Believe in Banking

In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina Bleedorn and Juliet D’Ambrosio explore how customer experience in branch banking continues to drive trust and loyalty. Drawing from Adrenaline’s latest report – Closing Customer Experience Gaps in Branch Banking – they reveal what’s working, what’s missing, and how human connection remains essential in financial services, especially in an era when so many of people’s other eve...

In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina Bleedorn and Juliet D’Ambrosio sit down with Nick Mentel, Managing Director of Insights & Analytics at Adrenaline, for an in-depth conversation about the role of analytics in developing growth strategies for financial institutions. With nearly two decades of experience, Nick brings his sharp insights into how data informs decisions on where, when, and how to invest in bran...

In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet explore the growing role of lines of business in banking. From small business to wealth management, they discuss how financial institutions are expanding services and deepening relationships in ways that connect across generations. Their conversation highlights why branches remain powerful centers for advisory opportunities and relationship building, and how local p...

In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina Bleedorn and Juliet D’Ambrosio welcome on Courtney Coss, Chief Retail Officer at the Credit Union of Texas (CUTX), for an insightful conversation on building culture and community through innovative, future-focused retail delivery. Drawing on her 25-year journey from teller to top leadership, Courtney shares how CUTX has transformed their branch network – from ITM-only drive-u...

In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet explore what innovation really means in financial services today. While often equated with technology, innovation in banking is more about impact – solving problems creatively, modernizing the member or customer experience, and building stronger community connections. Their conversation highlights standout examples of innovation in action, including Valley Bank’s ey...

In this special guest episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet welcome Jeffrey Martinez, Executive Vice President and Head of Branch Banking at PNC. In their illuminating conversation, Jeffrey shares the story behind PNC’s $1.5 billion investment in their branch network and how the bank’s continuing commitment to the branch is fueling even more customer connection and institutional growth. From his early banking r...

In Part 2 of their special guest episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet welcome back Yvonne Garand, Chief Brand and Marketing Officer and Jevonne McLaughlin, Vice President of Brand Marketing, from EastRise Credit Union. In their conversation, Yvonne and Jevonne describe the rebranding process following the merger between New England Federal Credit Union and Vermont State Employees Credit Union. They discuss the...

In this special guest episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet welcome Yvonne Garand, Chief Brand and Marketing Officer and Jevonne McLaughlin, Vice President of Brand Marketing, both from EastRise Credit Union. In their dynamic discussion, Gina, Juliet, Yvonne, and Jevonne address the merger of New England Federal Credit Union and Vermont State Employees Credit Union to form Vermont's largest credit union and res...

In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet discuss challenges and change in the community banking sector. Making up 97% of all financial institutions, community banks and credit unions are purpose-driven institutions, uncovering opportunities to grow through their unique community connections. Their conversation covers M&A activity among community banks and how “mergers of equals” provide for scale and s...

In this special guest episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet welcome Al Dominick, Partner with Cornerstone Advisors, a consulting services firm powered by data to deliver customized results for banks and credit unions. In their lively conversation, Al, Gina, and Juliet discuss the current state of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the banking and credit union sectors, including factors driving the need for s...

In the year-end episode, the Believe in Banking podcast covers the key trends and themes that have shaped the banking industry in 2024 and are expected to continue in 2025. Conversations between Gina Bleedorn, Juliet D’Ambrosio, and Sean Keathley address the generational shift in banking, finding Gen Z more focused on advisory experiences and driving banks and credit unions to invest heavily in their branch networks to stay relevan...

In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet discuss the resurgence of investment in the bank branch and Adrenaline’s new report “The Branch Advantage: Essential Retail Strategies for Banking Industry Leaders.” Their conversation covers how major banks like PNC, Chase, Bank of America, and others are announcing significant investments in branch expansion and renovation, indicating a broader industry trend. The...

In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet spotlight news about how major banks like Chase, PNC, and Bank of America are making significant investments in expanding and renovating their branch networks, demonstrating the continued vitality of the branch channel. They also announce the upcoming report “The Payoff & Process of Branch Investment: Maximizing ROI for Financial Brands,” coming in November, whi...

In this special guest episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet welcome Andrew Hovet, Managing Director at Curinos, a data and insights company that helps financial institutions make better business decisions through advanced analytics, market intelligence, and customer data. In their dynamic discussion, Andrew, Gina, and Juliet discuss how banks and credit unions can leverage data to make informed decisions about ...

In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet discuss opportunities and optimism in the banking industry. Following years of retail closures and predictions about the death of the branch, the reality in 2024 is that not only is the bank branch not dead, but in just the last year, the U.S. added more net new branches for the first time in a decade. Branches are just one of the ways banks are seizing opportunitie...

In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet discuss the resilience and enduring relevance of the of the branch. Fresh off the stage from her keynote at Future Branches, Gina discusses insights from the industry’s changemakers like Chase and what she heard from banking leaders across the country about the challenges they face with their own branch networks. They talk about the importance of renovating and righ...

In this special episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet look back through the library of episodes to shine a spotlight the enlightening information and insights from Sean Keathley, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Adrenaline. Going back at the launch of the podcast in 2020, during the height of Covid, all the way through early 2024, they pull out some of the best thinking from a truly rich repository that spans t...

In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet take on the topic of bank and credit union branding. They discuss their upcoming speaking sessions at the Financial Brand Forum in Las Vegas from May 20-22, and spotlight the new Adrenaline report, the “ROI of Rebranding: Best Practices to Measure Business Value for Financial Brands” available on adrenalinex.com. This report features original research and leading in...

In this special guest episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet welcome Michael Bell, Partner and Leader of the Financial Institutions Practice at Honigman, LLP, where he has become the nationwide leader and go-to legal adviser for credit unions seeking scale. In their lively conversation on M&A in financial services, Michael discusses the growth outlook for community financial institutions and ways that merger...