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Kicking Things Off: Hands-On Learning Workshops 

Paymentspalooza kicked off with two immersive pre-conference workshops designed to build practical, real-world expertise.

Attendees explored the upcoming June 2026 ACH Originator fraud monitoring requirements and what they mean for ODFIs, Third-Party Senders and their Originators. They also worked through real-world fraud scenarios and examined practical strategies for education, compliance and fraud prevention in a rapidly evolving environment in the Helping ACH Originators with the New 2026 Fraud Monitoring Rules workshop led by Trevor Witchey, AAP, APRP, NCP (EPCOR).

The Demystifying Third Parties: A Hands-On ACH Workshop, led by Matthew Wade, AAP, AFPP, APRP, CPA (EPCOR), helped attendees better understand Third-Party Service Providers, Third-Party Senders and Nested Third-Party Senders under the ACH Rules. Through collaborative exercises and real-life origination scenarios, participants learned how to identify third-party roles, evaluate complex payment relationships and apply ACH Rules definitions in practical settings.

Opening Remarks and Conference Welcome

The conference officially opened with Peter Tapling, APRP (PTap Advisory, LLC), Brandie Thacker, AAP, CAE (EPCOR) and James Carrick (EPCOR), welcoming attendees and setting the tone for three days of collaboration and learning. They also shared a major update: In 2027, EPCOR Payments Conference experience is coming together in a new way with one unified event in St. Louis!

The theme, Gateway to Payments Innovation, reflects the focus of the conference — bringing the industry together in one place to explore what’s next, share insights and move payments forward. Click here to express your interest and be among the first to know when it goes live!

The opening general session, Payments Industry Update: A Fireside Chat, brought together Peter Tapling, APRP (PTap Advisory, LLC), Michael Herd (Nacha), Joni Hopkins, APRP (Federal Reserve Financial Services), Steve Douglass (The Clearing House) and Brandie Thacker, AAP, CAE (EPCOR). The panel explored the latest developments in payments modernization, fraud risk, compliance challenges and emerging industry trends shaping the future of money movement.

Day One: Risk, Innovation & Real-World Application

Attendees customized their experience through a wide range of breakout sessions focused on risk, innovation and real-world application.

In his session, Scott Jones (Adams & Reese) walked through legal precedent in Payments Gone Wrong: Legal Cases in ACH, Wire, and Instant Payments, highlighting fraud liability, account takeover risks and commercially reasonable security standards under UCC Article 4A.

Zoya Lieberman (DeNovo Treasury) and Caroline Cypriano (JJ4Tech) led Payments & Liquidity Management: What Community Institutions Need to Know Now, where they explored how instant payments are reshaping liquidity forecasting and balance sheet strategy.

In Embedded Banking & Payments: Meeting Your Client Where They Are, Peter Davey (PaymentsJedi Advisory) discussed how embedded finance is transforming client expectations and integrating payments directly into digital experiences.

Michael Timoney (Federal Reserve Financial Services) shared insights in Old Threats, New Tactics: Combating Check Fraud in Modern Banking, focusing on evolving check fraud schemes and strategies for stronger detection and response.

Peter Tapling, APRP (PTap Advisory, LLC) also took the stage with a forward-looking perspective in What an Interesting Time to Be in Payments!, covering AI, stablecoins, regulatory change and the rapid evolution of payments infrastructure.

The day closed with our Gala Reception, which allowed attendees to network, unwind with massage chairs, add a little sparkle with hair tinsel and continue conversations sparked throughout the sessions.

Day Two: Emerging Technology & Evolving Risk

Day two opened with Shane Ensminger presenting Beyond the Numbers: Fraud Awareness and the Real Cost of Financial Crime, a session that emphasized the broader human and systemic impact of financial fraud.

Throughout the day, attendees were able to choose from a variety of chart-topping breakout sessions, including Quantum-Safe: Protecting Payments in the Quantum Era, Inside the 2025 U.S. Instant Payments Adoption Study, Get Your Originators Compliant—and Keep Them That and more!

Scott Jones (Adams & Reese) returned with Check Fraud Trends, UCC and Case Law Overview, providing a detailed legal update on liability and emerging fraud patterns.

Sharon Hallmark, AAP, AFPP, APRP (EPCOR) presented ACH Rules Update, covering key rule changes including fraud monitoring requirements, IAT updates and broader compliance priorities.

Chris Colson (Federal Reserve Financial Services) explored emerging digital currency considerations in Stablecoins: A New Frontier in Payments, and Trevor Witchey, AAP, APRP, NCP (EPCOR) shared practical guidance in Making Cents of Regulation E and Debit Card Disputes, focusing on investigations and fraud mitigation.

Later in the day, breakout sessions gave attendees even more opportunities to dive into specialized topics. 

In Fraud on the Wire, Trevor Witchey, AAP, NCP, APRP (EPCOR) examined the high-stakes nature of wire fraud, including business email compromise, account takeover and client scams, along with mitigation techniques to protect both businesses and account holders.

