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CompanyProfile

MLS/ISO contact:
Brian Goudie and growing a shared topline, with Chosen
Chief Executive Officer focused predominantly on independent software
bgoudie@risewithaurora.com vendors and BlueSquare dedicated to financial
transactions.
704-906-8011
Rising with Aurora
With respect to the overall package, Goudie stated,
Strength in numbers our own settlement funding and own all of our merchant
"We operate as a full-service provider, do all of
relationships." He cited the company's relationships
with First Data and TSYS, indicating these partnerships
ccording to Brian Goudie, CEO at Aurora afford Aurora with open access to multiple platforms and
Solutions, the company's present-day business sponsor banks, providing them a wide net to offer selling
structure was designed to, "bring the band partners and merchants. "We are agnostic to the platform,
A together and grow together." A long-time will work with any distribution company, and can offer
First Data Corp. executive, Goudie assumed the helm at a single Schedule A with enterprise-level pricing and no
Applied Merchant Systems in 2017, months before the minimums, regardless of where the business goes," he
company rebranded as Aurora Solutions. noted.

"We decided to leverage what everybody does well, then In addition to in-house underwriting, boarding and
add value and resources through a management-parent support, Aurora has close-knit relationships with several
company that stays focused on running the business POS providers, including Clover and Bluume, the engine
while the subsidiaries continue doing what works for that powers Aurora's social reputation product, Brand
them," he said. IQ. This platform monitors, measures and manages a
merchant's social standing, enabling the merchant's
Strategic composition business to grow. According to Goudie, a merchant's
social reputation and presence can make or break a
The idea gelled in 2015, when AMS took over a majority of company within certain vertical industries. "We're big in
the BlueSquare portfolio. Within the next two years, AMS petroleum and salons, and customers of these retailers
raised capital from Prudential and Goldman Sacs, bought are always looking for the company that has five stars in
out key stakeholders, and actively scouted for acquisition social," he said.
prospects.
Focus on key verticals
In 2018, AMS assumed control of all remaining BlueSquare
assets and signed an agreement to bring Chosen Payments Indeed, serving vertical markets with the right tools and
into its fold. In April 2018, the firm unveiled the new expertise is one of Aurora's primary ambitions. Goudie
Aurora Solutions identity and operating structure, which sees the company growing vertical by vertical, focusing
placed AMS, BlueSquare and Chosen Payments under the on five to seven key vertical markets with companies
new parent organization as subsidiary brands. that offer best-in-class technologies. "People like First
Data have to create generic solutions to cover the broader
Aurora Solutions is based in Tempe, Ariz. and its senior markets, but we can isolate five to seven specific vertical
executives include Goudie, Chief Operating Officer markets and the companies within them that have a
Adam Spencer and Chief Financial Officer Clay Hunt. sustainable brand," he said.
Goudie oversees the AMS book and Aurora's organic
portfolio. Jeff Brodsley from Chosen Payments and Sabin As far as developing a bigger presence within those
Burrell from BlueSquare respectively manage the other industries, Goudie confirmed Aurora will continue
two subsidiaries. growing organically, but will also work with its
investment partners to find portfolios that have a certain
"The Aurora payments architecture supports everybody acumen in the firm's targeted areas.
under the umbrella," Goudie said. "We run each property
independently with guidelines and rules, and the And acquisitions outside these core markets are not off
parent entity checks the pulse, handles the finances and limits either. "There are other people that will come to us
runs the platform." He believes the holding company and won't have an area of specialty or a strategic vertical
keeps the brands strong by building the collective market," Goudie said. "We may purchase them, but they
will be rolled up under the Aurora Solutions brand."

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