Toronto-based GreenCoinX has formed an Advisory Board to assist in the further development of GreenCoinX, the world’s first identifiable crypto currency. GreenCoinX identifies users and facilitates the collection of user defined optional taxes by worldwide governments.
A recent study of 10,000 U.S consumers shows credit unions took top spots in the trusted banking category, including credit cards.
The 2015 Temkin Trust Ratings rates the trust that consumers have with 293 companies across 20 industries.
Citi Retail Partner Cards announced an expanded leadership team. With this, Craig Vallorano has been named Executive VP, Business Development and Strategy; Leslie McNamara has been named Executive VP, Partnership Management; Elisabeth “Molly” McCombe has been named Chief Marketing Officer; and Rick Cunningham joins Citi Retail Partner Cards as Executive Vice President, Business Development. The division also announced that Citi Retail Partner Cards will rejoin Citicorp as an autonomous division of North America Consumer Banking. While operating independently, Citi Retail Partner Cards and Citi Cards will continue to share processes that optimize performance and controls.
MoneyGram International has named James E. Shields executive VO and CFO effective July 13. Bringing with him more than 10 years experience in executive leadership, James was most recently senior VP finance and treasurer for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Previously, he was vice president and treasurer of Celanese Corporation, a $6 billion chemical company with worldwide operations. Prior to that, Shields was vice president and chief financial officer for consumer markets at Qwest Communications International, where he was part of the new senior management team that restructured the companyâs balance sheets and restored companyâs financial, accounting and operational integrity.
Value added communication distributor ScanSource has partnered with VoIP
application software provider Broadsoft to distribute BroadSoftâs
“PacketSmart” and
“BroadWorks” solutions. ScanSource Communications reseller and service
provider partners now
have access to BroadSoft PacketSmart, a set of SaaS-based quality of
service (QoS) assessment and monitoring capabilities, which enables them
to rapidly and cost-effectively deploy superior quality VoIP and video
communication services to their customers. ScanSource Communications
also introduced a new program for a select
group of its service provider customers to purchase “BroadWorks VoIP”
communications application server licenses. “The BroadWorks VoIP”
communications application server provides a comprehensive portfolio of
business and consumer communications applications and value-added
applications from a common network platform. The program enables these
service providers to purchase “BroadWorks” licenses in a “just in time”
fashion as they sign up new customers. It also enables the service
provider customers to purchase the “BroadWorks” licenses bundled with
Polycom IP Phones, further enhancing the ability for ScanSource
Communications service providers to deliver the types of communication
options being demanded today by both the business and consumer markets.
Fiserv,has released the results of a new study that reveals the
positive impact of electronic billing and payment on customer
satisfaction, retention and profitability. The study
evaluated data from 8 million Qwest Communications residential customers
over an 18-month period, with analysis concluded in April 2009. The
analysis found the most significant linkage between billing and business
benefits among early tenure customers, those who had been customers for
less than 28 months. The study also revealed that customers who receive paperless electronic
bills at a company website or at a financial institution website, or who
use recurring payments, are more profitable for the billing
organization. Among early-tenure customers, e-bill users are 12.5% less likely to leave,
are 35% more likely to pay their bills on time, and purchase 20% more products than paper bill users; automatic,
recurring payment users are 14% less likely to leave
and 86% more likely to pay their bills on time with 74% of customers who receive an e-bill at a bank site pay using
a deduction from their bank account, a low-cost form of payment and 40% of customers who receive bills at the company site pay
using a card-funded payment, a higher cost method of payment.
EBPP IMPACT
A new study has found that customers who receive paperless electronic
bills at a company website or at a financial institution website, or who
use recurring payments, are more profitable for the billing
organization. The study also validated the importance of delivering
e-bills not only via an organization’s own website, but also via
financial institution sites, because where a bill is received impacts
payment method. Conducted by Aspen Marketing Services on behalf of
Fiserv, the research reveals e-bill users are 12.5% less likely to
leave, are 35% more likely to pay their bills on time, and purchase 20%
more products than paper bill users. Automatic, recurring payment users
are 14% less likely to leave and 86% more likely to pay their bills on
time. Among the customers studied 74% who receive an e-bill at a bank
site pay using a deduction from their bank account and 40% of customers
who receive bills at the company site pay using a card-funded payment, a
higher cost method of payment.
General Electric Company (GE), a
diversified technology, media and financial services company,
and Ronald A. Katz Technology Licensing, L.P., announced the
settlement of patent litigation between the parties. As part of the
settlement, GE has agreed to pay an undisclosed sum for a nonexclusive
license under a comprehensive portfolio of patents that Katz owns
relating to interactive voice applications.
The patents held by Ronald A. Katz Technology Licensing, L.P. cover a
wide range of interactive technology including automated forms of:
customer service, prescription refill services, securities trading,
merchandising, prepaid services, telephone conferences, registration,
home shopping, as well as functions involved in securing information
from databases by telephone, interactive cable transactions, and various
other uses of toll free and local numbers.
