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"Next Step brought a systematic process that ensured we “dotted all the i's and crossed all the t’s".
Next Step provided insight and counsel, and truly became part of the team at Union Savings Bank.  I am very grateful to the Next Step team."
Marie T. O'Neill
Senior Vice President
Union Savings Bank

 

"Next Step’s comprehensive, disciplined and proven approach to project management, combined with
an experienced, versatile and thoroughly professional team have
made them the right choice for Independence on no less than six
major initiative rollouts. Whether it’s a vendor search, merger/acquisition integration or new service
introduction, Next Step approaches the engagement with a consistent passion for excellence. Their team balances
the client’s day-to-day business responsibilities with the respective project at hand. Independence has
most certainly benefited from its association with Next Step."
Terry Mitchell
President Community Banking
Independence Community Bank

 

Bucky Sebastian will tell you that he is very proud of his entire conversion team for achieving one of the best conversions in history, “and that team includes our partner, Next Step. Next Step was here throughout the project, helping us proactively manage the risks; I can honestly say that surprises were not an issue. Next Step complemented my strong team and helped us prepare ahead of time, allowing us to focus on getting our members ready; this made a big difference. I was proud to introduce Next Step to my Board and retain bragging rights that they are one of the best decisions we made.”
Bucky Sebastian, President & CEO
GTE Federal Credit Union

 

"Next Step's expert assistance was well worth the investment. Getting their insights was invaluable, and one of the smartest things we did. They helped catch unknown factors that you wouldn’t think of because you don’t do this every day. Next Step knows this business and brought discipline, methodology, expertise and a calming influence during this substantial change. The conversion included multiple complex systems ending in a great success story. I would have to say I am as happy as a gopher in loose dirt."
John Thompson, CIO
GTE Federal Credit Union

 

"Municipal Credit Union has a very large membership, so managing the risks associated with a vendor selection is extremely important to us. Next Step's Vendor Comparison process including the vendor contract negotiations was extremely thorough and identified the functionality issues/surprises prior to signing contracts with the vendor. Their process was unique and provided the results we needed to meet our objectives. After the vendor selection, we chose Next Step to manage the conversion to the new core system because of their professionalism and specialized expertise."
Kam Wong, President & CEO
Municipal Credit Union

After their conversion, Kam wanted to add the following comments:
"We used Next Step’s process from start to finish beginning with our system selection through conversion. They brought to us seasoned experience and hands-on project management assistance that complemented the hard work of our internal team and our new vendor. I am very pleased to say our go-live conversion set a standard in this industry. I am proud of the team and Next Step's contribution."
Kam Wong, President & CEO
Municipal Credit Union

 

"We have a great team at Fairwinds and we took on the challenge of the conversion with a sharp focus on ensuring the highest level of member service. Next Step brought expertise that helped my entire team manage the risks and get the job done on time; this partnership made a difference in our results. I would recommend Next Step to any CEO looking to achieve a successful core system initiative.”
Larry Tobin, President & CEO
Fairwinds Credit Union

 

"As CIO, I will tell you that Next Step made our life easier and saved time and frustration as our teams moved through the changes necessary to secure a great conversion and to get the benefits available through the technology investment. Next Step is focused and knows the risks that have to be addressed during a core system initiative - they got us prepared and helped instill the confidence to execute the plan as expected. We have a great team with a lot of experience; however, my opinion is that Next Step is one of the best resources any financial institution can access during a core system initiative."
Charlie Lai, EVP & CIO
Fairwinds Credit Union

 

"We retained Next Step to expedite the technology changes and manage the associated risks while we concentrate on growing our business. We considered several alternatives and Next Step was chosen because of their strong references, extensive conversion experience and risk management approach. They are hands-on, practical, and have kept us prepared and ahead of the game. The project is organized, well managed, and everyone knows what is expected. They are making a real difference in our ability to achieve our goals for the new technology environment."
Wayne Grosse, EVP
Bethpage Federal Credit Union

 

"Next Step's project management methodology is extremely valuable, particularly for large initiatives such as acquisitions and system conversions. Their process ensures that all areas of the Bank work in concert toward a common goal and their recommendations for process improvements have been meaningful, provocative, and practical."
Tony Morris, SVP
Atlantic Bank of New York

 

