About

Helping community banks lead with confidence

A member-driven initiative created by the Texas Bankers Association, connecting bankers, associations, and strategic partners to solve what matters most.

What we are

A trusted space where banks, associations, and vetted solution providers work together on real-world challenges. We are here to simplify complexity and enable progress, on your terms.

What we do

Five ways we help

  • Connect

    Bankers with peer-vetted vendors and field-tested tools.

  • Equip

    Banks with solution fit guidance, compatibility insight, and pricing transparency.

  • Elevate

    Banker voices, to shape better products and pricing before market launch.

  • Enable

    Learning through briefings, huddles, and curated live sessions.

  • Grow

    By partnering with like-minded associations across the region.

What we are not

Built for banks, not for vendors

  • Not a vendor marketplace

    Providers are vetted, and peer references from other bankers carry as much weight as any pitch.

  • Not a consulting firm

    Access is included with TBA membership, not billed by the hour.

  • Not a one-size-fits-all list

    Recommendations start from your core system, your size, and what you are trying to solve.

Community banks do not lack options. They lack clarity. Innovation Magnet helps cut through the noise, so banks can move forward with confidence.
Rich Perez

Who you will work with

Rich Perez

Chief Innovation Officer, TBAPresident, TBASCO

Rich leads innovation for the Texas Bankers Association, including Innovation Magnet, a multi-state initiative spanning Texas, Colorado, Arkansas, and Oklahoma that helps community banks modernize through technology partnerships and shared strategy.

He brings more than 20 years across financial services, fintech, and digital leadership, including 16 years at Harland Clarke/Vericast, where he served on the leadership team and delivered award-winning digital solutions for financial institutions nationwide. Today he works directly with bank executives on innovation strategy and speaks often on AI, cybersecurity, digital assets, and fraud prevention. He also helped Texas State University build its FinTech Foundations program.

Based in New Braunfels, Texas, he spends his off-hours with family, under the hood of a car, or outdoors. When you reach out through this site, your message goes to him.

Start a conversation Connect on LinkedIn

Bring us your next technology decision

Bankers, solution providers, and associations are all welcome. Tell us what you are working on.

Start a conversation See focus areas