Monday, October 12, 2009

Convenience Not in the Cards for US Travelers Abroad

According to a New York Times report, U.S. travelers are running into problems when it comes to using credit cards in certain places overseas. The prevalence of EMV (Europe MasterCard/Visa) around the world is causing problems, especially at unattended vending areas which don't have mag-stripe readers.

Unattended areas, such as ticket kiosks at train stations, gas stations, parking garages and other places where there are no cashiers have become problem areas because the kiosks don’t accept mag-stripe cards.

Twenty-two countries, including much of Europe, Mexico, Brazil and Japan, have adopted the technology, according to the Smart Card Alliance, a nonprofit association that promotes chip cards.

About 50 other countries are in various stages of migrating to the technology in the next two years, including China, India and most of Latin America, according to the association.

In the last year, Canada began rolling out chip-and-PIN cards and plans to stop accepting magnetic stripe debit cards at A.T.M.’s after 2012 and at point-of-sale terminals after 2015.

So, it looks like America will be the only country with mag-stripe technology still in place.

These governments like the cards because they reduce fraud. With an embedded microcontroller, large amounts of data can be stored on the card itself rather than in a central database, and counterfeiting such a card is difficult. But the United States banking industry has no immediate plans to adopt the technology.

Part of the reason, experts say, is that fraud issues haven’t been as prevalent here as in other countries. Editor's Note: Yeah, but Chip and PIN works, as evidenced by the recent 23% drop in card fraud. When every country has it except the US, then we'll see an even more dramatic rise in fraud here and on the Internet.

Read the full story here

Synovate Research: Online Banking Grows, Telephone Banking, ATM Use Drops

13 October 2009

TORONTO — Online banking is steadily growing in popularity among Canadians at the expense of other forms of banking, according to Synovate's latest retail banking survey.

Only 17.6% of Canadian personal banking customers used automated telephone banking - which does not involve a live telephone banking representative - during the past six months ending in August 2009, compared with 19.5% during the same period in 2008. Similarly, only 16.2% of respondents used a live telephone banking rep this year, compared with 17.4% in 2008.

However, online banking was used by 61.9% of personal banking customers this year, up from 60% last year.

The results were gathered from Synovate's Customer Service Index (CSI), a quarterly tracking survey that has been conducted since 1987, covering all aspects of personal banking. Results are based on responses from almost 39,000 nationally representative households annually.

"Telephone banking usage has been declining for some time now," noted Adrian Murphy, Vice President for Syndicated Research at Synovate Canada, who is responsible for the study. "Usage of ATMs and in-branch banking is also softening over time," he added.

The survey found that 69.8% of customers have used an ATM at a financial institution in the past six months, down from 71.6% in 2008, while only 56.6% have used a branch (not ATM) for banking during the six months ended August this year, down from 58.3% in 2008.

Although some Canadians may love to grumble about their banks, the survey found that only 7.8% of respondents reported experiencing any problems with their financial institution, down slightly from 8.6% in 2008.

"While media coverage would suggest that the financial sector may not be popular with consumers, especially in light of the recession, very few people actually report having experienced a specific problem with their provider," Murphy explained.

The latest CSI survey results were released in conjunction with the Synovate Best Banking Awards for 2009, which ranked TD Canada Trust at the top for Online Banking, Telephone Banking and ATM Banking Excellence among the Big 5 Banks. Bank of Montreal, RBC and TD Canada Trust shared the top prize for Branch Service Excellence.

Overall, the results show that personal banking is becoming increasingly competitive, Murphy said. "The sector is a major source of profit for Canada's retail financial institutions and the battle to attract and satisfy customers is intense."

For more information on this topic, please visit Personal Banking Research - Canada.

Contact(s) for this press release

Henrietta Sung

Marketing Manager

Telephone: +1 416 964 6262 ext. 165

Mobile: +1 647 241 4025 Send an email

About Synovate

Synovate, the market research arm of Aegis Group plc, generates consumer insights that drive competitive marketing solutions. The network provides clients with cohesive global support and a comprehensive suite of research solutions. Synovate employs over 6,400 staff across 62 countries.

