Gene Ludwig is managing partner at Canapi Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on investments in early to growth-stage fintech companies, and CEO of Ludwig Advisors, which counsels financial firms on critical matters. Mr. Ludwig is the founder and former CEO and chairman of Promontory Financial Group and Promontory Interfinancial Network (now IntraFi Network). Mr. Ludwig, the 27th Comptroller of the Currency, is an expert on banking, regulation, risk management and fiscal policy.

Mr. Ludwig is chairman of the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity (LISEP), a nonprofit dedicated to improving the economic well-being of middle- and lower-income Americans.

Mr. Ludwig was previously vice chairman and senior control officer of Bankers Trust New York Corp. and steered the firm through its landmark merger with Deutsche Bank. He served as Comptroller during the Clinton Administration, spearheaded efforts to stop discrimination in the banking system and created a balanced regulatory environment.

David Sandler is co-head and managing director of the investment banking financial services group at Piper Sandler & Co.  Mr. Sandler is responsible for Piper Sandler’s financial technology advisory strategy, overseeing a team of seasoned professionals advising fintech companies and their sponsors on mergers, capital markets and growth through strategic partnerships.

Prior to joining Piper Sandler & Co., Mr. Sandler was a principal and co-head of investment banking at Sandler O’Neill + Partners, L.P.  He worked with the firm’s clients in all aspects of strategic planning and franchise value enhancement, including mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance, strategic partnerships and asset/liability management.  Mr. Sandler is a frequent lecturer at banking graduate schools, trade associations and industry conferences.  He is a thought leader in financial innovation, having advised on important transactions ranging from SoFi’s announced acquisition of Golden Pacific Bancorp to OnDot’s groundbreaking acquisition by Fiserv.

Steve Williams is president and partner of Cornerstone Advisors, Inc. Mr. Williams heads up the firm’s strategy and execution solutions practice and is actively involved in many of Cornerstone’s technology planning and performance improvement engagements. He has assisted hundreds of banks in their efforts to become highly efficient, top performing financial institutions.

An experienced private banker with a commercial and consumer credit background, Mr. Williams’ more than 25 years of experience in the financial services and consulting industries have provided him with a deep working knowledge of bank operations and delivery systems. He is an experienced facilitator for management retreats, board planning sessions and is in great demand as a speaker at industry conferences and seminars. Mr. Williams writes regularly for GonzoBanker, Cornerstone’s blog, and has been published in numerous industry periodicals, including Bank Director, American Banker and BAI Banking Strategies.

Jim McAlpin has over thirty five years of experience in advising leaders of financial institutions and boards of directors on strategic, regulatory and corporate governance matters. His  corporate governance expertise is based on decades of being in board rooms to assist clients with  mergers and acquisitions, capital and debt issuances, strategic planning and succession planning. Jim has deep understanding of  the duties, responsibilities and fiduciary obligations of  directors and an ability  to explain these duties in plain English. A passion for Jim at this stage of his career is helping good boards become great boards through a process of learning, engagement and intentional choices.

Jim currently serves on the board of Bank Director. He also serves on the boards of two mid-sized banks. He is a nationally recognized speaker at financial industry conferences and contributes regularly to publications on bank and corporate governance related topics. He is  often quoted in banking industry publications.

Jim served as Chairman of Powell Goldstein LLP from March 2004 until its combination with Bryan Cave LLP in January 2009. He subsequently served on the Executive Committee of Bryan Cave until October 2014.

Jim was the leader of the firm’s Banking Practice Group from 2011 until 2022. He received a J.D. from the University of Alabama in 1984, where he was an editor on the Alabama Law Review, and graduated, cum laude, from the University of Alabama in 1981 with a B.S. in Business Administration.