nd we're off! It's not a race, although a year in the payment processing industry seems to move at a similar pace, so why not take some time out of your busy schedule and join an industry trade association and/or attend one of its meetings?

You have many upcoming events to choose from on the calendar, and some might even take place in your neck of the woods. All of the conferences offer excellent educational and networking opportunities to learn about the latest trends in the industry while putting names with faces and building relationships with your peers. Keep reading for the latest news from each organization.

You can find more information on the conferences, such as agendas and direct links for registration and hotels on each association's Web site.

NATIONAL AND MULTI-NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

ATM Industry Association (ATMIA)

www.atmia.com

Miami Beach offered sunshine, aquamarine water, the world's best people watching, the fabled art deco elegance of the Fontainebleau Hilton Resort and more attendees and exhibiting vendors than ever before at ATMIA's Annual Conference East, "Next Generation ATMs in the USA," held Feb. 14 - 16.

More than 540 people and 60 vendor booths added up to the association's biggest conference to date. It included a day and a half jam-packed with sessions in two tracks for ISOs and financial institutions, presenting information about the maturing ATM market.

ATM placement saturation, security upgrade issues and competition from increasing consumer preference for debit and credit card products affect everyone in the business, but many expect new technologies and market opportunities to change all that.

The next generation of ATMs will not only dispense cash, but will also provide ISOs with new market opportunities, as long as they think creatively.

Windows-based ATMs provide higher functionality for integrating such programs as graphics for branding and advertising or for depositing checks. Incorporating revenue-boosting products into ATM programs, including stored value and prepaid cards, is another approach.

However, as some of the presenters pointed out, challenges remain to making these solutions and technologies widely adopted realities.

Many attendees commented on the high quality of the information presented, and they were especially pleased with the networking opportunities offered.

Three presentations in particular stood out for many attendees. Sgt. Keni Thomas, who served in Somalia during the battle on which the movie "Black Hawk Down" is based, gave a riveting opening address about his experiences there and finding one's ability to lead.

The final session of the conference focused on ways the ATM industry can incorporate solutions available through self-service kiosks including destination tickets, gift certificates, prepaid phone time and food ordering.

The session that elicited the most response from attentive audience members by far, though, was Visa's presentation on its new interchange differential program for the Plus ATM network. The main ballroom was filled to capacity; there were so many questions and comments that the session continued in the lobby afterward.

ATMIA, the only international independent forum for the ATM industry, is a six-year-old nonprofit trade association with more than 550 members that make up six chapters spanning 28 countries. ATMIA encompasses terminal deployers, ISOs, private owners, financial institutions, manufacturers, network processors and technology providers.

As the crossover between the ATM and payment processing industries increases, events like ATMIA's Conference East will continue to bring perspective and awareness of the other to people involved in the different industries. That can only result in new alliances and success for all.

Electronic Transactions Association (ETA)

www.electran.org

ETA began the payment processing industry's 2005 trade association season with its ETA Expo Network, held Jan. 28 at the tropical Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, Fla. Merchant level salespeople (MLSs) from all over the Southeast and across the country attended this all-day conference, which consisted of a new one-day format offering six presentations, a networking lunch and a vendor fair and reception at the end.

Donna Embry of TenderCorp LLC and former Education Director of ETA, opened with the presentation, "Habits of Highly Effective ISOs and Sales Agents"; as Embry spoke, the audience feverishly took notes. Sean Riley of Sterling Payment Technologies provided an overview on interchange, and Laurie LeBoeuf of Delta Card Systems gave a thorough presentation on chargebacks.

Following a networking lunch, Christopher Russell of Global Payments, spoke on how to build a business through referrals, and John J. Rice of NPC offered his insight on recruiting a sales force.

Bob Ficarra of CrossCheck Inc. appropriately closed the presentation track with a talk on "closing" techniques, describing (and in some cases acting out) several different methods to use to get the sale. "We make money by keeping our mouths shut," Ficarra joked.

Strategic Planning Under the Palms

ETA held its annual strategic planning retreat, also in Orlando, the day before the ETA Expo Network. The focus was building alliances. Ed Freedman of Total Merchant Services has joined ETA's Board of Directors.

The Biggest Event of the Year

As the date draws closer, excitement builds for the biggest event in the payment processing industry, ETA's Annual Meeting and Expo, to be held March 15 - 17 at the Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

ETA's Director of Communications Kevin Brosnahan said ETA expects to set new attendance records this year as thousands of payment professionals, not only in the United States, but from around the world, come together for education, networking and fun (see "Datebook" in this issue).

"Everything is trending toward growth," he said. ETA has already signed 167 exhibitors this year (last year they had 146), and had to increase its hotel block of rooms twice. The rooms are now sold out, so contact ETA to get information on other places to stay nearby.

ETA also announced that it has gone into a second printing of "Encyclopedia of Terminology for the Acquiring Industry." Leave a little extra room in your suitcase before you pack for the Annual Meeting and Expo. The book will be available there for purchase ($50 for ETA members and $75 for non-members).

Some other upcoming ETA events include:

• ETA Expo Network, April 7 - 8 in Chicago
• ETA Expo Network, June 23 - 24 in Los Angeles

ETA is the international trade association serving the needs of organizations offering transaction processing products and services. For more information on ETA and upcoming events, visit www.electran.org.

National Association of Payment Professionals (NAOPP)

www.naopp.com

The NAOPP announced that its first-ever elections for seats on its Board of Directors will take place Feb. 28 - March 10 via a paper ballot.

Members will receive an envelope in the mail from NAOPP Management Services that includes a ballot, candidate biographies and a return envelope.

