Bill Cheney / President & CEO, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union

As President and CEO of SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union in Santa Ana, Calif., Bill works closely with the credit union’s Board of Directors and teammembers to lead one of the largest, most progressive credit unions in the nation, while strongly adhering to the timeless credit union value of maximizing service to the credit union’s Members on a not-for-profit basis.

SchoolsFirst FCU is the largest credit union in California and the fifth largest in the United States by asset size, with more than 750,000 Members, and over $13 billion in assets.

Before joining SchoolsFirst, Cheney was president and CEO of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), the nation’s largest advocacy group for credit unions. As leader of the national trade group, Bill worked in Washington, D.C. and throughout the country to represent America’s credit unions and their more than 99 million members before the White House, Congress, federal government agencies, the press and the public.

Bill has played an active role in the credit union movement for more than 30 years, beginning in community-based and employee-based credit unions, then as a leader in the state league system, the national trade group, and now as the CEO of SchoolsFirst FCU.

Bill earned his BBA at The University of Texas at Austin. He completed the Advanced Leadership Institute at Harvard Business School and the CUES Director’s Leadership Institute at the London Business School.

Bill and his wife Crissy live in Santa Ana, California. They have two grown children – Catherine, a journalist living in Northern California and Will, a teacher living in New Hampshire.

Brett Christensen / Owner, CU Lending Advice, LLC

Brett is the owner of CU Lending Advice, LLC. As such, he consults and conducts training sessions on various lending topics to professionals that work in the credit union industry. His personal and entertaining speaking style have also made him a popular and sought out speaker in the credit union industry.

Prior to forming his own company, Brett worked as a lending consultant and trainer for Lending Solutions Consulting, Inc. of Elgin, IL. Prior to his job at Lending Solutions, Brett was the Chief Sales Officer of APPRO Systems, Inc. which purchased the Loan Link Lending Center, which Brett managed as the President for three years.

Prior to his work at Loan Link, Brett was the Vice President of Lending & Sales at Clark County Credit Union in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also worked for five years as a civil engineering officer in the United States Air Force.

He has earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy in 1987, and a Master’s of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix in 1991.

Kirk Drake / Founder, Credit Union 2.0

Kirk Drake is a lifelong entrepreneur, author, and founder of Credit Union 2.0. He is a credit union and technology enthusiast who built nine successful businesses, notably the Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO) Ongoing Operations, CU Wallet – a mobile wallet venture, Resistance Wine Company, and several additional lifestyle e-commerce/mobile platforms.

Kirk harnessed the power of inbound marketing, generating over 500 blog articles, twelve books, created a lead scoring system, and developed a digital engagement strategy resulting in over 100 leads per month.

In 2016, Kirk harnessed his 25 years of industry experience to write Credit Union 2.0: A Guide to Helping Credit Unions Compete in the Digital Age. His second book – Financial – Artificial Intelligence for bankers will be published in 2019.

Kirk is a featured speaker with over 100 previous appearances at conferences, including The California Credit Union League, CU Leaders, PSCU Annual Conference, Cornerstone Credit Union League, and many more. He helps audiences understand the current state of credit unions, the imminent need to adapt into current digital technologies, and how to regain crucial market share in the banking industry.

When Kirk isn’t busy helping credit unions be relevant in today’s digital age, he loves spending time with his beautiful wife Kimberly and their three amazing kids. They are also starting a vineyard in their beautiful new hometown of Ashland, Oregon.

Bruce A. Pearson / Senior Partner, SW&M

Bruce Pearson is a senior partner at the law offices of Styskal, Wiese & Melchione, LLP (“SW&M”). SW&M has been involved in the financial institution movement since 1936 when its founding partners began practicing law. Bruce has over twenty-four years of experience representing the industry. He provides clients with results oriented, practical and strategic legal and business advice focusing upon corporate governance, insurance coverage, operations and regulatory matters. Bruce’s past credit union work experience provides the firm’s clients with a valuable “in the trenches” perspective.

Bruce received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Illinois where he majored in Russian, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and graduated Cum Laude in 1985. While working for a credit union, he attended Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1992. He is licensed to practice in the state of Arizona, California, New York, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

Bruce is a frequently requested speaker and teacher at credit union industry meetings and events; he is on the faculty of Western CUNA Management School and regularly trains senior management and volunteers on fiduciary duties and responsibilities, vendor contract negotiations and is a main speaker at SW&M’s annual legal update seminars.

