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
Subscribe to Fintech Hustle for more unscripted conversations with leaders across banking and fintech.
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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