This interview was originally published at FintecBuzz
Michael, what motivated you to pursue a career in Fintech, and how did you get started in the industry?
I began my career as a computer technologist and spent the first 10 years managing data centers for various banking institutions. My time at the Federal Reserve of Baltimore was particularly impactful, as it allowed me to witness firsthand the transformative power of technology to drive business process innovation. This experience motivated me to transition into the software vendor industry, where I have spent the past 31 years.
I’ve been passionate about fintech given the opportunity to create and provide solutions that have a significant impact on the banking institution’s ability to deliver advanced products and services to their customers. It is rewarding to know that the work I do can help shape the future of financial services and make a real difference in people’s lives.
Can you discuss any recent partnerships or collaborations that your company has formed with other players in the Fintech industry?
In light of our recent industry announcement, we’ve now become part of a new, merged organization with CFM and NXTsoft, now called Kinective. The combined entity is unique in its focus on the financial services industry, delivering middleware solutions to banks and credit unions that enable them to accelerate innovation and digital strategies.
We are focused on providing innovative API connectivity, technology integration, document automation, teller workflow, and data analytics software solutions that bridge the gap between a financial institution’s core system and its surrounding fintech business apps.
While this announcement is relatively recent, there are a lot of great plans in motion already as well as an exciting vision for how we’re going to grow Kinective into a dynamic solution provider that will revolutionize financial services technology.
What sets IMM/eSign apart from other Fintech companies in the market?
What sets us apart from other fintech companies in the market is a combination of several key elements. While we are known for our domain expertise and having a true understanding of financial institution operations, a significant differentiator between us and others is that we are the only eSignature provider that focuses exclusively on serving financial institutions. The classic IMM brand has been serving this market space for 26 years, so we’re not a ‘new kid on the block’. We have a proven track record of delivering effective solutions to our customers, making us a trusted and reliable partner for financial institutions looking to streamline their processes and improve customer experiences.
Unlike many other new entrants to the fintech space, we have a long history of success and a deep commitment to our customers, which is reflected in the quality of our products and services. Our reputation for helping financial institutions elevate the customer experience and streamline back-office activities has become a well-respected and valued aspect of our company.
And now being Kinective, we have evolved into a larger, unique fintech that provides dynamic middleware solutions that connect the various business systems within a bank or credit union and drive new levels of consumer experience and services innovation. We are building and developing the best and most comprehensive connective technology ecosystem in banking, serving more than 3,000 financial institutions today, to achieve digital transformation and enable them to delight their customers while reducing operating costs.
Can you tell us about a particularly innovative solution that your company has developed, and how it has impacted the industry?
Our company has developed several innovative solutions over the years, but one that stands out is our flagship solution, IMM eSign. This eSignature solution provides a more seamless and fluid user experience for employees as they facilitate and manage eSignature transactions. Powering millions of “end-to-end” electronic transactions every month, it has revolutionized the way consumers interact with financial institutions and has made it much easier for them to perform banking transactions. With IMM eSign, customers can close deals quickly and easily with their trusted bankers from anywhere in the world, with just a few clicks. We’ve been enabling financial institutions to deliver seamless, Amazon-like experiences making it quick and easy to perform banking transactions.
Our latest innovation, eReceiptsPlus, puts a new spin on the classic functionality of our legacy digital receipts solution. With something as simple as printing a receipt, we’ve now modernized the process to be able to deliver a receipt in digital format through text/sms based capabilities.
How do you balance the need for innovation with the importance of maintaining security and compliance in the Fintech industry?
To be a successful fintech company in today’s business landscape, striking a balance between innovation and maintaining security and compliance is critical. We recognize that while innovation is a vital aspect of our daily operations, security and compliance are equally important. We have dedicated a significant portion of our product roadmaps to prioritize security, compliance, and regulatory requirements, which have become an integral part of our company culture, so much so that it is ingrained in our DNA. We aim to deliver innovative solutions that meet the highest security and compliance standards, which is essential to building trust and credibility with our customers.
Click here to read the full interview at FintechBuzz.
