Keynote Panel | Next-Gen Payments:
Emerging Technologies & Strategies
Session Date & Time:
Date: June 6th, 2024
Time: 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM
Panelist Information:
Name: Kandie Alter
Organization: Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Name: Attila Csutak
Organization: City National Bank
Name: Steve Kenneally
Organization: American Bankers Association
Name: Daniel Thomason
Organization: Google
Session Description: As the payments landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace, staying ahead of the curve is essential for financial institutions, fintech companies, regulators, and technology firms alike.
Join us for an insightful session where industry leaders and experts will explore the latest trends, technologies, and strategies shaping the future of payments. From blockchain and cryptocurrency to contactless payments and biometric authentication, this panel discussion will delve into the innovative technologies driving the next generation of payment solutions.
Attendees will gain valuable insights into emerging payment trends, regulatory considerations, and strategic approaches for harnessing the power of technology to revolutionize the payments ecosystem. Whether you're a financial executive looking to optimize your payment infrastructure or a fintech entrepreneur seeking to disrupt the industry with cutting-edge solutions, this session offers unparalleled opportunities to learn from industry leaders, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and forge partnerships that will drive future growth and innovation in payments.
Session Date & Time:
Date: June 6th, 2024
Time: 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM
Panelist Information:
Name: Kandie Alter
Organization: Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Name: Attila Csutak
Organization: City National Bank
Name: Steve Kenneally
Organization: American Bankers Association
Name: Daniel Thomason
Organization: Google
Session Description: As the payments landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace, staying ahead of the curve is essential for financial institutions, fintech companies, regulators, and technology firms alike.
Join us for an insightful session where industry leaders and experts will explore the latest trends, technologies, and strategies shaping the future of payments. From blockchain and cryptocurrency to contactless payments and biometric authentication, this panel discussion will delve into the innovative technologies driving the next generation of payment solutions.
Attendees will gain valuable insights into emerging payment trends, regulatory considerations, and strategic approaches for harnessing the power of technology to revolutionize the payments ecosystem. Whether you're a financial executive looking to optimize your payment infrastructure or a fintech entrepreneur seeking to disrupt the industry with cutting-edge solutions, this session offers unparalleled opportunities to learn from industry leaders, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and forge partnerships that will drive future growth and innovation in payments.
Kandie Alter's Biography
Kandie Alter is assistant vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Payments Policy Group which conducts research and market monitoring on retail payment systems in the U.S. and abroad. The group’s focus centers on payment system digital innovation and modernization as well as the evolution of domestic and cross-border payments.
Alter led the drafting team supporting the development of the 2017 Faster Payment’s Task Force final report. This work was foundational to the industry’s push toward instant payments in the United States and included stakeholders from across the payments industry identifying and evaluating approaches for implementing faster, safer, and ubiquitous payments.
Alter has served several areas at the Chicago Fed including strategy, supervision and regulation, and enterprise risk management. Prior to the Fed, she held positions in the tech industry and in non-profit workforce development. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of New Mexico, and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy Studies.
Alter led the drafting team supporting the development of the 2017 Faster Payment’s Task Force final report. This work was foundational to the industry’s push toward instant payments in the United States and included stakeholders from across the payments industry identifying and evaluating approaches for implementing faster, safer, and ubiquitous payments.
Alter has served several areas at the Chicago Fed including strategy, supervision and regulation, and enterprise risk management. Prior to the Fed, she held positions in the tech industry and in non-profit workforce development. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of New Mexico, and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy Studies.
Attila Csutak’s Biography
Attila Csutak’s career spans 26 years in Treasury Management practice with Large Financial Institutions (top 5 domestic and international) and a large Fintech company. Attila held product development, product strategy roles and currently manages a team of product managers. His knowledge of all payment types and systems provided the background required for kick starting the RTP, Zelle (ClearXchange) and FedNow efforts. Participated as a subject matter expert in two major acquisitions Fiserv executed to address the growing needs of Faster Payments needs of Financial Institutions in the USA:
Attila works extensively with many different industry groups and the Federal Reserve Faster Payments project to assist in shaping changes within the payments industry. Served on several industry initiatives:
Currently Attila Csutak is the Payables Team Lead (Legacy and Faster Payments) with City National Bank, where he serves as the internal and external evangelist for Emerging Payments (Real-time Payments) and provides leadership of day-to-day responsibilities of rolling out and managing the new payment rail.