The NAOPP Nomination Committee approved the following candidates to run in the elections for theNAOPP Board of Directors:

• President (one-year term): Matthew Swinnerton
• President-elect (one-year term): Ken Hancock
• Vice President (two-year term): Kathy Harper
• Secretary (one-year term): Amy Garvey
• Treasurer (two-year term): Steve Schwimmer
• Director MLS (two-year term): Todd Sumrall
• Director MLSO (one-year term): Ed Freedman
• Director Vendor (two-year term): Corey Saftler

On Feb. 1, NAOPP held a meeting preceding the Northeast Acquirers' Association (NEAA) conference in Mt. Snow, Vt. The meeting, open to all MLSs, followed with a lunch. Corey Saftler of Integrated Leasing Corp. moderated a discussion about how members can better support NAOPP and how to better peak the interests of MLSs so they will join the organization.

MLSs created NAOPP for MLSs. In less than two years as an association, NAOPP has made significant accomplishments for its members. NAOPP now offers access to low cost legal consultation and representation, a 401(k) plan for all 1099 MLSs, and a health insurance plan available for one person or up to 100 people. For more information on NAOPP, visit www.naopp.com .

REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Midwest Acquirers' Association (MWAA)

www.midwestacquirers.com

What are you doing around 'mid year this year? Why not take a trip to the Midwest for MWAA's 2005 conference? The event returns to Chicago for the third straight year and will take place July 27 - 29 at The Renaissance Chicago hotel.

Mark Dunn's "Field Guide for the ISO" seminar precedes the conference on July 27. The seminar, which is independent of MWAA, "brings together the greatest collection of merchant level sales talent ever in one room to share tips, techniques and training for selling merchant accounts," Dunn said. Later that day, MWAA will kickoff its conference with an opening reception in the vendor expo hall, and then in the evening attendees can take a walk down the "The Magnificent Mile" to eat at a five-star restaurant or simply to enjoy the warm Chicago night air.

The event has something for everyone in the acquiring industry. It offers presentations, important industry updates, an outstanding keynote speaker and time with more than 80 vendors.

This year, MWAA will present its third annual Lifetime Achievement Award. Paul Green, Publisher of The Green Sheet, won the award in 2004, and Bob Carr, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Heartland Payment Systems Inc. won it in 2003. The deadline for submitting nominations for the 2005 award is June 18. MWAA will only accept nominations through its Web site. Stay tuned for more information about MWAA's upcoming meeting or contact Jim McCormick at jimmccormick@gcfinc.com .

Northeast Acquirers' Association (NEAA)

www.northeastacquirers.com

The NEAA convened another of its annual Winter Seminar and Outings, held Feb. 1 - 3 at the Grand Summit Hotel in Mt. Snow, Vt. Nearly 340 payment processing professionals attended this year's event.

After an NAOPP meeting in the morning, NEAA held a four-hour educational seminar that included a presentation by Linda Ford of CardSystems titled, "Basics of Risk Analysis and Merchant Fraud." A tubing party and then a cocktail reception followed the seminar.

Beginning at 10:30 p.m. that night, more than 100 night owls gathered and remained perched at their posts until 2:00 a.m. for a Texas Hold'em tournament in which all of the proceeds (more than $2,300) were donated to the Goodwill Rescue Mission for the homeless.

United Bank Card Inc. (UBC) co-sponsored the tournament with NEAA, and said it plans to host other Texas Hold'em charity tournaments at all of the upcoming regional acquirers' meetings.

Rick Rothenberg from Integrated Leasing came in first place and won a $750 American Express gift card. Second- and third-place winners won $500 and $250 gift cards, respectively.

Day two of the meeting included some time with vendors in the morning and evening and an afternoon of back-to-back presentations continuing with the theme of fraud, risk management and security.

After breakfast on the final day of the meeting, attendees who chose to stick around could either ski or go snow mobiling.

This summer, NEAA will celebrate 20 years as a regional acquirers' association at its upcoming Summer Event to be held June 7 - 9 in Wilmington, Del. Visit NEAA's Web site for more details, or e-mail Jared Isaacman at jared@unitedbankcard.com or call him at 800-201-0461.

Southeast Acquirers' Association (SEAA)

www.southeastacquirers.com

SEAA board members are busy planning the Fifth Annual Information and Educational Conference, to be held in New Orleans in mid-October 2005.

If you plan to attend, you can look forward to some of the attractions of this popular destination: an evening or two spent walking around the French Quarter, dining on some of the best food in the country, or taking in a river boat cruise if your schedule allows.

Audrey Blackmon, SEAA's Vice President, said to look for more information about the meeting on SEAA's Web site in the coming months. For more information about SEAA, e-mail her at ablackmon@posportal.com .

Western States Acquirers' Association (WSAA)

www.westernstatesacquirers.com

Last November marked WSAA's inaugural meeting, held in San Francisco. The event brought together about 350 attendees, including 159 ISOs and MLSs to further their education in the payment processing industry as well as network and have some fun. Even though it seems like a long time away, WSAA is already working on plans for its 2005 event.

"We want to emulate the success of last year's conference and also make it a fun event," said Steve Eazell, a WSAA Director. "We are confident that we'll be able to do this, but we'd like some input. Our Board is mulling over two West Coast cities, San Francisco and San Diego, to host our next event. We feel that both have a great attraction as well as a lot to offer, so we'd love any potential participants to e-mail the Board with their preference."

If you have a suggestion for where WSAA should hold its conference, or for more information about the organization, contact Steve Eazell at 866-300-3376 or e-mail him at stevee@westernstatesacquirers.com .