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Financial Services Review: Specials Magazine
Hardy L. Pelt is Chief Revenue Officer and founding member at Urban Edge Network, a free-access sports media platform dedicated to NAIA and HBCU athletic content. He previously served as Vice President of Corporate Sales and Services for the Golden State Warriors and held corporate sales leadership roles with the Portland Trail Blazers. My career started in a place most people would overlook. In 1988, I was a ball boy and equipment manager for the Orlando Magic. Nobody in that room was paying attention to me, and that turned out to be the best lesson I ever received. Billionaire owners, general managers, vice presidents and head coaches would talk strategy, debate decisions and map out the business of a franchise right in front of me as though I was not in the room. I listened to every word. What I was really learning, without knowing it at the time, was how to identify value in places other people were not looking. That habit never left me. Building the Philosophy From Orlando, my path took me to the Portland Trail Blazers as a corporate sales manager, where I began putting that early lesson into practice. Then came the opportunity that sharpened it, my role as Vice President of Corporate Sales and Services for the Golden State Warriors. A championship organization reinforced a simple idea: find value where others do not by following fundamentals. I kept building on it. That philosophy led me to Urban Edge Network. This time, I was building my own organization, not applying it inside someone else's. I have always believed that instead of chasing brands, you should build something worth chasing. Urban Edge is the proof. The Case for Free Urban Edge Network is a sports media platform built around NAIA and HBCU athletic content, conferences and institutions that historically sat behind paywalls, drawing loyal audiences but generating limited commercial data. We made a deliberate decision to remove those paywalls entirely, and treated the decision
Top Financial Management Service 2026
From Financial Guesswork to Structured Leadership Many small and mid-sized businesses appear profitable yet operate without true financial clarity. Revenue grows, but cash remains unpredictable. Owners often make decisions based on their bank balance rather than structured financial data, creating stress and limiting confidence in growth. What appears as success on paper often hides instability beneath the surface. TFO Solutions LLC addresses this challenge by shifting financial management from reactive reporting to forward-looking leadership. “Most profitable companies are financially reckless, and they don’t even know it,” says Tina O’Banion, founder and CEO.
Top Crypto Investment Management Service 2026
Cryptocurrencies are increasingly being incorporated into long-term financial planning, but their appropriate allocation within portfolios remains complex. DAiM, a first-of-its-kind registered investment advisor focused on digital assets, integrates crypto into structured, long-term financial plans to address this challenge. As a fiduciary, it provides holistic wealth management services, building financial plans around client needs and milestones to support long-term wealth growth. “We try to keep things simple and focus on what matters for the client’s financial goals,” says Bryan Courchesne, CEO. Clients coming to DAiM have either invested in crypto or are looking to do so. They are supported by in-house investment and planning capabilities. Mike Soroudi, CFA and CFP® professional, guides them through model portfolios and strategies, helping them maximize returns on their investments. Investment plans are designed to support retirement outcomes, incorporating projected returns from crypto assets within the broader portfolio. To assess asset performance over time, DAiM uses Monte Carlo simulation, which predicts the likelihood of a successful retirement. This enables clients to achieve true diversification across stocks, digital assets and uncorrelated assets to build wealth.
Top Bank Marketing Solutions 2026
Community banks operate in an increasingly competitive landscape dominated by larger financial institutions, fintech platforms and digital-first providers. Simultaneously, as marketing grows more complex across channels, technologies and customer touch points, many institutions lack the expertise and capacity needed to compete effectively. BankBound helps financial institutions navigate this environment by combining specialized digital marketing expertise with an exclusive focus on the banking industry. Serving primarily community and regional banks, the company extends the digital marketing capacity of institutions that often lack the resources or in-house expertise to fully leverage the evolving digital landscape. With a clear understanding of banking products, customer expectations and the challenges faced by clients, BankBound develops strategies that reflect the realities of community banking. “We help our clients achieve their goals and pursue opportunities that previously lacked a defined direction,” says Brian Reilly, managing director.
Top Digital & Print Document Delivery Solutions for Banking 2026
For many community and regional banks, customer communications have become increasingly complex. Statements, loan documents, notices, tax forms and compliance mailings often originate from different systems, follow different design standards and must be delivered across both print and digital channels. As customer expectations evolve, ensuring every document reaches the right recipient on time while presenting a consistent brand experience can create significant operational challenges. A regional bank in Ohio encountered exactly that situation. Looking to modernize more than 50 customer-facing document types, the institution needed a partner capable of redesigning a complex mix of statements, notices and other customer communications. PrintMail, a business process outsourcing (BPO) and document communications company, delivered exactly that. It redesigned all 50 documents quickly and professionally while creating a cohesive experience across print and electronic channels. That project reflects the role it has played for community and regional banks for more than 30 years. The company helps financial institutions consolidate customer communications under a single partner, supporting everything from statements, loan documents, notices, tax forms and compliance mailings to print and e-statement delivery, mail tracking, email and text messaging. PrintMail serves institutions with assets ranging from approximately $200 million to more than $40 billion, with an average client asset size of about $1.5 billion. “Our customers want to focus on serving their account holders and growing their business. We help make that possible by ensuring the communications behind those relationships are delivered accurately, securely and without disruption,” says Keith Reilly, president.
