2026 OBL Next Gen Conference OBL

2026 OBL Next Gen Conference

Level Up with Us!

Online Registration for this program is now closed. If you would like to register, please contact Emily Schwegman, Education Specialist, at eschwegman@ohiobankersleague.com.

Join the OBL and the brightest and best young banking leaders from across Ohio for the annual OBL Next Gen Conference!

Each year, the content-rich agenda is overflowing with learning and networking opportunities to prepare rising stars for the future of the Ohio banking industry. The program will feature 2 keynotes, general session speakers, concurrent and repeating breakout sessions, roundtable discussions, receptions and more!

What do past attendees have to say about the event?

"The conference was extremely educational. It was well organized and the speakers were inspiring. I particularly enjoyed the round tables. Open discussion mixed in with lectures really shook things up and created an atmosphere for my co-workers and peers to engage in dialog that may not happen otherwise."

"It's a fantastic learning and networking opportunity for young bankers.Great thought-provoking presentation topics and excellent opportunity to network with peers."

"The OBL Next Gen conference is a great opportunity for the next generation of Ohio bankers to come together, network and share ideas that not only pertain to the banking industry, but are important to them."

Questions?

Event: Email Megan Peiffer at mpeiffer@ohiobankersleague.com

Sponsorship: Email Paige Houlihan at phoulihan@ohiobankersleague.com

Location Greater Columbus Convention Center

Tags Leadership & Management

Registration Fees

Price Description	Amount
OBL Bank Member	$595.00
Nonmember (Bankers Only)	$1,190.00
OBL Affiliate Members and Business Partners	$595.00

