Phoenix in the winter is quite nice! The last time I was in Phoenix was for Jack Henry's Connect conference, which was late summer last year and it was blazing hot - in the low 100's from what I recall in October, which was definitely hot for that time of year. For those interested, here's a short podcast I did to recap the Jack Henry Connect conference.
While I was in Phoenix for another banking conference, this time the Acquire or Be Acquired conference by Bank Director, we all know being in a new place is an opportunity to explore. I stayed at a Marriott property adjacent the JW Marriott Desert Ridge and it was very nice and had an opportunity to eat at several nice restaurants, Ocean Prime and Mission which I'll tell you all about in just a few.
The Conference
First, the conference. The Acquire or Be Acquired Conference has been going on for a while, but it was actually the first time I'd personally attended. The conference did not disappoint and was a great start to what should be a great year. The conference is widely regarded as the conference to be at to the extent you are a bank executive or board member. The content was generally focused on growth strategy for banks and centered around hot topics including the utilization of AI, deposit gathering, digital transformation strategies, mergers and acquisitions and regulation. With the industry being on the back-end of an election cycle and the back-end of an economic cycle with many banks struggling with profitability over the last few years as a result of the macro rate environment the vibe of the conference was quite upbeat. I hate the phrase "cautiously optimistic", but it does seem there is reason to be positive about where things are headed over the next few years.
The Accommodations
The accommodations were quite nice and could not have been more convenient. While I was late to the party and not able to book a stay at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge, which is where the conference was held, I did stay at an adjacent Marriott property within a ten minute walk from the JW Marriott. The property is part of Marriott's Vacation Club and called Marriott's Canyon Villas. Though I did not get to partake, the property seems perfect for families looking for a getaway with lots of pools and poolside service while you are relaxing. The property was only about a 20-minute Uber ride from Phoenix's Sky Harbor airport and was within 10-15 minutes of several nice shopping and dining areas.
The Food
The food scene in Phoenix continues to impress and I tried to take full advantage while I was there. I was only in town for two nights, but was able to enjoy meals with friends and business partners on those two evenings. The first evening was Ocean Prime located in North Phoenix on High Street. I joined my friend, Lee Easton, founder of iDENTIFY, to watch the NFL Playoff game between the KC Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills while we enjoyed Ocean Prime's amazing scallops and some adult beverages.
The second night I was able to join the team from High Tide Partners along with Garrett Curry from Raygun at The Mission in the Old Town area of Phoenix. While we initially made the mistake of asking for a table outside (I learned that it gets quite chilly in the desert in January - even with 3 large heaters around us) the team from Mission was nice enough to quickly find us a spot indoors where we were much more comfortable. Most of us had the highly acclaimed street tacos and enjoyed various margarita options and all seemed happy.
Overall, great conference where I was able to reconnect in-person with new and existing clients of Finov8r, make new connections and learn more about the things that will drive the industry in 2025. The accommodations, food and company I shared were also amazing and the trip to Phoenix in January was well worth the time.
