Recorded at the AFT Fall Summit 2026 in San Diego, Sam Kilmer sits down with Jill Feiler, Brian Bodell, and Joe Gomez for a conversation about where banking and fintech are headed and what community financial institutions need to do to keep pace.

The group talks about why community banks and credit unions may be better positioned to innovate than many people think, why moving faster matters, and how fintech partnerships can help institutions compete. They also discuss the importance of strong client relationships, staying focused instead of chasing every new technology, and turning innovation into real value for customers and members.

The conversation also explores AI and the guardrails financial institutions need around it, fraud and identity verification, tokenized deposits, stablecoins, consolidation across the industry, and the growing competition facing community financial institutions. Through it all, one theme keeps coming back: technology is changing quickly, but relationships, trust, and understanding the people you serve still matter.

Guests

Jill Feiler — CEO, ZSuite Tech

Brian Bodell — CEO, Movemint

Joe Gomez — President & CEO, PhoenixWorx

Hosted by

Sam Kilmer

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Chapters
00:00 – Introduction from the AFT Fall Summit
01:30 – Jill Feiler on Leading ZSuite Tech
04:24 – Brian Bodell's Fintech Journey
07:51 – Joe Gomez and the Launch of PhoenixWorx
12:24 – Key Takeaways from the AFT Fall Summit
13:39 – Banking Consolidation and Client Relationships
15:04 – Why Community Banks Must Move Faster
16:06 – Innovation That Delivers Real Value
18:26 – What's Broken in Banking and Fintech?
20:07 – AI Adoption, Regulation and Risk
21:56 – AI Isn't Magic, but It Is Powerful
24:36 – Tokenization, Stablecoins and Industry Optimism
26:40 – Why Financial Institutions Need Trusted Guidance

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Recorded at FinovateFall 2026 in New York City, Sam Kilmer sits down with Mitch Rutledge, Shanthi Shanmugam, and Chris Sibila for a wide-ranging conversation about what’s happening across banking and fintech right now.

The group talks about how AI is becoming embedded across financial services, where banks and credit unions are still experiencing friction, why partnerships matter, and how technology can help institutions better serve customers and members.

They also dig into what leaders are seeing at FinovateFall, where innovation is gaining traction, what still needs to be fixed, and why this moment feels especially important for financial institutions trying to adapt quickly without losing sight of the people they serve.

Guests

Mitch Rutledge — CEO & Co-Founder, Vertice AI

Shanthi Shanmugam — CEO & Co-Founder, Casap

Chris Sibila — Chief Strategy & Experience Officer, Purdue Federal Credit Union

Hosted by

Sam Kilmer

Subscribe to the Fintech Hustle podcast here:
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Chapters
[00:00] – Meet the Fintech Leaders
[06:52] – What’s Standing Out at FinovateFall
[08:23] – AI Beyond Efficiency
[11:16] – What’s Still Broken in Banking and Fintech
[12:38] – Where Banks and Credit Unions Feel the Most Friction
[15:58] – Using AI to Train Employees in Real Time
[16:32] – Sharing AI Innovation Across Credit Unions
[17:51] – What’s Working Right Now
[18:09] – Why This Moment in Fintech Feels Different
[19:47] – Change, Curiosity, and the Future of Community Banking
[21:29] – Closing Thoughts

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AI may be reshaping financial services, but turning new technology into real progress takes more than speed.

Sam Kilmer and co-host Kelli Schultz are joined by Melissa Cullen of FIS, Andres Klaric of Fuse Finance, and Tom Davis of Canapi Ventures for an unscripted conversation about what it really takes to move AI from experimentation into everyday banking.

From agentic customer service and faster product development to regulatory responsibility, customer adoption, data protection, and the growing importance of fintech partnerships, the group explores where AI is already creating real value and where financial institutions still need to move carefully.

The conversation also digs into why distribution alone is not enough, how poor implementation can quickly erode trust, and why the strongest fintech companies will be the ones willing to stand behind outcomes, support their customers, and build experiences people actually want to use.

Guests Include:

• Melissa Cullen - President of Regional & Community Banking and PayTech Women Board Member, FIS
• Andres Klaric - Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Fuse Finance
• Tom Davis - General Partner, Canapi Ventures
• Kelli Schultz (Co-Host) - Managing Director, Cornerstone Advisors

Subscribe to the Fintech Hustle podcast here:
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Chapters:
[00:00] – Meet the Fintech Leaders
[02:01] – Melissa Cullen’s Day in the Life at FIS
[06:43] – Building and Scaling Fuse Finance
[10:19] – Why Listening Matters More Than Ever
[12:06] – Inside the Fintech Investor’s Day
[15:12] – Separating AI Signal from the Hype
[18:03] – Faster Sales Cycles and Outcome-Based AI
[20:48] – Moving AI Beyond Experimentation
[23:09] – Trust, Distribution, and Responsibility
[26:25] – Why AI Adoption Requires Customer Support
[27:41] – The Growing Fintech Partnership Ecosystem
[29:01] – When Agentic AI Creates a Bad Experience
[35:12] – Why Banks and Fintechs Need Each Other

Subscribe to the Fintech Hustle podcast here:
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