The Green Sheet Online Edition
February 23, 2026 • 26:02:02
The very point of sale
Encore, encore, NEAA!
The Northeast Acquirers Association held its 41st annual conference Feb. 4 to 5, 2026, at the Encore Boston Harbor. For once, I didn't have to write a recap or ask event organizers for a summarizing quote or final number of attendees. I didn't have to conduct back-to-back interviews or meet a story deadline. I was free to roam, learn and network at NEAA 2026, ensconced in the venue's understated elegance and majestic harbor setting.
Each year brings welcome reunions and lore from previous winter shows, like the story about the abandoned girl at Mount Snow. Yes, I remember that girl. There weren't enough snowmobiles to go around that year; I was paired with someone who stopped to admire a mountaintop view and rode off without me. After a seemingly endless hike through falling snow, I heard the sweet sounds of roaring engines and our cursing sherpa who, to his everlasting credit, had thought to do a headcount.
Showcase showdown
This year I had the honor of judging the Showcase Showdown technology competition with Lane Gordon, CEO and managing director of 733 Park; Bruce Urbanek, managing director at Piper Sandler Companies; and Kevin Woodward, senior editor at Digital Transactions.
In addition to our judging panel, an AI and audience members voted for best in show, giving 18 contestants, listed in order of appearance, three ways to win: Bead, Bodega AI, Chargeback Help, Datacap, Dejavoo, Feitian Technologies, Fiserv, GETTRX, Global Payments, OMNIA Payments Technology Inc., Payments NGnair, Payroc, Pinnacle Enterprise Solutions Inc., Premier Payroll Solutions, Security Metrics, The Side Hustle, Tuzo Rewards Inc. and Verifone Victa.
Choosing a winner from these standout innovators was no easy task. Top honors were awarded as follows:
- Judge's choice: Tuzo Rewards enables merchants to redeem travel, experiences, electronics, luxury goods, gift cards and more through an extensive rewards platform.
- AI's choice: OMNIA Payments Technology Inc., an online marketplace, offers merchants a chance to review, compare and select payment processing options exclusively tailored to their needs.
- Audience's choice: Bead, a payments platform, securely integrates crypto, digital wallets and BNPL into a single network, expanding merchant acceptance and customer choice.
PayTech Women
PayTech Women's breakout session on Day One, "Advancing Women in Payments: Leadership, Access and Industry Impact," hosted by PTW CEO Dr. Gail Burgos, featured a distinguished lineup of industry leaders.
Dawn Delaney, PTW board president and vice president of corporate development and partnerships at JPMorgan Chase, and Lorraine Leduc, PTW Toronto Chapter co-lead and co-chair, and head of partnerships at Jaris, explored career advancement in a fireside chat.
Leduc told audience members that her sponsors, mentors and professional network had helped her get ahead. "When these three things were present, I had the opportunity to rise to the next level," she said, adding that hard work alone does not always advance a career.
Delaney agreed, urging the audience to take chances and ask for feedback. "Lean into positions you think you may not be ready for; growth is more about being willing than being ready," she said. "And always ask for and give feedback." Giving and receiving feedback is an art. When offering criticism, tell people you care and want to help them.
When soliciting feedback, ask for their thoughts on how you can get better, she advised.
Our Olympian era
The themes of facing challenges before you're ready and asking for feedback from people who are not your biggest fans resurfaced in my fireside chat with Abby Gustaitis, an Olympian rugby champion who had countless post-competition paths open to her and chose a career in payments.
She joined Visa as part of the Visa Champions Program in 2022 and now serves as an account executive focused on consumer credit and small business.
Reflecting on times when she was more willing than ready to take on a new challenge, Gustaitis emphasized the importance of communication in sports and business. She encouraged the audience to "find your X-factor, focus on your strengths and continue to level those up." Her candid stories and commanding stage presence embodied the spirit and drive that continue to attract competitors, innovators and believers to this fast-moving industry.
Dale S. Laszig, content strategy director at The Green Sheet and founder and CEO at DSL Direct, is a payments industry journalist, creator and consultant. Connect via email at dale@dsldirectllc.com and LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/dalelaszig.
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