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This speech for the ABA Conference for Community Bankers covers:
Principal & Marketing Co-Lead
Ally Akins is a Principal at Capital Performance Group. Ally started as an Analyst with the firm in 2019 after graduating from the University of Maryland Smith School of Business with a double degree in Marketing and Government and Politics. Pre-CPG, Ally worked with nonprofits, the U.S. House of Representatives, and a variety of marketing and political consulting agencies in the DC area.
In her time at CPG, Ally has worked on and led a variety of projects, including strategic planning, product redesign, marketing campaign design, and risk management. She is one of CPG’s main consultants and project managers for the Marketing practice, assisting on projects relating to marketing strategy and planning, product redesign and performance marketing campaigns. Ally specializes in the high-level strategies needed for financial institutions to create powerful marketing results. Ally supports client engagements by conducting research on industry movements, trends, and best practices, analyzing market and company-level data to inform strategic recommendations to clients, and day-to-day project management.
Ally brings energy and an eye for innovation to projects at CPG. Always looking for optimizations in productivity and efficiency, Ally loves to help her team by staying organized, motivated, and ready for the next challenge.
Outside of work, you can find Ally running, swimming, or biking around the DC area.
Marketing Consultant Project Manager
Sammy Fiorino joins the team at Capital Performance Group as a Marketing Consultant and Project Manager. Sammy graduated from the University of Maryland in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. She brings a strong background in marketing, business development, and project management, with experience leading data-driven campaigns, streamlining operations, and optimizing marketing technology.
Sammy brings a proactive, detail-oriented approach to her work and is excited to support Capital Performance Group’s clients in achieving their marketing and strategy goals.
Consultant
Emma is a Consultant and Project Manager for Capital Performance Group. She started as an Analyst with the firm in 2019 after graduating from the University of Maryland (UMD), where she received her B.S. in Finance and participated in a year-long fellowship in Global Consulting. Emma comes to CPG from previous work with Aerotek and various teaching assistant positions/programs within the business school and math departments at UMD.
In her time at CPG, Emma has worked on a variety of projects, including strategic market expansion, branch network optimization, product redesign, strategic plan development, marketing and voice-of-the-customer research, marketing compliance implementation, and creating and designing monthly risk events reports. She also has experience in providing implementation support of new processes and systems, including the use of a new loan origination system where she helped to facilitate project organization, user training, vendor management, documentation of procedures, and change management. Emma has also assisted in assessing the efficiency of a bank’s finance department where she helped to provide strategic recommendations related to the division’s processes and organizational structure. She has also assisted an institution with the review and restructuring of their contact center to improve their organizational efficiency and customer support. On a day-to-day, Emma supports client engagements by conducting research on industry movements, trends, and best practices, as well as analyzing market and company-level data to inform strategic recommendations to clients.
Emma is always ready to take on the next project at CPG, bringing an eye for analytics and problem solving along with her. She aims to work hard and help her team by staying organized, motivated, and efficient.
Emma is a resident to the Washington DC area, and enjoys weekends where she gets to explore the city and all of its hidden gems. Away from CPG, you can find Emma going to live music events with her friends, finding a new trail to hike, or experimenting with tasty new recipes that she finds on the web!
Business Intelligence and Analytics Advisor
With over 30 years of expertise in Business Intelligence, Data Analytics, and Digital Marketing, Jonathan Cheris has a proven track record of helping banks and financial institutions unlock the potential of their data to drive measurable results. Most recently, he led a regional bank’s BI team, overseeing analytics and reporting for $50B in deposits and loans across 2,000 colleagues. Under his guidance, the team delivered $30MM+ in annual value and optimized tools to improve system transitions and efficiencies.
A recognized industry visionary and former Qlik Luminary, Jonathan’s insights have helped shape leading analytics products, ensuring they meet the evolving needs of the banking sector. His trademarked concept, “Humanizing Business Intelligence,” encapsulates his commitment to simplifying complex data systems and turning them into accessible, actionable insights that drive business outcomes. Banks working with Jonathan gain not only an expert in analytics but also a strategic partner who deeply understands the challenges and opportunities within financial services.
In addition to his advisory work, Jonathan founded PieCart Analytics in 2024 to create innovative tools that support BI adoption and engagement. PieCart’s proprietary Usage360™ scoring algorithm and MyAnalytics™ storefront are designed to maximize BI ROI and ensure data systems are user-friendly and results-driven.
Whether advising banks or developing next-generation approaches to BI and Analytics, Jonathan’s focus is on transforming data into high-impact insights that deliver real value. His approach empowers financial institutions to enhance performance, adopt a data-driven culture, and drive strategic growth through data.
