R./K. Hammer company Founder and CEO Bob Hammer is known for writing hundreds of card opinions and research reports, and at last count public records show R.K. Hammer branded materials have been cited 650 times in virtually every major financial card-based publication in the U.S the past two decades. He has done card business projects with card companies from 50 countries on six continents, personally training over 1,000 credit card executives along the way, through international presentations and his three-day seminar, “Managing for Improved Profitability.”
A Card Deal Maker’s “Deal Maker”
Hammer has been doing successful deals in the issuing and acquiring payments space for over 30 years, as small as $10,000,000 and as large as $1,000,000,000+. He knows deals, how to do them, and how to resurrect them when they are collapsing. Government agencies, too, follow and request his opinions and research, including the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Reserve, OCC, FDIC, GAO, and OTS, plus the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate financial institution sub-committees.
He’s been around the card track more than a time or two…with billions in deals done. Main Street and Wall Street and their lawyers and accounting firms have all made the trek to his door throughout his career. He seems to have the ear of major financial institutions CEO’s and senior card executives, and reports his projects for them have resulted in pre-tax profits for clients in excess of $680,000,000.
Now, “an exclusive first” from R.K. Hammer, Written Over Ten Years
Normally over the decades Hammer has given opinions and industry metrics for issuers to use in their growth and profit plans. Now for the first time after decades in practice, R.K Hammer has released a new compendium, a 126-page chronicle of the way Bob Hammer has done business, the way those who follow can succeed, too, personally and professionally: “That’s Still the Way I See It.”
“That’s Still the Way I See It” contains Hammer’s views and experiences on how to get new business developed, different ways of doing so; successful deals which benefit all parties, pitfalls to avoid, and the “really important things” that great businesses large and small are all made of. The chronicle is a compilation of over 100 short syndicated articles and vignettes, from true stories/events which shaped his way of thinking how to do good business, how to better serve clients. More than a philosophy on business – a philosophy on life – on varied business topics and all authored by Bob Hammer throughout a storied career in the card industry space. Over ten years in the writing, one story at a time.
What one gets is the straight unvarnished truth as Hammer sees it, what works and what doesn’t in his direct experience; sometimes cutting and brutal, yet always insightful and inspirational, from a guy who knows his way around the card industry, and isn’t afraid to tell it as he sees it.
Hammer is often described by client card issuers as “the real deal,” one who has never forgotten his mentors plus those who helped start him and keep him on the way…they always get the first credit in his mind.
R.K. Hammer, Through the Eyes of Other Industry Veterans and Professionals
Here are a few observations from card industry associates he dealt with over many years.
Jerry Craft, CEO of Atlanta-based Corserv Solutions, a legendary figure in the card business had this to say about R.K. Hammer:
“This latest publication is another example of Bob Hammer’s continuing contributions to our industry from decades of successful experience. His knowledge, wisdom, insight, and counsel allow us to be better managers in our ever changing market place.”
Irving Levin, Chairman at Genesis Financial Solutions, Portland, OR, whose own stellar card history goes back decades as well; as a banking/card entrepreneur, angel investor, and senior executive of some of the larger card companies in America, stated about his experiences with Hammer:
“I have had a high level of respect for Bob Hammer’s knowledge, ethics and willingness to inform and assist. I have seen this through his writings, in doing business with him, and in his counsel. He has contributed to the maturation of our industry.”
Timothy McTaggart, Partner at the Washington, DC office of the law firm Pepper Hamilton LLP, was lead counsel on a card sale Hammer brokered with his client, who recalls R.K. Hammer:
“Based upon my experience with Bob, he is committed to getting a good deal for his clients, and works tirelessly to keep deals on track. I believe that he has very deep market knowledge of and insight concerning the credit card industry. I always take the time to read what he is disseminating on industry developments.”
