The fact that the payments industry is largely self-regulated puts great individual and collective responsibility in the hands of all stakeholders ‒ from merchant level salespeople and small ISOs to super ISOs and processors, to regional acquirers associations and larger national and international trade associations, to technology developers and solutions vendors, to standards-setting bodies and the major card brands. The pace of change continues to accelerate, making it more challenging than ever to ensure the payments workforce is proficient in the industry's basics, ethical practices, latest technologies and security guidelines.
Our previous lead article, explored what leading payment companies have done to adapt their training practices to help shape employees and contractors into the kind of professionals needed to succeed in merchant services today. This issue's lead article examines efforts industry-wide, revealing just how much key organizations are doing to provide workshops, courses, seminars, conferences, certification programs and more for today's payment professionals. Rest assured: efforts are ongoing, dynamic and thorough.
From issue to issue, our expert writers contribute to industry-wide educational efforts. In this issue, you'll find advice on what to watch out for when seeking a partner for processing high-risk merchants, how to succeed in today's highly competitive environment, what an acquirer-level chargeback insurance policy does and doesn't do, steps to take to ensure you're not sabotaging yourself when asking merchants questions, and why it makes sense to take it in stride if your children do not follow your professional path.
One thing about being in an industry that is ever-changing is that there is rarely a shortage of news. It seems big things are happening in every corner of our sector. In recent stories, we've covered the theft of personally identifiable information from InTouchPOS, allegedly by an ex-employee; increased global penetration of EMV cards; Apple's expansion of near field communication uses and designs on person-to-person payments; highlights from the upcoming 15th annual Midwest Acquirers Association meeting in downtown Chicago; new malware suspected in a second Kmart breach; Sage Group's sale of Sage Payment Solutions to GTCR; and a call for sharper tools in the effort to combat cybercrime.
You'll also find updates on individual and company milestones, along with company and product profiles. Please keep sending your press releases to press@greensheet.com. And, as always, we'll welcome your feedback. Tell us what you like about our coverage and what we can do better at greensheet@greensheet.com. 
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.
Notice to readers: These are archived articles. Contact names or information may be out of date. We regret any inconvenience.
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