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Last week, members flocked to Overland Park, KS, for EPCOR Payments Conference – Fall 2024, AKA Paymentspalooza!

Day 1

We kicked off day one with our opening act, an optional pre-conference workshop, Navigating Reg E, led by EPCOR’s Emily Nelson. Attendees explored the impact of Regulation E on ACH and debit card systems, reviewed best practices, analyzed real-world scenarios and much more.

The fun officially began when attendees were greeted by our emcee, “The Payments Professor” Kevin Olsen, along with EPCOR President and CEO, Brandie Thacker, EPCOR Board Chairperson Paula Barrington from Bank of Oklahoma and Tristan Thompson from Arvest Bank. During opening comments, Ann-Marie Bartels (pictured left with EPCOR President and CEO, Brandie Thacker) was presented with the Distinguished Service Award. The award encapsulates a long overdue celebration of Ann-Marie’s over 30 years of contributions to the payments industry and her unwavering dedication to EPCOR’s mission following her retirement in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can learn more about Ann-Marie’s legacy by clicking here.

We then launched our first general session, Fighting Fraud: A Panel Discussion, featuring Moderator Kevin Olsen and panelists Karen Helmberger of Fintech and Payments, Ian Mitchell of The Knoble, Peter Tapling of PTap Advisory and Michael Timoney of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. The panel covered the latest fraud trends and encouraged audience engagement throughout the session.

After the general session, attendees had the opportunity to select from four breakout sessions, including Preparing for ISO 20022 with Leslie Lee of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and Shifting to Fraud Prevention through Effective Fraud Intelligence Sharing & Collaboration with Karen Helmberger of FS-ISAC.

The day wrapped up with our final general session, Banking with Heart: Protecting The Human Being Behind Our Transactions with Ian Mitchell of The Knoble. This insightful session explored major financially driven human crimes, the vulnerabilities within the financial services ecosystem that allow these crimes to thrive and much more.

We closed the first day with our member-favorite, chart-topping Gala Reception, complete with tasty hors d'oeuvres, exciting trivia and tons of networking opportunities! The highlight? A special appearance from our VIP guest, Hoot-E! Also, throughout the Gala and the entire conference, attendees had the chance to stop by our photo spot and strike their best pose! 

Day 2

Our second day started with a delicious breakfast followed by The Morning Payments Show, where attendees received the latest news and insights to successfully navigate the ever-evolving world of electronic payments. The panel included Monique Canty of The Clearing House, Joni Hopkins, AAP of Federal Reserve Banks and Jane Larimer of Nacha.

At Tuesday’s luncheon, guests heard Generate This—AI and Payments, presented by Peter Tapling of Ptap Advisory. In his session, Peter discussed AI's positive impact on the payments industry, its role in enhancing fraud detection and the data security vulnerabilities that come with it.

Throughout the day, attendees had the option to attend any of the sixteen breakout sessions, each focusing on a diverse range of topics such as ACH Rules updates, scams, faster payments, payments regulations and more.

As day two came to a close, everyone was invited to join EPCOR staff and fellow conference attendees at the popular Dining with Strangers event. Participants explored local restaurants for an evening of dining and networking in intimate groups, creating an opportunity to connect over a delicious meal with both new acquaintances and old friends.

Day 3

On our final day of jamming out together, we started the day with the general session, Lost in Translation: Bridging the Gap Between Financial Institutions and Customer Needs with Kevin Olsen.

Next, attendees chose from four concurrent sessions, including Third-Party Sender Origination: How to Incorporate a Third-Party Sender Into Your ACH Risk Management Program with EPCOR staff members Liz Cone and Amy Donaghue and The Alarming Rise of Check Fraud with EPCOR’s Marcy Cauthon.

Our final general session was Perspectives on the Latest Payment Topics Making Headlines moderated by Kevin Olsen. Panelists included Tristan Thompson of Arvest Bank, Scott Jones of Adams & Reese LLP, Reed Luhtanen of the Faster Payments Council and Shelly Sipple of EPCOR. Together, they offered attendees a variety of insights on the most current payment topics making headlines.

Following our closing session, it was time for the prize giveaway! Attendees had the chance to win a variety of exciting items, including numerous gift cards, discounts on our Prep Programs, complimentary event registrations, discounted services and much more!

👏🏼 A ROUND OF APPLAUSE to the attendees, speakers, sponsors and exhibitors of Paymentspalooza, as well as the conference planning committee – our conference wouldn't have been such a huge success without their contributions. Be sure to dance over to our Facebook and Instagram to check out all the pictures from the conference!

📆 Mark your calendar for next year’s conferences, happening April 14-16, 2025, at the Hilton Columbus Polaris and October 6-8, 2025 at Sheraton Overland Park Hotel.

We can't wait to rock out with you again soon!