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Cision Canada
30-05-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
BMO Recognized for Digital Innovation and Customer Experience Français
TORONTO, May 30, 2025 /CNW/ - BMO today announced it has received multiple recognitions for its leadership in delivering innovative digital solutions and experiences to help customers make real financial progress. Digital CX Awards from The Digital Banker: Outstanding Digital CX for Mobile Banking – Canada: Available in BMO's Mobile Banking app and Online Banking, the Enhanced Transaction Details feature provides customers with detailed information about credit and debit card transactions including merchant information and location. This provides customers a more comprehensive understanding of their transactions and spending habits. Excellence in Omni-Channel Customer Experience: BMO developed an approach to helping customers make progress towards the financial goals by delivering personalized and relevant multi-channel advice and guidance to support their journey. Customers are able to share their financial goals in-branch, over email, or on BMO Savings Goals, a feature available on the BMO Mobile Banking app and Online Banking. Editor's Choice Award from Banking Tech Awards: BMO was also recognized for its success in creating and integrating seamless digital experiences to meet customers where they are in their financial journey across four initiatives: InnoV8 Customer Feedback Assist: The large language model (LLM) powered tool is designed to help BMO address feedback received from customer reviews. Taking elements of a traditional dashboard and adding LLM powered data, this cohesive solution improves employees' workflow and helps support the continuous improvement efforts for customers. BMO SmartProgress: BMO SmartProgress is a free, online financial education platform accessible to all Canadians to help them learn about personal finance topics and make real financial progress. With over 40 interactive, customized modules on financial planning topics, including budgeting and credit management, homeownership and investing, Canadians can conveniently build their financial literacy anywhere and at any time. Digital Card Controls: A quick solution for customers facing time sensitive issues, BMO's Digital Card Controls feature suite helps customers when dealing with a lost wallet, damaged cards, or forgotten PINs. With this convenient solution, customers are empowered to manage their cards anywhere and at any time. BMO's Bank of the West Integration: Following BMO's 2021 acquisition of Bank of the West, BMO successfully integrated its systems in 2023, maintaining existing login credentials, converting digital profiles and guiding customers through an individualized onboarding journey. BMO's innovative approach included converting all money movement transactions, providing customized guidance and enhancing foundational technology for scale. The project successfully converted 1.8 million customers and over 500 branches. "At BMO, our commitment to elevating our customers' everyday banking experiences drives our digital and innovation agenda," said Mat Mehrotra, Chief Digital Officer and Head of Canadian Products, BMO. "These recognitions reinforce how we are empowering our customers by meeting them where they are with differentiated experiences that help them make real financial progress." The Digital CX Awards is the world's only program dedicated to recognizing pioneering innovation in the Digital Customer Experience across the Financial Services ecosystem. The awards honour excellence in the use of digital assets within the financial services industry and celebrates contributions to innovations, technological enhancements and commitments to digital transformation. The Editor's Choice Award is chosen by the editorial team of FinTech Futures, a globally trusted resource recognizing banking and fintech innovation. The award recognizes a financial services organization that has successfully delivered innovative and impactful technology projects, with tangible results and perceptible, positive impact. BMO continues to pave the way as a digitally enabled, future-ready bank, focused on delivering leading digital experiences that help customers make real financial progress. These recognitions demonstrate BMO's Digital First journey and build on the bank's strong track record of industry credits. For more information about the Digital CX Awards, please visit: BMO Financial Group is the seventh largest bank in North America by assets, with total assets of $1.4 trillion as of April 30, 2025. Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a diverse team of highly engaged employees providing a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management, global markets and investment banking products and services to 13 million customers across Canada, the United States, and in select markets globally. Driven by a single purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life, BMO is committed to driving positive change in the world, and making progress for a thriving economy, sustainable future, and inclusive society.