In the session From Data to Dollars: Turning Payment Intelligence into a Competitive Advantage, Matthew Friend (JPMorgan Chase) and Jane Hennessy (Finzly) explored how intelligent transaction tagging and data-driven insights can reveal fraud patterns, uncover market trends and drive new revenue opportunities.

Caroline Cypriano (JJ4Tech) and Kevin Miyamoto (Identifee) brought innovation to life in What If Initiating a Payment Was Effortless? Unlocking the Power of QR Codes, demonstrating how QR code–initiated payments can streamline the payment experience while maintaining security and scalability.

Peter Davey (PaymentsJedi Advisory) focused on operational efficiency in Automating and Simplifying Payments, sharing practical ways for community institutions to reduce manual processes, strengthen fraud controls and support multiple payment rails without complex technology stacks.

The day concluded on an inspiring note with Lindsay Tarpley’s keynote, Go For Gold: Teamwork, Toughness and Tenacity, where she shared lessons on resilience, discipline, teamwork and performing under pressure drawn from her Olympic and World Cup experience.

The evening wrapped up with vendor showcases and networking discussions across the exhibit hall, followed by our member-favorite Dining with Strangers, which encouraged attendees to step outside their usual circles, share a meal and build meaningful new connections.

Day Three: AI, Instant Payments & What Comes Next

Day three began with a networking breakfast, giving attendees one last opportunity to connect before diving into a forward-looking lineup of sessions focused on AI, instant payments and fraud prevention.

The final morning opened with the general session AI in Payments Today, featuring Kevin Miyamoto (Identifee), Brandie Thacker, AAP, CAE (EPCOR) and Peter Tapling, APRP (PTap Advisory, LLC). The discussion explored how artificial intelligence is already reshaping payments operations, fraud management and compliance, while also helping attendees separate real-world applications from industry hype and better understand how to prepare for what’s ahead.

Attendees then moved into breakout sessions, where a range of critical topics were explored. 

Sharon Hallmark, AAP, AFPP, APRP (EPCOR), led Instant Payments Risk and Fraud Mitigation, examining the unique challenges of the RTP® Network and the FedNow® Service, including fraud reporting requirements and strategies to reduce credit-push fraud.

In Reinventing Positive Pay for the Modern Payments Era, Bruce Dragoo (Q2) and Jamie Bankert (1st Source Bank) addressed the continued evolution of check fraud and how financial institutions can modernize Positive Pay using automation, AI and enhanced workflows to better protect clients while also creating new revenue opportunities.

Michael Herd (Nacha) presented Same Day ACH: The Sky’s the Limit, highlighting record-breaking growth in Same Day ACH volume, the potential for increased transaction limits and expanding use cases that allow businesses to take greater advantage of faster payments.

Kevin Miyamoto (Identifee) led Streamlining Operations and Risk Management Utilizing AI, where attendees explored how AI-driven tools can automate processes, enhance decision-making, improve fraud detection and strengthen compliance while reducing operational costs and risk exposure.

The final general session, The Future of Payments: Fast Money, Smart Defense, presented by Peter Davey (PaymentsJedi Advisory), brought the conference to a forward-looking close by examining how instant, intelligent and programmable payments are reshaping the industry. He emphasized the growing importance of identity, trust and proactive fraud prevention as real-time payments eliminate traditional recovery windows.

The conference officially concluded with a prize drawing and adjournment, where attendees had the chance to win prizes through their "Backstage Pass to Prizes," adding a fun final highlight to the event before everyone headed out.

For those continuing their learning, the afternoon featured the optional post-conference workshop Everything You Need to Start Benefiting from FedNow^®: A Practical Guide for FIs, led by Ian Schweid (Federal Reserve Financial Services) and Kristina Wickersham (Federal Reserve Financial Services). This session provided a step-by-step roadmap for financial institutions looking to adopt the FedNow^® Service, covering participation models, use cases, operational requirements, onboarding and risk mitigation strategies to help organizations move forward with confidence.

Paymentspalooza rocked Indianapolis for the first time, delivering a powerful mix of education, innovation and collaboration. From fraud strategy and regulatory updates to AI, instant payments and embedded finance, attendees left equipped with actionable insights to strengthen their institutions and navigate a rapidly evolving payments ecosystem.

We sincerely thank our incredible speakers, sponsors, exhibitors and Education Committee members for making this event an unforgettable experience. Your dedication and expertise brought the conference to life and created lasting memories for all who attended. Be sure to visit our Facebook and Instagram pages for photos and highlights from the conference!

Missed us in Indianapolis? Join us this fall in Overland Park, KS, November 2–4, for in-person insights or tune in virtually December 8–9 to connect with industry experts in real time, access dynamic sessions and keep the momentum going from wherever you are.

In the meantime, be sure to mark your calendar now for next year’s conference, happening October 4–6, 2027, in St. Louis, MO and click here to express your interest to be among the first to know when it goes live! We can’t wait to ROCK OUT with you again! 🎶