Top Quartile
Dan Marks
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Top Quartile brings you stories from the front lines of growth in community focused financial services. Each episode features thought leaders offering insights on what's driving growth in customers/members, loans, deposits, and digital channels at community banks and credit unions around the country.
Available episodes
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Oldest first
Mar 23, 2022
The Digital First Brand and Marketing Strategy w/ Amber Fielder
Chief Marketing Officer at USE Credit Union, Amber Fielder, talks marketing strategy and her “Digital First” approach with host Dan Marks. Including:
* Amber’s marketing and sustainability background
* Growth at USE
* The brand journey
* Surprising data driven insights that drive strategy
* How Digital First comes to life in marketing
* How Digital First comes to life in the branch
* Amber’s advice to her younger self
USE website
Connect with Amber on LinkedIn
Amber serves on the board of the Marketing Association of Credit Unions
MAC spring conference
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Mar 10, 2022
Agility and Change Management w/ Amy Tharrington
State Employees’ Credit Union’s SVP of Marketing, Amy Tharrington, talks about agility and change management to build brands with host Dan Marks.
Including:
• Growth at SECU
• How personal balance drives high performance at work
• Amy’s progression of roles at different types of financial institutions
• The importance of understanding the associate and member mindset to build change programs
• Using data to inform a strategy
• How “playing up” helps develop talent
Connect with Amy on LinkedIn
Check out SECU
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Feb 23, 2022
How My Training As A Creative Prepared Me To Lead The Brand w/ Kristen Curette
Community Resource Credit Union’s Marketing Director, Kristen Curette, talks all things design, digital, community, and leadership with host Dan Marks. Highlights include:
* Big digital advances that helped lead to CRCU’s steady growth amidst the pandemic
* How Kristen’s creative background informs her leadership
* Kristen’s focus on community
* Using design to improve the customer experience
* How staying grounded in the fundamentals while always learning and innovating are both super important
* Kristen’s advice to her younger self
Connect with Kristen on LinkedIn
Check out CRCU
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Feb 8, 2022
Successful Digital Loan Origination Strategies w/ John Deignan
President and CEO of Baker Hill John Deignan talks all things loan growth with host Dan Marks.
* Highlights from a career spent helping financial services companies grow
* How work styles and processes are adapting to a hybrid world
* The most effective things financial institutions are doing to grow quality loans
* Keys to successfully digitizing an end to end loan origination process
* The top three (plus one) things that banks and credit unions to accelerate loan growth
* John’s advice on addressing and thriving in challenging situations
Connect with John on LinkedIn
Check out Baker Hill
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Jan 4, 2022
Key Trends Shaping 2022 Roundtable
Several key thought leaders share their perspective on key trends shaping 2022. Check out the video version of this episode on Youtube. Guests appearing in this episode and links to their original Top Quartile episode include:
* Sarae Janes Lewis SVP, Director of Associate & Client Experience at Pinnacle Financial Partners – The Inside Story of Pinnacle’s Growth
* Rick Claypoole EVP, Client Analytics at Infusion – The Value of Customer Data For M&A
* Delynn Byars SVP of Marketing at First South Financial CU – Systematic Onboarding
* John Oxford SVP and Director of Marketing at Renasant Bank – Key Marketing Trends
* Douglas Scarboro SVP of Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Regional Executive Memphis Branch – Helping Communities Thrive and Fostering Payments Innovation
* Tim Keith CEO at Infusion – Loan Growth Best Practices
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Dec 21, 2021
Lessons Learned 2021 Wrap-up Roundtable
We bring back some of the guests that were part of the inaugural year of Top Quartile for a roundtable discussion about key lessons learned in 2021. Check out the video version of this episode on Youtube! Guests appearing in this episode and links to their original Top Quartile episode include:
* Sarae Janes Lewis SVP, Director of Associate & Client Experience at Pinnacle Financial Partners – The Inside Story of Pinnacle’s Growth
* Rick Claypoole EVP, Client Analytics at Infusion – The Value of Customer Data For M&A
* Delynn Byars SVP of Marketing at First South Financial CU – Systematic Onboarding
* John Oxford SVP and Director of Marketing at Renasant Bank – Key Marketing Trends
* Douglas Scarboro SVP of Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Regional Executive Memphis Branch – Helping Communities Thrive and Fostering Payments Innovation
* Tim Keith CEO at
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Nov 24, 2021
Best Practices in Sales Management w/ Charlie Moon
