New initiative will connect fintechs across the world with US financial institutions to drive product and service innovation.

PHOENIX (Jan 26, 2021) CCG Catalyst Consulting (CCG Catalyst) and the Arizona Bankers Association (AzBA) have partnered to create the Arizona Fintech Council (AZFC) to spur economic growth in the state and bring viable and promising fintech companies to Arizona’s Fintech Sandbox.

The Council will initiate new opportunities for member financial institutions and selected fintechs to connect with each other, evaluate startups’ readiness to work hand in hand with financial institutions on innovative new products and services, and aid in arranging proofs of concept (PoCs) with participating financial institutions and fintechs in Arizona’s regulatory sandbox.

“The unique nature of our state’s fintech sandbox law and our relationship with the national consultancy of CCG Catalyst put us in a position to maximize this economic development opportunity to bring these transformational companies to Arizona, ” said Paul Hickman, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the Arizona Bankers Association.

The Fintech Council and the Arizona Sandbox are unique given there are no domicile restrictions on the financial institutions or fintech applicants. The Arizona Fintech Sandbox eases regulatory burdens for fintechs while allowing them to partner with financial institutions testing innovative products and services. It is a great opportunity for new entrants whether it be startups or established companies new to the US marketplace. Participating financial institutions can enter prospective partnerships with, invest in or outright acquire some of the participating fintech companies.

Participants will include diverse institutions of the AzBA, which includes member financial institutions of all sizes, ranging from community, regional, super-regional and financial institutions with more than $1 trillion in assets. Select institutions that are not AzBA Association members may also participate, and other stakeholders from government and academia will also join the Council’s ranks.

Leading Arizona organizations including the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), Arizona Technology Council (AZTC), Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) and Sun Corridor, Inc. (SCI) will also work to entice fintechs to come to the state and help them partner with financial institutions.

“Under Governor Ducey’s leadership, Arizona was the first state in the nation to establish a fintech sandbox program, demonstrating our commitment to embracing the emerging technologies that will shape our future,” said Sandra Watson, Arizona Commerce Authority President & CEO. “The Arizona Fintech Council will further advance our state’s reputation as a hub for innovation in the financial services industry, and the ACA is proud to participate in the effort alongside partners statewide.

Arizona State University (ASU) will also partner with the Council to make connections for its students who have interest in the financial services industry. Ranked number one in innovation by U.S. News & World Report for the sixth year running, ASU offers a strong talent pool and will be an asset for new and emerging fintechs looking for further growth and expansion.

“At Arizona State University, we are always looking at data that informs us about what is ahead in workforce development and preparing students for jobs that may not even yet exist,” said ASU President Michael M. Crow. “The plans for advancement and the work that will be done through the Arizona Fintech Council is exciting because of what it can do to help companies prepare and new companies emerge to meet the opportunities ahead and the kind of talent and skills needed to drive successful outcomes. Cultivating a mindset of transformation helps growing areas of our economy, such as Fintech, prosper and we look forward to working together.”

The Council will facilitate connections through regular summits, where fintechs selected with CCG’s Catalyst recommendation will showcase their ideas to member financial institutions. If a member institution seeks to partner with one of the presenting startups on a PoC, the Council will then refer an application to the Arizona attorney general for approval and inclusion in the sandbox program.

As a leading bank and fintech consulting firm, CCG Catalyst advises our clients on strategy related to financial services and the fusion of banking and fintech. Bringing this partnership together with AzBA and enlisting the support of numerous financial institutions, regulatory agencies, and public innovators such as ASU, ACA, GPEC, SCI and AZTC will bring new opportunities to the financial services community locally and across the nation, said Paul Schaus President & CEO of CCG Catalyst. Scarlett Sieber, CCG Catalyst’s Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer will lead the fintech effort. Miranda Jenkins, the firm’s Chief Operating Officer will manage the fintech program. The combination of banking and fintech is a natural progression within the industry and CCG Catalyst is excited to be part of this evolution.”

About CCG Catalyst Consulting

CCG Catalyst is a global management consulting firm specialized across the financial services industry. We advise our banking and fintech clients on the direction and future of the industry. Leaning on our wealth of experience and proven track record of delivery, we bring continuous innovation to support our clients, improve their performance and create lasting value across organizations.

For more information visit www.ccgcatalyst.com and follow us on Twitter @CCGCatalyst and LinkedIn.

About The Arizona Bankers Association

AzBA is the 117-year-old trade association for Arizona’s community banks and financial services industry. The Association represents banks taking deposits statewide, from Yuma to Tuba City and all points in between.

For more information visit https://azbankers.org/ and follow us on Twitter @azbankers and LinkedIn.

Contacts

CCG Catalyst Consulting
2375 East Camelback Road
Suite 690
Phoenix, AZ 85016
480-744-2240

Arizona Bankers Association
111 W Monroe Street
Suite 440
Phoenix, AZ 85003
602-258-1200

Public Relations & Press Contact
Miranda Jenkins
marketing@ccg-catalyst.com
https://www.ccgfintech.com

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Scarlett Sieber, fintech expert and financial services exec, has joined CCG Catalyst as Managing Director, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer. She will be based in the firm’s New York office.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA, July 16, 2019: Scarlett Sieber, an expert in financial services has joined CCG Catalyst as Managing Director, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer.

