PEOPLE IN THE NEWS: First USA Assigns Marketing Chief to Focus On

Just days following the appointment of USAA Federal Savings Bank executive Jack Antonini as chief financial officer, First USA Bank has announced more changes to its management team.

James W. Stewart 3d, 43, who has handled credit policy and marketing at Dallas-based First USA for the past three years, has been named executive vice president for partnership marketing, a newly created position.

His former job, which also carries executive vice president status, goes to Gary J. Marino, 39, a 14-year Citibank veteran.

First USA, with $13.3 billion of outstandings, is the nation's fourth- largest credit card issuer and the fourth-largest processor of credit card transactions for retail merchants.

Neither Mr. Stewart nor Mr. Marino was available to discuss the new assignments. The men will report to Richard W. Vague, First USA's president and chief executive, who said in a press release that hiring Mr. Marino "will allow Jim Stewart to concentrate on First USA's growing partnership efforts."

The reference was to finding partners to issue affinity and cobranded cards as well as establishing agent bank relationships. Recent First USA affinity efforts include the Orvis Conservation Visa card, which aims to benefit conservation efforts, and the Waldenbooks Preferred Reader Visa, which offers gift certificates on books.

The appointments complement the addition of Mr. Antonini, who will start Friday as vice president for finance and planning - First USA's No. 3 post. He had earned widespread raves for his work at USAA, where he was CEO of the consumer banking unit.

Mr. Antonini's responsibilities will be broader than those of First USA's previous finance chief, Peter Bartholow, who resigned Aug. 7. He is expected to facilitate corporate development and strategic planning, capital markets, finance, and accounting.

Mr. Stewart joined First USA in 1988 as vice president of credit policy. He worked previously for American Express and served as a consultant for Deloitte, Haskins & Sells. A member of Visa's marketing advisers committee, Mr. Stewart holds a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Mr. Marino's last role at Citibank was that of executive director of credit for North American bankcards. Before that, he worked on a Citibank credit card product and was marketing director for business planning and analysis. He has a master's degree in business administration from Indiana State University and a bachelor's degree in finance from Syracuse University.

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