HPS & Pinnacle
Heartland Payment Systems and Pinnacle have launched the first integrated point-of-sale (POS) system for petroleum retailers that is compliant with EMV.
Debt Map
FL-based Debt.com has unveiled a new money map the ranks the current financial literacy and consumer debt behaviors of every state in the country by combining three major factors. The factors include: how well people in each state perform on financial literacy quizzes, financial habits and state laws on teaching the subject.
PayPort Idaho
Idaho’s PayPort payment service for utilities, state agencies and counties is expanding in the Gem State. Six more cities have jumped on the PayPort bandwagon.
Bank of America extends Preferred Rewards program
Preferred Rewards is now available for clients in California, Oregon, Arizona and Idaho. Clients with a Bank of America personal checking account and a three-month average combined balance of $20,000 or more across their checking, savings and/or Merrill Edge® investment accounts can enroll. And, as clients’ combined balances grow, so do their benefits and rewards. With a three-tier structure – Gold, Platinum and Platinum Honors – clients have additional opportunities to earn, save and get more back based on their tier. There is no fee to enroll in the Preferred Rewards program for qualified Bank of America clients. Onca clients. Clients’ three-month average balance will be reviewed monthly for the opportunity to achieve additional benefits.
NCR Announces Latest Telecom & Technology Client
NCR Corporation and CradlePoint cloud-managed 3G/4G networking solutions for distributed enterprises signed an agreement that provides CradlePoint customers with expanded field service and support globally. NCR, through its Telecom & Technology line of business, will provide on-site installation, hardware maintenance and remote monitoring services that support CradlePoint’s cloud managed networking solutions.CradlePoint’s existing and new enterprise customers with geographically dispersed locations will significantly benefit from access to the more than 13,000 NCR badged service professionals and managed service centers globally.
MoneyGram Announces Latest Agreement Renewal
MoneyGram renewed an agreement with Albertsons LLC to offer services at more than 600 locations across the U.S. The renewed agreement with Albertsons LLC includes provisions for a system upgrade which will allow customers to interact face-to-face with customer care agents while completing their MGI transactions. The agreement also includes provisions for fresh signage that will direct customers to the service desk for all MoneyGram support.
CC Annual Forecast
TransUnion released its annual forecasts on two primary consumer credit variables — mortgage and credit card delinquency rates. Credit card delinquency rates (the ratio of bankcard borrowers 90 days or more delinquent on one or more of their credit cards) are expected to rise nearly 10% from 1.51% in Q4 2013 to 1.66% in Q4 2014. Even with that increase, the card delinquency rate would remain far below average historical levels. Between 2007 and 2012, the credit card delinquency rate has averaged 2.38% during the fourth quarter.
WesPay to Buy Viewpointe Regional Payments
Viewpointe has reached an agreement with WesPay (Western Payments Alliance), a membership association promoting the best use of electronic payments, whereby WesPay will acquire the assets of Viewpointe’s Regional Payments Association (RPA). Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Both organizations are working diligently to complete the conditions of closing by year end. When closing conditions are met and the deal is completed, WesPay will retain full ownership of the assets. The expanded association will continue to do business as WesPay. Viewpointe’s Regional Payments Association provides education on the latest payments topics and certification preparation for payments professionals; offers expert-led ACH audit and compliance services for financial institutions, payments processors and businesses using ACH; and provides industry-level member advocacy and input into the ACH Rules-making process as a voting member of NACHA”The Electronic Payments Association.
WesPay to buy Viewpointe Regional Payments
Viewpointe payments provider reached an agreement with WesPay (Western Payments Alliance), a membership association promoting the best use of electronic payments, whereby WesPay will acquire the assets of Viewpointe’s Regional Payments Association (RPA). Both organizations are working diligently to complete the conditions of closing by year end. When closing conditions are met and the deal is completed, WesPay will retain full ownership of the assets. The expanded association will continue to do business as WesPay. Viewpointe’s Regional Payments Association provides education on the latest payments topics and certification preparation for payments professionals; offers expert-led ACH audit and compliance services for financial institutions, payments processors and businesses using ACH; and provides industry-level member advocacy and input into the ACH Rules-making process as a voting member of NACHA”The Electronic Payments Association.
CashStar Announces Latest Gift Card Program Client
CashStar launched a new gift card program with American grill and sushi bar, Kona Grill, replacing its existing gifting platform with CashStar’s solution. CashStar now powers Kona’s plastic and digital gifting programs, and also gives Kona gift card purchasers and recipients enhanced mobile experiences. Kona Grill’s mobile-optimized purchase pages make buying eGift cards on-the-go via a smartphone simple and easy. Recipients with iPhones or iPod Touch devices running iOS 6 or newer can easily store and redeem eGift cards in Apple’s Passbook app.
Sterling Bank Launches Prepaid Cash Cards
Sterling Bank launched two new prepaid card products, one version called the Everyday Cash Card and a student version called the Student Everyday Cash Card. Both cards are similar to a debit or credit card in that they can be used anywhere Visa® debit cards are accepted and at ATMs around the world. However, with prepaid cards, cardholders do not take on debt as they would with credit cards, and they are not linked to a deposit account like debit cards, meaning no overdraft fees can occur. These cards simply hold a balance of funds loaded onto the cards by the cardholders until purchases draw them down to a zero balance, at which point the cards can be reloaded with funds. Customers have the ability to set up and define the following text or email alerts for their Everyday Cash Cards; “Add or remove funds alerts;” “Low-balance alerts where you can set your own low-balance definition;” “Signature and PIN transaction alerts;” Weekly balance updates;” Address and status change alerts;” Declined transaction alerts;” and International, out-of-state and card-not-present transactions alerts.”
Heartland Financial Elects New Board Member
Heartland Financial USA announced Duane E. White was elected to the company’s Board of Directors. White is a founding director and investor in Minnesota Bank & Trust, a Heartland subsidiary established in 2008 with current assets of $127 million and a partner at Aveus, a management consulting firm. In his role, Mr. White provides executive level consulting to a variety of firms, focusing on improving performance and enhancing shareholder value with a particular focus on the financial services and health care industries. Prior to joining Aveus, he served as Managing Director at Polihua Holdings LLC, a consulting firm working with companies in the financial services and healthcare industries. Through his position with Polihua Holdings, Mr. White served as a consultant to Total System Services, Inc. (“TSYS”), leading TSYS’s healthcare initiatives, eventually joining the company as President of TSYS’s healthcare division.