Business Analyst
Kunal joined CPG as a Business Analyst in August of 2024. As a Business Analyst, Kunal assists in several client projects, including conducting market and competitive analysis, establishing optimal marketing spend and working with financial and peer reports to better offer strategic guidance to clients.
Prior to working with CPG, Kunal was a Business Consulting Intern for Ernst Young in Tysons, VA. There he utilized project management trackers to assist with the payment’s transformation of a major US bank. Prior to EY, Kunal was a Market Research Intern with Navy Federal Credit Union at their headquarters in Vienna, VA. Much of his research had to do with assessing the need for physical locations in a rapidly modernizing banking climate.
Kunal graduated from The University of Virginia in May 2024 with a BS in Finance and IT, and a BA in Economics.
Consulting Associate
415-490-6463
Christina Michelle (“CM”) is a Consulting Associate for Capital Performance Group and an experienced and innovative digital sales and marketing leader. CM specializes in content strategy, content marketing, digital and social media, content management systems, digital asset management, growth marketing, partnership development, and marketing operations.
Prior to contracting with CPG, CM lead operational risk management for First Republic Bank’s Marketing Division and served as the Manager of Content Operations for the Bank. She also held senior business development and marketing positions within NBC Universal, and operational roles at Patelco Credit Union and Kauai Community Federal Credit Union.
Consulting Associate
mkschneider@mkinsights2action.com
Mary Kay is a highly accomplished and results-oriented financial services consultant with demonstrated success in small business, wealth and commercial credit sales, risk management, underwriting, M&A integration, quality assurance, employee and community engagement, and diversity/inclusion. She is a proven leader and effective communicator who develops and engages high-performing teams and builds relationships with a diverse range of internal and external partners and stakeholders. As a strategic thinker and innovative problem solver, she has a strong record of driving growth, increasing productivity, reducing costs, and managing risk.
Prior to working with CPG, Mary Kay served as Executive Vice President and Director of Industry Segmentation at PNC Bank where she founded a national team delivering sales enablement on six targeted industries to a 5000-member sales force spanning the U.S. to enable greater retention, expansion, and acquisition of small business relationships. Prior to that, she held leadership roles in commercial underwriting, credit and retail, wealth and business banking sales management.
Mary Kay received her undergraduate degree from Kent State University and has an MBA from Case Western Reserve University.
Senior Consulting Associate
mark.gibson@capitalperform.com
Mark Gibson has been an innovator and strategic advisor to financial services executives for more than 30 years. Mark leads the Marketing Transformation practice at CPG and supports the focus on designing and implementing strategies for growth and improved profitability.
Mark works closely with Executive Management to help them craft business and customer strategies to achieve superior growth. This work includes strategic planning, customer segmentation, value proposition and product development, brand positioning, marketing and sales campaign integration, marketing spend optimization, and marketing strategy and program effectiveness. Mark’s experience is particularly relevant to enhancing deposit and household growth.
Mark is a thought leader on financial services branding, marketing and performance improvement. He often speaks on topics such as differentiation, marketing ROI, and best practices in U.S. financial services companies, and has recently spoken at both the ABA Bank Marketing Conference and The Financial Brand Forum. He is also a frequent contributor to ABABankMarketing.com and other industry publications.
Administrative Manager
Ev’s responsibilities include managing the firm’s day-to-day activities and providing administrative support to staff through a variety of tasks related to client deliverables, organization and communication.
Ev provides administrative support by:
Senior Consulting Associate
Rolland Johannsen has almost 40 years of experience in the financial services industry, both as a senior executive and consultant. Rolland’s consulting work includes strategic planning, merger integration management, retail and small business banking, deposit strategies, and marketing.
Most recently, Rolland was the Executive Vice President of Retail Banking for First National Bank of Omaha, the largest privately held banking company in the United States, where he was responsible for all retail businesses and activities, including consumer banking, mortgage, small business, and marketing. He was also responsible for developing, building and managing FNBO Direct, the company’s nationwide online bank.
Prior to joining First National, Rolland was the Senior Vice President of Consumer Financial Services at JPMorgan Chase in New York. Prior to joining Chase, Rolland was a sought-after consultant to the financial services industry and President of Furash and Company, a Washington D.C. based consultancy specializing in developing actionable strategies for financial services companies. His consulting practice at Furash included providing strategic and tactical advisory services to a large number and broad range of community, regional, and global financial services companies, both within the United States and internationally. His international work included client engagements in Asia, Europe and South America. Additional industry experience included senior management positions at Old Kent Financial (currently Fifth Third) and Society Bank (currently KeyCorp).