Art Sookazian / President of National Credit Union Collections Alliance (NCUCA)

Art Sookazian serves as the Vice President of Special Services and Risk Management for Los Angeles Federal Credit Union (LAFCU). In addition, he is the President of the National Credit Union Collections Alliance (NCUCA). The NCUCA is a nationwide collections organization for credit unions providing networking, best practices, and educational services. He oversees collections, recoveries, litigation, repossessions, and remarketing at LAFCU. He has twenty years of experience in collections at both captive finance and credit union industries. Art has worked at some of the leading captive finance companies including Toyota Financial Services, Lexus Financial Services, and Isuzu Motors Acceptance Corp. Prior to his time at Los Angeles Federal Credit Union, Art served as the Vice President of Collections at Xceed Financial Credit Union. Art has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The University of Virginia. In 2016, Art was awarded the CU Times Trailblazer 40 Below award for his success overseeing collections programs at credit unions while forming the NCUCA.

Alana Anaya, Esq. / Principal & Owner, Anaya Law Group

Ms. Anaya has proudly been representing credit unions, corporate clients and real estate brokerages for over twenty two years. She also is a California Real Estate Broker. Ms. Anaya handles all aspects of litigation, regularly provides legal review and guidance on contracts/transaction matters, handles bankruptcy matters on behalf of creditors and engages in skilled negotiation tactics to maximize all settlement opportunities. Ms. Anaya regularly conducts arbitrations and trials. When clients need guidance backed by experience, Ms. Anaya can prove to be an asset to assist through any difficult or complex matter and can provide the legal guidance needed for a successful conclusion. Ms. Anaya regularly provides ongoing legal education and updates to credit unions and the real estate industry on various current topics of interest and participates regularly as a speaker at local and national venues.

Thomas J. Prenovost, Jr. / Managing Principal Attorney

Education:

• Loyola Law School (Los Angeles), Juris Doctor Degree, 1977
• University of California, Los Angeles, Graduate Studies in Architecture and Urban Planning, 1973-1974
• California State University, Long Beach, Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science/Public Administration, “Cum Laude”, 1972

Practice Areas:

• Automobile Law & Dealership
• Banking Law/ Commercial Litigation
• Creditor’s Bankruptcy Law
• Civil Litigation
• Commercial Litigation
• Corporate Law
• Credit Unions
• Financial Institutions
• Real Estate Law

Admitted To Practice In:

• United States Supreme Court
• California Supreme Court
• All California Courts of Appeal
• All Federal, State and Bankruptcy Courts in California

Professional Profile:

• Managing Principal of Prenovost, Normandin, Bergh, & Dawe (1984-Present)
• Director – California Credit Union Collectors Council – Orange County Chapter (2012-2017)
• Director – California Domestic Water Company (2015 – present)
• Top 100 Irish Attorney in U.S.A. (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
• Planning Commissioner for the City of Brea (1998-2013)
• Parks & Recreation Commissioner, City of Brea (1996-1998)
• Served on the Board of Governors for Loyola Law School (1995)
• Served on the Board of the St. Vincent de Paul Society (1996)
• Associate Professor at Chapman University (1977-1983)
• Founder (2000) and President (2010-2012) of the Celtic Bar Association of Orange County
• Speaker on various topics, including “Current Legal Issues” and “Update on Legal Lending Issues” at California Bankers and Lenders Conference
• Brea-Olinda High School Football Booster President (1994-1999)
• Member of American Bar Association, Orange County Bar Association, Debt Collection, Bankruptcy and Real Estate Sections, Community Bankers of California, California Bankers Association, American Financial Services Association, Mortgage Bankers Association of America, and Trial Lawyers Association of America
• Member of the California Association of REALTORS® (“C.A.R.”) Attorney Referral Panel (2006 to present)
• Expert Witness
• California Licensed Real Estate Broker
• Judge Pro-Tem, Orange County Superior Court (1983-1988)

Ian Frame, Manager / Auto Finance at CARFAX

Ian Frame is a licensed attorney with more than a decade of experience in the automotive industry. Ian has established himself as a highly successful consultant at CARFAX, advising some of the largest credit unions and captive finance arms in the nation on proprietary CARFAX solutions designed to assist lenders throughout the auto loan lifecycle. In a recent collaboration with major lenders and insurance companies, Ian utilized machine learning to help develop fraud indicators that integrate with loan origination platforms and feed directly into lender scorecards. Ian retains an impressive cache of knowledge on key topics in the auto lending space, including: machine learning, collateral fraud, big data and more.

