ooking for educational and networking opportunities to learn about the latest industry trends while building relationships with peers? Take some time out of your busy schedule this summer to join an industry trade association and attend one of its events. Keep reading for the latest news and updates from each organization. More information on the conferences, such as agendas and direct links for registration and hotels, is available on each association's Web site.

NATIONAL AND MULTI-NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

ATMIA is the only international, independent forum for the ATM industry. ATMIA recently announced several new initiatives. In June, it established the non-profit Education and Development Foundation (EDF). The EDF will "act like a charity but will finance business projects aimed at developing ATM industries in both emerging and established markets through training and funding assistance ... to further the opportunities for reaching the underbanked and unbanked."

In addition, ATMIA's Global ATM Security Alliance (GASA) published international best practices for ATM cash security. It's the first time international cash security guidelines for the entire ATM industry are available.

ATMIA's Conference West 2005, "North American ATM Debit Summit" will take place Sept. 14 - 16 at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, Ariz. For more information about ATMIA, contact Lana Harmelink, ATMIA's International Director of Operations at lana@mail.atmia.com .

ETA has just begun its new fiscal year (July 1, 2005 - June 30, 2006). The organization welcomed a new President, Dan Neistadt of KeyBank USA.

Mark your calendars. The 2005 ETA Strategic Leadership and Networking Forum (SLNF) will take place Sept. 27 - 29 in Charleston, S.C. Planning for the event is well underway. Following are some highlights:

The opening SLNF keynote speaker will be Michael Treacy, an expert on corporate strategy and business process transformation. Thought leaders from the Mercator Advisory Group will provide a no-nonsense take on core areas of technological innovation and commercial interest for members of the payments industry. The conference will conclude with Tom Peters' Talent Time! Peters, the author of many motivational books, is a renowned business and management strategist and passionate inspirational speaker.

With the help of its government relations committee, ETA recently launched an online database of account number truncation information. Available on ETA's Web site to members only, the database of state, federal and card Association regulations is searchable by various criteria and will help members comply with the numerous rules now in effect.

The final ETA Expo Network for 2005 took place June 23 - 24 at the Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown, and more than 170 people attended. An optional half-day ETA University course preceded the event.

The Expo Networks offer back-to back presentations, with a few short breaks in between, including a networking lunch. ETA intends for the smaller scale of the Expo Networks to offer the same sort of networking and educational opportunities (albeit on a much smaller scale) that larger industry events provide. ETA Executive Director Carla Balakgie opened the event with a warm welcome. She encouraged attendees to interact with the presenters. "Keep the questions coming," she said.

Teri Koenke of First Data Corp. offered an in-depth look into First Data's STAR network and PIN secured debit.

Steve Hicks of First Data provided an insightful way for sales agents to explain interchange to merchants. Donna Embry of TenderCorp LLC spoke on the habits of highly effective ISOs and sales agents and provided many real world examples of the importance of risk management. Embry also taught the ETAU class on June 23. Ed Freedman of Total Merchant Services described how to sell the next-generation of payment solutions, and Joe Kaplan of Innovative Merchant Solutions LLC spoke from the heart on how to build a business through referrals.

Finally, Todd Linden of CardCommerce International Inc. provided secrets on recruiting a "dream team" sales force, and Bob Ficarra of CrossCheck Inc. entertained attendees with his humorous, expert closing techniques. For more information on ETA and upcoming events, call 800-695-5509 or visit www.electran.org .

This spring, NAOPP members elected new officers to the Board of Directors, and the organization hired Vicki M. Daughdrill of Small Business Resources LLC to serve as NAOPP's Executive Director.

A few months after the elections, a career opportunity outside the payment processing industry arose for NAOPP's newly elected President, Matthew Swinnerton. In order to maintain the integrity of the Board, Swinnerton chose to resign. Kathy Harper, former NAOPP Vice President, now serves as President.

