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News
ChapterTitle
NEAA bids farewell to an opportunity for people to network, meet with their
peers, discuss their problems and get information about
industry leader what is going on in the industry. Over the years we've
accomplished all of that."
As the payments industry evolves, the regional association
ollowing the NEAA Winter 2014 Seminar & tradeshows continue to focus on presenting relevant
Outing in late January, one of the Northeast vendors and training sessions to keep pace. "Registration
Acquirers Association's original founding mem- for the NEAA is free if you are pre-registered," Breton
F bers, Jacques Breton, gave notice of resignation said. "If you look at airfare, rooms, etc., the regionals are
as Treasurer of the NEAA, effective March 1. A letter much more economical for the MLSs and small ISOs. And,
posted on his Facebook page read, "After 29 years being yes, they won't get 400 vendors. They'll get 100. But they
one of the original founders, it is time to move on. It is get 100 of the best, I think. We're seeing a whole new breed
time for new faces and new ideas. Please continue to sup- of vendors coming in."
port the NEAA as you have in the past. I look forward to
seeing many of you at the other regional meetings and Breton said he expects to remain busy as Vice President
future NEAA events." ISO Sales for My Clear Reports; an adviser to his son Joel,
who operates MJM Associates Inc., an ISO that serves an
Under his direction, the Northeast Bankcard Association, estimated 800 merchants; and a devoted member of his
founded in 1985, became the Northeast Acquirers extended family.
Association in 1997, making it the first regional trade
association to serve the burgeoning ISO and merchant Heartland levels
level salesperson (MLS) community. Over the years, Breton
has guided countless ISOs and MLSs, as well as helped
inspire the creation of regional acquiring associations in host of charges at
the Southeast, Midwest and West.
Industry lauds Breton Mercury
"Jacques' contribution to the NEAA and to other regional
shows that exist because of the NEAA has been incredible
right from the start," said Nancy Austin, Senior Sales eartland Payment Systems Inc. filed suit
against Mercury Payment Systems in federal
Executive at VeriFone Inc. and NEAA Vice President.
court, alleging false advertising and unfair
"He remains one of my closest friends, and I know that H competition, among other charges. Heartland,
whenever we need his guidance it will be forthcoming
without question." a leading merchant acquirer based in Princeton, N.J., is
seeking a laundry list of remedies from the court, includ-
ing monetary damages and letters to tens of thousands
NEAA Board Member Ruth Gorski, Senior Relationship of merchants from Mercury informing them that they've
Manager at American Express Co., stated, "As one of the
founding members, Jacques Breton was the driving force been overcharged and lied to.
of NEAA's success, and other regional associations that
followed his lead – SEAA, MWAA and the WSAA. These Mercury, based in Durango, Colo., balked at the lawsuit,
which was filed in San Francisco Jan. 29, 2014, in U.S.
shows have become valuable educational and networking
events for sales agents, product providers and industry District Court for the Northern District of California.
"Mercury will vigorously defend against the lawsuit filed
experts. Jacques should be proud of what he has built, and
his legacy will live on through the continuing success of by Heartland," the company said in a statement, adding
that it would stand by its "business and pricing practices."
the NEAA."
Multiple deceptions
John McCormick, of General Credit Forms, who
spearheaded formation of the Southeast Acquirers In the lawsuit, Heartland alleges Mercury has been
Association in 2000, is a longtime Breton colleague. poaching Heartland merchants by misrepresenting
McCormick was struck by how sociable the first NEAA the true cost of service. Heartland said it obtained and
meeting he attended was. "People were talking in the analyzed "hundreds of statements" and other documents
aisles," he noted. "It had a great community aspect. Taking from Mercury clients that support Heartland's allegations
people under his wing, Jacques always seemed to get the that Mercury inflates network charges included in the
most satisfaction when he was able to make his friends interchange component of its "interchange-plus" pricing
happy and successful." structure.
Breton reflects "Mercury's deceptive pricing practices can add up to
hundreds or even thousands of dollars in annual fees per
In looking back over his 29 years of service, Breton said. merchant, even if they're small," Heartland Chairman and
"The thing behind it all, if you go back to the original Chief Executive Officer Robert O. Carr stated.
meaning of why NEAA was formed, was to provide
10
ChapterTitle
NEAA bids farewell to an opportunity for people to network, meet with their
peers, discuss their problems and get information about
industry leader what is going on in the industry. Over the years we've
accomplished all of that."