Top Financial Planning and Investment Advisory Services 2026
Layline Financial provides fee-only financial planning and investment advisory services. It helps individuals and families coordinate investments, taxes, and long-term goals through integrated strategies, supporting informed decision-making and financial clarity across complex and evolving personal financial situations.
Top Investment Advisory Service 2026
Financial uncertainty rarely stems from a lack of effort. It often comes from a lack of structure. Individuals and families approach advisory firms with broad goals such as security or retirement readiness, yet struggle to translate those ambitions into clear, actionable plans tied to their financial reality. Frontline Investment Advisors begins by addressing this gap through structured discovery and prioritization. Its process focuses on understanding values, timelines, income, assets, liabilities and family dynamics before defining specific, measurable objectives. “We start learning about our clients’ goals, family, dreams and desires,” says Devin Richard, managing partner and co-founder. Building Clarity through Structured Planning Clients often face overlapping concerns, including unclear goals, cash flow pressure, investment uncertainty, tax complexity and gaps in protection. Frontline addresses these challenges by translating vague intentions into prioritized, time-bound objectives and connecting them directly to financial decisions.
CXO INSIGHTS
Recent challenges in the industry and how Internal Audit can help
Jacqueline Breslauer, Executive Vice President - Chief Audit Executive, Valley Bank
The View from the Knife's Edge:A New Market Regime
Sébastien Page, CFA®, Head of Global Multi-Asset and Chief Investment Officer, T. Rowe Price
Sonic Branding - Whats old is new again
Mark Cohen, Senior Vice President, Advisory Services Marketing at Mesirow
Balancing Innovation, Security and Customer Experience in Digital Banking
Emmelda Lawrence, Sr. Manager, Digital Servicing, Fremont Bank
From Human Change to Digital Transformation Success
Scott Blake, SVP & CIO, Bangor Savings Bank
IN FOCUS
The Role of Crypto Investment Managers in Shaping the Future of Digital Asset Portfolios
Crypto investment managers build diversified portfolios through risk management, yield strategies and governance, structuring digital assets as long-term investments.
Maximizing Customer Engagement: The Shift Towards Data-Driven Banking
Banks are adopting digital marketing strategies using behavioral data to enhance customer engagement, trust, and personalized experiences across various channels.
EDITORIAL
Frontline Advisors Delivering Personalized Investment Strategies
Financial services continue to evolve as organizations respond to changing customer expectations, digital transformation and an increasingly complex investment landscape. Growth today depends on combining innovation with trust, using technology to enhance customer experiences while maintaining strong financial discipline. This edition of Financial Services Review recognizes organizations and leaders driving meaningful progress across the industry.
Our cover story features Hardy L. Pelt, recognized as Chief Revenue Officer of the Year 2026 for his leadership at Urban Edge Network. By expanding access to underserved collegiate sports through an advertising-supported platform, he has helped build a scalable business model that creates value for audiences, partners and advertisers. His approach demonstrates how strategic revenue leadership can unlock new market opportunities while fostering long-term relationships.
This issue also highlights organizations delivering specialized financial solutions. BankBound, named Top Bank Marketing Solutions 2026, helps community banks strengthen customer acquisition and digital engagement. DAiM, recognized as the Top Crypto Investment Management Service 2026, supports investors through disciplined digital asset portfolio management. Frontline Investment Advisors, awarded Top Investment Advisory Service 2026, provides personalized investment strategies designed for long-term financial goals. We also recognize Layline Financial as Top Financial Planning And Investment Advisory Services 2026 for integrated financial planning, PrintMail as Top Digital & Print Document Delivery Solutions for Banking 2026 for secure banking communications and "TFO Solutions LLC" as Top Financial Management Service 2026 for helping businesses strengthen financial management and forecasting.
Our contributor perspectives bring additional insight. Mike Madden, Director of IT Operations and Security at EP Wealth Advisors, discusses the growing importance of resilient technology operations and cybersecurity as financial organizations modernize their digital infrastructure. Gilbert Asamoah, Credit Risk Manager at NiSource Inc. and Doctoral Candidate at Franklin University, examines how disciplined credit risk management supports sound decision-making in a changing economic environment.
We hope this edition offers valuable perspectives on the people, strategies and innovations shaping the future of financial services.
