In this episode of This Month in Banking, presented by Wolf & Company, we explore how financial institutions are moving beyond AI experimentation and toward practical, enterprise‑ready adoption.
Host Tara Ween is joined by John Kowal, Senior Vice President, Managing Director & Chief Technology Officer at Peapack Private Bank & Trust, along with Wolf & Company experts Jeff Marsico and Nelson Obando. Together, they unpack what responsible AI implementation really looks like inside a bank—cutting through the hype to focus on governance, risk awareness, and real‑world value.
The conversation examines where most banks stand today with AI, why data and operating foundations matter more than flashy tools, and how institutions can scale AI safely while meeting regulatory expectations. The group also discusses emerging use cases, workflow automation, “digital employees,” and how AI can improve productivity while allowing bankers to focus more on clients.
This episode offers bank executives, technology leaders, risk professionals, and board members a grounded roadmap for adopting AI thoughtfully, competitively, and responsibly in the year ahead.
In this episode of This Month in Banking, we’re joined by Matt Burke, Chairman & CEO of Mutual Bancorp, the mutual holding company for Cape Cod Five, Fidelity Bank, and soon Bluestone Bank. Matt brings a front‑line perspective on how community banks can rethink growth in today’s challenging environment—where deposit behavior, technology expectations, and consolidation pressures are reshaping the industry.
We dig into how mutual institutions are approaching expansion, why shared‑services holding companies are becoming a strategic alternative to traditional bank mergers, and what really drives successful mutual‑to‑mutual partnerships. Matt also shares the importance of cultural alignment, diversification, and trust when combining institutions without a monetary exchange.
Looking ahead, Matt outlines the conversations he believes bank leaders must be having today—around growth strategy, relationship development, efficiency, community presence, and organizational structure—to stay competitive over the next 12–24 months.
Whether you’re a bank executive, board member, or part of a strategic planning team, this episode offers practical insights into the evolving growth models shaping community banking.
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Scott Baranowski, Principal, Wolf & Company, P.C.
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Jeff Marsico, President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Ben Crowley, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
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Hosts - Tara Wean, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Robert Kafafian, Chairman & CEO, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Jeff Marsico, President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Dave Danielson, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
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Hosts - Tara Wean, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Jeff Marsico, President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Ben Crowley, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Guests - Matt Schultheis, Founder of BankVault Research
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Ben Crowley, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
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Ben Crowley, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Richard Trauger, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
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Andrew Rietz, Managing Director of Financial Institutions, My Private Shares
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Hosts - Tara Wean, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Jeff Marsico, President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Ben Crowley, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
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Dorothy Jaworski, Retired SVP & Treasurer, Penn Community Bank
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Hosts - Tara Wean, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Robert Kafafian, Chairman & CEO, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Guest - Gerard Cassidy, Managing Director, Co-Head of Global Financials Research and Large Cap Bank Analyst, RBC Capital Markets
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Hosts - Tara Wean, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Jeff Marsico, President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Ben Crowley, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Guest - Andy Schornack, President, Security Bank & Trust Co.
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Hosts - Tara Wean, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Jeff Marsico, President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Ben Crowley, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Guest - Barry Sloane, Chairman & CEO, Newtek Bank
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Hosts - Tara Wean, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Ben Crowley, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Guest - Michael Beird, Author of Cannabis Banking
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Hosts - Tara Wean, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Ben Crowley, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Guest - Matt West, Chief Executive Officer, Xenios
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Hosts - Tara Wean, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Jeff Marsico, President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Ben Crowley, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Guest - Nathan Stovall, Director of the Financial Institutions Research Team, S&P Global Market Intelligence
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Hosts - Sharon Lorman, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Jeff Marsico, President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Guest - Anne Balcer, Senior Executive Vice President, Chief of Government Relations and Public Policy for the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA)
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Hosts - Sharon Lorman, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Jeff Marsico, President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Guest - Clay Adams, President and CEO, Mascoma Bank
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Hosts - Sharon Lorman, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Jeff Marsico, President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Ben Crowley, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
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Tigran Safari, Solutions Architect and Client Experience Manager, CISO Global
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Hosts - Sharon Lorman, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Robert Kafafian, Chairman & CEO, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Ben Crowley, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Guest - Jack Dwyer, Chairman, CEO and Founder of CFG Bank
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Hosts - Sharon Lorman, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Jeff Marsico, President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Ben Crowley, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
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Hosts - Sharon Lorman, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Jeff Marsico, President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Ben Crowley, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Guest - Erin West, Deputy District Attorney, REACT Task Force, Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, San Jose, CA
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Hosts - Sharon Lorman, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Robert Kafafian, Chairman & CEO, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Guest - Gerard S. Cassidy, Managing Director, Equity Research, RBC Capital Markets
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Hosts - Sharon Lorman, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Jeff Marsico, President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Guest - John Maxfield, Banking Specialist, Author of the Maxfield on Banks Substack
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Hosts - Sharon Lorman, Vice President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Jeff Marsico, President, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Ben Crowley, Managing Director, The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Guest - Arindam Nag, CEO & Co-Founder, Centsai
Christina Sandy, Head of Business Development, Centsai