Happy New Year and welcome to the first edition of 2026! We are so grateful for all our partners and look forward to helping you—and your business customers and members—grow in 2026. Together, let’s make this year one of progress, collaboration, and success.
"The beginning is the most important part of the work" – Plato
A new year brings fresh opportunities to innovate and grow. At Ironwood, we’re excited to start 2026 with a clear vision and a renewed commitment to helping our partners succeed.
We recently hosted our Special Edition Lunch & Learn: Payments in Focus – Insights, Impacts, & Ironwood’s 2026 Vision on Thursday, December 18, 2025, and we’re thrilled to share that we had record-breaking attendance! Thank you to everyone who joined and to those who submitted thoughtful questions.
During this session, we covered:
If you missed this Lunch & Learn, you can still catch up! All sessions are available on our GoToStageChannel.
Join us for our Q1 Lunch & Learns! These monthly sessions take place at 11:00 AM CT—check out the schedule below for dates and topics.
To inquire about registering, please complete the contact form found at the bottom of the newsletter.
We’d also like to share some wonderful news—congratulations to Clarissa Day and her husband, Travis, on welcoming a beautiful baby girl, Lydia Luna in October! Big sister, Alice Ozma, loves being a big sister!
We are so happy to welcome Clarissa back to work. She was truly missed by the entire Ironwood family—things just weren’t the same without her bright energy and expertise!
As we step into 2026, many of us have made resolutions to become more financially secure—and what better way to start than by joining the Ironwood Women In Banking Virtual Book Club? Our second book selection is The Financial Mindset Fix: A Mental Fitness Program for an Abundant Life by Joyce Marter, LCPC. Joyce was a featured speaker at the Illinois Bankers Association Women in Banking Event held on October 2–3, 2025, where attendees received a copy of her inspiring book.
Stephen M. R. Covey praised this book, saying it will “Revolutionize your relationship with money and significantly improve the way you view yourself. An insight, worthwhile read!” In The Financial Mindset Fix, Marter combines psychology and practical financial strategies to help readers overcome limiting beliefs, reduce stress, and create abundance. Through actionable steps and mental fitness exercises, the book empowers individuals to align their mindset with their financial goals—making it a perfect choice for anyone looking to thrive personally and professionally and help your customers or members thrive as well.
We will begin reading this book on Wednesday, February 18th from 7:30–8:30 p.m. We’ll kick off by discussing Chapter One, so please read it before the session. Typically, we read 1-2 chapters per month and then share insights at the following meeting.
This book is also available on Amazon as an audiobook, making it easy to follow along no matter what your schedule. We understand that life and work can get busy, so we’re flexible with attendance and happy to adjust dates and times if there are multiple conflicts due to work, travel, or holidays. Please consider joining—even if your calendar is full—because your participation matters and we’d love to have you in the conversation.
For an inside look at our Virtual Book Club, check out Natasa Nikolovska-Arsova’s article below, where she shares her personal review and experience.
If you’d like to join us, please call or email me at 262-597-0687 or jniles@teamironwood.com.
Let’s make 2026 the year we strengthen our financial mindset together—and perhaps help our customers or members do the same. Cheers to a prosperous and fulfilling 2026!
The Women in Banking Virtual Book Club meets on the third Friday of every month from 7:30–8:30 p.m. Central. Recently, we explored Don’t Feed the Elephants by Sarah Noll Wilson—a powerful guide to addressing the “elephants in the room” that often hinder communication and collaboration. After attending the Women in Leadership WBA session where Sarah Noll Wilson spoke, I felt inspired to read the book. Her stories and metaphors during the session—especially the idea of “feeding the elephant,” that one big issue everyone avoids until it grows even bigger—really resonated with me.
Key Themes & Takeaways
Wilson’s book emphasizes the importance of confronting unspoken issues before they escalate, offering practical strategies to build trust and transparency within teams. One concept that stood out to me is Nadjiton—where issues are sugar-coated or hinted at instead of being addressed directly. Understanding this and other concepts from the book has given me valuable insight into how to stop “feeding the elephant” in everyday situations. While it can be uncomfortable to start a difficult conversation—Sarah’s $20 bill analogy from the live session at the Women in Banking event sponsored by the Wisconsin Banker’s Association was a great reminder—it’s absolutely necessary for growth and clarity.
Invitation to Join
If you haven’t joined us yet, the Women in Banking Virtual Book Club is a welcoming space for connection and growth. Taking time once a month to discuss a book that empowers us as women and leaders is an investment that pays off. We all wear many hats and juggle busy schedules, but setting aside this hour to invest in ourselves is so important. Meeting with this incredible group of women allows me to learn from their experiences as we share real-world scenarios and connect them to the book’s lessons.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and reflect personal insights. They do not necessarily represent the views, positions, or policies of First Business Bank.
