Trina Tate

As cost pressures rise and customer expectations evolve, banks and credit unions are rethinking how their branch networks support growth. Leaders now rely on data—not intuition—to determine where branches should consolidate, expand, or transform. By combining spatial analytics, demographic insights, behavioral data, and financial modeling, institutions can redesign their physical footprints to better serve customers and strengthen performance. Get new ideas for how data-driven decision-making is reshaping network strategy and enabling branches to shift from transactional centers to high-impact engagement hubs. Attendees will be able to:

• Evaluate branch performance using modern data inputs that reveal market potential and customer demand
• Identify high-opportunity markets for strategic expansion, relocation, or targeted investment
• Redesign branches to support advisory, sales, and relationship-building activities
• Align network decisions with long-term growth, cost optimization, and customer experience goals

As digital adoption accelerates, the role of the physical branch is evolving—not disappearing. Yet the shift from career bankers to shorter-tenure frontline talent, combined with increasingly complex product offerings, makes it harder than ever to maintain authentic, trust-building in-person experiences. In this session, Catrina Tate, Senior VP of Retail Experience at Vibe Credit Union, explores why branches remain the “last mile of trust” and how institutions can preserve real, human connection in an era defined by automation and rapid change. Catrina will share how banks and credit unions can empower their teams to:

• Strengthen frontline capability through modernized upskilling and development pathways
• Equip teams to confidently communicate an expanding and evolving product suite
• Design branch experiences that build trust without relying on scripted interactions
• Blend digital efficiency with human connection to elevate the member journey
• Reinforce the branch’s role as a strategic differentiator in a technology-first marketplace