E-Payment Veteran Donna Embry Leaves Vital Processing of Arizona
TEMPE, Ariz. - Donna Embry has resigned as executive vice president of product marketing for Tempe-based Vital Processing Services.A veteran of the electronic payment industry, Ms. Embry, 52, joined Vital in November 1996, shortly after its inception as a joint venture of Visa U.S.A. and Total System Services Inc. She had worked 29 years for PNC Financial Corp. and its predecessor, Citizens Fidelity Corp., including stints as chief operations officer for CFC Financial Services and corporate vice president for PNC.
Ms. Embry said she left Vital to seek new challenges and plans to choose one of three offers in the coming weeks. The payments industry is on the "threshold of moving to a whole new plateau," she said. "It's exciting when you see something like the Internet. You just know it's going to change the face of processing. I really do believe that Vital also is on the threshold of bursting out."
Ms. Embry's departure on Feb. 11 had only been announced internally. Barbara Gregg was promoted to senior vice president of product development. Ms. Gregg and Keith Smith, executive vice president of marketing strategies, have split Ms. Embry's duties.
Jon Palmer, president and chief executive officer, said Ms. Embry held a "pivotal" position at Vital, which is emphasizing comprehensive merchant services beyond traditional transaction processing.
"She's really good. We miss her," he said. "Her experience in the industry is deep and relevant."
Boston Firm Plans Poll to Gauge Viability of Web-Enabled ATMs
BOSTON - Dove Consulting is seeking sponsors for a nationwide study of consumer attitudes toward Web-enabled automated teller machines.Dove said it sees an untapped market because deployers have only experimented with such technology, wary that advanced functionality will interfere with getting cash quickly.
Dove plans to study which products and services consumers would value most in a Web-enabled ATM or kiosk-type device. It also will ask whether consumers would like enhanced screen presentations and transaction capabilities similar to those available on Internet banking sites and whether they would pay for Web-enabled services.
The study is to begin in mid-April and to be completed by late summer.
