Agenda

2026 Fall Summit Agenda
(tentative and subject to change)

11:00 AM - 7:00 PM (Aragon Ballroom Prefunction Area)

AFT Registration

12:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Optional Activities (separate registration required): 

• Golf at Rancho Bernardo

• San Diego Safari Park

6:15 PM - 7:00 PM (Aragon Ballroom Prefunction South)

Spouse/Guest Reception 

We warmly invite all spouses and guests to join us for a special reception designed just for you. This unique gathering offers a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere to meet fellow attendees, connect over shared interests, and start building new friendships. This is the perfect opportunity to learn more about the exciting activities and attractions available throughout the area, exchange recommendations, and even make plans to explore San Diego  together during the days ahead. 

6:15 PM – 7:00 PM (Aragon Terrace West - Outside)

VIP/First Time Attendee Reception

It is a long-standing AFT tradition to welcome all first-time attendees with a dedicated pre-summit gathering before the official launch of the event. This special welcome session is designed to ensure that new participants feel at home from the very start. During this time, first-time attendees have the opportunity to ask questions, and gain helpful tips that will make their experience seamless and enriching. It’s also a chance to meet their ambassadors, friendly, experienced members who serve as guides and resources throughout the conference, and to personally connect with members of the AFT board. This tradition embodies our commitment to an inclusive and supportive community, helping first-time attendees build new connections and feel confident as they embark on their summit journey. 

7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Aragon Lawn - Outside)

Welcome Reception

This is the official kick-off of the AFT Summit, a highly anticipated event where all attendees are invited to gather and celebrate the start of our time together. The welcome reception is the perfect setting to reconnect with old friends, meet fresh faces, and build new relationships within our vibrant community. Enjoy a delightful selection of heavy appetizers and refreshing drinks as you mingle, network, and share exciting plans for the days ahead. The lively, relaxed atmosphere encourages conversation and camaraderie, and many participants often make dinner plans together afterward, allowing connections to deepen beyond the reception. Whether you’re a returning member or joining us for the first time, the welcome reception sets a warm and inviting tone for the summit, ensuring everyone feels included and energized for a memorable experience. 

8:15 PM - 10:30 PM (Carver's Steak & Chop House)

Women in FinTech Dinner (separate registration is required)

According to Deloitte, startups founded or co-founded by women have risen 2% over the past decade but still account for just 12% of FinTechs. As technology speeds global finance, demand for highly tailored banking is surging, institutions need specialized FinTech partners, and diverse leadership is key to spotting and solving these opportunities.

AFT is helping close the gap through our Women in FinTech forum at the Fall Summits. Kathleen Craig, former AFT Board Member and founder/CEO of Plinqit, invites members of every gender to join—learn, connect, and help move the industry forward together.

Bus departs at 8:00 PM. 

6:00 AM - 7:00 AM (TBD)

Bobby Childs Memorial Workout led by Sara Scott

7:30 AM - 4:00 PM  (Aragon Ballroom Prefunction Area)

AFT Registration

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM (Aragon Lawn - Outside)

Group Breakfast 

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM (Catalina Ballroom)

VIP/First Time Attendee Breakfast

First time attendees are invited to join this breakfast to learn more about the AFT organization and our bi-annual summits. Current and past board members as well as past presidents will be in attendance as well.

9:00 AM - 9:05 AM (Aragon Ballroom)

Opening General Session 

Our AFT President welcomes all attendees to the AFT 2026 Fall Summit.

9:05 AM - 10:15 AM (Aragon Ballroom)

General Session Keynote: Track Your Life

Boyd Varty, Storyteller, Coach, and Wildlife and Literacy Activist 

Track Your Life is a storytelling presentation that will take you into the African wilderness with the best animal trackers in the world. Learn the process of tracking and then use the lessons of this ancient art form to begin to track the subtle signs that are guiding you to a life full of meaning, purpose and passion. In this talk tracker, coach and storyteller Boyd Varty, who grew up in the African wilderness, will teach you how to find the “track” of your own vocation. You will journey into a new landscape, have encounters with creatures and discover an ancient process that will give you a new perspectives and tools to begin to track your right life.  It will teach attendees to develop the “energy state” needed to be an effective leader, decision maker and creator. Tracking is an excellent modality for finding a new direction in your business and teams. It will take you into greater performance and into a more joyful medium. The talk will connect each individual with a set of tracker tools, and the power of the tracker within.  Boyd brings you into a new awareness about how to find what you are looking for in your life right now.

10:15 AM - 10:30 AM (Aragon Lawn)

Stretch Break

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM (Aragon Ballroom)

General Session: Cognitive Futures: Building a Blueprint for an Intelligence-Amplified Workforce

Annie Hardy, Founder & Chief AI Architect and Futurist, Split Futures 

How is AI evolving to impact the future of work? It depends on the metrics you're tracking. The leaders that win in the AI era won't be the ones that measure success in terms of efficiency - they'll be the ones who re-architect their entire workforce for the AI Era. This keynote gives you the incentive, the language, and the proof points to fundamentally shift how you think about the AI opportunity - not only internally but with your customers as well. 

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM (Aragon Lawn)

Lunch and Networking 

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM (Catalina Ballroom)

CEO Lunch

Facilitated by Mike Alles

Every fall summit we invite the CEOs of our member companies to attend this lunch to discuss the most pressing issues being faced by their companies and our industry from the view of their given role.

1:00 PM - 1:10 PM (Aragon Ballroom) 

Dave Mayo Tribute

1:10 PM - 1:30 PM (Aragon Ballroom)

General Session: Board Candidate Presentations

During our Fall Summit, we elect three new board members from our membership group to serve a three-year term. At this session, we will have the opportunity to hear from each candidate prior to voting the next day.

