Connect & Protect Experience
An Event for Marketing, Human Resources, Retail Banking, Training, Security, Enterprise Risk Management, Operations and Technology, and Compliance Professionals
The Connect|Protect Experience is an event for marketing, HR, retail baking, training, security, ERM, operations and technology and compliance professionals that will uncover new ideas, trends and developments in banking.
Conference Agenda*
wednesday, March 25, 2026
| 3:00 PM | Conference Registration Opens | ||||
| 4:00 – 5:30 PM | Connect|Protect Idea Hack-a-Thon: Turning Concepts Into Action | ||||
| 5:30 – 6:30 PM | Welcome Reception | ||||
| Dinner on your own. Enjoy the evening! | |||||
Thursday March 26, 2025 |
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| 7:30 – 8:30 AM | Registration & Continental Breakfast | ||||
| 8:30 – 8:45 AM | Welcome | Announcements | Sponsor Introductions | ||||
| 8:45-9:45 AM | Opening Keynote: How Community Banks Can Compete in the Age of AI Stacey Bryant | Cornerstone Advisors | ||||
| 9:45 – 9:50 AM | Stretch/Transition to Exhibitor Solutions Showcase | ||||
| 9:50 – 10:35 AM | Exhibitor Solutions Showcase | ||||
| 10:35 – 10:55 AM | Networking Break | ||||
| 10:55 – 11:55 AM | Breakout Sessions
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| 11:55 AM – 12:45 PM | Lunch | ||||
| 12:45 – 1:45 PM | Breakout Sessions
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| 1:45 - 2:05 PM |
Networking Break | ||||
| 2:05 - 3:05 PM |
Breakout Sessions
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| 3:05 - 3:25 PM |
Networking Break | ||||
| 3:25 - 4:25 PM |
Breakout Sessions
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| 4:25 - 4:45 PM |
Networking Break | ||||
| 4:45 - 5:15 PM |
Industry Update Bruce Whitehurst | Virginia Bankers Association & Mid-Atlantic Bankers Association | ||||
| 5:15 - 6:30 PM |
Reception | ||||
| Dinner on your own. Enjoy the evening! | |||||
Friday, March 27, 2026 |
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| 8:00 - 8:45 AM |
Continental Breakfast with the Exhibitors | ||||
| 8:45 – 10:00 AM | Banker Roundtable Sessions
* Please note: This session is for bankers only. |
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| 10:00 – 10:30 AM | Networking Break | Exhibitor Giveaways | ||||
| 10:30 – 11:30 AM | Closing Keynote – Oppositioning: One Surprising Strategy for Innovation and Differentiation David Rendell | ||||
| What can tiny houses, Spartan races, knuckleball pitchers, unibrows, Snapchat, and Minecraft teach us about creativity, innovation, and differentiation? We all know that innovation and differentiation are essential, but developing and implementing truly unique ideas seems very difficult, and most fail to become more creative and distinctive. The solution is surprisingly simple. An unusual method for finding unconventional ideas that will dramatically improve your ability to stand out and produce an endless supply of original breakthroughs. You’ll go from unconventional to unforgettable to unstoppable. |
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*Session topics and speakers are subject to change.
Breakout Session Descriptions
March 26 – 10:55-11:55 a.m.
Better Conversations. Better Results. (Retail, Training)
Chris Dilorenzo | James Paul Jones Group
Frontline bankers often resist selling because they don’t want to feel pushy, scripted, or “salesy.” In this interactive breakout session, you’ll learn how banks can grow relationships and results by selling through service, not pressure. We’ll introduce a simple, yet powerful, service-driven conversation framework that helps bankers confidently uncover needs, educate customers on what is best for them, and confidently offer solutions in a way that feels natural and authentic. This session reframes selling as curiosity, listening, and helping — skills your teams already value. If your teams care deeply about serving their customers, but hesitate to ask questions or recommend additional solutions, this session is designed for you.
Key Takeaways
Attendees will leave being able to:
- Reframe “selling” as a service-driven conversation, not product pushing
- Use a proven framework to guide natural, customer-focused interactions
- Coach frontline staff on how to recommend solutions without sounding scripted or salesy
- Apply simple, observable behaviors that can be reinforced immediately in branches
- Equip teams with language that builds confidence and trust with customers
AI Onboarding Best Practices (Operations, Technology)
Stacey Bryant | Cornerstone Advisors
Uncovering Regional Fraud: Key Trends in Virginia & Maryland (Risk, Security)
TBA
Best Practices in Marketing Automation (Marketing)
Joe Kubek | ABM AI
HR Legal Update (Human Resources)
Todd Leeson | Gentry Locke
March 26 – 12:45-1:45 p.m.