"Next Step is disciplined and brought excellent project management expertise and methods as a complement to our internal and vendor resources, ensuring we met our deadlines and achieved our project objectives. They are professional and keep the team focused through completion."
Catherine Papayiannis, COO
Carver Bank

 

“Next Step really helped us get the best results for our vendor selection and implementation. Liberty has a strong experienced team but we really benefited from Next Step's process and their approach to addressing the key issues, getting results timely and efficiently. They are real professionals who know this business and help both the bank and vendor teams work together and stay focused until the job gets done."
Ron Catrone, EVP & CIO
Liberty Bank

 

Growing Institutions Embracing Change

With the benefit of Executive Management sponsorship, Next Step is able to produce extraordinary results during high-risk technology initiatives. 

Large Credit Union - Georgia ($1.5 Billion, 150,600 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations

Growing Credit Union - Michigan ($1.5 Billion)
-  Core System and Online Banking Decision for Merged Credit Unions

Savings Bank - Missouri ($1.5 Billion)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  High Impact Process Improvement
-  Core System Conversion Management

Federal Credit Union - Pennsylvania ($434 Million, 26,700 Members)
-  Core System and Online Banking Functionality Gap Analysis
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations

Growing Credit Union - Florida ($667 Million, 68,000 Members)
-  Merger Conversion Risk Management (All Systems)
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations

Federal Credit Union - Hawaii ($1.03 Billion, 72,300 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations

Commercial Bank - New York ($1.69 Billion)
-  Project Management Advisory Services
-  Project Management, Testing, and Training Methodologies for Technology Initiatives

Community Bank - Connecticut ($2.8 Billion)
-  Core System and Teller/Platform System Gap Analysis
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Core System Conversion Management
-  High-Impact Process Improvement
-  Internet Banking Conversion Management (Consumer and Business/Commercial)

Federal Credit Union - Washington DC ($2.53 Billion, 59,100 Members)
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Core System Conversion Management
-  High Impact Process Improvement

Large Credit Union - Iowa ($1.4 Billion, 150,400 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations

Savings Bank - Connecticut ($1.7 Billion)
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Internet Banking Conversion Management
-  Core System Merger Conversion

Credit Union - Maryland ($1.8 Billion, 252,800 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Core System Conversion Management

Credit Union - Texas ($960 Million, 129,500 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Core System Conversion Management
-  High Impact Process Improvement

Federal Credit Union - North Carolina ($1.09 Billion, 112,000 Members)
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Core System Conversion Management
-  High Impact Process Improvement

Credit Union Service Organization - Colorado (50+ Credit Unions)
-  Technology Assessment

Community Bank - New York City ($810 Million)
-  Core System Acquisition Conversion

Credit Union - Alabama ($2.37 Billion, 301,000 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Core System Conversion Management
-  Credit and Debit Card Vendor Evaluation
-  High Impact Process Improvement

Credit Union - Maryland ($862 Million, 94,300 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Core System Conversion Management
-  High Impact Process Improvement

Credit Union - California ($837 Million, 50,200 Members)
-  Enterprise Wide Technology Assessment (Core System and Key Ancillary Systems)

Credit Union - California ($1.46 Billion, 69,900 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Core System Conversion Management

Community Bank - New York City & Long Island ($24.2 Billion)
-  Core System Acquisition Conversions (2)
-  Bank Merger and Procedure Standardization

Credit Union - Rhode Island ($1.05 Billion, 44,300 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations

Credit Union - California ($787 Million, 24,600 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Enterprise Wide Process Improvement
-  Core System Conversion Management
-  High Impact Process Improvement

Credit Union - Michigan ($818 Million, 88,500 Members) 
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection for Merged Credit Unions
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Core System Major Release Implementation
-  Core System Conversion Management for Merged Credit Unions

Community Bank - New York City ($17.9 Billion)
-  Core System Conversion Management
-  Branch Capture Automation
-  Teller and Platform System Vendor Comparison and Selection
-  Teller and Platform System Conversion Management
-  Core System Acquisition Conversions (3)
-  Call Center System Vendor Comparison and Selection
-  Call Center Establishment and System Implementation 
-  Core System Vendor Comparison and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Check Processing Vendor Comparison and Selection
-  Check Processing Migration/Conversion
-  Technology Due Diligence Research for Prospective Acquisitions 

