SPONSORED BY
Sales Breakout
Ready, Set, Compete: Building Your AI Readiness Foundation
A Practical Framework for Leaders Who Are Done Waiting and Ready to Move
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
10:30 am - 12:00 pm
This session is designed for everyone who is ready to move beyond curiosity and into action. We will start where every honest AI conversation has to start: with fear. Fear of getting it wrong, fear of disruption, fear of falling behind. Once we name it, we can move past it.
From there, we will build the full picture of what AI readiness actually requires: across leadership alignment, people and culture, process and workflow, and the products and tools you are evaluating or already using. We will explore how to take honest stock of your current technology stack, why your data strategy is the foundation everything else sits on, and how to establish an AI acceptable use policy that protects your organization without paralyzing it.
We will cover the distinction between individual AI use and enterprise AI adoption, because they are not the same conversation! We will also walk through what it looks like to go from building a prototype with accessible tools to implementing a solution at scale, including the risk, compliance, security, data privacy, and ongoing maintenance considerations that determine whether your investment holds up over time.
You will leave with a practical understanding for assessing where your organization stands today, a clearer picture of the roadmap ahead, and the confidence to lead your team through this transformation with intention rather than reaction.
AI readiness is not optional. But it is also not as complicated as the vendor landscape makes it seem. This is where you start.
SPEAKERS
Jim Carroll
VP Mortgage Home Lending
Partners Bank
With three decades of experience in the mortgage industry, Jim’s career is defined by a comprehensive mastery of the entire lending lifecycle. He has excelled as a top-producing loan officer while navigating the meticulous rigors of underwriting and high-stakes audits. A proven entrepreneurial drive led Jim to successfully launch three different mortgage operations from the ground up. Beyond operations, he has spent years serving as a strategic consultant for several leading mortgage software companies. This unique 360-degree perspective allows him to bridge the gap between high-volume production and modern technical compliance.
Tim Elkins
Chief Strategic Officer
Supreme Lending
Tim Elkins is Chief Strategic Officer at Supreme Lending, where he leads enterprise strategy, technology innovation, and AI adoption across the organization. With more than two decades of mortgage industry leadership experience, Tim brings a rare combination of operational and technology expertise to conversations about AI in lending.
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Prior to joining Supreme Lending, Tim served as Chief Production Officer, where he led national production and sales performance. Earlier in his career, he held CIO leadership roles, scaling technology platforms that support loan officers, operations teams, and borrowers.
Today, Tim focuses on helping adopt AI to improve efficiency, decision-making, and the borrower experience while keeping loan officers at the center of the lending process.
Chris Simms
Head of Strategic Partnerships
Friday Harbor
Chris Simms is Head of Strategic Partnerships at Friday Harbor, where he leads customer success, sales, and partner growth. Prior to Friday Harbor, Chris served as Senior Vice President of Sales at Mutual of Omaha, Chief Community Architect at First Integrity Mortgage Services, President of the Mortgage Division at Pulaski Bank, and President of the Mortgage Division at Enterprise Bank & Trust. He also was the President of Mortgage for Peoples National Bank, Head of Strategic Development for Flat Branch Home Loans, and was a branch manager for Fairway Independent Mortgage Company. In addition to his corporate leadership, Chris is a former President of the Mortgage Bankers Association of St. Louis. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point and Lindenwood University.
Suha Zehl
Founder and President
Z Technology Solutions
Suha Beidas Zehl is an 11x award-winning executive leader, 4x best-selling author, board advisor, and nationally recognized speaker with more than three decades of experience spanning financial services, mortgage lending, technology, business intelligence, higher education, and health research. She is the founder and president of Z Technology Solutions, a consulting practice that helps organizations unlock productivity and efficiency with technology and artificial intelligence to transform how they lead, serve and grow.
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Suha currently serves as Second Vice President for the Mortgage Bankers Association of Florida, Technology and Education Chair for the National Association of Professional Mortgage Women (NAPMW), Visionary Ambassador for the National Association of Minority Mortgage Bankers of America (NAMMBA) and as a member of several premier women’s leadership networks, including The Bold Leaders Collective and Athena’s Council. She is also a Board Advisor and/or Brand Ambassador for leading FinTech partners including Prudent AI, NexVal, and Mortgage Women Leadership Council.
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Suha’s influence and leadership have been recognized with numerous industry honors. In 2025, Suha was inducted into North Carolina State University’s Computer Science Alumni Hall of Fame. She is also the recipient of the MBA of Florida President’s Award, HousingWire’s Women of Influence and Tech Trendsetter awards, NEXT’s Powerhouse Award, Progress in Lending’s Most Powerful Women in FinTech and Thought Leader awards, the Mentor Leader Award from the National Association of Women in Real Estate Banking (NAWRB), and Mortgage Women Magazine’s Mortgage Star.
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Suha is currently pursuing a doctorate in Organizational Leadership and Development, focusing on the transformative role of AI in leadership, strategy and organizational effectiveness. She holds a B.A. in Computer Science from NC State and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Her credentials also include AI leadership certificates from MIT and Harvard Business School, the Certified Mortgage Banker (CMB) and Accredited Mortgage Professional (AMP) designations from the Mortgage Bankers Association, as well as Prosci Change Management Practitioner (CMP), Project Management Certified Professional (PMCP) and Harvard Management Development Program certifications.
Fluent in four languages, Suha lives in the Greater Tampa Bay area with her husband. She is a proud bonus mother of two sons and an avid scuba diver, traveler and culinary enthusiast.