My Experience as a TPI Faculty Member

I assume most people go to Nacha’s the Payments Institute expecting to learn, but I think they take for granted the connections you take away from the event. I know I did!

I first attended the Payments Institute way back in 2003, when I was studying for my AAP exam. I remember some of it very clearly – mainly how overwhelmed I felt with all the payments-related information being presented by the knowledgeable faculty! Since then, I have referred several EPCOR members and even staff to attend the Payments Institute, bragging about what a great learning opportunity it presents. Nacha’s website boasts, “Whether you are new to the payments industry or working on obtaining a Nacha credential, the Payments Institute means a sharper skill set and the chance for advancement.”

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Payments Institute as a member of the faculty. I was prepared to provide a bit of my knowledge to the students looking to learn everything they could about payments. However, what I got was a reminder of how important these events are in making contacts, building relationships and networking with colleagues who will become life-long friends!

I walked away with business cards from regulators who encouraged me to reach out if any EPCOR members needed assistance. I walked away with a better understanding of what one of our long-time member Fintechs is bringing to the marketplace. I walked away with a friend who leads the risk-management team of onboarding several Third-Party Senders with her bank. I walked away feeling closer to the EPCOR members and Nacha staff in attendance and many influential members of the the Payments Institute faculty.

My experience at the Payments Institute reminded me that with every good learning event, there is ultimately a lot of learning. However, the real bread and butter is in the networking and contacts that you will meet, which help you succeed in this working industry we call payments!