NEWS

Impact PaySystem offers petroleum training

Impact PaySystem LLC will host a free webinar focusing on the petroleum industry Dec. 6, 2006, from 11 a.m. to noon CST. The training is open to all merchant level salespeople/agents in the industry. Representatives of First Data Corp. BuyPass will be on the call. To register call 877-251-0778, ext. 1538.

Study examines online bill payment

In a new report, "Online bill payments: Chasing the next big thing," Aite Group LLC examines processors' efforts to tap into revenue opportunities. The report highlights growth opportunities for online bill payment processors, including walk-in, expedited and small-business bill payment, as well as bill presentment. The report recommends that banks embrace alternative channels such as e-mail and mobile phones. For additional information, call 617-338-6050.

Comdata surveys gift card usage

Comdata Stored Value Solutions completed its fourth annual survey of adult gift-card purchasers just in time for the upcoming holiday season. It found that 95% of respondents have either received or purchased a gift card, compared to 71% in 2005; 31% have purchased gift cards for themselves, up from only 12% in past surveys. Also, 27% have purchased gift cards over the Internet; 24% have received gift cards from employers as a bonus, incentive or reward. Contact kwhitten@comdata.com for further details.

UBC founder profiled on 'Today' show

Jared Isaacman, Chief Executive Officer of United Bank Card Inc., was profiled on the Oct. 12, 2006, broadcast of NBC News' "Today" show. Entitled "An Unlikely Millionaire," the segment included interviews with Isaacman, his family and co-workers. The piece detailed how, at the age of 16, Isaacman established a fledgling credit card processing business in his parents' basement. UBC now has revenues of more than $55 million.

Visa finds businesses prefer corporate cards

Survey results released by Visa U.S.A. indicate that 68% of financial executives and cash managers plan to reduce their reliance on checks for commercial payments. Sixty-three percent plan to increase their use of corporate payment cards. Forty percent said they use checks for more than half of their business transaction payments, down from 66% a year ago; 44% said they use cards for receiving commercial payments, up from 27% last year.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

PayPad changes name

3PEA International Inc. is now the official trading name of the company formerly named PayPad Inc.

AdvanceMe CEO honored

Glenn Goldman, CEO of Capital Access Network Inc., which is the parent company of AdvanceMe Inc., was honored by Birch Services for being a "heavyweight" supporter of aid to special education, residential, camping and other services to people facing significant challenges in the New York area.

Coinstar receives award

Coinstar Inc. received the 2006 North American Frost & Sullivan Award for Competitive Strategy Leadership for its e-payment category management program. The award focused on Coinstar's 4th Wall, a front-of-store management program for prepaid products.

EXS expands its free-terminal program

Electronic Exchange Systems expanded its free-terminal program: Agents can now sell or lease terminals to merchants. The company's Free 2 Sell option is based on the Hypercom T4100 terminal. EXS' free-terminal placement program remains in place; the Nurit 8000 GPRS (general packet radio service) continues as the program's wireless terminal.

FAC to expand referral base

First Atlantic Commerce Ltd. wants to expand its referral network further into the United States, Europe and the Latin American Caribbean region. FAC is interested in exploring opportunities with established e-commerce referral organizations, Web hosting companies and advisory services that wish to source turnkey, multi-currency e-commerce payment processing solutions for their mainstream merchants.

Litle & Co. ranks third

Payment processor Litle & Co. ranked third on Deloitte & Touche USA LLP's 2006 Technology Fast 500. Rankings are based on percentage of revenue growth over five years, from 2001 to 2005. Litle & Co. grew 33,683% during that time.

MasterCard wins award

MasterCard Worldwide received the 2006 Frost & Sullivan Company of the Year Award for its performance in the contactless payment market.

Total Merchant Services upgrades free terminal program

Total Merchant Services Inc. upgraded its free terminal program. The company selected Hypercom Corp. as its preferred supplier of card payment terminals and will purchase 20,000 Optimum T4100 terminals. With TMS' new Sell, Lease or Place program, agents choose how to implement the terminal.

PARTNERSHIPS

Hypercom offers extended warranties

Hypercom and Aon Warranty Group announced a multiyear agreement to provide extended-warranty plans for select Hypercom electronic payment terminals. The agreement will enable Hypercom customers to extend the protection term for certain terminals to a total of five years.

BofA chooses USA Technologies

Bank of America Corp. selected USA Technologies Inc.'s e-Port cashless vending services for its program to evaluate radio-frequency cashless-payment devices.

Cash Systems partners with TSYS Acquiring Solutions

Cash Systems Inc., provider of cash-access solutions for the gaming industry, formed a processing services partnership with TSYS Acquiring Solutions, which will allow Cash Systems to begin processing its own credit card transactions.

Shift4 certified

Shift4 Corp. received debit certification through Chase Paymentech Solutions LLC for its $$$ On The Net service.

Discover Financial Services inks two agreements, certifies First Data

Discover Financial Services LLC and TransFirst LLC announced plans to integrate Discover Network card acceptance into TransFirst's services for its financial institutions, independent sales partners and merchant customers. TransFirst will be completely responsible for pricing, processing, settlement, risk management and customer service for each merchant account.