As the payments industry evolves, the regional association
ollowing the NEAA Winter 2014 Seminar & tradeshows continue to focus on presenting relevant
Outing in late January, one of the Northeast vendors and training sessions to keep pace. "Registration
Acquirers Association's original founding mem- for the NEAA is free if you are pre-registered," Breton
F bers, Jacques Breton, gave notice of resignation said. "If you look at airfare, rooms, etc., the regionals are
as Treasurer of the NEAA, effective March 1. A letter much more economical for the MLSs and small ISOs. And,
posted on his Facebook page read, "After 29 years being yes, they won't get 400 vendors. They'll get 100. But they
one of the original founders, it is time to move on. It is get 100 of the best, I think. We're seeing a whole new breed
time for new faces and new ideas. Please continue to sup- of vendors coming in."
port the NEAA as you have in the past. I look forward to
seeing many of you at the other regional meetings and Breton said he expects to remain busy as Vice President
future NEAA events." ISO Sales for My Clear Reports; an adviser to his son Joel,
who operates MJM Associates Inc., an ISO that serves an
Under his direction, the Northeast Bankcard Association, estimated 800 merchants; and a devoted member of his
founded in 1985, became the Northeast Acquirers extended family.
Association in 1997, making it the first regional trade
association to serve the burgeoning ISO and merchant Heartland levels
level salesperson (MLS) community. Over the years, Breton
has guided countless ISOs and MLSs, as well as helped
inspire the creation of regional acquiring associations in host of charges at
the Southeast, Midwest and West.
Industry lauds Breton Mercury
"Jacques' contribution to the NEAA and to other regional
shows that exist because of the NEAA has been incredible
right from the start," said Nancy Austin, Senior Sales eartland Payment Systems Inc. filed suit
against Mercury Payment Systems in federal
Executive at VeriFone Inc. and NEAA Vice President.
court, alleging false advertising and unfair
"He remains one of my closest friends, and I know that H competition, among other charges. Heartland,
whenever we need his guidance it will be forthcoming
without question." a leading merchant acquirer based in Princeton, N.J., is
seeking a laundry list of remedies from the court, includ-
ing monetary damages and letters to tens of thousands
NEAA Board Member Ruth Gorski, Senior Relationship of merchants from Mercury informing them that they've
Manager at American Express Co., stated, "As one of the
founding members, Jacques Breton was the driving force been overcharged and lied to.
of NEAA's success, and other regional associations that
followed his lead – SEAA, MWAA and the WSAA. These Mercury, based in Durango, Colo., balked at the lawsuit,
which was filed in San Francisco Jan. 29, 2014, in U.S.
shows have become valuable educational and networking
events for sales agents, product providers and industry District Court for the Northern District of California.
"Mercury will vigorously defend against the lawsuit filed
experts. Jacques should be proud of what he has built, and
his legacy will live on through the continuing success of by Heartland," the company said in a statement, adding
that it would stand by its "business and pricing practices."
the NEAA."
Multiple deceptions
John McCormick, of General Credit Forms, who
spearheaded formation of the Southeast Acquirers In the lawsuit, Heartland alleges Mercury has been
Association in 2000, is a longtime Breton colleague. poaching Heartland merchants by misrepresenting
McCormick was struck by how sociable the first NEAA the true cost of service. Heartland said it obtained and
meeting he attended was. "People were talking in the analyzed "hundreds of statements" and other documents
aisles," he noted. "It had a great community aspect. Taking from Mercury clients that support Heartland's allegations
people under his wing, Jacques always seemed to get the that Mercury inflates network charges included in the
most satisfaction when he was able to make his friends interchange component of its "interchange-plus" pricing
happy and successful." structure.
Breton reflects "Mercury's deceptive pricing practices can add up to
hundreds or even thousands of dollars in annual fees per
In looking back over his 29 years of service, Breton said. merchant, even if they're small," Heartland Chairman and
"The thing behind it all, if you go back to the original Chief Executive Officer Robert O. Carr stated.
meaning of why NEAA was formed, was to provide
10