Mike Schatzman, CEO at Technology Systems Solutions

I have been working at or for credit unions since 1988. I have been writing Symitar PowerOns since 1994. Today I am the CEO of Technology Systems Solutions (TSS). I founded TSS, in 2001, with the goal to help credit unions realize the power of their Symitar System. I combine my experience with the technical aspects of the Symitar Episys system and my knowledge of the business and functional aspects of running a credit union. I grew my knowledge of the collections process and Symitar’s Collections package in 2008 because of growing number of credit unions that needed a more robust offering in those difficult times. I have used PowerOns to help collections professionals create tools to track collections processes such as; bankruptcies, repossessions, outsourced accounts, and legal processes. I have helped collection managers create reports to track productivity and results. I have helped collections executives create reports to analyze collections portfolios to recognize trends and anticipate future needs.

William Perrella, Business Development at Sentry Credit, Inc.

William Perrella is Director of National Sales for Sentry Credit Inc. a leading ARM firm based out of Everett, WA specializing in Financial Services, Education, Credit Union and Mortgage receivables.

William joined Sentry Credit Inc in May of 1998. His responsibilities with Sentry Credit Inc. have included hiring and training collection staff, managing up to 40 collectors, developing relationships with new clients and servicing existing clients. A majority of his focus over the last 25 years has been improving front line collections by bringing out the best of the collectors he has trained. William has been recognized as one of the top performers in the collection industry.

Prior to joining Sentry Credit Inc. William worked for 5 years with Continental Credit/OSI as both a collector and manager. Here, he was responsible for Financial, State and Telcom collections.

Chris Otey, Chief Revenue Officer at CU 2.0

Chris is the Chief Revenue Officer at CU 2.0 and the chairman of the board at South Bay Credit Union. In these roles, Chris creates partnerships between fintech providers and credit unions to allow them to thrive in a constantly changing digital environment.

Previously, Chris was the Chief Revenue Officer at CU Wallet. He worked in all facets of the credit union division within Fiserv. He has also sold, trained, and installed core processing, EFT services, wire services, internet banking, bill pay, mobile solutions, and accounting systems. The point is, he may have forgotten more about the industry than most people have learned.

Of course, business isn’t everything. Chris is a dad, and he coaches his two daughters’ soccer teams in the uber competitive town of Manhattan Beach, CA. He also enjoys the finer things in life: a tumbler of good scotch, an Ashton cigar, and a good round of golf. Chris has lost to most of the best golfers in the credit union industry.

Peter Duffy, Piper Sandler & Co.

Peter’s session will discuss key trends related to growth and earnings while providing the top strategic considerations successful credit unions are contemplating or already implementing while in the midst of COVID and the banking fallout looming. Case studies of successful programs will be provided for a dynamic look at what works and does not work as boards and managers analyze the role of lending, fintech, earnings, capital and merger all can play in meeting member and CU needs.

Shovel ready ideas for strengthening the CU’s model will be provided. If you think you’ve mitigated risks and perhaps lost sight of loan penetration during the pandemic, this is not a session you want to miss.

Joel Schwartz, CEO and Founder of DoubleCheck Solutions

CEO and Founder of DoubleCheck Solutions. Joel has 17 years in the Banking industry holding such positions as SVP at First Bank; one of the largest privately held banks in the US. He has also been an instructor at UCLA teaching Niche Marketing and Market Growth Strategies. He is a visionary that is focused on empowering customers, elevating customer experience and helping financial institutions be more efficient, compliant, and profitable.

Jan Stieger, Executive Director of Receivables Management Association International (RMAI)

Jan Stieger, CAE, a 30-year veteran of association management, serves as Executive Director of Receivables Management Association International (RMAI), the trade association representing 550 member organizations in the accounts receivables industry. Jan brings a wealth of experience in financial services, strategic planning, regulatory and legislative issues, international affairs, and credit and risk management. In 2018 and again in 2019, Jan was recognized as one of the 25 most influential women in the accounts receivables management industry.

