my upcoming conferences

IABC Communicating Social Responsibility Conferences

Online Innovations in Financial Services Marketing

Hi, I'm William. I'm the Director, Online Banking & Engagement at Vancity, Canada's largest credit union.

My opinions and views are just that, and don't reflect the views of my employer (or, perhaps, anyone else).

my peers
:.BankerVision
:.Banking Kismet
:.Banktastic
:.The Bankwatch
:.Benry
:.The Boardcast
:.Buzz Canuck
:.The Client Side
:.CU Communicator
:.CU Employee
:.CU Hype
:.The CU Loop
:.Currency Marketing
:.Denise Wymore
:.Doug True
:.EverythingCU
:.The Financial Brand
:.Marketing ROI
:.NetBanker
:.Nexus Connection
:.Noise to Signal
:.Open Source CU
:.Social Signal
:.The Story
:.Tinfoiling
:.Trey Reeme
:.Verity's Our Voices

Come on down to BarCampBank BC.

I'm excited to announce that on September 20, 2008 BarCampBank is coming to Vancouver.

Gene Blishen, Tim McAlpine and I are putting a stake in the ground, after talking about doing it for some time.

Now, some of you may be asking, what the hell is a BarCampBank. From the main BarCampBank page:

What if we changed banking and finance?
The aim of BarCampBank is to foster innovations and the creation of new business models in the world of banking and finance.

The first one in North America was in Seattle last July, and it was a truly transformative experience. For me, the ideas, relationships and bonds formed in those two days are invaluable, and the memories of it are strong and very good.

Lots of details to be worked out, like an exact location, but it will take place on September 20, 2008. The cost is always break-even (think $25 CAD), so its worth the travel expense for my East Coast readers.

Go to the wiki page to add your name to the list. It will not disappoint!

PS: Thanks to Morriss Partee, whom I credit for keeping BarCampBank alive and kicking in North America. Thanks Morriss, looking forward to seeing you here! Also, I believe it was his idea to create something with the acronym BCBBC. Who couldn't love that!

NOTE: My original post accidentally said that this was on July 20th. It is, in fact on September 20th!

Labels: banking, barcampbankbc, barcampbankseattle, conference, credit union, currency marketing, everythingcu, innovation, social media, technology, tinfoiling, vancouver, web 2.0

posted on Friday, April 18, 2008

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8 comments
Cool, so Charleston in late July and Canada in late September. Guess I need to go ahead and get my passport...
comment from George Pasley on April 18, 2008

I am disappointed that this doesn't seem to involve drinking.
comment from

Tiven on April 18, 2008

@George - I hope you can make it! Lots more details to come...

@Tiven - Bring Your Own _______.
comment from

wazaroff on April 18, 2008

I'm no geography major, but I do look at maps occasionally. I'm pretty sure the title of this post ought to be "Come on UP to BarCampBank BC"

Another funny note: I had someone ask me at BarCampMoney NYC if these Camps had their origins in bars. Somehow that's fitting when you're trying to change the world. She was slightly dissappointed to learn that's not the case.

Thanks for the linklove William! You singlehandedly raised my Technorati ranking by 20 points just by thinking of me, you rock star, you!
comment from

everythingcu on April 19, 2008

Hi Morriss. How did you know that my entire message was not directed at someone in the Yukon?

Good point, but I'll leave it as-is...

So glad you'll be here.
comment from

wazaroff on April 19, 2008

Hi Willliam! I was excited to see a BarCamp was scheduled "close to home" (I live in North Lynnwood, I'm practically in Canada!) but that's my wedding anniversary. Doesn't any hockey start-up around then to keep my hubby occupied?

Laurel McJ
comment from

mrsmcj on April 20, 2008

@Morriss, more and more people start to believe that "the world is flat". Even if Twitter reminds us that we may go to sleep at different times (nudge, nudge rshevlin), I kind of feel it's getting truer and truer. William could have said "Come on here" and surely that's great to know that's you'll "go there" ;-)
comment from

Frederic Baud on April 20, 2008

@Frederic & Morriss - Which way is up anyway?

Hi Laurel. BarCampBank is truly a transformative event, and not worth missing... except for a wedding anniversary. Happy anniversary!
comment from

wazaroff on April 20, 2008

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