Partner
Claude is a founder and the Partner of Capital Performance Group. Claude and the CPG team focus on designing and implementing strategies for growth and improved profitability.
Claude leads CPG’s Financial Management and Regulatory Practice areas. In the practice area of financial management, he has worked with financial institutions of all sizes to improve financial performance measurement through the development and implementation of tools such as performance scorecards, profitability and forecasting models, and benchmarks. He has led efficiency audits, designed and conducted enterprise-wide efficiency programs, and conducted process redesign projects. Claude has extensive experience in valuing financial services businesses and has acted as an independent financial advisor to clients in transactions. In the regulatory practice area, Claude has advised clients about how to comply with regulations in the areas of credit risk management and safety and soundness.
He is a frequent contributor to leading industry trade publications including the RMA Journal and the American Banker and he has written on such topics as the appropriate role of the finance group in today’s bank, process redesign, keys to effective strategic planning, the viability of de novo banking, and competitive trends in the financial services industry. Claude is frequently quoted in the financial services press and has served on the faculty of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking. He is a member of the Financial Managers Society which is devoted exclusively to finance, accounting and auditing professionals from community banks, thrifts and credit unions.
Managing Partner
Mary Beth Sullivan is the Managing Partner of Capital Performance Group. Mary Beth works closely with Executives and Directors on strategy engagements, helping them to address emerging trends, identify and build new revenue streams, and create efficient operating models to achieve targeted business and financial results. Mary Beth leads the CPG team to deliver Strategy, Marketing, Delivery, Risk, and Finance consulting engagements for banks, credit unions, financial technology companies, and vendors to the industry.
Mary Beth has more than 30 years of experience in banking; she began her career at JPMorgan Chase and has worked with hundreds of financial institutions across the country as an advisor to senior management. CPG partners each year with American Banker to assess industry performance, rank the Top Performing Banks, and analyze the factors driving high performance in the banking industry. Mary Beth has penned articles or been quoted in numerous industry publications including American Banker, ABA Banking Journal, BAI Banking Strategies, The RMA Journal, and LinkedIn. She is a frequent speaker at industry conferences on topics related to driving growth and sustained profitability in today’s changing financial services industry.
Consulting Associate
Joy Weller is a digital marketing and branding strategist with more than 10 years’ experience at developing and executing innovative plans to drive organizational business goals. She specializes in digital marketing strategy and execution, social media strategy and management, content marketing, and strategic communications.
Joy has worked with brands across a variety of mediums including healthcare, utilities, insurance, and financial institutions, including BECU and Golden 1 Credit Union. She is skilled at evaluating and optimizing the customer lifecycle and specializes at developing and implementing strategies designed to drive successful and measurable outcomes for brands and clients.
Senior Consulting Associate
Charlotte Anderson is a senior consulting associate with more than 30 years of results-driven leadership and operational experience in the banking industry in addition to being an Executive and Leadership coach. Charlotte held a variety of leadership and management positions most recently at Fulton Financial Corporation in Lancaster PA.
Charlotte uses her coaching skills within CPG to work with clients on executive and leadership development. Coaching services help support strategic planning goals and talent development for succession planning.
On the operational side, Charlotte and the CPG Team focus on helping banks and credit unions improve operational efficiency and the client experience. Charlotte works with leaders across the organization to assess, modify, develop, and implement strategies to simplify complex products and workflows through process optimization and digital transformation. Charlotte’s experience and work includes commercial, consumer and mortgage loan origination digital implementation, client experience onboarding enhancements, branch and back-office workflow and process optimization, branch and back office acquisition integration, cash management product and support simplification, and project management for strategic plan strategy implementation.
Charlotte can be reached via email or 717-471-8785.
Marketing Manager
Eileen is responsible developing, implementing and executing strategic marketing plans in order to attract potential clients and retain and inform existing clients. She is also responsible for design, layout and production for a wide variety of assignments such as print collateral, client product deliverables, and web design and maintenance.
Eileen has more than 25 years of design, marketing and advertising experience. Before joining CPG, she worked as a freelance designer for firms ranging from advertising agencies, marketing communications firms and non-profit associations. Prior to that she was the New Media Director for Bloom & Mertz, Washington, DC and Art Director at Griffin & Company, Inc. She has also held art director positions with Ketchum Advertising, New York and Avance Design, New York.
Eileen is a graduate of the University of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in Advertising and Design. She also holds a certificate in Interactive Multimedia/New Media from the George Washington University.