Turns out, teaching machines to understand what people actually want pays off—literally.
Wellby Financial just took home the gold in the Best Use of AI – Customer Focus category at the 2026 Banking Tech Awards USA, and the numbers behind their win are pretty impressive.
The credit union partnered with Vertice AI to build an artificial intelligence system that doesn’t just blast generic offers into the void. Instead, it actually figures out what individual members need and when they need it. You know, like a financial advisor who never sleeps and has a photographic memory of your entire banking history.
What They Did
FinTech Futures hosts the Banking Tech Awards USA to spotlight financial institutions—from small credit unions to national banks—that are pushing the envelope on digital innovation. This year, Wellby caught their attention by using AI to analyze member data and create personalized engagement strategies that actually move the needle on growth and customer satisfaction.
“AI is most powerful when it helps us serve members in more meaningful ways,” said Marty Pell, President and CEO of Wellby Financial. “This recognition reflects our commitment to helping our members prosper through personalized experiences. By leveraging AI-driven insights, we can better understand member needs, share tailored messaging that resonates, and connect them with the right products and services at the right time.”
The Results Speak Pretty Loudly
Here’s where things get interesting. Using Vertice AI’s platform, Wellby didn’t just improve engagement metrics on a PowerPoint slide. Their AI-powered approach influenced the opening of 4,150 loan products, bringing in roughly $114 million in new loan balances. That’s not pocket change.
The wins didn’t stop there. The same strategy led to 2,073 new deposit accounts worth nearly $25 million in balances, plus thousands of additional service enrollments. The whole system creates a win-win: members get relevant, timely offers that actually matter to them, and the credit union deepens relationships while growing its business.
“Wellby Financial’s success demonstrates how leading financial institutions are using AI to move beyond broad-based marketing to deliver timely, personalized experiences that drive real results,” said Mitch Rutledge, CEO of Vertice AI. “We are proud to support its efforts leveraging AI to modernize engagement strategies in ways that deepen relationships, improve retention, and accelerate long-term growth.”
Why This Matters
The real story here isn’t just about a trophy handed out at a ceremony in New York City (though congrats on that, Wellby). It’s about what happens when financial institutions stop treating customers like demographic segments and start treating them like, well, people with specific needs and circumstances.
AI gets a lot of hype—some deserved, some not. But when it’s used to genuinely understand what someone needs and deliver it at the right moment? That’s when the technology lives up to its potential. And apparently, that’s also how you win awards.