Tom Ridge at MRC

TOM RIDGE TO ADDRESS E-COMMERCE LEADERS IN LAS VEGAS

FIRST SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO SPEAK AT MERCHANT RISK COUNCIL’S ANNUAL E-COMMERCE PAYMENTS AND RISK CONFERENCE

(Seattle, WA - January 23, 2009) The Merchant Risk Council (MRC) is pleased to announce the addition of former US Congressman, Governor of Pennsylvania and the nation’s first Secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge, as a special keynote speaker for the MRC’s 7th Annual e-Commerce Payments and Risk Conference at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort on March 10-12, 2009.

Ridge will address e-Commerce security, fraud, risk and payments experts on growing cyber security issues that affect both US security and the US and global economies.

We know that there are connections between e-Commerce fraud risk and national and economic security, says Tom Donlea, MRC executive director. The issues that retailers face and the crime groups that target them are often the same threats that Homeland Security is tracking. Governor Ridge's insights on the topics of global risk and emerging threats will prove an invaluable asset for the world leaders in e-Commerce.

The primary themes of the 2009 conference are: Fighting New Patterns of Fraud and Cybercrime; Emerging Risk Management Trends; and Global Online Payment Strategies.

The MRC Annual Conference includes more than 40 speakers and panelists, 30 unique sessions and 40 payment and risk industry exhibitors all delivering valuable insight and information on the growth, diversity and risks associated with e-Commerce.

The Honorable Tom Ridge is currently the president and CEO of Ridge Global LLC. As the company's chief executive, he leads a team of international experts who help businesses and governments address a range of needs throughout their organizations, including risk management and global trade security, strategic business generation, technology integration, event security, crisis management, campus security and other issues that encompass a diverse portfolio.

Governor Ridge's presentation is sponsored by Ethoca, a leader in collaborative fraud management and an MRC Signature Sponsor Member.

We are excited to sponsor Secretary Ridge's presentation at the MRC Annual Conference, states Andre Edelbrock, Ethoca's CEO. The MRC is all about online merchants working together to mitigate risk and stay on top of new and growing threats, and Mr. Ridge's insights into global risk and security issues, dovetails with the MRC’s vision of creating a safer and more profitable e-Commerce environment for all stakeholders.

Travelocity.com founder Terry Jones will deliver the conference’s official opening keynote speech, focusing on the business of innovation. The conference’s closing keynote will be delivered by Dateline NBC correspondent Chris Hansen, sharing his findings on the rapidly maturing underworld of cybercrime.

For full conference schedule, registration and exhibition information, please visit the MRC website at www.merchantriskcouncil.org.

About the MRC Annual Conference
The Merchant Risk Council 7th Annual e-Commerce Payments and Risk Conference will be held at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort on March 10-12, 2009. The 7th Annual e-Commerce Payments and Risk Conference unites the world's top Internet merchants, credit card companies, risk management providers, law enforcement agencies and various consultants and educators in discussing how to make shopping on the internet easier, safer and more profitable for all involved.
Conference Sponsors include:

* Chase Paymentech: Primary sponsor of the 2009 General Conference
* Accertify: Co-sponsor of the MRC Platinum Meeting and Platinum Party
* iovation: Co-sponsor of the MRC Platinum Meeting and Platinum Party
* Clear Commerce/Certegy: Sponsor of the Opening Night Welcome Reception
* Ethoca: Sponsor of Speaker Tom Ridge
* Experian: Sponsor of Speaker Terry Jones
* Discover: Sponsor of Closing Speaker Chris Hansen and the Closing Conference

Reception
For registration or exhibition information at this conference, please visit the MRC’s website at www.merchantriskcouncil.org.

About the Merchant Risk Council
The Merchant Risk Council (MRC) is a merchant-led trade association focused on electronic commerce risk and payments globally.╩ The MRC leads industry networking, education and advocacy programs to make electronic commerce more efficient, safe and profitable.

Today, with the power of our member-base, the MRC is the leading trade association for managing payments, preventing online fraud and promoting secure e-Commerce. The MRC is dedicated to working with e-Commerce and multi-channel merchants, credit card issuers, credit card companies, alternative payment providers, risk management experts, and law enforcement to make the Internet a safer and more profitable place to do business.

The MRC Board of Directors and Advisors includes: Expedia, Inc., Adobe Systems, Inc., Neiman Marcus Direct, 41st Parameter, Apple, BestBuy.com, Bill Me Later, Blizzard Entertainment, Chase Paymentech, CyberSource Corporation, Dell, Inc., Discover Network, Gap, Inc. Direct, iovation, Microsoft, Trustwave, and Visa, Inc.

The MRC is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

About Ethoca
Ethoca is making e-commerce safer and more profitable through technology that enables and empowers the Global Fraud-Fighting Community ╨ a partnership of e-commerce businesses, law enforcement organizations, fraud solution vendors, credit issuers and payment processors.

By providing a global platform for cross-industry collaboration, Ethoca enables businesses that operate in customer-not-present environments (Internet, phone, fax or mail) to make more informed decisions about their customer transactions, by pooling transaction experience data from the community in a way that is secure, automated, effective and ethical. Community members see reduced fraud, lower fraud-related costs, increased revenue from fewer wrongly rejected orders and improved customer satisfaction rates.

Source: Company Press Release