For more information on Synovate visit www.synovate.com.

Amex Partners with Japanese Airline for First Time

Tokyo, Oct 12, 2009 All Nippon Airways and American Express International have launched three co-branded credit cards, the ANA American Express Card, the ANA American Express Gold Card and the ANA American Express Super Flyers Gold Card.

This is the first time that American Express is issuing cards through a partnership with a Japanese airline.

Member applications for the new cards are to be accepted starting on Wednesday, October 7.

By using the ANA American Express Card for a wide range of activities, from daily shopping to international travel, Cardmembers can collect points that can be transferred to AMC miles more quickly, while also enjoying a wide array of exclusive privileges and world class services.

Source: Comtex

Intel Joins McAfee's Initiative to Fight Cybercrime

McAfee, Inc. Announces Grants and New Council Member in Initiative to Fight Cybercrime

Grants Approved for Common Sense Media and Data Security Council of India to Educate Computer Users About Cyber Threats; Intel Joins McAfee Initiative

LAS VEGAS, October 09, 2009 - FOCUS 09

McAfee, Inc. (NYSE:MFE) today announced its approval of two grants for cybersecurity education as part of the McAfee® Initiative to Fight Cybercrime, a wide ranging, global initiative aimed at closing critical gaps in the fight against cybercrime. Additionally, Intel joined the McAfee Initiative as an Advisory Council member.

The Cybercrime Grants program is designed to foster innovation and concrete, measurable impact in key areas of fighting, researching, and educating about cybercrime issues. In this round of grants, McAfee approved project proposals focusing on cybersecurity education from Common Sense Media and the Digital Security council of India. Last year, McAfee awarded grants focusing on law enforcement training and coordination to the Council of Europe and the National District Attorneys Association.

“As cybercrime continues to accelerate, we must find new ways to educate people and businesses about protecting their digital assets,” said Dave DeWalt, McAfee president and chief executive officer. “We look forward to working with Common Sense Media and the Data Security Council of India, as we educate computer users around the world on avoiding the reach of increasingly sophisticated and ruthless cybercriminals.”

Common Sense Media, a San Francisco-based nonprofit, is focused on improving the media and technology lives of children and families through its up-to-date online information and education programs on digital literacy, digital citizenship, and cybersafety. This year, the Common Sense Media website (www.commonsensemedia.org) will draw nearly 10 million unique users. Common Sense Media currently serves more than 4,000 schools, 600,000 households, and more than 1 million students with its educational resources and materials on digital media and technology. Common Sense Media will use its cybercrime grant from McAfee to fund key elements of its cybersecurity and cybersafety curriculum for middle schools.

"We’re very pleased to be working with McAfee to educate more young people and families about cyber threats and cybercrime, and about using computers and digital media in smart, safe and secure ways,” said James Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Media.

Data Security Council of India (DSCI) is a not-for-profit organization, headquartered in New Delhi, focusing on developing best practices and training in India on data security and data privacy. Through its Cybersecurity Awareness Initiatives, DSCI reaches out to a broad audience on a range of cybersecurity and cybersafety issues. DSCI’s education project funded through the McAfee Cybercrime Grant program will reach computer users in Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Pune and Bangalore.

“Education and awareness is the most important step in fighting cybercrime,” stated DSCI's CEO, Dr. Kamlesh Bajaj. “Even as we create best security practices for industry, it is imperative for us to educate the general population in schools and colleges and with parents about Cyber Safety, Cyber Security, and Data Privacy. I’m sure DSCI together with McAfee can create useful training, and take it to a wider audience in major cities in India. I look forward to close cooperation with McAfee, and I believe this is just the beginning of a long partnership."

Intel joins McAfee Initiative to Fight Cybercrime

In addition to the grants, McAfee today announced that Intel has joined the McAfee Initiative to Fight Cybercrime Advisory Council. As the newest member to the council, the company is well-versed in the areas of cybercrime and defense, and is able to provide best practices from a real-world perspective.

