I recently had the incredible opportunity to sit down with Diane Faro, a true trailblazer in the payments and Fintech world and the CEO of Savify. Diane’s journey through the financial services industry spans an awe-inspiring five decades, showcasing her exceptional leadership and visionary strategies.

In this episode, Diane opens up about her extensive corporate leadership roles, including her time as CEO of Chase Merchant Services and President of Global Merchant Services at First Data. She shares candid insights from her tenure as CEO of JetPay Corporation, where her strategic guidance along with her colleagues led to the landmark acquisition by NCR Corp in 2018. This pivotal move solidified NCR’s standing as a global leader in Point of Sale software for the retail and hospitality sectors.

We dive deep into the strategies Diane employed to position JetPay for its successful sale. We also explore her significant contributions to key industry associations. As the past president of the Electronic Transaction Association (ETA) and co-founder of Women Networking in Electronic Transactions (now PayTech Women), Diane has been a driving force in shaping the industry.

Diane’s numerous awards and accolades, including her induction into the inaugural 2018 Electronic Transactions Association Hall of Fame and the Women in Payments Distinguished Professional Award, underscore her profound impact on the financial services landscape.

Join us for this inspiring conversation as we uncover Diane’s extraordinary journey and share actionable takeaways that can propel your career in payments & Fintech.

Cheers!

Company: https://Savify.co

Phone: 877-712-7229

You're listening to Bridges to Excellence.

2

Inspired leadership in

payments and FinTech.

3

Speaker: So we know in today's

market, it's no longer acceptable

4

to just provide payment services.

5

We have to do more to bring in loyalty

and retention to these businesses.

6

We have to look at

inventory opportunities.

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We have to look at cost savings,

possibly marketing services.

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A lot goes into operating a business.

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to opening a business,

to owning a business.

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And the FinTech space

needs to be part of that.

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That's where Savify comes in.

12

Welcome to Bridges to Excellence podcast,

inspired leadership in payments and

13

fintech, bringing you conversations

with payments, most fascinating

14

people on top of their game, leaders,

influencers, experts, and innovators.

15

Each weekly episode turns our

guests wisdom into practical advice.

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Their personal journey starts now.

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are meant to inspire and challenge

you to explore your possibilities.

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Here is your host, Desmond Nicholson.

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Desmond Nicholson: Our special guests

on this week's episode, I'm talking

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to payments, fintech, trailblazer, and

industry icon, Diane Faro, the CEO of

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Savify Diane Faro's illustrious journey

in the financial services industry

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spans over five transformative decades

marked by her exceptional leadership.

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and strategic vision.

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Her story is one of perseverance,

innovation, and unyielding

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commitment to excellence.

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As the former CEO of JetPay Corporation,

a leading payment processing and payroll

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company, Diane played a pivotal role

in the company's growth over the years.

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Her strategic guidance expanded JetPay's

footprint to 5 key locations in the

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United States, culminating in the landmark

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which solidified NCR's position as a

global leader in Point of Sale software

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for retail and hospitality sectors.

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Diane's career prior to JetPay was unique.

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Equally distinguished, she served

as president and partner of

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National Benefit Programs, fostering

brand loyalty for businesses.

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From 2005 to 2009, as president of

global merchant services at First

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Data, she oversaw an impressive

$1 billion in annual revenues.

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Her leadership roles also included

Alliance Group President for First

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Data Merchant Services and CEO of

Chase Merchant Services, where she

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achieved significant milestones Beyond

her corporate achievements Diane's

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influence extends through her involvement

with major industry institutions.

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She has held advisory roles with Visa and

MasterCard and served as past president

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of the Electronic Transactions Association

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Diane is also dedicated to nurturing

leadership talent, especially among women.

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As co-founder of Women Networking in

Electronic Transactions, now PayTech

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Women, she has championed networking and

growth opportunities for women in the

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payments industry, her numerous awards,

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Transactions Association Hall of Fame,

and the Women in Payments Distinguished

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Professional Award, highlight her

profound impact on the industry.

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Diane's legacy is one of strategic

brilliance, revenue growth, and

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inspirational leadership, a beacon

of success and empowerment for

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all who follow in her footsteps.

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However, having said that,

who is Dianne Faro really?

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to find out, join us on the inside.

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Enjoy the episode.

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Diane, thanks for us and welcome

to the Bridges to Excellence.

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Diane Faro: Desmond, for having me.

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I enjoy this.

