Howard Meller

President & CEO People First Federal Credit Union

Howard Meller has over 30 years of experience in the financial industry. He is a seasoned executive who has consistently demonstrated his commitment to innovation, growth, and exceptional service. As the President and CEO of People First Federal Credit Union, Howard leads a thriving member-owned cooperative that serves over 72,000 members and manages assets exceeding $875 million. Since joining the organization in September 2020, he has implemented transformative measures guided by his strategic vision for exceptional service and community engagement. Mr. Meller's expertise is built on a solid educational foundation. He holds an MBA in Finance from St. John's University. His skills span customer relationship management, strategy implementation, and problem-solving. Throughout his impressive career, which includes leadership roles at GHS Federal Credit Union, SunTrust Bank, and Bank of America, Howard has honed his proficiency in banking, credit, and customer service to an exceptional standard. His unwavering dedication to collaborative leadership marks Howard's professional journey. His comprehensive experience and incisive strategic approach continue to foster innovation and growth within the financial sector. His commitment to collaboration is not just a strategy but a philosophy that inspires those around him.

GROWTH BY DESIGN: BUILDING SMARTER FOR A RAPIDLY CHANGING MARKET

12:10 PM Panel: Empowering Your Contact Center, Branch, and other Customer-Facing Channels for Seamless, Connected Service

Your contact center and branch network are two of the most critical touchpoints in your customer experience strategy—but are they operating as efficiently and collaboratively with each other and with the other channels as they should? In today’s evolving landscape, customers expect seamless service, whether they walk into a branch, pick up the phone, or interact through digital channels. This panel will explore how to strengthen both your branch and contact center teams, equipping them with the tools, technology, and training they need to provide exceptional service while ensuring these channels work in sync. Our panel will discuss strategies for:

Optimizing workforce support, breaking down operational silos, and integrating call centers and branches into a unified service experience
Planning for disruptions—whether it’s an overwhelmed call center, a system outage, or a staffing challenge in a high-traffic branch
Implementing technologies that can help manage these challenges

2:20 PM Medium Networks (30-80 Branches)

Meant to facilitate networking amongst peers coming from similarly sized institutions, the sessions in this track will feature topics that are top of mind for each network group.

FROM TRANSACTIONS TO RELATIONSHIPS: ELEVATING CX IN A TRUST-DRIVEN ERA

2:05 PM Micro Networks (Under 10 branches)

Meant to facilitate networking amongst peers coming from similarly sized institutions, the sessions in this track will feature topics that are top of mind for each network group

DIGITAL STRATEGY RELOADED: RETHINKING PRIORITIES FOR 2025 AND BEYOND

9:50 AM Keynote: Updating the Universal Banking Model for Your Communities

The universal banker is a fantastic ambassador of your branch, able to drive conversations with customers and also create efficiency by allowing them to cover multiple functions. Yet having all people cover all roles takes in-depth training and a long time to implement, meaning that it may not meet the needs of every branch or community. In this insightful session, redefine branch staffing models for the modern banking landscape, with a strong focus on the evolving role of the Universal Banker. Attendees will learn how to restructure branch teams to be more agile, cross-functional, and advisory-driven—ensuring that in-person experiences deliver high-value, personalized service – while deciding which functions should be differentiated to meet the needs of their members. Whether you’re just starting to shift away from traditional teller roles or looking to elevate your current staffing model, this session will provide practical takeaways on:

Evaluating your customer needs and branch processes to develop a banking model that works for your organization
Developing multi-skilled employees who can seamlessly handle everything from teller functions to complex member consultations
Empowering staff through targeted training and leadership development

Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining Howard.

Download The Latest Agenda