ETA, Discover recognize 40 next-gen leaders

Congratulatory announcements and press releases are rippling across the payments ecosystem following the induction of the ETA's Forty Under 40 payments industry leaders. Chosen by the Electronic Transactions Association and Discover Global Network for their contributions to a variety of sectors, the new class of fast-tracked leaders were commended by ETA and Discover for their innovative contributions to payments technology.

ETA CEO Jodie Kelley congratulated this year's winners, stating, "The honorees of ETA's annual Forty Under 40  represent the exciting possibilities of payments. The future of innovative payments is bright in their hands." 

Kevin Jordan, head of U.S. and Canada strategic client management at Discover Global Network and ETA executive sponsor, agreed the 2023 class of Forty Under 40 reflects a diverse, evolving industry.

"The ETA Forty Under 40 award shines a light on the innovators who are pushing the boundaries, and are quickly changing and moving the industry forward," he said. "These honorees represent all aspects of the evolving payments landscape and deserve to be commended for their immense contributions."

Paytech potential

Kelley noted the new class of 2023 Forty Under 40 is proof of Paytech's immense potential to drive more secure, accessible, efficient and innovative payment solutions. Following is the official honor roll, disclosed Feb. 10, 2023, by ETA and Discover:

• Brian Abernethy, Utopaya
• Raghuram Adiraju, Mastercard
• Alexandra Alvarez, Finix
• Sumit Arora, Wells Fargo
• Caleb Avery, Tilled
• Erin Barbeau, FIS Global
• Nicholas Bencivenga, Paysafe
• Lindsey Cole, Leverage Payment Solutions
• Patrick Cuff, Fiserv
• Richard Cuttler, Mastercard
• Amanda Estiverne-Colas, Endava
• Gus Fernandez, US Bank Elavon
• Juan Garrido, Bank of America
• Wayne Gonzales, Usio
• Ben Griefer, Maverick Payments
• Naftali Harris, SentiLink
• Kristen Hoyman, REPAY
• Sarah Humphrey, Fitech by Deluxe
• Jo Jagadish, TD Bank
• Molly Jones, Payactiv
• Kera Logan, North American Bancard
• Alex McCandless, Payroc
• Margaux Murray, TRNXN Company
• Leo Patching, Kompliant, Inc.
• Lizzie Pine, J.P. Morgan Chase
• Stephanie Preuss, MerchantE
• Eric Queathem, FIS Global
• Tim Reidy, Ingenico
• David Robertson, Shift4
• George Smith, Payscout
• Glenn Smith, NCR
• Katie Stone, Global Payments
• Christie Stunkel, Square
• Kaylyn Tinsley, Global Payments
• Denika Torres, Citi
• Leo Vartanov, Swipe4Free
• Katie Weiler, Discover
• Erick Weinstein, CWA Merchant Services
• Michael Williamson, CardFlight
• Tyler Young, VersiTech

Kelley also mentioned that ETA members hail from payments, financial, retail and fintech sectors, from large incumbent players to the emerging disruptors from the United States and over a dozen countries. ETA members process approximately $44 trillion annually in purchases and P2P payments, and they deploy payments innovation to merchants and consumers, she added.

Similarly, the 2023 class of Forty Under 40 reflects the diversity and scope of digital commerce, Kelley noted, pointing out that this year's recipients are entrepreneurs, executives, risk experts, marketers, product developers, technologists, analysts, lawyers, bankers, and investors, all of whom are advancing the field of payments.

The ETA Forty Under 40 will be honored at TRANSACT, ETA's annual conference and expo, to be held April 24 to 26 at Atlanta's Georgia World Conference Center. For additional information or to register for the event, visit etatransact.com .

Whether you want to upgrade your POS offerings, find a payment gateway partner, bone up on fintech regs or PCI requirements, find an upcoming trade show, read about faster payments, or discover the latest innovations in merchant acquiring, The Green Sheet is the resource for you. Since 1983, we've helped empower and connect payments professionals, starting with the merchant level salespeople who bring tailored payment acceptance and digital commerce tools, along with a host of other business services to merchants across the globe. The Green Sheet Inc. is also a proud affiliate of Bankcard Life, a premier community that provides industry-leading training and resources for payment professionals.

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