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Desmond Nicholson: First for our

listeners, we're going to get much deeper

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into Savify and Diane's professional

journey, for now, from a 30,000 foot

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level, Diane, what is Savify and

what is your functional role there?

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Diane Faro: I'm CEO of Savify.

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we provide to small to mid sized

businesses the opportunity to purchase

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goods or services at a discounted price.

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As I always like to look at it, being the

small business, it's sometimes difficult.

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To get reduced pricing when you need goods

or services for running your business.

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So we're a one stop shop where they

have the ability to purchase the

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goods various goods and services

with 75 leading retailers and service

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providers across the United States,

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Desmond Nicholson: Good.

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let's dive in and start by sharing

your backstory, your early life, where

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you grew up what your life was like.

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Growing up.

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Diane Faro: I grew up

in Chicago, Illinois.

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I grew up with, my parents being

born, raised in Italy, coming to

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this country when they were teenagers

and starting the life in Chicago.

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I had a fascinating childhood.

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very family focused, and, just a great

opportunity for a child growing up with

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immigrant parents and learning a lot

of the different cultures, that are

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different than we have in America today.

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So very interesting.

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Desmond Nicholson: Now, how and

when did you get into payments?

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us through the highlights of

your career progression and the

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respective functional roles.

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Diane Faro: it's interesting, starting

my career, I was still in high

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school, and at that time, they had

a work and, school program where you

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went to school in your senior year,

part time, and worked part time.

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I went to work at First Chicago.

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And It was interesting, because I, again,

picturing someone at 17, 18 years old,

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really knowing what they're going to do.

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They put me in this

division called payments.

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And I started my career at a very young

age, being a key punch operator for the,

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imprint slips and a lot of people aren't

going to remember this, cause going back

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long, long time ago, but we would sit

in front of a computer and key punch, at

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the time, I can't have to remember now,

it was like 51 column inch papers for

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the oil companies and I think 80 inch

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for the retail community and literally

you would have to key the card number, the

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merchant, number and the dollar amount.

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And that's how by keying that

amount that was then transferred

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to the billing of the consumer.

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Desmond Nicholson: Wow.

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Diane Faro: So talk about errors.

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So that's how I started my

career with First Chicago, who

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is now really JPMorgan Chase.

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First Chicago no longer exists.

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I left First Chicago, I decided I

really liked the payments industry,

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but I, wanted to leave Chicago.

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I was, tired of the cold weather.

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and I decided I was

going to move to Florida.

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And at the time, spending many

years in Chicago, I then had a very

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young family and decided, Florida

would be best, nice and warm.

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And I moved to Fort Lauderdale.

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I took a job with a company called

Nabanco, stayed with Nabanco.

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They were acquired by First

Financial Management Corporation,

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continued working, and then they were

acquired by First Data Corporation.

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I was there for a long period

of time, many different roles.

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but I, then left First

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I It's been so long ago.

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I forget what time period,

but had many different roles.

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I had, as you can imagine, through out my

career in all those different companies

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being really two companies for Chicago

and NaBanco, just through acquisitions,

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Desmond Nicholson: Now, NaBanco,

what division were you working in?

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Diane Faro: So, NaBanco was

strictly the merchant business.

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that's all we did was merchant processing.

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we are really in the top, five largest,

processors in the United States, if

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you remember, and Desmond back then it

was CES, it was Nabanco, NPC, all those

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names that were the big top, big names.

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merchant providers all

competing for different areas

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within the merchant community.

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So, strictly merchant.

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at that time, I ran, the

customer service division, along

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with relationship management.

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it was a very small company,

when I joined, NaBanco.

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So, we just grew over time.

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and really when we were acquired by First

Financial Management Corporation out of

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Atlanta, Georgia, that was like in 1987

and gave us the funds to do acquisitions.

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After that period of time, myself

and the other executives, we did

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probably, oh, I can't even remember

in the double digit acquisitions

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over a period of time, in growing

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First Data acquirers.

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First Data Corporation then

acquired First Financial Management

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Corporation, the Nabanco Division,

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Desmond Nicholson: which was a 6.

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7 billion dollar acquisition,

which at that time launched First

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Data to be the premier number one

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Diane Faro: or was, well, first,

First Data at the time acquired CES,

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Desmond Nicholson: Right.

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Diane Faro: and then I think it was

a year later, they acquired Nabanco.

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And if you remember, they had

to divest because they owned

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MoneyGram and Western Union.

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because they couldn't own the monopoly.