Prior to joining RMAI in 2011, Jan spent nine years leading the California Association of Collectors (CAC), the state affiliate of ACA International. She previously served in leadership roles with the California Optometric Association and the California Pharmacists Association.

James J. Mastriani, President of Velocity Portfolio Group, Inc.

James J. Mastriani is President of Velocity Portfolio Group, Inc. Founded in 2003, the company is in the business of acquiring assets originated by federal and state banks, the fintech marketplace and other creditors for the purpose of generating income and cash flow from the management and collection of these assets. The company also provides outsourced legal collection solutions for credit grantors, debt buyers, and other owners and originators of consumer receivables.

Mr. Mastriani earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgetown University and graduated from the Seton Hall University School of Law. From 1998 until joining Velocity in 2004, he practiced at the New York office of international law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom LLP, where he was responsible for providing legal and regulatory advice to clients in the financial services and consumer finance industries. Jim currently as spent several years chairing the RMAI Federal Legislative and Regulatory Comments and currently serves as the President of RMAI.

David Lippman, Managing Attorney for Lippman Recupero

David Lippman is the managing attorney for Lippman Recupero a multi-state law practice dedicated to creditors rights. The firm serves the needs of credit unions nationwide handling a variety of member claims including auto deficiencies, replevins, personal lines, as well as HELOC claims.

He has worked in the collection industry since 1982 and licensed as an attorney since 2005. Mr. Lippman frequently instructs, lectures and writes about the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), selling as a tool to collect more payments while maintain customer relationships, Cybersecurity, and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

He earned his bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Northeastern University, focusing on computer science, and his J.D. degree from Suffolk University Law School. Mr. Lippman is an active member of the state bars of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington as well as the Federal District Courts of Arizona and Idaho.

Jerad Broaddus / Vice President of Loan Services, Partners Federal Credit Union (PFCU)

Jerad has worked in the financial services industry for over 20 years; with most of that experience being in leadership roles within inbound/outbound contact centers. Jerad has been in the credit union industry now for 8 years and has no desire to move back to banking! Jerad prefers working within credit union’s because they are focused upon servicing the member. In his current role at PFCU Jerad is responsible for the development and implementation of collection, loan servicing, loss mitigation, repossession and recovery strategies. He will graduate with his MBA from Southeastern University in August 2019

On his move from Tucson, AZ to Orlando, FL in 2015, “Heat is heat. Dry, or wet…it’s just plain hot.”

Anabel Ortiz / Assistant VP of Digital Experience, Los Angeles Federal Credit Union

As Assistant Vice President of Digital Experience (D.E.) at LAFCU, Anabel is responsible for digital strategy by developing successful member experiences through mobile applications and other channels. With over 23 years in the credit union industry, she helped create the D.E. department and now oversees a staff of four.

Anabel is helping create a premium digital experience for members and how they interact with the credit union. She is a hands-on, strategic big-thinker with excellent cross-functional collaboration skills as she leads a mobile-first strategy.

Her past positions at LAFCU make her uniquely qualified to run the D.E. department. Hired in 1997 as a Member Service Rep in the Call Center, she has worked as a Utility Specialist then Lead in the Electronic Services Dept, Imaging & Data Systems Coordinator in the I.T. Dept, Training Specialist for HR/Training, Online Services Manager, then promoted to her current position in 2019.

LAFCU, with strong financials, 70,000 members and assets over $1.2 billion, has been serving Southern California since 1936. The website is www.LAFCU.org

Nathan Anderson / Sales Director at Interactions LLC

Nathan Anderson is Sales Director for Interactions, the largest stand alone AI company in the world focused on leveraging a blend of artificial intelligence and machine learning, with the human touch, to elevate the communication process. Nathan joined Interactions in 2018 and is focused on educating and connecting companies in the credit and collections industry to Interactions’ World Class Solutions.

Before Interactions, Nathan spent the last two decades in the credit and collections industry starting as a collector back in 1995 and most recently as Director of Operations for Account Control Technology. Thru his career, Nathan has consistently utilized technology and process innovation to drive efficiency and create real market differentiators. Nathan’s experience spans across credit card, auto, mortgage, utilities, and student loan verticals to name a few.