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Heartland Payment Systems is quickly accumulating technology to serve smaller merchants and restaurants, two key pieces of the services that made the processor attractive to Global Payments, which is in the midst of acquiring Heartland.

Golf course management software provider Club Prophet Systems is using the linked2pay application interface to add Automated Clearing House payment acceptance as an option for its clients.

The U.S. could be the next country to introduce gender quotas for corporate board members and nominees.

Pioneer Bank in Dripping Springs, Texas, has promoted Elizabeth Blose to chief financial officer as it works to finalize a merger deal and relocate its headquarters.

The honorees, selected by the editors of PaymentsSource, are responsible for businesses and innovations as diverse as the payments industry itself.

When Armine-Klein joined the company in May 2014, First Data held a 45% rating on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, which is used to benchmark corporate policies and practices regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees. Today, First Data holds a score of 100%.

Daif describes her job as a race against industry disruptors who ostensibly offer faster, more convenient alternatives at lower costs.

Ericksen is one of the "EMV people," part of the card network-driven push to get the entire globe dipping instead of swiping.

In addition to battling crime, bankers face a more competitive market filled with well-funded bank alternatives, putting Bank of America Merrill Lynch's Stephanie Wolf on the spot to play offense and defense for one of the world's largest financial institutions.

McNamara has been recognized in prior years as one of PaymentsSource's Most Influential Women in Payments, partly on the influence of her organization, Citi Retail Services, which accounts for a huge portion of Citi's overall business.

There's a cultural shift that's necessary for some companies, Manus said, noting that for many organizations, past success is the biggest threat to a healthy future.

'Fast' may not be the first word that comes to mind when describing her four-year journey to win over the country's largest banks, but for Jan Estep, it's a testament to the perseverance and negotiating prowess necessary to achieve a breakthrough in payments efficiency.

Still uncertain about EMV? You've got good company in MagTek's CEO and chairman, Annmarie "Mimi" Hart.

Fintech companies work in much faster cycles than the traditional payments industry is used to, and these newcomers aren't afraid to pivot. Discover's partnerships have taught it how to stay "nimble," Offereins said, while still allowing it to focus on enabling commerce in a seamless and secure way.

There have never been so many foundational changes at once in this industry, Murray said. It’s imperative that everyone in it stay on their toes and be “prepared to change direction at any moment.”

In 2016, most incumbents in the payments industry will probably spend some time defending their businesses and rethinking their strategies, says Reetika Grewal, who has been leading payments strategy at Silicon Valley Bank for the last three years.

"I realized that if you want more, you have to constantly look for new tasks and new areas to be involved and learn new skills, all while making yourself a little uncomfortable in the process," Elliott said.

In the past year, Verifone's European market share has grown more than 10 percentage points, and Felix declares it her proudest moment in a career that spans 26 years.

Kazazean’s ability to drive collaboration across diverse teams will be a critical asset as she faces Walmart's ambitious shift to omnichannel commerce this year.

For Kristy Cook, group manager of bankcard strategic projects at Target Corp., there couldn't be a more better time to lead the payments team at one of the nation's most forward-thinking retailers.