Chad Franckowiak’s path to payments wasn’t direct, but the skill set that drove his success was forged over two decades of trading in the financial market open-outcry pits of the Chicago Board of Trade. In that high-stakes environment, survival meant mastering real-time risk management and decision-making skills he brought directly to fintech.

Early mentorship from industry expert and close friend Brad Bialas instilled a lasting principle in Chad: payments are not just feature deployments and technical integrations, but relationships built on mutual trust.

"Building a compelling user experience is only half the battle," says Chad. "Without understanding what drives your sponsor bank and the networks, even the best products fail to launch. Aligning with your bank's risk and business criteria is critical to long-term viability."

That bank-first mindset made joining NXTMOVES a natural step. Having worked previously with Co-founders Steve and Walt, Chad valued their industry knowledge and integrity. While many providers treat bank approval as an afterthought, NXTMOVES builds its entire approach around sponsor bank pain points, satisfying risk, compliance, and underwriting criteria from day one.

Bridging two sides of every partnership, Chad collaborates closely with internal teams and potential clients on the front end to bring program visions to life. Simultaneously, he leads institutional relationships with banking partners and networks, leveraging his team’s deep banking expertise to navigate complex financial, compliance, and risk requirements with confidence.

Navigating that complexity is easy when surrounded by the right people, and for Chad, reuniting with former colleagues brings a whole new layer of synergy. "I’m surrounded by deep expertise, but what I respect most is this team’s work ethic," says Chad. "Payments are tough, and things go sideways, but this crew doesn’t flinch.

At NXTMOVES, we are glad that Chad brings his instincts of reading the room, building trust, and showing up for the people around him every single day. We are proud to have him managing our bank relationships and forging deeper trust in each of our partnerships.

Learn more at nxtmoves.io or get in touch.