EPI puts its name on Supercross Cup 2013

This article originally appeared in The Green Sheet Issue 13:11:02

Calverton, N.Y.-based ISO Electronic Payments Inc. became the title sponsor for the Supercross Cup 2013, a two-day cyclocross race and the oldest professionally sanctioned event of its kind in New York State. The competition, which attracts nearly 400 national and international athletes annually, is now officially titled the Electronic Payments Supercross Cup 2013.

EPI said its sponsorship of the event – which occurred the weekend of Nov. 24, 2013, in Stony Point, N.Y. – gives the ISO an opportunity to promote the multidiscipline sport and raise money for local charities.

Cyclocross, which originated in European countries where cycling represents a national pastime, is gaining popularity in the United States. It combines traditional cycling with running and steeplechase performed on various terrains. Cyclocross athletes are often pictured carrying their bicycles up steep, muddy hills.

Proceeds from the two-day event fund charities, such as Best Buddies, The Retreat and Tuesday's Children, as well as help offset costs for domestic athletes who compete at the cyclocross world championships, to be held next year in Gossau, Switzerland. The local competition is presented by the Hampton Velo and Kissena Cycling Clubs.

Michael Nardy, founder and Chief Executive Officer of EPI, is a recreational cyclist. He has competed in an Olympic-distance triathlon and hopes to participate in future events to raise funds for charities. "The Supercross Cup embodies everything the cycling scene values and represents – integrity, discipline, commitment and dedication," he said. "This sponsorship enables us to elevate the sport and raise awareness about health, fitness and environmental sensibility."

Spokes on EPI's wheel

EPI sponsors numerous charitable events annually. It most recently sponsored The Retreat's Juried Art Show, Southampton Fresh Air Home's Decorators-Designers-Dealers Sale and Auction Benefit Gala, and the Water Mill Windmill Classic Car Show. Via the Electronic Payments Scholarship, the ISO has also provided more than $25,000 to local, college-bound students in the last three years. In addition, EPI instituted a corporate giving initiative called Charity POS, which employs the tagline "Charity Begins at the Point of Sale."

The cyclocross race is the first premium athletic event EPI has sponsored, and the ISO expects this will be a long-term commitment. EPI recognizes that sponsoring such an event represents a marketing opportunity to businesses in the cycling industry. The ISO noted that it has integrated its processing platform with several bike shop-specific POS systems, including Trek Retail Corp.'s Ascend RMS POS system.