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Trade Association News

and uplifting story about overcoming adversity while
It became a kind of home base performing the same amazing card trick that garnered
him a second-place prize on America's Got Talent.
where payments professionals
could meet, learn from each other For many of us, the puppies, parties and happy hours
were the best part of SEAA 2026. After a top-drawer
and create lasting memories. closing reception, festivities continued far into the night
at the LIV Night Club, where Audrey Blackmon, retired-
but-still-on-fire Judy Foster and outgoing SEAA president
The Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA), a North John McCormick danced the night away with hundreds of
American community of VARs, software developers, their closest friends.
vendors, and distributors, covered AI's expanding role in
payments. The Board of the SEAA and the meeting planners did an
amazing job for the 25th anniversary, and I got a T-shirt
Visa presented real-time money, agentic commerce and for being at every SEAA since 2001.
value-added solutions. The session might have been even
more informative if audience members had been given Allen Kopelman, a serial entrepreneur, is co-founder and CEO of
the opportunity to ask questions alongside the prepared Nationwide Payment Systems Inc. and host of B2B Vault: The Biz
questions and discussion. to Biz podcast. Email him at allen@npsbank.com and connect on
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allenkopelman/ and Twitter @
In addition to the educational presentations and exhibits, AllenKopelman.
keynote speaker Jon Dorenbos shared his entertaining

Celebrating John McCormick's

25 years of service to SEAA

board member, reflects warmly on McCormick's contributions, character
and enduring impact on the organization and the people around him.
Dee's tribute, given during the conference and later shared on social
media, is published here with permission.
A tribute from Dee Karawadra

ast night, we had the opportunity to celebrate
John McCormick's retirement from the SEAA
Board after an incredible 25 years of service.
L As everyone was sharing their favorite "Johnny
stories," the famous nap-under-the-table story came up
again. More than 20 years later, it still gets a laugh.

But as I thought about it, it seemed more symbolic than
funny. The countless hours, late nights and tireless effort
By Dee Karawadra required to help lead an organization like SEAA for a
quarter century would wear anyone out. (Although, to be
Editor's note: Few industry organizations inspire the kind of loyalty and fair, some of those late nights may have been self-inflicted.)
friendship found within the Southeast Acquirers Association, which
celebrated its 25th anniversary this month during its annual conference What I've always appreciated most about John is his ability
in Miami. One person who has been part of that journey from the very to find a way to get things done.
beginning is John McCormick, director/vice president at General Credit
Forms, who recently retired from the SEAA board after 25 years of service. From climbing Kilimanjaro together to helping me
navigate my early years as a new SEAA Board member,
Over the years, McCormick earned a reputation not only as a dedi- John was always the guy who could figure things out
cated industry leader, but also as a trusted mentor, problem solver and when others couldn't.
friend to many in the payments community. In the following note, Dee
Karawadra, CEO of ImpactPays and a longtime friend and fellow SEAA
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