Lynn Roche

Q: How long has FIS been with AFT?

I discovered that FIS participation in AFT dates back at least 15 years. It’s been like creating a family tree to identify all of the active members and the past Board members: Randy Fluitt and Chris Petersen were on the AFT Board, and the active membership at FIS has been extensive. I have been an active participant for five years and value my seat on the AFT Board of Directors.

Q: Who do you think benefits from AFT?

I think that active participants benefit from AFT. You get out of it what you put into it. If you actively participate in not just the conferences but some of the subcommittees that we’ve put together there is tremendous value. The subcommittees discuss topics and challenges facing the industry. There’s no question that the members benefit, but really the whole industry benefits from this organization.

Q: What makes AFT so special?

Certainly it's the membership base. It's the types of organizations that are involved in AFT, from small startups to large established organizations like FIS. Because of this broad range of member companies the Association is unique.  There are no other organizations where peers and competitors come together to address challenges and work to have a positive Impact on the Industry.  

Q: You have a lot of resources within your organization that you can pull upon and different contacts you’ve made throughout your career. How would you rank AFT in terms of industry resources?

I would rank it very high. Where else can you go and participate in discussions and brainstorming sessions with your competitors? There are a lot of other conferences that you can attend and participate in but you don’t have the same level of collaboration as I have experienced with AFT. 

Q: Knowing what you know, when would be a good time for a company to join AFT?

If you are not a member, now is the right time. It really is, again, because the membership is so diverse, with small organizations to the very large, established organizations. You have an opportunity to sit next to folks that are very much your peer group and you can learn from them, as well as larger organizations that can bring different opportunities and exposure to your organization. The time is now, if not yesterday, that anyone in the industry can value and benefit from AFT.

Q: Why should a company join AFT?

Look at everything AFT has accomplished – where we’ve been over the years and where we’ve come – and the membership – it’s a Who’s Who of the industry. When you have an opportunity to participate with folks that are peers as well as competitors, you gain so much value.