Business Development Strategist and author of _How to Turn Order Takers Into Rainmakers_, Charlie Moon, talks about how banks can enhance revenue growth through a systematic approach to sales coaching and management with host Dan Marks, including:
* Charlie’s unique background in banking
* How Charlie applies his skills to help non profits raise funds in his spare time
* Charlie breaks down his book and the acronym embrACe
* Navigating the relationship between technical skills and personal skills in sales
* The importance of engaging clients with a story
* Charlie’s process for individual development
* Charlie’s advice to his younger self
Connect with Charlie on LinkedIn
Check out getcharliemoon.com
Download Charlie’s book
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Nov 17, 2021
The Inside Story of Pinnacle’s Growth w/ Sarae Janes Lewis
Senior Vice President and Director of Associate and Client Experience at Pinnacle Financial Partners, Sarae Janes Lewis, talks with host Dan Marks about how building a great culture focused on delivering a great client experience drives growth at Pinnacle, including:
* Sarae’s background and the genesis of her role
* How Pinnacle has grown from 250 employees to a top 40 bank by assets
* How culture and delivering an excellent client experience interrelate
* Pinnacle’s leadership philosophy and the story behind using Partners in the name
* Pinnacle’s distinct operating approach and how analytics and listening to clients drive Top Quartile growth
* Sarae’s advice to her younger self
Connect with Sarae on LinkedIn
Check out Pinnacle’s website
Fastest Growing Metro Areas in the US
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Oct 26, 2021
How We Started and Grew a De Novo Community Bank w/ Will Chase
Will Chase, the founding CEO of Triumph bank, discusses key observations and lessons learned that led to the founding, profitability, rapid growth, and eventual successful exit with host Dan Marks including:
* Will’s journey from repossessing cars to founding Triumph
* The banking climate in Memphis while starting Triumph
* The strategies that kept Triumph successful through all types of economic cycles
* How Triumph built a differentiated brand
* How a community bank can use data and analytics to win customers
* Will’s view on adopting technology and how a community bank can be successful even in a “scale game”
* Reflections on leadership, culture, and learning from mistakes
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Oct 13, 2021
Leveraging FinTech and Crypto Partnerships for Banking Growth w/ Scot Lenoir
Scot Lenoir, Chairman at Evolve Bank and Trust, talks with host Dan Marks about their partnerships in the FinTech and Crypto space and how it drives growth! The conversation includes:
* How Scot started Evolve
* Scot’s love for sports and music
* Evolve’s role in in FinTech and Crypto
* How Scot thinks about the current banking and financial services space
* How Evolve embraces innovation and regulation at the same time
* How FinTech partnerships benefit end consumers
* How Evolve leverages data and analytics to serve clients
* Scot’s key takeaways around serving the FinTech and Crypto space
* Scot’s advice to his younger self and what he would have done differently if he were to start a bank today.
Connect with Scot and Evolve on LinkedIn
Follow Evolve on Facebook and Twitter
Visit getevolved.com
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Sep 28, 2021
Loan Growth Best Practices w/Tim Keith
CEO at Infusion Tim Keith talks best practices in growing loans with host Dan Marks based on analyzing billions of industry specific peer data points.
* How macro trends impacts planning
* Peer benchmarking to uncover new opportunities
* Data mining to prioritize high potential opportunities
* Understanding needs along the customer/member lifecycle
* How to grow loans with higher risk adjusted returns
* How to easily and quickly discover new data-driven opportunities for loan growth
Connect with Tim on LinkedIn
Check out infusionmarketinggroup.com
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Sep 15, 2021
How to Build Unbeatable B2B Brands Based on Hundreds of Interviews w/Drew Neisser
B2B Marketing maven, author, and podcaster Drew Neisser sits with host Dan Marks to discuss some of the marketing guidelines outlined in his new book _Renegade Marketing: 12 Steps to Building Unbeatable B2B Brands_, including:
* Drew’s role at Renegade and what led him to write his new book
* Drew’s fascination with Ben Franklin
* Why Drew has a passion for B2B Marketing specifically
* The CATS methodology
* How to be a Courageous marketer
* How to be an Artful marketer
* How to be a Thoughtful marketer – and why purpose matters
* How to be a Scientific marketer – and how to focus on metrics that matter
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Sep 1, 2021
The Art and Science of Purposeful Brand Building w/ Aaron Chestnut
Georgia United Credit Union’s Chief Marketing Officer, Aaron Chestnut, joins host Dan Marks to talk branding, mission, the heart of marketing, and how to build an analytic-driven marketing culture! Highlights include:
* Aaron’s role at Georgia United (plus his company band!)
