design Lab, led by DBSI's design team, and the Steal This Idea Roundtable, hosted by DBSI's transformation strategists. Both were built for collaboration, giving participants a space to think big and pressure-test ideas with peers in real time.
A standout moment came from an unexpected source: the next generation. Shiva Rajbhandari, President of the Carolina Credit Union Initiative, and Sarah Galdi, VP of the Carolina Credit Union Initiative, presented "Gen-Z to Gen-Alpha: The Future of Banking is Here Today," giving the live audience a look at how younger consumers think about financial services and what that means for branch strategy.
The event's featured keynote came from Marbue Brown, Founder of The Customer Obsession Advantage and former Managing Director of Customer Experience at Chase, who made a compelling case for why customer obsession isn't a department or an initiative but a discipline that has to be embedded across the entire organization.
An Exclusive Evening at Arizona Financial's Biltmore Branch
One of the most talked-about moments happened off-campus. Attendees boarded shuttles to Arizona Financial Credit Union's newly opened Biltmore Branch in Phoenix for a private tour, dinner, and a round of golf. The branch, a converted former top-five bank location designed by DBSI, gave guests a firsthand look at modern branch transformation in action.
Jim Marous, Co-Publisher of The Financial Brand and host of the Banking Transformed podcast, spoke on the future of the branch inside Biltmore’s leading example of impactful branch transformation, grounding the evening in a real-world example of experience-driven design.
Art with Purpose: Unveiling DBSI x ArtLifting
During a session led by Christina Bailey, Chief Growth Officer at ArtLifting, titled "From Transactions to Trust: The Art of Connection in Retail Financial Spaces," DBSI announced a new partnership with ArtLifting, a public benefit corporation that creates economic opportunity for artists with disabilities and those who have experienced housing insecurity.
ArtLifting connects these artists with purpose-driven corporate buyers, turning workspace walls into platforms for inclusion and impact.
To bring the mission to life, DBSI raffled off an original ArtLifting piece to one attending financial institution, a moment that captured exactly what the partnership is about: making art meaningful, accessible, and personal.
A First Look at the Future of the Branch
The ongoing collaboration between DBSI and Jim Marous brought exclusive content to this year's event that attendees couldn't get anywhere else.
The 2026 Future of Branch Banking Report, a joint effort by DBSI, Jim Marous, and Digital Banking Report, made its official debut at Visionary Voices, giving attendees an early look at the data and insights ahead of the wider industry.
Jim Marous also interviewed Amy Hysell, President and CEO of Arizona Financial Credit Union, during an on-site recording of the Banking Transformed podcast, now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and The Financial Brand.
Where You Don't Just Hear From Industry Visionaries, You Connect With Them
Visionary Voices isn't built like a typical industry conference. There are no massive expo halls, no overwhelming session tracks to choose from, and no rushing between rooms. It's intentionally intimate, designed to feel more like a mastermind than a convention.
Every attendee is a decision-maker. Every conversation carries weight. This year brought together some of the sharpest minds in financial services, from C-suite executives and brand strategists to researchers, technologists, and the next generation of banking leaders, who aren't just presenting but learning from each other.
Whether that's over dinner at the Biltmore, during a hands-on design lab, or a sidebar between sessions, the conversations go deeper than surface-level takeaways.
It’s not every day that you can say that the content of an event outlives the closing remarks.
Join Us in 2027
Visionary Voices is already building momentum for next year. For those who want to be part of the conversation where the future of banking isn't just discussed but designed, connect with DBSI for early access to the 2027 invitation list.
