Nick Cherry is COO of Phillips & Cohen Associates.

Eric J. Ellman is the President of the National Consumer Reporting Association (NCRA), a trade association of highly-regulated mortgage reporting and tenant screening companies that provide consumer reports and credit reports to lenders and landlords.

Rachel Farris, CPA, is the founder of TaxStackAI.com, a company dedicated to helping small accounting firms modernize through AI-powered tools. She also leads her own accounting practice, where she focuses on strategic tax planning and advisory services. She is a recognized thought leader in the accounting profession, frequently presenting at national conferences, contributing to podcasts, and leading continuing education sessions for accounting professionals. She has been recognized as one of America's Top 200 CPAs and named among the 40 Under 40 Top Accounting and Tax Professionals. She is passionate about inspiring the next generation to pursue careers in accounting and driving innovation to modernize the profession.

Alex Mechling, JD, serves as Director of Go-To-Market Strategy and Carrier Management at Paychex Insurance Agency. A benefits consulting leader with over 12 years in the field, he holds deep expertise in employee benefits, strategic planning, and digital health solutions. His professional background spans startups, private firms, and publicly traded companies, where he is recognized for driving growth through cross-functional alignment and talent development.

Newest ranking program honors the top 50 leaders advancing digital transformation across banking and financial services.

Sasha Samberg-Champion is the special civil rights counsel of the National Fair Housing Alliance.

Stephen Hayes is a co-managing partner at Relman Colfax.

Maxim Shishin is the Chief Information Officer at CorVel Corporation.

Jim Ryan is the chairman and CEO of Old National Bancorp. He is a director of the Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America.

Randy Chesler is president and CEO of Glacier Bancorp. He is also the chair of the Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America.

Lisa Schmidt is a senior director, talent acquisition global tech and early careers, at ADP. With over 25 years of experience in recruiting, Lisa Schmidt holds a passion for Campus Recruiting and early career development. Recognized as ADP's Talent Acquisition Leader of the Year in 2021, Lisa leads a national team focused on hiring high-potential talent across functions such as Software Development, Product Management and HR.

Debra Cope is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C. and former executive editor of American Banker.

Penny Pennington is a managing partner at Edward Jones.

Seven Arizent brands now have 2026 media kits—spotlighting virtual events, premium thought-leadership, and richer research calendars built to move the needle.

Didine Erskine, a certified financial planner (CFP), is the founder of The Erskine Group and an independent financial planner with LPL Financial.

She also serves as a visiting lecturer at Texas A&M University, where she teaches courses in financial planning and practice management.

Wayne Rushton served more than four decades at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, culminating in his role as senior deputy comptroller and chief national bank examiner. In that capacity, he chaired the agency's Committee on Bank Supervision and represented the OCC on the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council's Task Force on Supervision.

Earlier in his career, Wayne led the OCC's Multinational Banking Division and held several senior examination and supervisory positions. He gained extensive experience managing troubled institutions during the late 1980s and early 1990s, including service as the comptroller's deputy at the Resolution Trust Corporation and as director of the OCC's Special Resolutions Unit. He also completed a special assignment with the U.S. Department of Justice as a legislative fellow in the 97th Congress.

Following his government service, Wayne was a senior advisor at Promontory Financial Group, where he helped clients navigate complex regulatory examinations and enforcement issues and strengthen relationships with supervisory agencies.

A 2002 graduate of the University of Kentucky, Nesbitt has worked at newspapers in Kentucky, Indiana, China, South Dakota, Massachusetts, Vermont and South Carolina. 

Alex D. Pappas is an associate in Hunton's Insurance Coverage group in the firm's Washington, DC office. He counsels clients on all aspects of insurance coverage, guiding them in obtaining appropriate coverage and resolving disputes over coverage, including in litigation and arbitration.

Michael Burketine is the owner of Burkentine Real Estate Group.