Leaders in Lending

Nobody Answers the Phone: How Default Management Moved Upstream

Only 13% of collections calls get answered. So what replaced the phone? Ten years ago, default management was almost entirely a phone-based process. Today, the phone gets answered 13% of the time, and the industry has rebuilt itself around...

The Future of Home Equity Is Frictionless

How are leading banks and fintechs evolving to meet the needs of today’s homeowners? In this episode of Leaders in Lending, we sit down with Sam Garcia (CEO of HELN News), Ivan Ahmed (Senior Director at Experian), and Andy Walden (Head of Mortgage...

Why Better Predictions Beat Bigger Risk

What if the biggest advantage in lending isn't taking less risk, but making better predictions? In this episode of Leaders in Lending, host Barry Roach sits down with Sanjay Dutta, President and Chief Capital Officer at Upstart, to discuss how...

Why a 5% Retention Lift Could Mean 90% More Profit

Most banks still treat community banking as a regulatory box to check. Queanne Smith, SVP and Group Strategy Manager at U.S. Bank, says that mindset caps growth instead of driving it, and breaks down how a 5% lift in client retention can swing profit...

The Pendulum Is About to Swing Back. Are You Ready?

The regulations never went away. The exams slowed down, the enforcement pulled back, but every rule is still on the books. And when the pendulum swings back, everything being done right now is going to get looked at. Mike Reynolds from Zions...

Innovation Is Moving Faster Than the System

Innovation is accelerating across consumer banking. AI, digital assets and new payment models are reshaping the industry. But institutions still operate inside established regulatory frameworks. In this episode, Kyle Glenn of the Consumer Bankers...

Banking Is Commoditized. Experience Is Not.

The banking product is commoditized. The experience is not. In this episode of Leaders in Lending, guest host Deepak Bhandari sits down with TJ Steele, director of digital channels at Eastern Bank, to discuss how banks can differentiate when rates,...

Auto Lending Just Hit a Wall. Now What?

Auto affordability isn't a cycle this time. It's a new baseline. In this episode, guest host Deepak Bhandari from Upstart sits down with Eric Earvin from First Commonwealth Bank and Michael Gilbert from Associated Bank, co-chairs of the CBA Auto...

Which Rules Are You Actually Following? CFPB Expert on What's Changing

Banks don't know if they should be running disparate impact analysis or not. The CFPB is rewriting its own rules. State AGs are filling the gaps. And the legal questions around agentic AI haven't even been answered yet. CBA General Counsel David...

Your Safest Borrowers Might Be Your Biggest Risk

The biggest lending risk in 2026 may not be where you think. Experian Chief Economist Joseph Mayans calls today’s environment a one trick pony economy. Growth is concentrated. White collar strength is carrying the load. And if that shifts, prime...

Grow Approvals Without Growing Losses

How can lenders increase approvals without increasing charge-offs? In this episode of Leaders in Lending, Dan Harp, Chief Lending Officer at 717 Credit Union, discusses how decision engines and AI-powered underwriting models are reshaping risk...

AI in Lending: What’s Real, What’s Working, What’s Next

AI in lending is no longer a future conversation. It is operational today. In Episode 185 of Leaders in Lending, we discuss what is actually working in regulated environments. From underwriting and fraud detection to document verification and...

Why Credit Unions Are Winning Where Big Banks Can’t

In this episode of Leaders in Lending, Adam Landsverk, Chief Lending Officer at FOXCU, joins host Barry Roach to discuss leadership, responsibility, and what it really means to serve members in today’s lending environment. With decades of experience...

The Biggest Lending Lessons We Learned in 2025

In this special year-end edition of Leaders in Lending, Drew Megrey, Barry Roach, and Lynn Sautter Beal reflect on the most impactful conversations from 2025. As lending leaders navigated a year defined by uncertainty, rapid technological change, and...

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The Difference Between Managing and Leading Lending

In this episode of Leaders in Lending, host Barry Roach sits down with Lisa Highley, Chief Lending Officer at the University of Kentucky Federal Credit Union, for a candid conversation about what truly separates managing from leading in today’s...

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The $10B Insight Every Lender Needs

Managing $10 billion in loans teaches you a lot about what truly drives repayment and performance. In this episode of Leaders in Lending, host Lynn Sautter Beal sits down with Jesse Obbink, vice president and general manager of servicing at Upstart,...

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Planning to Win: Lending Strategies for an Uncertain Economy

The economy is shifting fast, and your lending strategy cannot afford to lag. In this episode of Leaders in Lending, hosts Barry Roach and Drew Megrey explore how scenario planning helps financial leaders stay ahead of market volatility. Learn how...

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Winning the Lending Game: What Smart Credit Unions Are Doing Differently

Credit unions are operating in a new lending environment defined by risk, regulation and rapid innovation. In this episode of Leaders in Lending, hosts Barry Roach, Drew Megrey and Lynn Sautter Beal share how forward-thinking credit unions are...

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Membership Growth Slowdown? Here’s How Credit Unions Can Fight Back

Credit union membership growth is shrinking as per TruStage research, and the competition isn’t slowing down. In this episode of Leaders in Lending, co-hosts Lynn Sautter Beal, Drew Megrey, and Barry Roach dig into the hard truths about why CUs are...

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The Credit Crunch and Beyond: Bold Predictions for 2026

2025 has been all about the crunch. Credit is tight, uncertainty is everywhere and lenders are asking: is this the new normal or just another cycle? In this episode, we unpack what’s driving the squeeze, from regulation and rates to global risk, and...

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