* Recent growth at Georgia United
* GU’s mission to serve, and why a company should walk the walk
* Aaron’s unique history building brands and how it helps Georgia United grow
* How “Freedom to Fail” leads to more winning
* Balancing the art and science of marketing
* The Jurassic Park Principle
* Aaron’s take on working for a company with a powerful culture and brand
* Aaron’s advice to his younger self as he moved from consumer products to financial services
Visit Georgia United’s website and check out the GUCU Foundation
Follow #GUCUCares on social media:
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Aug 17, 2021
Observations from the Front Lines of FinTech Growth w/ Sam Kilmer
Cornerstone Advisors’ Sam Kilmer, co-host of The Fintech Hustle, and host Dan Marks discuss the latest technology and data driven growth trends from Sam’s perspective advising hundreds of institutions including:
* Sam’s banking career history and his current role at Cornerstone
* The story of Gonzobanker
* How the ecosystem of Financial Institutions is changing
* Banks utilizing data and analytics to gain market share
* Real world observations on lessons learned in using data for revenue growth
* Organizing for success to unlock the potential for data driven growth
* The importance for executives to recognize pain and using data to alleviate that pain
* What Sam’s priorities would be if he were to take a Chief Banking Officer/Chief Revenue Officer role in a bank or credit union
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Aug 4, 2021
A Brand New Chapter for a Bank with 100 years of History w/ Ed Francis
Ed Francis, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer for InBankshares, Corp and InBank, talks with host Dan Marks about the re-invention of the 100 year organization and subsequent growth including:
* How InBank’s growth has doubled in 3 years
* The importance of humanizing CEO’s and being “touchable”
* InBank’s origin story and the “why” of the InBank brand
* Ed’s leadership philosophy and being hands-on
* Using research and analytics to make better, data driven decisions and build long lasting relationships with customers
* Over-delivering on customer expectations with a combination of quick service technology and human interaction
* Ed’s advice to his younger self – and all new bankers
Connect with Ed on LinkedIn Visit Inbank.com
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Jul 21, 2021
How Culture and Personal Brand Drive Higher Performance w/ Natalie Bartholomew
CAO/CMO at Grand Savings Bank, Natalie Bartholomew, AKA The Girl Banker, talks with host Dan Marks about her role in driving growth by creating a better place to work for everyone, including:
* Growth at Grand Savings Bank
* Natalie’s unique role at Grand Savings – Head of Marketing and Human Resources
* How branding and culture are two sides of the same coin
* The dangers of devaluing any roles in the bank
* Natalie’s philosophy around developing people
* The origin story of The Girl Banker brand and why it was important to develop her personal brand
* A take on the white-collar moms coming back to work after the pandemic and workplaces recognizing the value of being flexible
* Natalie’s advice to young women in banking
Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn and Social Media Visit TheGirlBanker.com Visit Grand Saving Bank’s website Listen to Natalie’s podcast
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Jul 7, 2021
Digital First High Performance w/ Brent Beardall
President and Chief Executive Officer at Washington Federal Bank, Brent Beardall, talks with host Dan Marks about where WaFd came from and to where he wants to drive it in the near future, including:
* The impressive growth at WaFd
* Brent’s philosophy around driving growth
* The idea of frictionless banking
* WaFd’s push to be a digital-first bank by 2025
* The difference between digital-first and digital-only
* Using data to make banking easier for the client
* Brent’s advice to his younger self
Connect with Brent on LinkedIn Visit wafdbank.com Investors, view WaFd’s Investor Relations page
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Jun 23, 2021
Charting a New Path w/ Jared Freeman
The President/CEO at OnPath Federal Credit Union, Jared Freeman, shares his story and leadership philosophy with host Dan Marks, including:
* The growth at OnPath at its 60th anniversary
* Key strategies for driving growth
* The use of analytics and research to inform strategy
* Jared’s leadership philosophy
* An approach to fostering innovation and problem solving
* The story of Jared’s path to becoming a CEO at a young age
* Jared’s advice to his younger self
Connect with Jared on LinkedIn Visit beonpath.org Follow @OnPathFCU on social media
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Jun 9, 2021
ROI Attribution w/ Tim Keith
Infusion CEO Tim Keith talks ROI tracking and multi-channel attribution amongst the impending “cookie-pocalypse” with host Dan Marks, including:
* How do we practically link outcomes to key marketing activities to understand impact?
