Thursday, July 28, 2022
“This year we are excited to award the 2022 Industry Achievement Award to Kate Gillespie from The Green Sheet,” said Rod Katzfey, MWAA president and board of directors member. “We wanted to recognize her for her continued support of the electronic payments industry and helping to get the story out for all the different companies in the space. I am excited to share her story and add her name to the list of amazing people in the industry.”
Kate Gillespie joined the payments industry in 1999 when she signed on to work with Paul Green, who had launched the very first ISO for card services 20 years prior. Green also founded The Green Sheet as a resource for merchant level salespeople and others carving out careers in payments. It wasn’t long before Gillespie’s passion for journalism drew her to Green’s growing magazine, where her emphasis on excellence helped win the publication multiple awards, and her duties included researching and writing the first in-depth report on biometric payments for acquirers.
Her curiosity and resilience also meant “I can’t” wasn’t in her vocabulary, and her varied professional experience, which included working as a statistician for the Department of Defense, corporate HR director, co-owner and general manager of an optometry practice, and researcher for a business incubator also gave her requisite skills to advance. As Green’s right-hand colleague, she served stints managing editorial, circulation and production areas of the business. And in 2005, she became the company’s chief operating officer and general manager.
When Green retired in 2014, he sold the business to Gillespie, who was, he said, uniquely qualified to uphold and advance The Green Sheet tradition. As president and CEO, she has strengthened the company’s core mission to support the industry’s feet on the street while also adapting to ongoing industry changes, innovating and expanding scope as needed to connect and empower payments professionals for not just today but also tomorrow.
The Green Sheet has been helping companies and individuals in the payments sphere build profitable business relationships for more than 30 years. By providing a range of content on digital and print media, the publication strives to help digital commerce stakeholders find the requisite talent and resources to grow their businesses.
The MWAA is a not-for-profit, no-membership, independent forum with a mission to provide a regional opportunity for training, education and networking in the Midwest acquiring community.
Sponsored by a range of leaders and innovators in acquiring, MWAA's 2022 conference features a cyber cafe, Passport Challenge, and ample opportunities to network with exhibitors and attendees, along with presentations and panels from industry experts covering topics such as ecommerce's staying power, disruption and the fintech frenzy, future-proofing your business, adopting a tech first/payments second approach, and faster payments. A post-show report on highlights from the event will be forthcoming.
For more information on MWAA, please visit www.midwestacquirers.org .
The Green Sheet Inc. is now a proud affiliate of Bankcard Life, a premier community that provides industry-leading training and resources for payment professionals. Click here for more information.
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