The McAfee Initiative to Fight Cybercrime Advisory Council was created to ensure McAfee’s initiative is sustainable by harnessing the insights and energy of leaders who have already made a difference in this critical area. This global group is chaired by former White House Cybersecurity Adviser Howard A. Schmidt.

Joining the Council is Steve Grobman, director of cybersecurity technology and initiatives at Intel Corporation. At Intel, Grobman leads the team responsible for all aspects of security related to Intel products. This includes the development of platform technologies that address tomorrow’s security challenges as well as security assurance and policy.

About the McAfee Initiative to Fight Cybercrime

Announced in October 2008, the McAfee Initiative to Fight Cybercrime is a wide ranging initiative aimed at closing critical gaps in the fight against cybercrime. The initiative is anchored by a multi-point plan that includes calls for action from law enforcement, academia, service providers, government, the security industry and society at large to deliver more effective investigations and prosecutions of cybercrime. More information is available at: http://www.mcafee.com/fightcybercrime

About McAfee, Inc.

McAfee, Inc., headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is the world's largest dedicated security technology company. McAfee is committed to relentlessly tackling the world's toughest security challenges. The company delivers proactive and proven solutions and services that help secure systems and networks around the world, allowing users to safely connect to the Internet, browse and shop the web more securely. Backed by an award-winning research team, McAfee creates innovative products that empower home users, businesses, the public sector and service providers by enabling them to prove compliance with regulations, protect data, prevent disruptions, identify vulnerabilities, and continuously monitor and improve their security. http://www.mcafee.com

NOTE: McAfee and any additional McAfee marks herein are registered trademarks of McAfee, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and/or other countries. McAfee Red in connection with security is distinctive of McAfee brand products. All other registered and unregistered trademarks herein are the sole property of their respective owners. Product specifications subject to change at any time without prior notice. © 2009 McAfee, Inc. All rights reserved.

McAfee, Inc.

Joris Evers, 408-346-3310

joris_evers@mcafee.com

or

Red Consultancy

Heather Edell, 415-618-8814

Heather.edell@redconsultancy.com

Prepaid NetSpend Cards in 200 Barri subsidiaries for Money Transfer Services in Texas

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Reportlinker Adds Mobile Money Transfer 2009-2014 Report

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue.

Mobile Money Transfer 2009-2014

http://www.reportlinker.com/p0148918/Mobile-Money-Transfer-2009-2014.html

Despite the impact of the 2008-2009 global downturn, remittances as a source of liquidity will likely prove to be resilient, and could potentially play a role in restoring or increasing prosperity across regions. Whereas the sharp contraction of credit in the global banking sector has directly and instantaneously ravaged FDI alongside private debt and equity flows, remittances to the developing world are slowing down more gradually and indirectly as a result of declining personal consumption, lay-offs, and lower salaries impacting the real economy. This adds the resilience of remittances, where migrant workers will continue sending money to relatives in their countries of origin during uncertain economic times, albeit at less regular intervals and/or in smaller amounts.

Despite a net reduction in new migration through 2009 due to tightening immigration controls as a protectionist political reactions in some countries, the number of migrants accumulated in previous years represents a significant proven source of remittances, the value of which will nevertheless be vulnerable to disruptive factors such as exchange rate volatility.

This report, Mobile Money Transfer 2009, looks at the strong fundamentals behind the remittance market and how it will generate growth from the end of 2009 and forward beyond 2014. The report will explore how the mobile value chain and financial sector can tap into money transfer as an attractive new revenue stream, given the strength and ubiquity of mobile as a convenient, secure and low cost channel for financial.

Mobile Money Transfer is positioned to exercise considerable transformational effect on developing economies, a crucial factor for wider world economic growth. Mobile Money also enables financial services and money transfers - often initiated by urban and international immigrants - to reach poor people in rural areas. Mobile remittance services will form the first commercially viable and sustainable opportunity to reach the unbanked with low cost, no-frills financial services.

