What a week it was in Scottsdale for the 2019 EMERGE Financial Health Forum May 14–16! I want to thank everyone who joined us this year for a rigorous and insightful three days exploring Trust, Tech, and Transparency.
I had the privilege of serving as this year’s emcee, which kept me close to the incredible, diverse, high-caliber content. Reflecting on the last few days, I am struck by the takeaways — the conversations I had that sparked new ideas, that pushed and challenged me to think differently and deeper about the work we are all doing to expand financial health, and the ways in which our unique stories influence solutions and innovation.
Below are some of my highlights from the three-day whirlwind:
Day One
Jo Ann Jenkins, CEO of AARP, kicked us off by challenging the idea of aging. She emphasized that people are not saving for retirement but for life. Financial health is an essential pillar in ensuring we’re serving people as they age.
Day Two
Thasunda Duckett, CEO of Consumer Banking at JPMorgan Chase, roused us with a speech on The Art of Possibility. Her personal look at how financial health can shape the course of a life and how empowered we can become when given a chance was captivating. And I love that she encouraged us all to level up and keep it (and our credit scores) 700+!
Day Three
Hemant Taneja, author of the book “Unscaled: How AI and a New Generation of Upstarts Are Creating the Economy of the Future”, explored the future of technology and its likely impact on the institutions that exist today. He left us all contemplating how we can embrace curiosity as we move toward the age of AI.
“So much more”
In addition to our keynotes, we heard from our founding partner in financial health, MetLife Foundation’s Evelyn Stark on the future of financial health. We dove into the reality gap of financial health in America. We asked if there should be a national data privacy law. We examined the role employers play in financial health. We contemplated how to use financial health as a brand compass and how to integrate innovation into existing problems. We learned about the power of short-term thinking and the rising savings problem. We spent three full days thinking, growing, and networking — finding new ways and opportunities to share our stories.
Here are some more highlights from conference attendees and speakers:
CFSI in now the Financial Health Network
Jennifer broke the news that CFSI is now officially the Financial Health Network! This new name better signals the collective work we are undertaking to improve financial health for all. You can listen to Jennifer express her thoughts on the name and what is in store as we move into the 15th year of our organization. Additionally, take a moment to explore our updated website and see the new brand in action.
I’m sure many of you, like me, will continue to process and utilize the information gained in Scottsdale until we meet again at the 2020 EMERGE Financial Health Forum! Stay tuned for further details on next year’s conference.
EMERGE: Financial Health Forum 2020 will be held on May 5–7 in Atlanta, GA. For more information, visit the EMERGE Forum website.
