PAI appoints new ATM CEO following top-exec departures

Payment Alliance International (PAI) has named Neil Clark as CEO of the company’s ATM business, following the recent exit of three top executives from the Louisville-based ATM operator.

Clark, who co-founded ATM Express before PAI acquired the company in 2008, will also join PAI’s board of directions along with Marty Ambuehl and Bill Blakey.

PAI owns more than 75,000 ATMs and provides ATM processing and maintenance services, sales and support.

In recent months, top executives including John Leehy III, who was president and CEO; Greg Sahrmann, chief operating officer; and Donna Embry, chief payments officer, abruptly resigned from PAI, according to reports. Further job cuts were expected as demand softens in the mature ATM industry, reports said.

Donna Embry, a PaymentsSource Most Influential Women in Payments honoree in 2013, has been hired as senior vice president of global payment strategies for Memphis-based Evolve Bank & Trust.

Previously chief payments officer for Payment Alliance International, Embry has worked for more than 50 years in the payments industry. She previously served as executive vice president, product and marketing for Vital Processing (later TSYS) and senior vice president of electronic banking at PNC Bank.

“Donna will be bringing her vast experience to our entire payment processing space in providing our ISO partners and FinTech clients with innovative solutions,” said Scott Stafford, Evolve’s president and CEO, in a Tuesday press release.

Embry said she looks forward to expanding Evolve’s processing business. “Evolve has been very effective at offering advanced solutions to clients and helping them to achieve their strategic and financial goals,” Embry said in the release.