At Ironwood, we take pride in the strong relationships we've built with our community bank and credit union partners. Your trust means everything to us–and when you share your Ironwood experience with others, it's the highest compliment we can receive.
From time to time, our partners refer former colleagues, friends, or family members who work at other community banks or credit unions. Recently, Carla Weiss, Manager of Electronic Banking at Resource Bank, N.A. did just that. While catching up with former colleague, the conversation turned to merchant services. Carla shared her experience with Ironwood by saying:
"I was able to answer and assure them of the difference they will experience in customer and sales support. Night and day difference."
Thanks to Carla's introduction, we've connected with her colleague and are scheduled to present our agent program later in February. When we thanks Carla, she added:
"I was not aware you had a referral program. I did it because it was the right thing to do."
Carla, thank you for sharing your Ironwood experience and connecting us to your former colleague. Your commitment to helping others experience better service reflects Ironwood's vision of partnership and integrity and it's exactly what we value most.
Any existing Ironwood partner can refer former colleagues, friends, or family members who are looking for a new merchant services partnership and receive a one-time referral recognition bonus of $1,000 if the referral results in a successful partnership for Ironwood.
While you're free to use these funds however you choose, we encourage you to consider putting them toward a cause that matters to your team–whether that's a charitable donation, employee recognition, or enhancing your partnership with Ironwood.
If you'd like to make a referral, please reach out to any Ironwood employee of your choosing or email to FISales@teamironwood.com.
Thank you for being a valued part of the Ironwood family. Together, we're building something meaningful.
Publish Date |
Month/Day |
Event Name |
Event Website |
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4/13/2026 |
April |
Community Banking Month |
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| May 3-9, 2026 | National Small Business Week - U.S. Small Business Administration | LINK | |
| 6/29/2026 | July 4, 2026 | 4th of July / 250 of USA | LINK |
| August 20, 2026 | National FinTech Day | LINK | |
| 10/5/2026 | October 16, 2026 (ICUD) | International Credit Union Day | LINK |
| October 2026 (CAM) | Cybersecurity Awareness Month | LINK | |
| 11/30/2026 | November 28, 2026 | Small Business Saturday | LINK |
| December 2026 | Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's |
The close of the year invites reflection—but more importantly, it sparks anticipation. 2026 offers a chance to redefine how we serve our clients and communities. At Ironwood, we believe success isn’t just about technology—it’s about people, relationships, and trust. That’s why we’re committed to delivering solutions that make life easier for financial institutions and merchants while creating opportunities for growth.
Our President, Joan Kuykendall, recently hosted a Special Edition Lunch & Learn, sharing insights on industry trends and strategies for success. Her message was clear: adaptability and innovation aren’t just advantages—they’re the deciding factors for success in 2026. In a rapidly evolving financial landscape, those who embrace change and lead with bold, forward-thinking strategies will set the pace for growth. At Ironwood, we’re not waiting for the future to happen—we’re building it, one solution at a time.
Our team at Ironwood isn’t just talented—they’re extraordinary. Every day, they make it their mission to deliver solutions that truly matter for our partners. Their dedication, creativity, and relentless commitment set a standard that’s rare in this industry. I feel honored and deeply grateful to work alongside such remarkable individuals.
Reflecting my years in banking, managing a large agent portfolio, I know the impact Ironwood’s customizable solutions and alternative pricing models would have made—boosting revenue and strengthening client relationships. Today, these are exactly the tools financial institutions are seeking.
Lower costs, simpler pricing, and ease of use–because we listened. Throughout the year, one message came through loud and clear from our partners: make pricing transparent, solutions flexible, and easy to use and sell. We took that feedback seriously and turned it into action.
Our 2026 product lineup empowers financial institutions to offer multiple POS options, unlock revenue growth through dual pricing, and deliver exceptional service to business clients—all while keeping costs predictable and competitive.
As we gathered with loved ones this season, traditions remind us of what truly matters. For me, it’s when my two daughters come home from college—the joy they bring fills the house with laughter, warmth, and yes, a little chaos! We love baking together, and one of our favorite traditions is making Cinnamon Coffee Cake—rich, comforting, and perfect for any occasion.
Cinnamon Coffee Cake:Yields 10 to 12 servings.
Enjoy! And please, I invite you to share your favorite holiday recipe with us—we’d love to hear what makes your season special and create a recipe book for our 2026 Holiday Special Edition of Ironwood Insights.
As we wrap up this year, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your partnership. We are truly thankful for the strong relationships we’ve built with our community bank and credit union partners. Together, we’ve accomplished so much—and the best is yet to come.
Cheers to 2026! May your holiday season be filled with peace, joy, and moments that matter most. Here’s to a new year of opportunity, growth, and shared success.