The huge potential for mobile money transfer can be seen from the sheer volume of cross-border remittances typically sent through existing channels such as banks and money transfer agencies. Measured flows have grown exponentially over the last decade - by 130 percent since 2001, with an estimated US$248billion sent primarily from industrialised countries to the world's emerging markets in 2007. Although remittance flows are currently experiencing short-term decline, existing services and pilot projects in Kenya and the Philippines have shown operators a feasible route towards gaining a share of those large remittance flows expected by and new mobile remittance services are expected by 2011 at the latest. Operators and banks in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa are in the process of deploying services primed to encourage and exploit potential growth.

Major operators with international and inter-regional footprints such as Vodafone and Orascom Telecom have announced their intention to deploy mobile remittance, which they hope will act as a catalyst for the wider adoption of mWallet-enabled transaction services. Most importantly, mobile remittance presents a way for these inter-regional players to further maximise revenue potential through a greater proportion of their respective footprints, leveraging their assets in Europe and the Middle East in synergy with those in South Asia, Africa and the Asia Pacific.

This brand new 80+ page report analysis all of the exciting opportunities that will be available to increase your revenues from this potential arena.

Reading this exclusive management report will tell you the following:

• What different forms of mobile remittance are available and expected to appear in the future?

• Why is mobile potentially so important to banking and financial services, as well as economic development?

• When will mobile remittance become a truly global mass market proposition?

• How successful can these service propositions become?

Find out the answers to these and many other questions by buying this vital industry insight.

Mobile money transfer and m-payments have great potential due to the relationship between a mobile subscriber and their handset, where the mobile device is often with the end-user for most of their waking time. With mobile penetration reaching 100 per cent in many developed markets, the mobile phone will soon be in virtually everyone's pocket. Payments and banking are currently major areas of growth in the mobile world and these are set to become even more specialised than they are at the moment. Do you understand this market? Do you know how it will develop? Is this an issue that you need to act on and find out about now?

Canada to Introduce National Debit Card Regulations

According to the Toronto Star,

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is putting the final touches on a "voluntary code of conduct" to govern Visa's and MasterCard's entry into Canada's $168-billion debit card market. Flaherty, engaged in intense negotiations with industry stakeholders, is expected to announce the measures in the coming weeks as a complement to his new credit card regulations.

The code of conduct will tackle a number of thorny issues pertaining to both debit and credit, sources said. Those include the priority routing of debit transactions over Visa's and MasterCard's networks; the use of so-called "dual-purpose cards" that have both debit and credit functions; and increased transparency around rates and fees.

"Flaherty is being inundated with complaints about how the card companies plan to process debit transactions. "Visa and MasterCard are in a pissing match over priority routing," said another source."

Visa has said it will allow consumers to choose at the point of sale whether their debit transaction runs over Visa's network or the rival Interac network. MasterCard, meanwhile, has said that if Maestro debit is on the merchant's terminal, the transaction will be priority routed over its network. Consumers would not be given a choice.

Both approaches are flawed, said Jane Savage, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Independent Petroleum Marketers Association. MasterCard's approach "shuts out" the lower-cost Interac, she said adding Visa's preference fails to treat Interac equally.

Visa, she added, is likely to use the allure of rewards points to get consumers to opt for its network – while merchants are hit with higher fees to pay for those perks. "It scares us, frankly," Savage said.

Dan Kelly, spokesperson for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, echoed those concerns. "We have a low-cost system based on a flat fee that's the envy of the world. This could be lost within months with Visa and MasterCard's entry into the debit market."

3 Myths About Credit Card Fees for Businesses

3 Myths About Credit Card Fees for Businesses

Aneace Haddad was interviewed for an article by Matthew Bandyk that was published in US News & World Report. He was asked several questions on interchange. Here is a snippet from his blog:

Q: What about the argument that limiting interchange fees will lead to credit card companies offering fewer rewards and benefits? What about the business side? Are they only benefits for merchants if Congress were to limit interchange fees? Any potential drawbacks? I've read a little about the example of Australia. What kind of regulations did they enact there, and what were the effects? I've also read a little on your blog about how interchange fees affect different kinds of businesses differently--can you give an example?

