Visa Names Acting CEO for Plus Network

David A. Brooks has been named acting chief executive of Plus System Inc., the global automated teller machine network operated by the Visa card association.

Mr. Brooks, 55, adds the responsibilities to his existing duties as Visa U.S.A.'s executive vice president of market development. His appointment is to be ratified at the Plus board meeting scheduled for January.

"He's a good choice because he has long experience in the card industry in key positions and has a good depth of knowledge," said Kenneth E. Kittock, chairman of the Plus board and executive vice president of Navy Federal Credit Union, Merrifield, Va.

Mr. Brooks succeeds Denny Dumler, who had been Plus president and chief executive for two years. Mr. Dumler is taking the top job at TransAlliance, a new electronic funds transfer processing venture controlled by Electronic Data Systems Corp., Dallas, and Exchange System, the regional electronic banking network based in Bellevue, Wash.

Mr. Brooks takes over Plus at a critical time. Next November, when capital payouts are completed, Plus will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Visa, just as Cirrus System is a subsidiary of MasterCard International.

Plus must prepare for the ownership transition as well as continue to grow. The network connects more than 250,000 ATMs in 90 countries.

While declining to state specific numeric goals, Mr. Brooks said he is committed to increasing the transactions that travel through the Plus switch.

"We are in an aggressive business-as-usual mode," said Mr. Brooks. "Today and tomorrow, we want to be the most competitive offering."

Mr. Brooks will head the transition team, as well as set long-term strategy and global expansion goals from his current office in San Francisco, where Visa International is based.

He will be assisted by a newly formed office of the CEO, which includes all the key managers at Plus headquarters in Denver.

Ron Reed, senior vice president, will be the highest-ranking Plus employee based in Denver, and will oversee the day-to-day operations.

Other members of the office of the CEO are Michael Schrank, marketing; Lucy Rognes, customer service; Kirby Slunaker, systems and technology; Frank Carmody, chief financial officer; Mary Haskins, human resources, and Char Alley, staff administration.

Mr. Brooks will be meeting with these seven managers regularly to ensure that Plus stays on course through the transition period.

Mr. Brooks joined Visa early last year after a 37-year banking career that included executive positions at Citicorp, Crocker National Bank, and First National Bank of Chicago.

At Visa, he is responsible for integrating the sales efforts and banking relationships to maximize product and service distribution. Among his accomplishments, he recently oversaw the launch of Visa's debit processing service, an integrated system for processing on-line and offline debit cards.

Mr. Brooks said ATM processing will soon be added to that mix.

Other areas of interest include dispensing stamps, coupons, and other noncash paper through ATMs, and delivering government benefits and remote banking services through the terminals.

"We are always evaluating what other services can be delivered through ATMs," said Mr. Reed. "The infrastructure that was created to support Plus can support many other products in the Visa lineup."

Mr. Reed said the organization is also studying whether to drop the Plus brand and rely solely on the Visa name. He added that no decision has been reached.

"It makes sense, because there's such a proliferation of brands out there," said an executive from a regional electronic banking network. "I can see why Visa would want to integrate the two marks."

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