Agenda

Wednesday, June 03 - Wednesday, June 03
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
	Welcome Reception Welcome Reception – Hilton Downtown Columbus – The Lamp Room (2nd Floor) Light hors d'oeuvres and drink tickets provided
Thursday, June 04 - Thursday, June 04
8:00 am - 9:00 am
	Registration and Networking Registration and Networking – 2nd Floor A-POD Foyer Greater Columbus Convention Center, Continental breakfast and beverages provided.
9:00 am - 10:10 am
	Opening Keynote: The 3 Keys to Turning Good People into Great Teams Presented by Desiree Petrich, Intentional Action We often talk about culture like it’s something that leaders create or that HR manages. But culture is built in the everyday moments. It’s built in how each individual team member shows up, how they treat their coworkers, and how they lead themselves. In this keynote, Desiree challenges the idea that teamwork is someone else’s job. Because every person on a team contributes to the environment around them. And the truth is, most people want the same things at work. To do good work. To feel valued. To use their strengths. To work with people they respect. Through stories, humor, and real workplace examples, Desiree shares three simple shifts that turn good people into great teammates: How we show up – the energy we bring into the room. How we treat people – the respect and communication that build trust. How we lead ourselves – the responsibility we take for our own growth. Regardless of ones’ place on the team, every individual holds the power to build something they are proud to be a part of!
10:00 am - 10:15 pm
	Break
10:15 am - 11:00 am
	Tutorial: Banking Basics with Bryan Parkhurst, FHLB Let’s start our journey by breaking down banking! How do all the pieces and players work together? How can we deepen our understanding to contribute to organizational success?
11:00 am - 11:15 am
	Break
11:15 am - 12:00 pm
	Government Relations, Advocacy & You with the Ohio Bankers League GR Team The Ohio Bankers League Government Relations team will speak about current legislative issues impacting banking and how banker advocacy can be incredibly impactful in to help move community banking issues forward. Bring your questions for the team!
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
	Lunch & Networking
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
	Concurrent Breakout Sessions - 1:00 & 2:15 PM Check the event brochure to learn more about these sessions! Courage Over Comfort: Having the Conversations Leaders Avoid – Tonya DeVane, The Omnia Group Leading on LinkedIn – Kurt Kersey, Kersey Consulting Discovering Your Strengths With Working Genius – Desiree Petrich, Intentional Action Deep Dive with the OBL GR Team
2:00 pm - 2:15 pm
	Break
2:15 pm - 3:15 pm
	Concurrent Breakout Sessions - 1:00 & 2:15 PM Check the event brochure to learn more about these sessions! Courage Over Comfort: Having the Conversations Leaders Avoid – Tonya DeVane, The Omnia Group Leading on LinkedIn – Kurt Kersey, Kersey Consulting Discovering Your Strengths With Working Genius – Desiree Petrich, Intentional Action Deep Dive with the OBL GR Team
3:15 pm - 3:30 pm
	Break
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
	Roundtable Discussion ROUNDTABLE Discussions Led by Next Gen Advisory Board members. Commercial Lending, SBA & Credit: Focus on the full lending lifecycle including SBA lending, commercial credit strategy, deal structuring, and underwriting practices. Leadership & Career Growth: Discussion on leadership development across career stages, including communication, team management, career progression, and executive expectations. Relationships, Networking & Community Banking: Focus on relationship building, networking strategies, community involvement, and career development through connections. Retail Banking & Branch Experience: Covers branch operations, customer service, retail banking execution, and the connection between frontline experience and operational support. Treasury, Deposits & Cash Management: Explores treasury services, deposits, cash management, and how these functions support clients and overall bank strategy.
4:45 pm - 7:00 pm
	Conference Reception Conference Reception – Apps & Drinks - 2nd Floor A-POD Foyer Take a break, check into the hotel, then come back and join us for some apps & drinks before dinner!
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
	Dine-Around the Short North! Stop by the registration area to sign up for one of many conference dinners at a near-by Short North restaurant. The dinner reservations are made; bankers will cover the cost of their own meals. This is a great way to continue conversations and make new connections!
9:00 pm - 11:00 pm
	Late Night Meet Up at PINS! Not ready to turn in for the night? Join other conference attendees at Pins Mechanical Co. for more fun and networking! Attendees cover costs on their own.
Friday, June 05 - Friday, June 05
8:00 am - 9:00 am
	Continental Breakfast Continental Breakfast - 2nd Floor A-POD Foyer, Greater Columbus Convention Center
9:00 am - 10:00 am
	Shift Happens: Stepping into Leadership With Purpose with Mika Moser, at CLevel, LLC The banking industry is evolving fast. Growth, competition, technology, and talent expectations are redefining what strong leadership looks like. The skills that got you here won’t be the skills that take you forward. In this interactive keynote, we'll explore the critical shift from managing to leading. Together, we'll identify what changes, what stays the same, and why it matters. Participants will learn how to step into a leadership mindset, discover the traits that drive success, and identify their own strengths and gaps.
10:00 am - 10:15 am
	Next Gen Award Ceremony Featuring the OBL Next Generation Leadership Award
10:15 am - 10:30 am
	Break
10:30 am - 11:30 am
	Executive Panel Hear from current bank leaders about how their journeys to leadership and what they have learned along the way.
11:30 am - 12:00 pm
	Buffet Lunch
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
	Closing Keynote: High Potential to High Performance with Kurt Kersey, Kersey Consulting Most rising leaders have everything it takes to succeed – except the clarity, confidence and commitment to fully step into it. This keynote cuts through the noise with seven hard truths that separate those who drift from those who drive, those who try from those who train. In this 60-minute keynote, Kurt Kersey equips emerging leaders with the mindset and tools to build powerful relationships, communicate with impact, own their time, and lead with purpose. It’s not about working harder – it's about going all-in on who you’re already capable of becoming.

