TMG's Olson Selected For Financial Innovation Group

REACH Innovation Group created to bring innovation competency to credit unions

(Des Moines, Iowa – August 18, 2016) – Christopher Olson, client business executive for payments processor TMG, has been chosen to join the Filene Research Institute’s REACH Innovation Group. He is the only member of the 20-person group not employed by a credit union.

Modeled after Filene’s i3 program, the group will create, test and implement financial products, services and business model ideas. Each REACH Innovation Group team member is charged with attending monthly webinars and devoting at least eight hours per month to the completion of their team’s project. Teams will present their projects at the 2016 REACH Conference in Las Vegas, November 2 – 4, 2016. 

“Experiencing first-hand Filene’s methodology of innovation is an incredible opportunity,” said Olson. “I look forward to collaborating with my team members to think ‘big picture’ while creating our own innovative ideas.” 

This is the second year the REACH Innovation Group has been assembled by Filene in partnership with the California & Nevada Credit Union Leagues. In 2015, four teams presented ideas ranging from a Millennial-centric video channel to a credit union employee engagement program. 

“Chris is a proven Millennial leader at TMG and within the credit union movement as a whole,” said TMG CEO Shazia Manus. “As a part of the TMG family, Chris understands the importance of being able to predict, investigate and solve the challenges our financial institution clients face. A passionate credit union advocate, Chris’ experience with the REACH Innovation project will be instrumental to helping him spot trends and anticipate challenges facing TMG’s clients.”

“Because TMG is constantly looking to stay ahead from an innovation aspect, this initiative is in direct alignment with how my colleagues and I approach business on a daily basis,” said Olson. Olson reports his team is taking a “deep dive” into the “people helping people” mentality. “Our focus is on engagement and re-engagement of credit union staff in all of the opportunities the movement has to offer,” Olson said. “As beta testing of our idea begins, we have come to see that each of us has an incredible well of information at our disposal. This has been incredibly valuable as we develop a conglomerate means of dispensing and retaining information as it relates to our industry.”
        

About TMG

TMG is dedicated to creating customized, technology-driven card processing and payment solutions for credit unions and community-based financial institutions across North America. Innovations in fraud management, loyalty programs, alternative payment systems and analytic reporting, and the competitive advantages they create, have helped TMG forge a new standard in offering cutting-edge credit, debit, ATM, prepaid card products and a P2P payment solution. For more information, visit www.tmg.global.