Associated Press
04-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
SW Graduate School of Banking Announces 2025 Distinguished Service and Distinguished Alumnus Awards
The SW Graduate School of Banking at SMU Cox (SWGSB), a nationally renowned source for banking executive education, has announced the SW Graduate School of Banking's highest honors for 2025. H. Gary Blankenship, chairman, CEO and chief lending officer of Bank of the West, will be honored with the Distinguished Service Award on May 29, 2025, and Ron Butler, chairman and CEO of First Financial Bank Abilene Region, executive vice president and CAO of First Financial Bankshares, Inc., and a graduate of SWGSB Class XXXVII, will be honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award on June 5, 2025. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: SW Graduate School of Banking 2025 Distinguished Service Award Honoree H. Gary Blankenship, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer/Chief Lending Officer, Bank of the West and 2025 Distinguished Alumnus Award Honoree Ron Butler, Chairman and CEO of First Financial Bank Abilene Region/Executive Vice President and CAO of First Financial Bankshares, Inc. 'We're proud to announce these award recipients who have contributed immense time and talent to the betterment of their communities, their banking institutions, and SWGSB,' said William T. Chittenden, Ph.D., president and CEO of SWGSB. 'They represent the best of SWGSB, and we are honored to present them with these awards.' H. Gary Blankenship Distinguished Service Award Born in Lockney, Texas in 1940, Gary Blankenship began his banking career as a National Bank Examiner with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency stationed in Denver, Boulder, and Grand Junction, Colorado. He has been chairman and CEO of Greater Southwest Bancshares, Inc., and Bank of the West since chartering the bank in 1986. Bank of the West has grown to include nine locations in Texas in Flower Mound, Grapevine, Horseshoe Bay, Irving, Lewisville, Marble Falls, Ponder, and Vernon. Blankenship embodies the bank's motto of, 'It's personal with Bank of the West.' He was previously president and CEO of two other local banks and served several years in the corporate structure of other large Texas banking organizations as an officer and director. Born in Lockney, Texas in 1940, Gary Blankenship began his banking career as a National Bank Examiner with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency stationed in Denver, Boulder, and Grand Junction, Colorado. He has been chairman and CEO of Greater Southwest Bancshares, Inc., and Bank of the West since chartering the bank in 1986. Bank of the West has grown to include nine locations in Texas in Flower Mound, Grapevine, Horseshoe Bay, Irving, Lewisville, Marble Falls, Ponder, and Vernon. Blankenship embodies the bank's motto of, 'It's personal with Bank of the West.' He was previously president and CEO of two other local banks and served several years in the corporate structure of other large Texas banking organizations as an officer and director. A leader in the industry and his community, he has served on the Texas Department of Banking Commissioner's Council, as a trustee on the Independent Bankers Association of Texas Insurance Bond Trust, and as a director of National Bancshares of Texas, Inc. He previously served on the board and as vice chairman of Adfitech, a mortgage technology and consulting company. Blankenship is a director of The Independent Bankers Bank (TIB), a $2.9 billion-asset bank that serves as a national community correspondent bankers bank. Blankenship received the prestigious Chairman's Award for the Independent Bankers Association of Texas. In 2013, he and his wife, Cynthia, were named recipients of the prestigious D. E. Box Citizens of the Year Award for Grapevine, Texas. He was named one of the top 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders in Dallas-Fort Worth for 2016 and 2017. Blankenship is an active community servant and is a member of the boards of directors of the Irving Chamber of Commerce, Irving Symphony, and Dallas Summer Musicals. He has a master's of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Dallas. Blankenship graduated from West Texas State University, now known as West Texas A&M, with a bachelor's degree in Finance and Accounting in 1969 and received a master's of Business Administration from the University of Dallas in 1982. He has completed various other courses in commercial lending, bank accounting, and one year of law school. Married to Cynthia Blankenship, a banker and cofounder of the Bank of the West, they have three daughters, three granddaughters, and one grandson. Their daughters are also involved in the bank and/or mortgage company. Ron Butler Distinguished Alumnus Award Ron Butler is the chairman and CEO of First Financial Bank Abilene Region in Abilene, Texas, a $14 billion bank with 79 branches located throughout Texas. Butler is also executive vice president and CAO of First Financial Bankshares, Inc. He has been with First Financial for 31 years and previously was CEO of First Financial Bank in Eastland and Stephenville. Ron Butler is the chairman and CEO of First Financial Bank Abilene Region in Abilene, Texas, a $14 billion bank with 79 branches located throughout Texas. Butler is also executive vice president and CAO of First Financial Bankshares, Inc. He has been with First Financial for 31 years and previously was CEO of First Financial Bank in Eastland and Stephenville. Butler has been active in the community serving on numerous boards and is the former board chair of the Abilene Industrial Foundation and Abilene Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on the Advisory Council of the Excellence in Banking program at the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University. Butler served a six-year term on the Brazos River Authority board of directors, appointed by Governor Rick Perry. He has served numerous terms as a director of the Texas Bankers Association and is currently serving as its vice chair. He was inducted into the Texas Bankers Hall of Fame in 2023. Butler has a bachelor's of Business Administration degree from Texas Tech University and a master's of Business Administration degree from Tarleton State University. He is a graduate of SWGSB Class XXXVII. Butler was named a Distinguished Alumni by Texas Tech University in 2024. Married to Lorilei Butler, and they have two grown children, a son and a daughter who are also graduates of the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University. To learn more about SWGSB's nationally renowned program that propels careers, visit ABOUT THE SW GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BANKING AT SMU COX Since 1957, the SW Graduate School of Banking at SMU Cox (SWGSB) has educated and empowered bankers in all positions, other financial services professionals and affiliates, regulators, bank directors, and aspiring bank directors with knowledge and relationships that strengthen careers, organizations, and communities. SWGSB is a nationally recognized leader in banking and commercial lending education, bank management training, and bank director training programs. Learn more at or call 214.768.2991 for more information. 214.768.2991 SOURCE: SW Graduate School of Banking Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 04/04/2025 02:14 PM/DISC: 04/04/2025 02:14 PM
