President
3072 Longbrooke Way
Clearwater, FL 33760-1700
Office: (813) 774-8000
JWilkson@BankSmartUSA.com
Jim has spent the last 32 years working in the banking industry and the past nine committed to helping financial institutions make educated decisions about their technology environment and service providers. After years consulting with denovo’s and community banks, Jim set out to found a company that offers a full scope of consulting services including research, education, evaluation, selection, implementation, and project management services specifically tailored to the technology needs of community financial institutions.
Understanding and appreciating the value of community financial institutions, Jim and his team have created a business model to support the specialized needs of the industry by assembling turn key consulting solutions that are both flexible and affordable. BankSmart guides the management teams of their client institutions through the technology selection and vendor performance process, providing assistance with project management and implementation along the way. The result is a smarter style of consulting that combines advisory services and web-based products to provide community financial institutions a unique approach to finding affordable solutions that help ensure long-term success.
Prior to founding BankSmart, Jim acquired skills in nearly every aspect of banking operations including front and back office operations, retail branch administration, deposit and non-deposit services, data and item processing, security, lending, human resources, and training. After becoming a full-time consultant in 2001, he and his team assisted more than 100 de novo and community banks in successfully completing operational projects ranging from full-scale de novo startup services and complete bank data processing conversions to contract negotiation and implementation of internet banking, item processing, and document imaging services. His familiarity with the service providers in the industry and comprehensive understanding of the vendor selection process has earned him a respected reputation among both clients and peers within the banking industry.
Among his many achievements, Jim is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, the Missouri School of Banking, Missouri School of Lending, University of Wisconsin Graduate School of Banking, ABA’s National Commercial Lending School, and is an instructor for the American Institute of Banking.