The NAOPP Board has been busy working on its goals for the year. One of these is to provide educational training. NAOPP sponsored its first educational program on June 7, preceding the Northeast Acquirers' Association meeting in Wilmington, Del. Topics covered included interchange, rules and regulations for ISO registration and an update on NAOPP activities. NAOPP is planning a second educational program in conjunction with the upcoming Southeast Acquirers' Association meeting in October.

Another goal is to provide members with regular communication. NAOPP is making major improvements to its Web site, has an electronic newsletter in production, and is testing an e-mail blast system for members. NAOPP hopes to have all of these communication avenues available this summer.

The group's third major goal is to increase membership to 1,000 individuals. Daughdrill said membership has grown 22% since February. NAOPP now has more than 250 members.

In other announcements, Ernie Crews of MLS Direct of Southern California will serve as the Benefits Committee Chairman. In this role, Crews will evaluate the current member benefits available and will survey members quarterly to learn of any additional benefits that they'd like to receive.

At the upcoming Midwest Acquirers' Association meeting in July, look for NAOPP's booth in the exhibit hall. In addition, in conjunction with American Express Co., NAOPP will host an event at Howl at the Moon, on 26 W. Hubbard in Chicago on Wed., July 27. The event is scheduled from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., and all NAOPP members and sponsors are invited as well as any MLS who wants to learn more about the organization. "NAOPP would like to invite all MLSs in the Chicago area to come to the event," Daughdrill said. "Board members will be there to answer any questions." For more information on NAOPP, visit www.naopp.com .

REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

MWAA's Annual Conference returns to Chicago for the third straight year; it will take place July 27 - 29 at The Renaissance Chicago hotel. The complete agenda and registration for the conference are available on MWAA's Web site. Attendees and vendors register and pay online this year thanks to a sponsorship by enterprise security advisor company AmbironTrustWave.

Mark Dunn's Field Guide for the Developing ISO collaborative seminar, "Making a Better Living From Merchant Account Sales" will precede the conference on Wed., July 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Topics to be covered include developing a market niche, hiring and training inside sales reps, bankcard sales promotions, value-added applications, pricing in the merchant sale, selling next generation services and achieving dramatically greater sales success.

Following the seminar, MWAA will kickoff its conference with an evening reception in the vendor expo hall. On Thurs., July 28, special keynote speaker, Blair Singer, a nationally acclaimed sales speaker and creator of SalesDogs.com, will present his unique insights following lunch.

Topics of other sessions include consumer preferences at the POS, sales opportunities and POS security, and a panel discussion on how certain industry trends will impact ISOs/MLSs. The event will also offer plenty of opportunities for networking and time with vendors.

MWAA will also present the third Lifetime Achievement Award. For more information about MWAA and the upcoming meeting, visit www.midwestacquirers.com or e-mail Jim McCormick at jimmccormick@gcfinc.com .

It's been 20 years, and NEAA still puts on a great meeting. Its 20th Summer Meeting and Seminar, held June 7 - 9 in Wilmington, Del., was the organization's largest event ever. As always, though, the group's trademark hospitality welcomed everyone and made them feel right at home.

The numbers for this milestone meeting prove once and for all the strong and growing interest in the regional associations, and perhaps especially in the venerable NEAA, the industry's first and oldest such group.

The final attendance tally was 429 people altogether and 85 vendors, both the highest ever; they filled the 10,000 square foot exhibit room, the biggest space the NEAA has used to date. (In honor of its 20th anniversary, this year NEAA offered two-for-one pricing on admission. Any attendee who paid the $100 admission fee was entitled to bring another person free of charge.)

What's the draw to the event? People traveled to Delaware from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, but they also hailed from as far away as the Midwest, Florida, Texas and California.

Jacques Breton, one of the founding members of the NEAA and its current Treasurer, said the idea from the beginning was to offer mid- and merchant-level payments personnel a forum for education.

