Elizabeth Osborne Moves to Jack Henry

By John San Filippo

Over the past five years as COO for Bannockburn, Ill.-based Great Lakes Credit Union ($1.4 billion; 103,000 members), Elizabeth Osborne established herself as one of the most progressive voices in credit union technology. A frequent speaker/emcee at credit union conferences, she has also testified before the House Financial Services Committee on the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) across financial institutions and housing.

Elizabeth Osborne

Recently, Osborne started the next chapter in her career, accepting the position of Senior Managing Director of Operations for Jack Henry Credit Union Solutions. Finopotamus sat down with Osborne to discuss where she’s been, where she’s headed, and the future of credit union technology.

From Broadcast Journalism to the C-Suite

Osborne’s career trajectory was not always aimed at the financial C-suite. She began her academic journey at Northeastern University as a broadcast journalism major. “I wanted to be on the news,” she said. After realizing that path might not be her lifelong calling, she briefly explored accounting before finding her fit in a business program focused on leadership.

Her professional start at State Street in Boston provided an early look at the intersection of technology and finance. She served as a project manager for a global budgeting tool, which eventually led her to a CIO role at Belmont Savings Bank. During her five years there, the institution experienced significant growth. “We brought it from $800 million to over $3 billion in five years,” she noted. Following a series of mergers and acquisitions that took her to People’s United Bank, she found herself at a crossroads during the pandemic.

A Change in Perspective

A move from Boston to Chicago to be closer to family served as the catalyst for Osborne’s entry into the credit union movement. When a recruiter first approached her regarding an opening at Great Lakes Credit Union, she admitted to having some industry biases. “Credit unions seemed a little slow,” she recalled. However, she quickly discovered that her initial assessment was incorrect. “I clearly had no idea. And I’ve never been as wrong as I was then,” she added.

Osborne found that the credit union environment allowed for faster innovation and a deeper connection to the community than her previous roles at large regional banks. At Great Lakes CU, she was able to oversee both operations and technology, leveraging her CIO background to drive digital transformation.

Advocating for Ethical AI

One of Osborne’s most notable achievements at Great Lakes was the implementation of “Olive,” a conversational AI agent that garnered significant industry attention. This success eventually led her to Washington, D.C. In 2023, she was selected to testify before a subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee. “I testified publicly on the ethical use of AI across financial institutions and housing,” she said.

Her testimony focused on how credit unions can utilize advanced technology while maintaining member trust and navigating potential regulatory hurdles. This experience cemented her reputation as a thought leader, resulting in numerous speaking engagements where she shared her insights on the “Amazon effect” in banking and the need for seamless digital experiences.

The Next Chapter at Jack Henry

Her new role at Jack Henry feels like a natural evolution. Having served on both regional and national advisory boards for Symitar, Osborne viewed the company as a strategic collaborator long before joining the payroll. “Jack Henry was always a partner,” she explained.

In her current capacity, she oversees network infrastructure, hosted services, and support for the credit union side of the business. She joins a leadership team that emphasizes a “people-first” culture, working alongside peers Senior Managing Director Robin Whitlock and Senior Director of Client Relations Stephanie Gonzalez, and reporting to group President Brynn Ammon. “The four of us. Yes. It’s an awesome team,” she said of the leadership structure.

Addressing the Integration Challenge

Looking at the broader landscape, Osborne believes the industry’s greatest hurdle isn’t a lack of tools, but rather a lack of cohesion. “I think the biggest challenge credit unions have is integration between services,” she said. She argued that credit unions must focus on creating a consistent member journey where the transition between different digital solutions is invisible to the user. “The look and feel, the language, the flow should be very cohesive and smooth and fast and simple,” she noted.

Beyond the technology itself, Osborne remains a staunch advocate for diversity within the sector. She highlighted the continued need for female representation in high-level technical roles at large institutions. “I really want to make sure that we continue to see a larger number of women in leadership and in technology,” she said. By mentoring the next generation, she hopes to ensure that more women have the confidence to “stretch their brains” and take on leadership risks in the evolving fintech space.

The entire conversation with Osborne is available now as the latest edition of the Finopotamus TechSolutions4CUs podcast.