Credit Union - Massachusetts ($652 Million, 50,000 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Core System Conversion Management

Savings Bank - Long Island, NY ($10.7 Billion)
-  Core System Vendor Comparison and Selection for Merged Banks
-  Core System Acquisition Conversion
-  Bank-Wide Process Improvement Initiative
-  Data Processing Cost Analysis (Outsourcing vs. In-House)

Credit Union - Texas ($370 Million, 51,000 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations

Credit Union - Wisconsin ($184 Million, 24,700 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Core System Conversion Oversight

Federal Credit Union - Florida ($2.16 Billion, 202,900 Members)
-  Core System Conversion Management

Credit Union - Texas ($664 Million, 64,400 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Development of Master Plan for Improvement Initiative with Incumbent Vendor

Credit Union - New York City ($1.36 Billion, 293,200 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Core System Major Release Implementation
-  Core System Conversion Management
-  Credit Card Conversion Management
Commercial Bank - New York City ($3.3 Billion)
-  Core System Acquisition Conversion
-  Bank-Wide Process and System Utilization Improvement
-  Teller and Platform System Conversion Management
-  Staff Mentoring on Project Management
-  Development of New Strategic Planning Process

Federal Credit Union - Long Island, NY ($3.1 Billion, 149,000 Members)
-  Core System Conversion Management
-  High-Impact Process Improvement

Credit Union - Florida ($1.73 Billion, 148,300 Members)
-  Core System Conversion Management

 Commercial Bank - New Jersey ($2.86 Billion)
-  Bank-Wide Process and System Utilization Improvement
-  Policy and Procedure Development
-  Core System Acquisition Conversion
-  Item Processing Conversion

Federal Credit Union - New York ($664 Million, 46,300 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Core System Conversion Management

Federal Credit Union - Minnesota ($596 Million, 57,840 Members)
-  Core System Planning
-  Vendor Contract Advice and Counsel

Federal Credit Union - Indiana ($317 Million, 32,800 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Core System Conversion Management

Community Bank - Texas ($742 Million)
-  Core System Acquisition Conversion
-  Bank-Wide Real-Time to POD Migration (With Full Imaging Capabilities)
-  Bank-Wide Process and System Utilization Improvement
-  Staffing Efficiency Review

Credit Union - Florida ($667 Million, 68,000 Members)
-  New Core System Risk Assessment
-  Vendor Contract Evaluation
-  Core System Merger Conversion

Thrift and Community Bank - Chicago ($6.0 Billion)
-  Core System Acquisition Conversion
-  Teller and Platform System Conversion Management

Federal Credit Union - New Jersey ($236 Million, 15,700 Members)
-  Core System Vendor Evaluation and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Development of Master Plan for Improvement Initiative with Incumbent Vendor
-  Project Administration of Improvement Initiative Roll-out

Twenty-One Bank Holding Company - Maryland ($11.1 Billion)
-  Core System Conversion Management (21 Banks)
-  Bank-Wide Process Improvement Initiative
-  Establishment of a Project Management Office

Commercial Bank - Maryland ($1.8 Billion)
-  Core System Conversion Management
-  Teller and Platform System Implementation
-  Bank-Wide Process Improvement
-  Core System Acquisition Conversion

Credit Union - Michigan ($294 Million, 42,500 Members)
-  Core System Conversion Management

 Community Bank - Ohio ($1.4 Billion)
-  Loan Origination System Implementation
-  Full-Service Call Center Strategy Development
-  Bank-Wide Process and System Utilization Improvement
-  Staffing Efficiency Review

Community Bank - Connecticut ($2.1 Billion)
-  Item Processing Vendor Comparison and Selection
-  Vendor Contract Negotiations
-  Item Processing/Check Imaging Conversion Management
-  Process Improvement (Imaging)
-  Call Center Computer Telephony Integration (CIT.) Evaluation

Thrift and Community Bank - New York City ($553 Million)
-  Item Processing/Check Imaging Conversion Management
-  Process Improvement (Imaging)
 

Client References
Please contact Linda Vick lvick@nextstepinc.com for a list of client names and phone numbers. Every Next Step client will be happy to reference our services to you.



"To a person, Next Step is the best consulting firm

that I have worked with."

David Perkins, VP of Information Technology
State Employees Credit Union of Maryland

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