Ms. Sieber is one of the leading voices in financial services and is one of the industry’s most sought-after speakers as a thought leader and innovator with expertise in driving organizational change at both startups and global enterprises alike across the financial services and fintech ecosystem. She also currently serves as Senior Advisor for NASA’s Cross Industry Innovation Summit.

Ms. Sieber has been invited to speak at over 100 prestigious financial services and technology conferences globally. A few of her upcoming engagements include Sibos, Money 20/20 USA, EFMA, ALM Financial Forum and the Heartland Credit Union Association Convention. Topics she discusses include Accelerating Digital Transformation & Innovation, The Future of Financial Services: How Banking is Being Disrupted, and How to Target the Next Generation, including both millennials and Gen Z. Sieber is also a leading fintech influencer, mentioned on lists such as Top 100 Women in Fintech 2019 and Top 10 Fintech Influencers in the U.S., and writes extensively on strategy for the financial services industry for publications including The Huffington Post, Forbes, and WeWork.

Aside from her speaking experience and professional accolades, Ms. Sieber has extensive experience in digital strategy and innovation implementation, making her a key asset to building cutting-edge programs for her clients.

In her career, Ms. Sieber has held the position of Vice President at USAA, where she led the newly created business development initiative. Prior to that, Ms. Sieber was Chief Innovation Officer of Opus Bank, a public retail and commercial bank where she led the digital strategy and transformation for the bank and its subsidiary, Pensco. Before working at Opus, Sieber was Senior Vice President of Business Development at the global bank BBVA. In this role, she leveraged BBVA’s assets to secure partnerships within the ecosystem and accelerating the global innovation strategy within the U.S. Sieber was also the U.S. lead for BBVA’s millennial initiative. Prior to BBVA, she was Chief Operating Officer and co-founder of data visualization tech startup, Infomous, whose clients include The London Olympics, Super Bowl XLVII, NFL Films, and The Economist.

Her current clients include Money 20/20 and Spain Startup, the creators of the global conference, South Summit.

“From the moment I met Paul, I was impressed with his passion, experience, and vision for the future of financial services,” Ms. Sieber said. “It is rare to have someone with such a deep level of expertise that can also have a clear view of today and tomorrow. I was inspired by the composition of the executive team, leaders from all over the industry. I’m looking forward to being part of the future of CCG and having an impact on all aspects of the financial services ecosystem including banks, credit unions, fintechs, vendors, industry events, and venture capitalists.”

“We are very excited about Ms. Sieber joining us at CCG Catalyst,” said Paul Schaus, President & CEO of CCG Catalyst. “Scarlett represents the future, comes to the firm as a leader and subject matter expert from fintech and banking. Her vision is uniquely positioned to lead the convergence of the industry.”

To request an interview with Scarlett Sieber or Paul Schaus, please contact Phil Ryan at communications@ccg-catalyst.com or 480-744-2317.

About CCG Catalyst Consulting Group

CCG Catalyst, a global management consulting firm specialized across financial services. Through collaboration, we bring expertise and vision to drive strategic value to our clients and the industry, continues to expand its reach into the fintech space. The firm has continued its accelerated and notable growth.  Awarded again in 2018 by Consulting Magazine as one of the nations ‘Fastest Growing Firms’ and Bank News for our Innovation with or 4D Methodology, a design thinking tool. Founded in 1998, CCG Catalyst has deep expertise and client roster across the financial services industry. For more information visit: www.ccg-catalyst.com. Follow us on Twitter @CCGCatalyst

Contact Philip Ryan at CCG Catalyst
Contact Paul Schaus at CCG Catalyst
Public Relations & Press Contact

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Patricia Valentino, an expert in financial services has joined CCG Catalyst as Principal in the firm’s Strategy practice. She will be based in the firm’s Dallas office.  

PHOENIX, ARIZONA, January 22, 2019: Patricia (Pat) Valentino, an expert in financial services has joined CCG Catalyst as Principal in the firm’s Strategy practice. 

Ms. Valentino brings over 40 years of experience in the financial industry to her new role, where she will focus on supporting the firm’s Financial Services Strategy practice. She will be responsible for working with the firm’s new and existing clients to transform their organizations for today’s newer technology opportunities and provide a strong foundation for adopting new innovations. 

“Today, the competitive pace of the financial services industry within Banking, FinTech and Credit Unions you need to bring maximum value with differentiation – culture, markets, technology and people” said Paul Schaus, who leads CCG Catalyst as Founder and CEO.

“Pat is a leader with a proven track record for leading transformations across the financial services industry. She will be an invaluable resource to clients seeking direction and success in this every changing industry.”  

For the last 16 years, Ms. Valentino held senior roles at FIS in driving large-scale change – from multi-channel to traditional and non-traditional banking services, community and regional to national. Additionally, she has served as a successful management consultant, C level banker and OCC Bank Examiner.   

Ms. Valentino has stated her desire to join CEO, Paul Schaus and the CCG team was driven mainly by “… the culture that Mr. Schaus has built within his firm resonates with my desire and philosophy to be client-centric and focused on helping the industry that has treated me so well throughout my career.” 

To request an interview with Patricia Valentino or Paul Schaus, please contact Brandwyn Boyle; 

bboyle@ccg-catalyst.com or by phone; 480.744.2208

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