Digital Transactions Authoritative, insightful and timely information for payments professionals
By Kevin Woodward
n
Payments industry professionals attending one of the four regional acquiring conferences can expect to see more from the Electronic Transactions Association at the events.
n
ETA president Jason Oxman says the Washington-based trade group wants to expand its involvement with the regional events, which include the Southeast Acquirers, Western States Acquirers, Midwest Acquirers, and Northeast Acquirers associations. He spoke at the Southeast Acquirers event in Atlanta earlier this month, where he talked about federal regulations.
n
“This is a conscious effort on the part of the ETA to participate, support them, and engage in mutually beneficial activities,” Oxman tells Digital Transactions News. “This reinforces my feeling that fostering strong relationships with the regional events is in our mutual interests.”
n
The regional events, which tend to draw large numbers of local attendees attracted in part by the low cost, with registration fees ranging from $75 to $150, have educational content and emphasize networking. “They’re great networking events,” Oxman says. “ETA has one big show, but the regional shows happen throughout the year.” Attendee registration for ETA members at its Transact 14 event in Las Vegas next week is $1,085.
n
The ETA can offer content on its education and credentialing programs, Oxman says, “particularly to bring those educational components to attendees who may not be able to make to ETA events.” The ETA, for example, may offer a class on its new “ETA Guidelines on Merchant and ISO Underwriting and Risk Monitoring” pamphlet, he says.
n
Overall, leaders of the regional acquiring associations welcome the ETA’s involvement.
n
“The regional shows help spread the word at a much more economical price, but that does not mean that the regional attendees would not benefit or need to be associated with the national efforts created by the ETA,” Alan Forgione, president of the Northeast Acquirers Association, tells Digital Transactions News.
n
ETA’s national exposure also benefits regional show attendees, says John McCormick, founder and board member of the Southeast Acquirers Association. “It’s important that the sales offices and professionals attending the SEAA learn about the pending regulations and legislation that will have an impact on their businesses,” McCormick says. Continuing education courses for the ETA’s Certified Payments Professional program also could be offered, he says.
n
The Western States Acquirers Association has offered scholarships to help defray the cost of registering for the Certified Payments Professional program, says Xavier Ayala, WSAA president, something it may do at this year’s event. He’d like to draw on the ETA’s education prowess. “What I would like to see in terms of the next evolution is to work more closely together toward educating professionals in the industry,” Ayala says, on subjects like regulation.
n
The ETA’s greater involvement at the regional event is a good move, says Adil Moussa, principal at Omaha, Neb.-based Adil Consulting. Because many may skip the annual ETA conference, the ETA’s presence at the regional shows should benefit it, he says. “Everybody will benefit from such a move,” Moussa says. “The regional shows will offer more to their attendees and the ETA will extend its brand.”