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM (Aragon Ballroom)

General Session: Prosperity Ahead—or Not?

Todd Buchholz, Economist, Author, and Keynote Speaker 

From turmoil in the Middle East and volatile oil markets to shifting trade policies, artificial intelligence, and the future of the Federal Reserve under Chairman Kevin Warsh, the global economy is being reshaped in real time. Former White House Director of Economic Policy Todd Buchholz explains which forces are likely to shape growth, inflation, interest rates, and investment—and which headlines are merely noise. Combining the perspective of a White House economist, Wall Street investor, and bestselling author, Todd offers a lively, insightful roadmap to the opportunities and risks that lie ahead. Audiences leave better equipped to make smarter decisions in an increasingly unpredictable world.

2:30 PM - 2:45 PM (in Breakout Rooms) 

PM Refreshment Break

2:45 PM - 3:30 PM (Catalina Ballroom)

Deep Dive #1: The Job Lab: Re-Architecting the Cognitive Workforce

Annie Hardy, Founder & Chief AI Architect and Futurist, Split Futures

This hands-on workshop gives AFT attendees a chance to work through the concepts presented in the morning keynote using their own organizations as case studies. Digging into specific jobs and teams, we'll discuss how to rearchitect your teams, develop new career paths, map skills gaps to training opportunities, and give managers a framework to build accountability.

2:45 PM - 3:30 PM (Bernardo West)

Deep Dive #2: Economic Impact of AI

Dr. Ranjit Tinaikar, Former Chief Executive Officer, Ness Digital Engineering (2020-2026) 

3:45 PM - 4:30 PM (Catalina Ballroom)

Deep Dive #3: Bank AI Strategy: Nobody Ever Got Fired for Buying Copilot, But is it Good Enough for Your AI Strategy?

Marc Rehberger, Founder & Principal Advisor, Anvil & Forge Advisory 

3:45 PM - 4:30 PM (Bernardo West)

Deep Dive #4: Build Faster, Run Smarter: AI Demos Transforming Software and Operations

Matt Dean, CEO, Trabian 

Paul Tidwell, Vice President, Technology & AI at Praxent 

4:30 PM - 6:00 PM 

Intersections

5:15 PM - 6:00 PM (Castillo Presidential Suite)

AFT Past Presidents Reception

All AFT Past Presidents are invited to a special gathering honoring those whose leadership and dedication have shaped the foundation and future of our association. This event is a chance to recognize and celebrate the invaluable contributions and enduring legacy of our association’s past presidents. Their vision, commitment, and service continue to inspire and strengthen our community, making this reception a meaningful highlight of the summit. 

6:00 PM - 10:00 PM (Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens - Escondido)

Monday Night Dinner Event

After a full day at the AFT Fall Summit, cap it off with a night of fun and entertainment at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido. Mingle with fellow attendees, sip iconic Stone craft brews, and enjoy delicious bites in a stunning, open‑air garden setting. Expect lively energy, great conversation, and the perfect backdrop to unwind and make new connections. Don’t miss the Summit’s can’t‑miss evening. See you at the Gardens!

6:00 AM - 7:00 AM (TBD)

Bobby Childs Memorial Workout led by Sara Scott

7:30 AM - 2:00 PM (Aragon Ballroom Prefunction Area)

AFT Registration

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM (Aragon Lawn - Outside)

Group Breakfast 

9:00 AM - 9:05 AM (Aragon Ballroom)

General Session: Welcome Back / Updates

9:05 AM - 10:15 AM (Aragon Ballroom)

General Session CEO Keynote: 

Greg Adelson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Jack Henry 

10:15 AM - 10:45 AM (Aragon Lawn)

Stretch Break

10:45 AM - 11:45 AM (Aragon Ballroom)

Annual Business Meeting

As an association, we use our Fall Summit to host our annual business session. It is important that at least one member of each AFT member company attends. We will be sharing important business updates regarding the association as well as voting for the three new board members. Each member company in attendance will have one vote.

11:45 AM - 12:00 PM (Aragon Ballroom)

Partnership of the Year Award

If AFT has taught us anything, it's that we are better together. Announcing the AFT Partnership of the Year Award! This is a celebration of the ways in which relationships founded at AFT have strengthened both parties. Please submit your nominations by August 14. The first AFT Partnership of the Year recipient will be recognized at the Fall Summit.

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM (Aragon Lawn - Outside)

Group Lunch

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM (Aragon Ballroom)

General Session: Leading with Emotional Intelligence in a Changing World

Dr. Marc Brackett, Founding Director, Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, Professor, Child Study Center, Yale University 

Change is accelerating, and with it, questions about purpose, connection, and how we show up as leaders. Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of Permission to Feel and Dealing with Feeling, has spent over 25 years studying how emotions shape decision-making, relationships, and performance. In this keynote, Brackett explores what it takes to lead with emotional clarity and stay grounded amid rapid disruption in the workplace. Drawing on his research into emotional intelligence and emotion regulation, he offers leaders practical, science-backed tools for navigating uncertainty without losing sight of what makes work — and leadership — human.

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM (Aragon Lawn)

PM Refreshment Break

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Aragon Ballroom)

General Session: Drumroll, Please...

You won't miss a beat when you attend a closing session that brings us together to ensure we stay in sync as we transition back to the rhythm of our jobs and lives, filled with the inspiration found only at AFT.

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM (Aragon Lawn)

Farewell Reception 

It’s time to relax, unwind, and enjoy one last time to gather together as AFT members before heading home.