2026 Tech Talk - South

TECH Talk is the CBA of Georgia’s Innovation Program designed to spark ideas, share practical solutions, and prepare community banks for what’s next. Hosted in Tifton, GA, this forward-thinking event brings together community bankers from across the state alongside trusted vendors and industry experts to explore how technology can drive efficiency, security, and strategic growth.

Sessions will dive into workflow automation using AI, strategic planning for IT infrastructure upgrades, and educational spotlights on emerging topics such as stablecoin, dark web monitoring, and other evolving technologies impacting the financial services industry. Attendees will gain real-world insights, actionable strategies, and a clearer understanding of how to evaluate and implement innovation at their institutions.

TECH Talk offers a collaborative environment to learn, ask questions, and exchange ideas—helping community banks stay competitive, resilient, and confidently prepared for the future of banking.

SPEAKERS

Wayne Hunter, CEO AvTek Solutions	Brian Laverdure, Senior Vice President, Digital Assets & Innovation Policy ICBA	Cliff McGahee Queensborough National Bank
Christian Ruppe, SVP, Chief Innovation Officer Colony Bank	Mark Trinidad, Field CTO Allure Security

ABOUT OUR INSTRUCTORS:

Wayne Hunter is co-founder and CEO of AvTek Solutions, an author, speaker, and respected IT industry leader. With more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in risk mitigation, data storage, systems integration, and IT management. Wayne is known for building trusted partnerships and aligning client success with AvTek’s mission to deliver practical, forward-thinking technology solutions.

A U.S. Navy veteran, Wayne previously founded Lexicon Information Concepts, later selling the company to Legato Systems, where he served in executive leadership roles before the company’s acquisition by EMC. He co-founded AvTek in 2004 and has since helped position the firm as a leading IT partner for financial institutions and other regulated industries.

Wayne has guided initiatives including AvTek’s CMMC Registered Provider Organization designation and the development of the Compliance Ready program, helping organizations stay prepared for evolving cybersecurity and regulatory demands. He also serves on multiple industry advisory boards and is co-author of several books on security and compliance.

Brian Laverdure is senior vice president, digital assets & innovation policy for the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA). In this role he advocates payments and bank technology policy issues before financial regulatory agencies, private-sector organizations and Congress on behalf of the nation’s community banks. 

Laverdure has nearly two decades of banking and electronic payment experience. Prior to joining ICBA, he served as director of emerging payments education for EPCOR, the largest payments association in the country, where he developed training programs on new payment technologies and trends for community banks in the Midwest. He is a respected payments executive and serves on a number of industry work groups, including the Financial Stability Board’s Legal, Regulatory, and Supervisory Taskforce. He also sits on the editorial board for the Journal of Payments Strategy & Systems. 

Laverdure has a bachelor’s degree in History from UNC-Asheville and a master’s degree in American History from UNC-Greensboro and is an accredited ACH professional. 


Cliff McGahee -  is an experienced financial services and technology leader with more than two decades of expertise in bank operations, information security, IT, project management, process improvement, and data and analytics. As SVP, Director of Operations for Queensborough National Bank & Trust he leads strategy, modernization initiatives, and enterprise‑level systems management.

 Since joining the organization in 2018, Cliff has expanded and strengthened the Core Solutions and Deposit Operations functions.  He established an automation practice focused on RPA and workflow to drive measurable efficiency gains and partnered with executive leadership to implement KPIs across item processing, systems management, and user engagement. 

 Prior to his current role, Cliff spent 11 years at Fiserv in support, professional services, and implementation leadership positions. He delivered process re‑engineering engagements, developed widely used training and documentation, supported system conversions, and served as lead Project Manager for technical installations.

Christian Ruppe - More information to come. 


Mark Trinidad is a seasoned cybersecurity expert with over 20 years of experience. As the Field CTO at Allure Security, Mark leverages his strong product management background to comprehend and communicate the technical requirements of prospects and customers, enabling him to engineer solutions that achieve desired security, compliance, and risk management outcomes. As a public speaker, Mark promotes online brand protection and other cybersecurity best practices. He has also held product management, marketing, and sales engineering roles at Varonis, BlueVoyant, McAfee, and Trustwave.