Episodes
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 G...
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 i...
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. W...
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 ...
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...
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 ...
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...
Winning the Lending Game: What Smart Credit Unions Are Doing Differen…
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...
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 t...
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 r...
Riding the Refi Wave: How Credit Unions Can Capture the Moment
Auto loan rates are high, millions of borrowers are rate-locked, and a refinancing wave is on the horizon. In this episode, co-hosts Lynn Sautter Beal, Drew Megrey, and Barry Roach break down why credit unions are uniquely po...
Behind the Scenes of ACU Strategic Growth Conference
What if the next conference you attended didn’t just inspire ideas, but actually drove change? In this episode of Leaders in Lending, hosts Lynn Sautter Beal, Drew Megrey, and Barry Roach share practical strategies for turnin...
The Credit Builder Strategy That’s Actually Working
Access to credit can be life-changing, but for many members, the process still feels out of reach. Great Lakes Credit Union is working to change that with practical solutions that meet people where they are.In this episode, h...
Inside the Credit Union Managing 50+ Lending Tech Partnerships
Technology is reshaping every corner of financial services. For credit unions, the challenge isn’t just keeping up, it’s choosing the right tools, partners, and processes to stay ahead without losing sight of the member exper...
This One Strategy Took Lending From Good to Great
Rising vehicle prices, longer loan terms, and shrinking margins. As credit unions adapt, standing out requires more than competitive rates. It takes consistency, clarity, and a lending team built for speed and service.In this...
From Onboarding to Upsell: A Digital Playbook for Credit Unions
As credit unions grapple with an increasingly digital-first market, the path to growth lies in strategic partnerships, streamlined onboarding, and data-driven cross-sell strategies. In this episode, host Matt Snow sits down w...
Surviving the CFPB’s Transitional Era
As the regulatory environment continues to shift and technology reshapes the compliance landscape, today’s lending leaders are under increasing pressure to stay agile and forward-thinking. In this episode, recorded live at CB...
Navigating Fair Lending Challenges Through Collaboration and AI
As regulatory scrutiny intensifies and innovation accelerates, fair-and-responsible banking leaders are coming together to keep compliance programs adaptive, effective and aligned with evolving expectations. In this episode, ...
Fraud, Policy Shifts, and EV Financing: What’s Next for Auto Lenders?
As the auto finance industry faces mounting regulatory scrutiny and increasingly sophisticated fraud tactics, lenders are working together to navigate risk, improve compliance, and better serve today’s borrowers. In this epis...
Tariffs, Terms and the Evolving Auto Finance Landscape
As tariffs and inflation drive up vehicle prices, both lenders and consumers are feeling the pressure to adapt. In this episode, host Lynn Sautter Beal speaks with Melinda Zabritski, Head of Automotive Financial Insights at E...
