ARLINGTON, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–NAFCU Services invites credit union professionals to take part in the 2021 Innovation Spotlight, a virtual event gathering hundreds of attendees each year, to be held July 28 at 1 PM ET. Participants in this complimentary event will experience fast-paced immersion in dozens of breakthrough technologies, and hear executive conversations on complex topics including cryptocurrency, cannabis banking, and digital transformation.

“Over the past 18 months we have seen credit unions embrace innovation and ingenuity like never before. We’re looking forward to helping participants build on those advances in strategy and technology, which were as exciting as they were necessary, with this showcase event,” said NAFCU Services President Randy Salser.

An independent panel of credit union professionals and industry experts selected the 25 finalists of the NAFCU 2021 Innovation Awards. Each honoree will be given a five-minute window to present their demonstration to participants. The finalists provide solutions in a wide variety of member experience areas including lending, insurance, security, payments, and investing.

The event will feature a welcome address by NAFCU President and CEO Dan Berger, as well as executive conversations and keynote addresses featuring four industry leaders:

Michael Lock, Senior Vice President of Lending Partnerships, Upstart – Michael will speak about the future of lending and how digital transformation and AI can help credit unions modernize their member borrowing journey and fend off pure-play digital competitors.

Raj Dhamodharan, Executive Vice President of Blockchain, Digital Asset Products, & Digital Partnerships, Mastercard – Raj will dig past the cryptocurrency headlines and explain how major payment networks and global partnerships are bringing cryptocurrency closer to everyday transactions.

Patrick Touhey, Senior Vice President, Allied Solutions – Patrick will explain the intricacies of cannabis business, the growing market demand, and ways CUs can address the risks and regulations.

Rahm McDaniel, Vice President of Strategic Solutions, Q2 – Rahm will share his passion for member experience, including his perspective on the member-facing processes of today which need to become simpler and more effective in order to maintain loyalty and relevance tomorrow.

To join these award-winning innovators and industry experts on the next-gen solutions, credit union professionals can register for the 2021 Innovation Spotlight at nafcu.org/innovation2021.

About NAFCU Services

As part of the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions, NAFCU Services provides funding, educational content, and a portfolio of trusted and vetted Preferred Partners. For 40+ years, we’ve served credit unions across the country. Our team of partners delivers groundbreaking ideas and next-gen solutions, enabling credit unions to compete, change the status quo, and grow their institutions. For more information, visit our website and follow us on Twitter.