* How do we avoid stopping short and only looking at activity metrics like impressions and clicks?
* How can you put in place a practical measurement framework that avoids crumbling under its own weight of complexity?
* How to solve tracking outcomes across devices
* Best practices and practical tips based on decades of experience
Connect with Tim on LinkedIn
Visit Infusion Marketing Group to learn more about how their knowledge, data, and marketing expertise helps community banks and credit unions grow their business
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May 26, 2021
How Signage and Physical Branding Contributes to Growth w/ Kyle Edmonds
Kyle Edmonds, VP and Partner at Mitchell Signs, talks about the importance of physical branding with host Dan Marks, including:
* Signage trends and changes within the financial services industry
* Why banks and credit unions invest in physical branding
* Developing a strategy to begin or update exterior and/or interior branding
* New tech in signage
* How a comprehensive brand plan includes both physical and digital elements
* Kyle’s advice to his younger self
Connect with Kyle on LinkedIn
Visit Mitchellsigns.com
Watch this drone footage of an innovative signage install
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May 12, 2021
How Core Values Drive Sustainable Performance w/ Shane Loper
Shane Loper, COO at Hancock Whitney Corporation talks to host Dan Marks about how his company’s values and mission relate to achieving top performance, including:
* Shane’s background and how it influences his leadership philosophy
* Shane’s journey from programmer to COO
* How core values and company mission impact decisions
* Examples and stories of how the company and community benefit from strong values
* How strong values help chart a path of innovation and growth
* Key take-aways and lessons learned
* Shane’s advice to his younger self. Expanded on in this downloadable resource: Build a Great Personal Brand, a Message to My Younger Self
Connect with Shane on LinkedIn
Visit Hancockwhitney.com
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Apr 27, 2021
How Customer Analytics Drive Promotional Strategies w/ Matt Allen
In this episode, host Dan Marks and Matt Allen, CMO at Flagstar Bank, discuss using customer analytics to drive a shift in promotional strategies, including:
* Research and analysis used to identify opportunity to shift marketing strategies
* Gaining buy-in for that strategic shift
* Outcomes and impact from this strategy
* Actionable insight on implementing a relationship-based approach to marketing
* Matt’s advice to his younger self
Connect with Matt on LinkedIn
Visit Flagstar’s website
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Apr 13, 2021
Purpose-driven performance w/ James Schenck
James Schenck, President & CEO of PenFed Credit Union and CEO of the PenFed Foundation, talks to Host Dan Marks about pay, performance, and culture at PenFed, including:
* James’ thoughts on his role as CEO
* Growth highlights at PenFed
* PenFed’s key growth drivers, including people, products, and channels
* Unique aspects of PenFed’s culture and the organization’s philosophy around people leadership and pay
* The impact on culture and performance of pay practices
* Key insights about leadership and integrity
* James’ advice to his younger self
Connect with James on LinkedIn
Visit penfed.org and penfedfoundation.org
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Mar 30, 2021
Helping communities thrive and fostering payments innovation w/ Douglas Scarboro
Douglas Scarboro, Senior Vice President of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and Regional Executive in charge of the bank’s Memphis branch talks to Host Dan Marks about the work the Federal Reserve is doing in community development and modernizing the US payment system, including:
* How the Fed’s dual mandate shapes inclusion and innovation
* Which programs are positively impacting communities the most
* Using data and analytics to guide decision making
* Segmentation and relevance in the context of community development work
* How modernizing the US payment system is beneficial
* Payment modernization, digital currencies, and crypto
* Douglas’ advice to his younger self
Connect with Douglas on LinkedIn
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Mar 16, 2021
Key marketing trends w/ John Oxford
John Oxford, SVP and Director of Marketing for Renasant Bank and author of the book _No More Next Time: Marketing in the Age of Distraction_, discusses the latest marketing trends for banks with host Dan Marks:
* Bonus: hear the story behind the SEC Shorts YouTube channel
* The idea behind John’s book
* Why branding is crucial for banks, and why banks typically don’t do branding at a high level
* How and why banks should leverage social media
* The importance of “retargeting”
* The effectiveness of email marketing and marketing automation for banks
* How audience, channel, and message work together to drive impact
* John’s take on SMS marketing
* John’s advice to his younger self
Connect with John on LinkedIn
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