A: Credit card companies finance their points, miles and other rewards primarily out of interchange fees. Everybody knows that gold and platinum credit cards give more rewards, but very few people know that these cards generate higher interchange fees for merchants to pay. The rewards are financed directly out of those interchange fees. Cutting interchange fees will cause banks to give less rewards, or to find other ways to finance those rewards.

In other countries, whenever interchange fees were cut, there was little evidence that merchants passed the savings on to their customers. The benefits of lower interchange benefit merchants directly, immediately, by lowering their cost of doing business. Theoretically, the lower costs will eventually find their way into the prices that shoppers pay, but that could take a long time. Look at how fast gas pump prices go up when oil is expensive, and how long it takes for prices to come back down after oil goes back down.

In Australia, there were essentially two decisions made to help limit interchange fees. First, the fees were forced to be cut by around half. Second, merchants were given the right to surcharge for the use of credit cards. The result was that credit card companies cut their rewards programs and many merchants began surcharging.

Interchange does not react to competitive forces in the same was as other types of fees. Interchange fees are set by Visa, MasterCard and other card schemes as a feature of each card product that the scheme offers to banks. When a bank is deciding between a Visa or MasterCard logo on their cards, and between one company's platinum card and the other's, it is very tempting to choose the one that provides the highest interchange fees. This competition is what has driven interchange fees higher over the years. Merchants are not part of that negotiation process of course, yet they are the ones that pay the fees. This is where the animosity comes from....

Continue Reading at Aneaces Blog

Digital River Shares Plummet 37% After Symantec Pulls Plug

According to the Twin Cities Biz Journal, Digital River shares plunged almost 40% in pre-market trading Monday morning after the e-commerce services provider announced it will lose its largest customer.

Cupertino, Calif.-based Symantec Corp. (NASDAQ: SYMC) notified Digital River on Oct. 9 that it will not extend its e-commerce agreement.

That deal, under which Digital River provides a variety of e-commerce-related services to Symantec, expires on June 30, 2010.

Eden Prairie-based Digital River’s stock fell $15 per share, or 37 percent, to $25.42 in pre-market trading following the announcement.

Symantec plans to move all of the online traffic currently outsourced to Digital River to an internally developed Symantec e-commerce system before its deal with Digital River expires. Symantec has not yet informed Digital River of the timing of its migration plans or the nature of the support it will require from Digital River during the transition period.“We are surprised and deeply disappointed that Symantec has chosen to move to an internally developed system, but we remain very confident in the future of our business,” Digital River CEO Joel Ronning said in a statement.

Continue Reading

Here is the Press Release from Digital River

Digital River Informed By Symantec That It Will Not Extend E-commerce Contract Beyond June 30, 2010 Expiration

MINNEAPOLIS--(Business Wire)--Digital River, Inc. (NASDAQ: DRIV), a leading provider of global e-commerce
solutions, announced today that Symantec Corporation (NASDAQ: SYMC) has notified
Digital River that Symantec will not extend its existing e-commerce agreement.
The agreement, under which Digital River provides a variety of
e-commerce-related services to Symantec, expires on June 30, 2010.

Symantec informed Digital River on Friday, October 9th that it expects to move
all of the online traffic currently outsourced to Digital River to an internally
developed Symantec e-commerce system before the current contract expires.
Symantec has not yet informed Digital River regarding the timing of its
migration plans or the nature of the support it will require from Digital River
during the transition period.