There's also the draw of being part of an "energetic crowd," as Breton said, who came to help NEAA celebrate its 20th anniversary and participate in receptions, a golf tournament, a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament sponsored by United Bank Card Inc. (which raised $5,000 for charity, according to Breton) and a sightseeing tour. In other words, the Summer Meeting is also about mingling, meeting and greeting, and fun.

Information presented over two days covered topics ranging from data security; identity theft; fraud and risk analysis; a live hack demo; Visa/MasterCard registration; and interchange. NAOPP held a member meeting on Tuesday morning, which included an update of its agenda for the coming months and recent Board appointments. Board members also highlighted plans for membership recruitment.

Breton said this year's Summer Meeting was the first time NEAA has scheduled a keynote speaker. Frank Abagnale, the subject of Steven Spielberg's film "Catch Me if You Can," spoke to a standing-room-only crowd, first describing the crafty ways criminals use to take what doesn't belong to them, and then talking about his life.

His presentation was so fast-paced that no one in the room seemed to notice that more than two hours had gone by until it ended.

Breton said plans for next year's Summer Meeting are in the works; the location will make it as easy as possible for people from up and down the East Coast to attend, but expect to see a few changes in format and schedule, he said. Among those: An increase in vendor fees will allow free attendance for those who pre-register.

The Winter Meeting is set for Jan. 31 - Feb. 2, 2006 in Mt. Snow, Vt., where the climate will likely be cooler than it was in Delaware in June.

For more information about NEAA and the upcoming meeting, visit NEAA's Web site, or e-mail Jacques Breton at jbreton@gcfinc.com or call him at 603-692-2408.

Board members of SEAA, another non-membership regional association, are busy planning the Fifth Annual Information and Educational Conference, to be held at the Wyndham Canal Place Hotel in New Orleans October 19 - 21. Make reservations now by calling 504-566-7006 to lock in a greatly reduced room rate of $145 (Be sure to say you're with SEAA).

"Join us in celebrating; this year's event marks our fifth anniversary," said Audrey Blackmon, SEAA's Vice President. "We're throwing a party in New Orleans with local entertainment and food. There are a number of conventions in New Orleans this time of year, so you don't want to miss out on a room."

If you plan to attend the event, look forward to some of the attractions of this popular destination: an evening or two spent walking around the French Quarter and dining on some of the best food in the country.

For more information about SEAA and the upcoming meeting, visit SEAA's Web site or e-mail Blackmon at ablackmon@posportal.com .

WSAA will hold its second annual meeting Nov. 2 - 3 at the Marriott La Jolla Hotel, located within minutes of many area attractions: the beach, golfing, fabulous restaurants, shopping, the Gas Lamp district and downtown San Diego. The hotel is also a quick taxi or shuttle ride from the San Diego Airport.

The hotel is offering all WSAA participants a discounted room rate of $139, which is also available three days prior to and after the event if you decide to take some extra time to tour the city. You may make hotel reservations on the Marriott's Web site, through WSAA's Web site or by calling the Marriott at 800-228-9290 (be sure to reference Group Code Weswesa).

Highlights of the meeting include: two keynote speakers, an NAOPP meeting, a Field Guide for ISOs seminar, multiple educational breakout sessions covering hot industry topics, a Texas Hold'em tournament to raise funds for charity, and door prizes worth more than $1,000.

"We are preparing for a tremendously successful follow up to last year's inaugural affair," said Steve Eazell, WSAA Secretary. "We at the WSAA urge everyone to register early. Make sure that if you are a company interested in sponsoring one of the limited opportunities, you should act as early as possible."

WSAA will make registration forms available for both attendees and exhibitors after July 5. Online registration will also be available on July 5. The early registration deadline for vendors is August 15; for attendees, it is October 15. For more information about the upcoming meeting or organization, call Steve Eazell at 866-300-3376 or e-mail stevee@westernstatesacquirers.com .