Annual Bank Card Conference Delivers Innovation & Rewards Excellence
The University of California and U.S. Bank Annual Conference brought financial professionals from across the UC system to Santa Cruz in October for two days of insights, strategizing, and recognition. Focusing on payment card programs, financial technology, and best practices, this year’s event highlighted strategies to enhance efficiency, improve adoption, and combat fraud in UC’s financial operations.
A Dynamic Program
The conference served as both a knowledge-sharing forum and a feedback opportunity, with presentations from U.S. Bank leadership and product teams inviting participants to shape the program’s future. By fostering such dialogue, UC and U.S. Bank continue to strengthen their partnership and drive progress in financial technology and program administration.
The conference agenda was packed with engaging sessions and workshops, including:
• Updates on Access Online technology enhancements and dashboard analytics tools
• Strategies to boost adoption and utilization of payment card programs
• Best practices for managing physical, virtual, and travel card programs
• Advanced auditing and fraud prevention techniques
• Effective marketing and training approaches for card programs
• Updates on virtual payment tools like TravelBank.
Roundtable discussions provided a platform for program administrators to exchange ideas and share experiences, while focused breakout tracks delved deeper into specific card types: purchase, travel, and virtual pay.
Recognizing Excellence Across the UC System
This year’s conference celebrated standout achievements with the Best-in-Class Awards, recognizing campuses for their exemplary work in payment programs:
• Best in Class Corporate Card: UC Santa Cruz
• Best in Class Purchase Card: UC Riverside
• Best in Class Payment Plus: UC San Francisco
• Best in Class All Programs: UC San Francisco
These honors underscore UC’s dedication to leveraging innovative financial tools and strategies across UC locations.
(John Pavia of UC Santa Barbara accepts a Spotlight Award from Systemwide Procurement CPO, Paul Williams)
Expanding Opportunities and Collaboration
The continued success of the program is evident in its growing impact. With the contract timeline recently extended, UC’s three national labs have joined the program, and UC Health locations are increasingly engaging with these payment solutions. This expansion fosters deeper collaboration between campuses and health sites, amplifying the program's reach and effectiveness.
Congratulations to all award winners and participants who made this event a success. Together, we’re redefining what’s possible in financial innovation across the UC system!