Deckless by Design: How to Build Learning into Every Shift (Training)
JD Dillon | (JD Dillon Advisor – Speaker – Author – Technologist)
Frontline roles in financial services leave little room for traditional training, yet employees are expected to manage complex products, shifting regulations, and heightened customer expectations every shift. This session examines why legacy training methods fall short and how leading organizations embed learning, reinforcement, and performance support directly into the flow of work. We’ll explore practical ways to deliver short, relevant learning moments without disrupting operations. We’ll highlight how AI-enabled assistance and insight-driven coaching personalize support in real time. You’ll walk away with actionable ideas to boost capability, reduce risk, and improve performance across every shift.
Third Party Risk Management (Compliance, Risk)
Olga Voytenko | Russell Investments
What’s Your Bank’s Digital Footprint (Operations, Technology)
CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
Check Fraud (Retail, Security)
Using Storytelling in Marketing (Marketing)
Kristan Hill | HC3
Best Practices Around Performance Management (Human Resources)
Shayna Cooke | Dominion Payroll
March 26 – 2:05-3:05 p.m.
Cyber Risk Insurance (Risk)
Incident Response Playbooks — Your Blueprint for Cyber Resilience (Security, Technology)
Cody Delzer | SBS Cyber
Compliance Legal Update (Compliance)
DeMarion Johnston | Virginia Bankers Association & Liz Mattis | Atlantic Union Bank
Phishing Tests – Striking the Right Balance (Operations)
Jeremy Herr | Abrigo
From Brand Belief to Brand Power: How Bank Marketers Build Brands That Drive Value (Marketing)
Amber Farley | FMS
Every bank has a brand — by design or by default. For today’s bank marketers, the challenge isn’t understanding what a brand is, but knowing how to manage it strategically, protect it internally, and use it to drive long-term value. In this session, we’ll explore what it truly means to lead a brand inside a financial institution, how to sharpen and strengthen brand clarity, and how to activate that brand across internal culture, customer experience, and the marketplace. Attendees will walk away with practical frameworks, real-world examples, and a clearer understanding of how brand intelligence can help guide decisions, build alignment, and create meaningful differentiation.
Career Pathing & Succession Planning at All Levels in the Bank (Retail, HR, Training)
Kate Shattuck | Korn Ferry
March 26 – 3:25-4:25 p.m.
Instructional Design on a Shoestring Budget (Training)
Brian Washburn | Endurance Learning
The Fraudacity of Criminals (Operations, Security,Technology)
Cody Delzer | SBS Cyber
Regulatory Whiplash – Bank Compliance in the Trump Era (Compliance)
Michelle Strickland | TCA
ERM Soup to Nuts for the Community Bank (Risk)
Monica Bolin | Ncontracts
Modernizing Retail, Marketing, and Revenue Operations (Retail, Marketing)
Ally Akins | Capital Performance Group
In this session, discover how marketing, sales, and customer service can converge to attract and retain lifetime customers. Explore the value of utilizing data to prioritize customer profitability, create quality customer experiences, and retain customers for life. Attendees of this interactive session will discuss and learn:
- How marketing, sales, and customer service can come together to maximize the lifetime value of customers and continue to attract these customers
- The measurable impact of delivering personalized, consistent experiences for customers across channels
- How to use data to track and enhance the profitability and value of customers
Prioritizing Employee Wellbeing: Practical Approaches to Whole-Person Wellness (Human Resources)
Laurie Milligan & Pam Connelly | VBA Benefits Corp.
Meet the Speakers
Ally Akins is a Principal and Co-leader of the Sales & Marketing Practice area at Capital Performance Group. Ally works on and leads a variety of projects, including product redesign, process improvement, strategic planning, and marketing campaign design. She is one of CPG’s main consultants and project managers for the Marketing practice, assisting on projects relating to marketing strategy and planning, product redesign, and performance marketing campaigns.
Ally brings energy and an eye for innovation to CPG projects. Always looking to optimize productivity and efficiency, Ally loves helping her team stay organized, motivated, and ready for the next challenge.
