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MeetTheExpert

Noel Fundora You don't have to be the sharpest

pencil, but you have to be the
hardest working pencil.

to mentoring employees. In addition to explaining the ins
and outs of payments to mentees, he strives to understand
their unique desires and challenges. "It's not just how we
put deals together; that is important, but life experiences
are equally as important."

Also essential to Fundora are a solid value proposition
and a strong work ethic. "If we go out there leading with
rates, that is a sure way to not make a lot of money and
probably lose the client right away," Fundora said. "It's
important to do your job well, with finesse and fire every
day ‒ having the passion to do it right, as well as bigger
and better than the guy next door. …

"You don't have to be the sharpest pencil, but you have to
be the hardest working pencil." In addition, he believes
hen Noel Fundora heard about the passive, a focus on specific verticals, along with excellent service
residual income the payments industry can and true caring for employees and partners, distinguish
provide, he was immediately impressed. "In his company from the competition.
W my old equipment business, Miami Office
Systems, we sold equipment, but then, at the beginning of Fundora has observed that paradigm shifts in payments
every month, we started again at zero," he recalled. "We have accelerated from six- to seven-year intervals to
had to go sell again to make money." 18-month intervals. "We are seeing a lot of people coming
into our space with fintech and so forth, with a different
Fundora started his career in payments as an agent for model, so we have to adapt and change," he said, adding
Cardservice International and grew his business to that if transaction processing is all you bring to the
become a top-20 producer for the ISO. When First Data game, "you are not a survivor." That said, he believes
Corp. purchased CSI in 2002, the acquirer asked Fundora opportunities in this space will continue. "For payments
to become its Southeast Regional Manager. "I had a tough to go away, society, products and services would have to
time with that because I was always an entrepreneur go away," he said.
and had never worked corporate," Fundora said. He
added, however, that after months of negotiating, he sold Fundora's family immigrated to South Florida from Cuba
his portfolio to First Data and accepted the company's when he was eight years old, and he is grateful for the life
employment offer. he has built here. "I came to America with nothing and
have realized the American dream," he said. "What I'm
After more than a dozen years at First Data, Fundora most proud of is the amount of people that I have been
thought he was ready to retire and spend long, sunny able to touch throughout my career. Providing for them
days cruising the Caribbean on his boat with family and an opportunity where they can take care of their family. A
friends, but his days of leisure didn't last; he couldn't leave lot of them have become extremely wealthy. But at the end
the business behind. "I have processing in my veins," he of the day, it is not what is in the bank account; it's what
said. "So I opened up my own ISO in partnership with my on my conscience."
daughter."
Fundora puts the most value on time spent with his
The three-year-old venture, Volt Merchant Solutions Inc., family. "The older you get, you start realizing that you
is a First Data ISO. Fundora said it was a "no-brainer" to are running out of time," he said. "Whatever I did in the
continue that relationship because he understands the industry is great, but that's going to go away. The impact
inner workings and structure of the company, and he has I leave with my family and my kids, who I have touched
friends there. As President of Volt, Fundora devotes time with my life, that is going to be meaningful."

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