Speakers

Name	Speaking At
Tonya DeVane <div class="ewa-rteLine" style="cursor:text;height:auto;line-height:inherit;overflow:hidden;padding-right:10px;white-space:pre-wrap;"><span style="color:hsl(0, 0%, 0%);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:11px;">Tonya DeVane is an experienced leader with over two decades of expertise in leadership, employee development, and group facilitation. As the Vice President of Customer Success & Product Optimization at The Omnia Group, she specializes in assisting companies in identifying the most talented individuals and constructing high-performing teams. Tonya utilizes personality assessments to uncover the strengths of each team member, which is one of her areas of expertise.</span></div><div class="ewa-rteLine" style="cursor:text;height:auto;line-height:inherit;overflow:hidden;padding-right:10px;white-space:pre-wrap;"> </div><div class="ewa-rteLine" style="cursor:text;height:auto;line-height:inherit;overflow:hidden;padding-right:10px;white-space:pre-wrap;"><span style="color:hsl(0, 0%, 0%);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:11px;">In addition to her proficiency in talent development, Tonya is highly skilled in sales and leadership. She has trained employees and facilitated webinars to enhance their sales and leadership abilities. Tonya's educational background includes a degree in Human Service Counseling and certification in Human Resource Management. She is committed to fostering inclusive work environments by utilizing her expertise and the power of personality assessments to help teams reach their full potential.</span></div><div class="ewa-rteLine" style="cursor:text;height:auto;line-height:inherit;overflow:hidden;padding-right:10px;white-space:pre-wrap;"><br> </div>	Concurrent Breakout Sessions - 1:00 & 2:15 PM
Kurt Kersey <p><span style="color:black;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-language:EN-US;">Kurt Kersey is an entrepreneur, speaker and coach who helps business owners, sales leaders, and people leaders grow themselves, grow their people, and grow their businesses. After rising through the ranks as a sales leader for a multi-billion dollar financial services company, Kurt built a marketing agency from coffee-shop-with-a-laptop to multiple seven figures. Winding that agency down in 2025, he learned that sales, marketing and leadership have at least one truth in common: moving from transaction to transformation requires deep trust and clear communication. Kurt and his wife, Kaci live in Cincinnati, Ohio with their children, Jake and Mackenzie. </span></span></p>	Closing Keynote: High Potential to High Performance
Mika Moser <p><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;">Mika Moser is an experienced C-Suite executive with more than 25 years of professional success in strategic planning, leadership development, brand marketing and board governance in the banking, technology and nonprofit industries. She is the Founder and CEO of At C Level, a talent consulting group that helps companies build diverse, high-performing leadership teams by providing executive search, professional development and consulting services. Mika served as the interim COO of Tennessee Justice Center; and during her 10-year tenure at Bank Director, an educational resource for financial leaders across the country, Mika developed and oversaw the strategic direction of the business. As the president and member of the board, she focused on strategic planning, fostering key partnerships and spearheading new product offerings for the organization. Mika currently serves as a board member of the Tennessee Justice Center, and also sits on the advisory board of SpendCare, a fintech startup that focuses on providing financial protection for seniors. Mika graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.</span></span></p>	Shift Happens: Stepping into Leadership With Purpose
Bryan Parkhurst	Tutorial: Banking Basics
Desiree Petrich <p><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;">Desiree is a leadership development and team engagement consultant, bestselling author, and </span><span style="font-size:12px;">k</span><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;">eynote speaker. As the founder of Intentional Action, she equips organizations with the tools to build high trust and high accountability teams by helping them to strengthen communication and enhance teamwork. She brings practical insights to help organizations create stronger leadership pipelines, more engaged teams, and high-impact partnerships. Desiree is also the host of, You're The Boss, Now What?, a top 2% rated podcast for leaders who desire to lead themselves and their teams with confidence.</span></p>	Opening Keynote: The 3 Keys to Turning Good People into Great Teams

Exhibitors

Location Information

Greater Columbus Convention Center
400 North High Street
Columbus, OH 43215

Get directions

Hotel Information

An OBL room block has been reserved at the Hilton Columbus Downtown. Please use this link to book your room! Rooms are available until May 20, 2026 or earlier if filled.