Attila is a Certified Product Manager (PMC) and received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Application Programming.
- Integral contributor to the development of the Real Time Payments idea submitted to the FIN Tank (Fiserv Innovation Network) to deliver B2B Real-Time Payments to nearly 6,000 Financial Institutions via The Clearing House (TCH).
- Proven track record in strategic planning, building multigenerational product plans, and influencing customer portfolios to grow the product. Experienced in market planning, product strategy and the establishment of teams to optimize customer on-boarding and marketing strategies.
- Developed cost analysis tools (ROI tools) for the payer adoption strategy project from paper to electronic payments internally within my current employer and externally within the industry, consumer to business and business to business.
Attila works extensively with many different industry groups and the Federal Reserve Faster Payments project to assist in shaping changes within the payments industry. Served on several industry initiatives:
- Presented case study and white paper at the Utility Payments conference and the NACHA Payments conference (Q2 2015, Q2 - 2019).
- Active participant of the Electronic Payments Association’s Council for Electronic Billing and Payment (CEBP) project to develop guidelines for the use of "Quick Response (QR) codes" in consumer bill payments (Q1 - 2016).
- The “Chicago Faster Payments Task Force” on advancing the work outlined in the “Strategies for Improving the U.S. Payments System” project.
- Co-chaired the “Small Business Tool Kit” a Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis sponsored project (Q1 - 2017).
- Co-chaired the "B2B Biller Directory" project sponsored by the Business Payments Coalition a Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis sponsored project (Q1/Q2 - 2017).
- Co-chaired the “Vendor Forum Focus Group” a project sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis with the purpose to identify potential solutions to key obstacles and pain points that hamper payments efficiency and make it difficult to achieve straight-through-processing (STP) (Q1/Q2 - 2017).
- Active participant of the "Faster Payments Playbook" a Payments Innovation Alliance project (2018-2019).
- AFP of Utah, Portland, Albany, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and Denver speaking engagements on "Faster Payments with focus on RTP".
- The Clearing House’ Real-Time Payments and Early Warning Services Workgroups
- The FedNow Service is a new instant payment service that was deployed by the Federal Reserve Banks.
- Integral part of the 2023 Faster Payments Prof. Certificate Project Team (sponsored by NACHA) 2023-2024
- Co-writer of a book, “Smart Instant Payments – How Instant Payments and Data Re-Imagine Commerce and Banking” 2024
Currently Attila Csutak is the Payables Team Lead (Legacy and Faster Payments) with City National Bank, where he serves as the internal and external evangelist for Emerging Payments (Real-time Payments) and provides leadership of day-to-day responsibilities of rolling out and managing the new payment rail.
Attila is a Certified Product Manager (PMC) and received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Application Programming.
Steve Kenneally's Biography
Steve Kenneally works at ABA on a range of payment systems including check, ACH, card, wires, as well as coins and paper money. He spends an increasing amount of time focused on emerging payment technologies such as mobile payments, virtual currencies, and blockchain technology, with an eye towards making them faster, safer, and frictionless in the future. He is the staff liaison to two standing member committees focused on payments issues in addition to ABA’s Emerging Payments Advisory Group. He served as Chair of the International Banking Federation Payments Working Group and he is an elected member of the board of the Faster Payments Council and serves on Nacha’s Payments Innovation Alliance Consumer Payments Advisory Committee. Prior to joining the ABA in 2005, he served at the United States Department of the Treasury where he managed the private network of banks collecting non-tax payments on behalf of the federal government and drafted regulations and guidance on cash management issues.
Steve earned an MBA from The George Washington University and a BS in Finance from Boston College. He also is an Accredited ACH Professional (AAP).
Steve earned an MBA from The George Washington University and a BS in Finance from Boston College. He also is an Accredited ACH Professional (AAP).
Daniel Thomason's Biography
Daniel has been a product manager since 2016 and has been in his current role at Google since 2022, where he leads product for Google Wallet Payments. Originally from Australia, Daniel has worked in four countries on three continents in a variety of roles, from central bank economist, to escape room founder, to product manager. Daniel currently lives in San Francisco with his wife and family, and in his free time he can be found cooking, doing yoga, and playing board games.