Ronald A. Katz stated, âWe welcome GE to the significant group of
technology, media and financial services companies who have purchased a
license under this portfolio.â
There are over 275 companies with license rights under this portfolio,
including over 45 energy and utility companies. Companies with license
rights under this portfolio include: Advanta Corp., Aetna Inc., Alltel
Corporation, American Century, American Express, American International
Group, Inc., Amtrak, AT&T Inc., Avis Budget Group, Inc., Avon Products,
Inc., Bank of America Corporation, Capital One Services Inc., CIGNA
Corporation, Chevron U.S.A. Inc., Comerica Inc., Continental Airlines,
Costco Wholesale Corporation, CVS Caremark Corporation, Dell Inc., Delta
Air Lines, Inc., Discover Financial Services, Experian, Express Scripts,
Exxon Mobil Corp., First Data Corporation, FirstMerit Corporation,
Frontier Communications Corporation, The Gallup Organization, The
Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., Hewlett-Packard Company, Hilton
Hotels Corporation, Household International, Inc., ING North America
Insurance Corp., International Business Machines (IBM), Kaiser
Permanente Insurance Co., KeyCorp, Kohl’s Corporation, Massachusetts
Mutual Life Insurance Company, MCI Inc., Mellon Financial Corporation,
Merck & Co., Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., Metris Companies Inc.,
Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Navy Federal Credit Union, New York Life
Insurance Company, OppenheimerFunds, Inc., Premier Global Services,
Inc., Principal Financial Group, Inc., Prudential Financial, Inc., Qwest
Communications International Inc., QVC, Inc., Regions Financial
Corporation, Rite Aid Corporation, Safeway Inc., Sears, Roebuck and Co.,
ShopKo Stores, Sprint Corporation, Sunoco, Inc., SUPERVALU Inc., TD
Banknorth Inc., T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., T-Mobile USA, United Air
Lines, Inc., UnitedHealth Group, Verizon California Inc., Wachovia
Corporation, Walgreen Co., Wal-Mart Stores, Inc, Webster Financial
Corporation, WellPoint, Inc., Wells Fargo & Company, West Corporation,
Whirlpool Corporation, Wilmington Trust Corporation and Zions
Bancorporation.
Mr. Katz is the named inventor on a large number of patents primarily in
the fields of telecommunications and computing. He also formed
Telecredit, Inc., the nationâs first on-line real time credit and check
cashing authorization system, and was awarded a patent as co-inventor of
that technology.
Payment solution provider Payment Data Systems has promoted Ken Keller to VP and CTO. Keller brings more than 17 years in the development and delivery of specialized high volume transaction based systems. As the Chief Technology Officer, he is responsible for setting the architectural and product strategies, plans for Payment Data Systems’ merchant processing, bill payment and card issuing businesses. Prior to joining Payment Data Systems in 2003, he served in a variety of key leadership and executive technical roles at Billserv, Inc. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Information Technology from the University of Texas – San Antonio.
WaMu is now offering its debit, credit, ATM or home equity cardholders access to “WaMu LIVE!,” a new entertainment platform that offers unique on-site concert experiences and online access to special event tickets at select theaters in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle and soon San Francisco. By flashing any WaMu debit, credit, ATM or home equity card, customers can enjoy special WaMu entrances, access to venues before doors open for shows and access to premier parking. All ticket holders at the WaMu Theaters in Seattle and New York can take photos with friends in new on-site WaMu “photo studios” that can later be downloaded at wamulive.com. WaMu is a sponsor of more than 40 music events and festivals around the country. At June 30, 2007, WaMu and its subsidiaries had assets of $312.22 billion.
Mastercard PayPass will now be accepted at The American Airlines Center, United Center and XCel Energy Center at in-stadium concession stands. No signature or PIN is required to complete the transaction for purchases under $25. Ten football and 12 baseball stadiums have already adopted MasterCard PayPass and it was accepted at 14 PGA Tour events during the 2006 season. PayPass is currently accepted globally at 46,000 merchant locations, including participating 7-Eleven, CVS, McDonald’s, Regal Entertainment Group theaters and many others.
MasterCard’s contactless payment option will be in full action this weekend at Dolphin Stadium for the “SuperBowl.” “PayPass” was installed at Dolphin Stadium prior to the start of the football season and is also accepted at numerous other merchants throughout the Miami area. In addition to Dolphin Stadium, the new technology has been installed in nine other football stadiums and 12 baseball stadiums nationwide. Also, MasterCard released a new TV spot for “PayPass” during the recent “AFC Championship.” MasterCard reports that there are about 13 million “PayPass” cards and devices in the market, and “PayPass” is currently accepted globally at 46,000 merchant locations.