"We are surprised and deeply disappointed that Symantec has chosen to move to an
internally developed system, but we remain very confident in the future of our
business," said Joel Ronning, Digital River's CEO. "While Symantec is still our
largest customer, the proportion of Symantec revenues relative to our other
customers has declined significantly over the past few years as our non-Symantec
business has grown at an increasing rate. Our company is financially strong, our
new business pipeline remains healthy, and sales activity in the software,
consumer electronics and business-to-business sectors continues to grow. As more
businesses move to online sales and distribution, Digital River is well
positioned for future growth and we are confident in our ability to unlock
potential in key markets."

In 2008, sales of products for Symantec accounted for 24.3% of Digital River
revenue and sales derived from proprietary Digital River services sold to
Symantec consumers accounted for 9.4% of Digital River revenue. For Digital
River`s quarter ended June 30, 2009, sales of Symantec products accounted for
22.5% of revenue and related services revenues accounted for 7.5% of revenue.

Digital River also announced that it expects financial results for the third
quarter ending September 30, 2009, will be at or slightly above the top end of
the guidance it provided on July 29, 2009. At that time, the Company said it
expected third quarter revenue of $96.5 - $98.5 million, GAAP diluted net income
per share of $0.26 - $0.29 and non-GAAP diluted net income per share of $0.38 -
$0.41, both assuming a 27 percent tax rate. The Company also said it expects
sequential revenue from its non-Symantec business to have grown at approximately
8% during the third quarter, compared to approximately 2% sequential growth
during the second quarter 2009. The Company expects to provide additional
information in its third quarter earnings announcement which will be released
after market close on November 3, 2009.

Digital River will hold a conference call today at 8:30 a.m. Eastern to discuss
this announcement. A live webcast of this conference call can be accessed at
http://www.digitalriver.com/2009/investorrelations/. Alternatively, a live
broadcast of the call may be heard by dialing 1-888-373-5705 inside the United
States or Canada, or by calling 1-719-457-3840 from international locations, and
using the conference ID # 245630. A webcast replay of the call will be archived
on Digital River`s corporate Web site.

New Orleans Saints Prepaid Visa Cards Offered by NetSpend and Winn-Dixie

AUSTIN, Texas & JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(Business Wire)--
NetSpend, a leading provider of prepaid reloadable debit cards and Winn-Dixie
Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:WINN), have announced they will offer a New Orleans
Saints-branded prepaid Visa debit card to Winn-Dixie customers in the Greater
New Orleans area. The cards, which are issued by Inter National Bank of McAllen,
TX, are now available at approximately 70 stores. 

The companies also announced that customers who purchase and activate a new
Saints® NetSpend® Visa® Prepaid Debit Card between August 10th and December 2nd
are automatically entered to win four tickets to a Saints home game during the
2009-2010 season. One grand prize winner gets a VIP trip featuring four tickets
to the January 3rd game between the New Orleans Saints and the Carolina Panthers
in Charlotte, NC with round trip air and hotel accommodations1. 

"Prepaid debit has long been a financial tool of choice for those consumers who
have been overlooked and underserved by traditional financial services
companies," said Dan Henry, chief executive officer at Netspend. "Now, those
consumers can not only better manage their finances, but they can show their
support for the New Orleans Saints as well. This partnership is a great example
of our three entities coming together to benefit the customer." 

"We are pleased to partner with NetSpend, Visa and the New Orleans Saints to
provide our customers an added convenience in their shopping experience," said
Mary Kellmanson, Winn-Dixie`s Vice President of Marketing. "Winn-Dixie has been
proudly serving the communities of New Orleans since 1956, and this is just one
more way for us to continue earning our shoppers` trust and loyalty." 

Prepaid debit cards offer a viable financial alternative for the approximately
100 million underbanked consumers in the United States. Designed as a convenient
tool to help cardholders better manage their finances, a prepaid debit card
allows only the amount that is pre-deposited on the card to be spent. Saints
NetSpend Visa Prepaid Debit cardholders can reload their cards at more than 500
Winn-Dixie stores in the Southeastern United States and at approximately 90,000
other locations throughout the country. Cardholders also have access to free
direct deposit, Anytime Alerts and online card-to-card fund transfers. 