She can be reached at aakins@capitalperform.com or 301-300-7361. Connect with Ally on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/allyakins/.
Pam Connelly currently serves as Senior Director of Benefit Plan Analysis for the Virginia Bankers Association Benefits Corporation. Prior to joining the VBA in 2012, Pam worked as an employee benefits consultant which provided a strong foundation in overseeing plan administration of multiple benefit programs. Her primary duties include the administration of the self-funded medical plan with monthly review of claims paid data; calculating conventional premium for minimum premium employers; providing IBNR estimates; as well as consulting on plan design and contribution strategies. She also serves as the coordinator for well-being initiatives and health-related point solutions provided by the Benefits Corp. She enjoys collaborating with employers to build well-being strategies that enhance employee health; improve productivity and mitigate future high-cost claims.
JD Dillon began his career on the frontline, managing movie theaters and theme parks. With 25 years of experience across operations, talent, and marketing with companies like Disney, AMC, Kaplan, and Axonify, he’s a trusted authority on performance enablement and a passionate advocate for improving the employee experience. A popular keynote speaker, prolific creator, and author of The Modern Learning Ecosystem and The Frontline Enablement Playbook, JD advises organizations on frontline performance strategy, ecosystem architecture, and AI-enabled solutions that power real work every day. Learn more about his latest projects at jddillon.com.
Chris DiLorenzo is President and Co-Founder of The James Paul Group, where he helps banks build strong leaders, engaged teams, and exceptional customer experiences.
With more than 24 years of experience, Chris works with financial institutions to turn strategy into action through exceptional leadership, sales, customer service, and assessment solutions.
He is a frequent speaker for banking associations nationwide, a University of Georgia graduate, and a former pitcher in the Kansas City Royals organization.
Amber Farley, Partner & EVP of Brand Development at FMS, is a well-known and respected teacher, presenter, consultant and thought leader on bank branding, marketing and leadership strategies for banks around the country. She strategizes ways to help banks be purpose-driven, inspirational and more relevant to today’s customer—including both internal and external customers, and regularly presents and teaches at national banking schools, banking conferences, and other statewide banking institutions.
Laurie H. Milligan, CEBS, serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of VBA Benefits Corporation, a subsidiary of the Virginia Bankers Association, the trade association for community banks in Virginia. She oversees the operations and marketing of the group employee benefit programs offered to member banks, leveraging economies of scale to deliver competitive benefit packages. These include a multiple-employer health plan covering over 4,700 employees, group disability, life, and supplemental health benefits, as well as three retirement programs with combined assets exceeding $700 million.
Before joining VBA in 2012, Laurie spent more than 20 years as an employee benefits consultant, advising national employers on health and welfare plan design, alternative funding strategies, contribution models, and well-being initiatives.
David Rendall has spoken to audiences on every inhabited continent during the last fifteen years. His clients include the US Air Force, Australian Government, and Fortune 50 companies such as Microsoft, AT&T, United Health Group, Fannie Mae, and State Farm.
Prior to becoming a Certified Speaking Professional, he was a Leadership Professor,
Stand-up Comedian, and Nonprofit Executive. In between presentations, David competes in ultramarathons and Ironman triathlons.
David has a Doctor of Management Degree in Organizational Leadership, as well as a
Graduate Degree in Psychology. He is the author of four books:
- The Four Factors of Effective Leadership
- The Freak Factor
- The Freak Factor for Kids
- Pink Goldfish 2.0
Registration Information
| Registration Rates | Member | Non-Member |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $695 | $1,195 |
| License up 10 people | $6,000 | $6,500 |
| License up to 20 people | $8,500 | $9,000 |
Hotel Information
Hotel Roanoke
110 Shenandoah Ave NE
Roanoke, VA 24016
The association has reserved a block of rooms at the Hotel Roanoke at the rate of $209/night, plus applicable taxes and fees. Click here to make your reservation by the cut-off date, March 3, 2026.
Parking Information
Self-Parking*: Self parking is available at the hotel for $18.00/night or $6.00/day
Valet Parking*: Valet parking is available at the hotel for $28.00/night or $12.00/day.
*Parking rates subject to change.
Sponsorship/Exhibiting Opportunities
Interested in sponsoring and/or exhibiting at the 2026 Connect/Protect Experience? Click here to see available options. For our complete 2026 Sponsor Brochure, click here. Contact Amy Binns.