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Desmond Nicholson: And then interestingly

enough, several years later, First

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Data did acquire Western Union.

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Right.

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Diane Faro: Yes.

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Isn't it?

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Full circle.

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Desmond Nicholson: Full circle Indeed.

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Okay.

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so you did your tenure, with, Chase

Merchant Services as President and

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CEO and also in 2002 to 2005, Alliance

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First Data President

Global Merchant Services

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Diane Faro: So we, had, what I would call

like joint ventures with the financial

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institutions, that during that period of

time, financial institutions really didn't

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want to manage the merchant business.

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Okay.

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they outsourced it.

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And First Data became a partner

in the merchant business.

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So let's say we, did a deal with Chase

Manhattan bank at the time, again,

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because that it was Chase Manhattan bank.

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And we might, do a joint venture being

51, 49, not going along 51 or 49%, but

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we then First Data managed the entire

merchant business on behalf of Chase.

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Manhattan Bank and First Data

Corporation, because there is a

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vested interest in both parties.

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Desmond Nicholson: Right.

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Diane Faro: So back then First Data had an

alliance, Wells Fargo, Wachovia Bank, PNC.

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There were many different, joint

ventures that First Data, started

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with the financial institutions and

managing their portfolio and owning

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a majority share in the portfolios.

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Desmond Nicholson: It's like the

RSAs, Revenue Share Alliances

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Diane Faro: yes, right.

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Desmond Nicholson: Right.

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Diane Faro: A little bit different

with the revenue share alliances.

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This was actually joint ventures.

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And so you would have, First Data had

to manage their controlling interest.

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No different than the financial

institution had to manage

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their controlling interest.

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So as, a group president, on First Data

side, when I left the Chase Merchant

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Services, I then overseeing all the joint

ventures to make sure we were managing.

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First Data's controlling interest.

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Desmond Nicholson: Now, fast forward 2016,

you're now the CEO of JetPay Corporation.

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How did that appointment come about?

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Diane Faro: But I was on the board

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So I had joined as a board of director.

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and at the time there changes

going on within the executive

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management of JetPay Corporation.

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And the board had asked

me to step in as CEO.

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which I did in May of 2016, I took

over as CEO of JetPay Corporation,

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Desmond Nicholson: Now it's 2018

and JetPay is looking for a buyer.

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What was your role and what did you

do to position the company for sale,

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which was subsequently acquired

by NCR somewhere about December of

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Diane Faro: 18.

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Desmond Nicholson: when the

deal was finally closed.

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Take us through that period.

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What was it like?

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Diane Faro: Interesting.

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so in January of 17, the board

and I both agreed that was in

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the best interest to sell JetPay.

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the board of directors had, vested

of control within JetPay corporation.

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and there were an opportunity.

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so let me go back a little bit.

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JetPay was a unique organization.

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JetPay had its own front end.

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front ends into all the card

association, which is very unusual.

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And I think at the time in 2016, and

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or 13 companies in the United States had

direct connects to Visa, MasterCard, AmEx,

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Discover, and JetPay was one of them.

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So in presenting to the board is

that this would be an opportune time.

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Because we are not a processor, we're

not an ISO, we are really an acquirer

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directly connected to the association.

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Now we have, of course, we're not

the acquirer, we have financial

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institution being our sponsor, but we

have the direct connects and we have

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the platform, which made us unique.

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So in January of 18, We decided we were

going to put the company up for sale

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and start looking, we hired, a private

banker to help us with the, transaction.

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anybody selling a company, if

you've ever been involved, it's not

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something that you do overnight.

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There's a lot of data

that has to be collected.

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There's a lot of, which we call

the, the book that goes out that

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tells you about the company.

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So in the first several months, it

was more building the story and the

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financials, the history, what does

JetPay have, what's the opportunity,

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and then really going out and

meeting with various companies.

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So I'd say we probably met with

around 35 different companies.

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We were on the road a lot.

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Myself, my Chief Financial Officer,

my Chief, Technology Officer and

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my Business Development Officer,

we were on the road really.

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pitching JetPay Corporation with the

opportunities and it was interesting.

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It wasn't just people within payments.

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We were talking with people who provided

the opportunity for consumers to accept

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payments, but they wanted to own their own

back end They didn't want to use another

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middleman to invest in a transaction.

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So it was interesting the various

companies that we talked with, but

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primarily a lot, as you can expect

would be financial institutions,

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acquirers, processors that were

interested in JetPay Corporation.