Additionally, NOVA Information Systems signed a merchant acquiring agreement with Discover. NOVA will add Discover card acceptance to its portfolio of payment processing services and will provide consolidated pricing, underwriting, risk management, processing, settlement, support and reporting to Discover's merchants.

In other Discover news, First Data's health-care services unit was recently certified by Discover to process general-acceptance healthcare transactions on the Discover Network.

Garden Fresh picks Peppercoin

Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp. will use Peppercoin Inc.'s Small Payment Suite and consulting services to enhance customer loyalty in its 98 Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation restaurants across 15 states.

Global Payments to provide processing for PAI

Global Payments Inc. formed an agreement with Payment Alliance International Inc. Global Payments will provide PAI with end-to-end processing services, including authorization, capture, settlement and BIN sponsorship.

HMS, Planet Payment announce multicurrency pricing

Humboldt Merchant Services LP and Planet Payment now process transactions in multiple currencies for a number of e-commerce and MO/TO merchants. The multicurrency pricing service allows customers to shop, view prices and pay for purchases in their own currencies.

IKEA, NOVA choose VeriFone

IKEA North America selected VeriFone's customer-facing payment system with signature capture for use in its U.S. locations. IKEA is currently deploying the multilane payment solution in all of its checkout lanes in the United States.

Also, NOVA Information Systems selected the VeriFone Vx 610 portable payment solution for merchant wireless payment transactions using Sprint Nextel Corp.'s CDMA (code division multiple access) service. NOVA has Class-A certified the solution and will release it to its sales channels following the completion of a beta-test period.

TNS inks deals with FastLane, Electronic Payment Exchange

Transaction Network Services Inc. signed a deal to provide network services for Electronic Payment Exchange. According to the three-year agreement, TNS will provide transaction transport services in the United States for merchant transactions.

Additionally, TNS signed a deal to provide network services for FastLane. TNS will provide transaction connectivity across the United States for FastLane's virtual payment network.

ACQUISITIONS

White Sands Federal Credit Union sells portfolio

White Sands Federal Credit Union sold its card portfolio to TNB Card Services. With more than 32,000 members and five branches, White Sands is New Mexico's eighth-largest credit union.

APPOINTMENTS

Carter joins Pay By Touch

Ron Carter, former President and Chief Operating Officer of Verus Financial Management Inc., joined Pay By Touch as President. Carter has more than 35 years of experience in the banking and financial services industries. Previously, he served as Executive Vice President of Vital Processing Services (now TSYS Acquiring Solutions) and President of BuyPass Corp.

Gumbel joins WAY Systems

Fred Gumbel joined WAY Systems Inc. as CEO. Gumbel's background includes senior positions at Citicorp, First Bank Systems and Electronic Data Systems Corp. He was also the founding Chairman, President and CEO of Vital.

Acies appoints new VP

Matthew Hosey was appointed Acies Corp.'s new Vice President of Indirect Sales. Hosey has more than 15 years' experience in the financial services industry. Previously, he was Manager of ISO Recruitment and Support at Cynergy Data. He also served as Director of Business Development for Financial Payment Systems Ltd.

TransFirst names President and VP

Michael Phelan is the new President of TransFirst's ePayment Services division. He served as the division's Vice President of Sales for the past 13 months. Previously, he was General Manager of Collection Corp. of America and Senior Vice President for First National Merchant Solutions. Also, Dan Palmquist was named TransFirst's Western Region Vice President of Business Development for the company's Independent Sales Services division. Previously, he led the company's Government Services division.

Steve Streit, Green Dot Corp. President and CEO, was appointed to the executive committee of the Network Branded Prepaid Card Association. Green Dot is a founding member of the not-for-profit trade association.

FAC announces new staff

Bermuda-based First Atlantic Commerce Ltd. appointed four staff members: Henry Thomas is Vice President and Financial Controller; Tricia Lines Hill is Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Communications; Tracy MacDonald is Manager of Compliance and Corporate Services; and Greg Van der Made is Relationship Manager, Business Development and Sales.

America's Network appoints new President and VP

America's Network Inc. appointed Jeff Wilson as its President and CEO. Wilson has worked with America's Network for 15 years. Most recently, he was Vice President of IT and Compliance. Additionally, America's Network promoted Fred Simbro to the position of Vice President.

BOTTOM LINES

• Monday, Dec. 18 is expected to be the peak online shopping day of 2006, according to CyberSource. Projections for growth in online sales range from 18% to 23% above 2005 holiday totals. Figures are based on previous years' patterns and come from research and consulting firms surveyed by CyberSource, a provider of electronic payment and risk-management solutions.
• The unadjusted consumer price index for all urban consumers dropped 0.5% in September, according to the Department of Labor. The index was 2.1% higher than the same period last year.
• Outstanding consumer revolving credit, which includes credit card debt, rose at an annual rate of 4.2% in August, to $846 billion, the Federal Reserve reported.