The regional acquirers shows have grown dramatically in the past couple of years. The 2014 Western States Acquirers show in San Diego was no exception. Over 800 industry professionals attended to educate themselves and network with 130 exhibitors.
The venue in sunny San Diego, Calif., provided an inspirational backdrop for the educational sessions and networking opportunities. For those who were able to arrive early there was a golf tournament at the La Costa Resort and Spa. The WSAA registration fee also included the Field Guide for ISOs seminar on Wednesday. Put together by industry expert and consultant Mark Dunn, this educational seminar is offered at many of the regional shows and updated constantly. If you have attended one in the past, be sure to return to gain insight into changes occurring in payments.
This year WSAA launched its branded prepaid card and provided attendees various opportunities to win $5, $100, $200 and $1,000 in prepaid cards. WSAA also launched its iOS and Android mobile app for attendees to receive real-time push notifications and view the conference agenda. Subjects as varied as big data and crypto-currency were discussed in the many breakout sessions available to attendees.
The inspirational opening remarks were given by retired Navy Lieutenant Kevin Shaeffer speaking on behalf of the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). Shaeffer is a survivor of the terrorist attack at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. WSAA chose to support this worthy project with a donation of $10,000.
Xavier Ayala, President of WSAA stated, "We selected the WWP because of its dedication toward fostering the most successful and well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation's history. Providing special programs and financial assistance to meet the needs of injured service members – it's a meaningful cause that is near and dear to many of us who know someone or have a loved one that served our country. It is a true honor to be able to give back to such a worthy and caring cause." Richard Aston, Administrative/Circulation Assistant at The Green Sheet, stated, "WSAA was an amazing introduction to this industry for me. I learned more in two days at this show than I could have learned anywhere else. The opportunity to meet so many industry contacts in one place is priceless."
The next WSAA conference will be held Oct. 28 through 29, 2015, at the M Resort Spa Casino in Las Vegas.
The RDC Summit 2014 drew a record crowd to Las Vegas in October 2014. More than 320 executives from financial institutions, corporations, solutions providers, industry associations and government met to learn about the latest advances in and issues raised by remote capture technologies, like remote deposit capture (RDC).
"We are at the tip of the iceberg," said Jim DeBello, Chief Executive Officer at Mitek Systems Inc., a San Diego firm that specializes in mobile remote capture apps. Mitek's technology supports remote deposit and bill-payment apps used by many of the largest banks and solutions providers. DeBello said, based on Mitek's data, at least 33 million U.S. consumers use their mobile devices to deposit checks to bank and prepaid card accounts. Meanwhile, several bankers presenting at the conference reported RDC adoption rates that would be the envy of any product manager.
Michael Pratt, CEO at device manufacturer Panini, noted that interest in remote capture technologies extends well beyond the borders of the United States. "We see this as a global phenomenon," he told the gathering.
John Leekley, founder and CEO of RemoteDepositCapture.com, which presents the summit each year, said the trend is toward greater use of remote capture solutions (such as mobile deposit), and he expects the trend to continue. "The payments industry is going through a major transformation. RDC plays a critical role in that transformation. It provides for smarter, more effective risk management as well as stickier customer relationships."
This year marked the sixth annual RDC Summit. The seventh will take place in Florida next fall, Leekley said. 
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