Janet Lafrence

Janet LaFrence has a diverse work experience spanning multiple industries and roles. Janet began their career as a Certified Public Accountant and Auditor at McGladrey & Pullen, where they gained experience in public accounting, auditing, business consulting, and tax preparation. Janet then transitioned to a role as an Accounting Instructor and Academic Advisor at Illinois State University, where they taught financial accounting to business majors and advised accounting majors.

Following their time at the university, LaFrence joined Wells Fargo Bank and held various positions, including Strategic Planning and Finance Manager, Home Equity Product Manager, Manager of Product Management, and Digital Initiatives and Governance Manager. In these roles, they were responsible for product management, market analysis, strategic planning, marketing campaign planning, and vendor management. Janet also played a key role in the merger integration team during the Norwest/Wells Fargo Retail Services merger. During their tenure at Wells Fargo, LaFrence implemented a strategic plan to make the bank the leading home equity lender and created an enterprise-wide accessibility program.

LaFrence then joined the Federal Reserve System as a Senior Payments Consultant, where they designed and implemented strategies to improve payment system efficiency, security, and interoperability. Janet conducted research on industry trends and developed risk mitigation strategies and recommendations. In this role, they built strong relationships with payment stakeholders and represented the organization in industry groups such as Nacha and Faster Payments Council.

Most recently, LaFrence worked at SHAZAM Network - ITS, Inc. as the Faster Payments Program Manager and Director of the SHAZAM Payments Association. Janet led the enterprise cross-functional teams in designing and implementing SHAZAM's Faster Payments Program, which included partnerships with TCH Real Time Payments, FedNow, and proprietary offerings. Janet also directed the SHAZAM Payments Association, which had 300 community financial institution members. LaFrence actively engaged with key payment industry stakeholders through participation in various industry groups.

Throughout their career, LaFrence has demonstrated strong leadership skills, strategic thinking, and expertise in payments and banking. Janet has made significant contributions to their organizations, including implementing innovative solutions and driving business growth.

Janet LaFrence has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Illinois State University, which they obtained from 1981 to 1984. Janet also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Marketing Emphasis from Illinois State University, completed in 1986 and 1987. Janet is an Accredited ACH Professional (AAP) certified by NACHA, with a focus on Certified Electronic Payments Expert, from 2006 to 2016. Additionally, they completed their high school education at Richwoods Community High School from 1977 to 1981, specializing in college preparation.