About NetSpend Corporation

NetSpend Corporation is one of the leading providers of prepaid debit cards in
the United States. A pioneer in the industry since its inception in 1999,
NetSpend prepaid debit cards give financial freedom and convenience to the more
than 100 million underbanked consumers in the United States. NetSpend is the
only company in the prepaid debit industry to offer an end-to-end solution for
consumers and merchants with a proprietary processing platform, card
fulfillment, customer service and risk management capabilities. More information
about the company can be found at http://www.netspend.com or by following the
company on Facebook or Twitter. 

About Winn-Dixie

Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., is one of the nation`s largest food retailers. Founded
in 1925, the Company is headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. The Company currently
operates 515 retail grocery locations, including more than 400 in-store
pharmacies, in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi. For more
information, please visit www.winn-dixie.com.

Source: Company Press Release

Ahead of the Bell: Visa, MasterCard Upgraded

Image via Wikipedia

NEW YORK - Increased use of credit and debit cards should translate into improved revenue for payment processors MasterCard Inc. and Visa Inc., an analyst said Monday as he lifted his ratings on both of the stocks.

Credit Suisse analyst Moshe Orenbuch raised his rating on both stocks to "Outperform" from "Neutral." Orenbuch increased his price target on MasterCard to $255 from $210. He raised his price target on Visa to $84 from $70.

Visa shares rose $1.51, or 2 percent, to $74.45 in premarket trading. MasterCard stock gained $4.14, or 2 percent to $218.56.

Continue Reading at CNBC

Linda Perry Joins ISTS Worldwide, Inc as EVP Global Sales & Marketing

FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ISTS Worldwide, Inc. a global end-to-end technology consulting company focused on the retail and payment verticals, announced today that Linda S. Perry, a veteran in the Payments industry, will join ISTS as EVP Global Sales & Marketing.

Ms. Perry is an acquiring industry expert with over 25 years of experience in all facets of the business. For the last 17 years she served as Senior Vice President and Head of US Acquirer and Processor Sales at Visa, Inc, retiring in April of 2009. In that role she established and developed the department that manages Visa’s relationships with its member-bank acquirers, third-party issuing and acquiring processors, software vendors, and independent sales organizations.

Ms. Perry also served as a member of The Electronic Transaction Association’s Board of Directors for the past 13 years. During her career at Visa she was recognized by Transaction World Magazine as the 2007 “Mover and Shaker” (an award determined by a vote of her peers in the industry) and in 2008 was featured as an “Industry Leader” by The Greensheet, another industry publication. Ms Perry is a founder and Board member of Women Networking in Electronic Transactions (W-net) and is a member of the ISO and Agent Advisory Board.

Before joining Visa, Ms. Perry was a Vice President at Citicorp in Chicago. Prior to that she worked for Michigan National Bank in a variety of positions, including Vice President, National Sales Michigan Bankcard Services, and Vice President of treasury management products, where she managed both sales and product development.

Ms Perry established an industry consulting practice in May 2009 and will continue to work with individual clients in addition to her work with ISTS.

“I am excited to be part of ISTS Worldwide and contribute in this capacity. ISTS has a unique position in the technology consulting space and the ability to provide real value to the retail and payment customers it serves,” said Linda Perry.

“Linda brings to the table enormous experience in the world of payments and transaction processing and strong relationships in the business. I am very excited to have her on board and the thought leadership and guidance she provides to the entire organization will be invaluable,” said Viren Rana, CEO of ISTS Worldwide, Inc.

About ISTS Worldwide – www.istsinc.com

ISTS Worldwide provides end to end technology services in the form of architecture services, custom application development, integration, testing and support services by leveraging complementary enablers of People, Process, Technology, Global Delivery Capabilities and domain expertise in the Retail and Payment technology verticals. ISTS enables its customers to address the challenges thrown about by the confluence of multi-channel retail integration initiatives and the need to accept traditional and alternative payments.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Digital River Informed By Symantec That It Will Not Extend E-commerce Contract Beyond June 30, 2010 Expiration

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