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So it was a long year.

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It was a long year of trying to keeping

the business running, ensuring that

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the people, the employees of JetPay,

really didn't know what was going on.

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We kept it more silent.

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we didn't want people.

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raising concern because we all know what

happens when we feel the company's being

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sold and what's going to happen to me.

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So it was a lot it was a long year.

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I can say that, it turned out great,

with NCR, we were very fortunate

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and NCR was, A great opportunity

for JetPay and themselves, both.

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for JetPay, I was excited

because the employees all

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stayed within the corporation.

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They're still there today.

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so it wasn't like we were acquiring

somebody that was going to integrate

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into their current, book of business

and people would be laid off.

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So, you couldn't wish for a more

happier marriage than with NCR.

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And for NCR, what a great opportunity,

thinking about they had the

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opportunity now to not only provide

the software and hardware at the

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point of sale, and actually, integrate

payments into that software and

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own it themselves versus delivering

to another processor or acquirer.

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Desmond Nicholson: As the CEO of JetPay

then, during the merger, you want to

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make sure that your employees are okay.

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What did you do to dispel any

anxiety or mitigate their concerns?

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Diane Faro: Well, it's always

difficult to do, You could say a

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lot of different things and people

are always going to feel concerned.

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But as I sat down and we had many

meetings with all the different locations,

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as you sit down and you talk with

people and you explain that we have

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a corporation that wants to acquire

JetPay that is not in the payment space.

273

So we're the educators,

we're the teachers.

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Think about it that way.

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That made people feel really good.

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Because they didn't.

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NCR really didn't know

payments at the time.

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We're talking December of 18.

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so we were new.

280

And we were an opportunity for NCR

to grow in a different direction.

281

An opportunity for the JetPay

employees to teach the employees

282

of NCR what payments is all about.

283

So.

284

I think from that perspective, people

felt very good about themselves.

285

They felt very good and

we didn't lose employees.

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I have to tell you that you

might've lost some salespeople

287

because of course, salespeople

sometimes, travel a little bit.

288

But we really didn't, lose customer

service and relationship management

289

and IT and all the areas that we

had, because people knew they were

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valued and they were needed by the

new company that was acquiring us.

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Desmond Nicholson: Good.

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it's interesting to note that was

during this period that some high

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stakes consolidations were taking place.

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had FISERV, FIS, some others.

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it was quite a turbulent

times, put it that way.

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Diane Faro: It was, it truly was a

lot of, I don't know if you call it

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disruption or, opportunities, but

there's a lot going on in the industry.

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Absolutely.

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Good.

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let's switch gears for a

moment and talk about Savify.

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It's May, 2023, you have now taken

over as CEO of Savify while still

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maintaining a partnership interest.

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Who do you serve as customers

in the payment fintech space?

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Well, it's, it is interesting.

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So my customers are the payment space.

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So my customers are ISOs,

Processors, Acquirers, ISVs.

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I'm still supporting, so if you

think about it this way, Desmond, I'm

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supporting the industry that's supporting

the small to mid sized businesses.

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So I'm a value added

service to those companies.

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I'm able to offer them an opportunity

besides just accepting payments or

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other services that they're offering.

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I offer them the ability to say, Hey, Mr.

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Business, we care about you.

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We want to make sure that not only

by providing you the best services

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within payments I want to provide you

the services to operate your business.

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I want to help you reduce your operating

expenses And that's what we do.

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So when we look at negotiating with

these we have 75 National retailers and

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service providers in our company today

that we've negotiated contractually with

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these companies to provide a discount on

goods or services that these businesses

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cannot get online by themselves.

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and you create a buying power.

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The more you continue to purchase,

the better your negotiation will be.

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when the contract comes up for term

and you're negotiating with xyz

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retailer and why they need to reduce

Their service discount even further.

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Desmond Nicholson: Great.

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with AI, just about everybody

is trying to figure out the

327

user case within their business.

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it appears Savify is already

on the cutting edge with

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its AI assistant technology.

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Embedded within the platform.

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What are some of its features and

functionality that brings value,

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not only to save Savify terms of

data metrics analytics, but most

333

importantly, how does it benefit the

customer user experience and otherwise?

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Diane Faro: So when the

user goes into the platform

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They can look vertically if they're

looking for office supplies or they're

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looking for, travel information or

they need to buy paper goods, or they

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need a computer or they need telephone

services, whatever they're looking

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for, they can vertically go in there.

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They can key in business names

to see if that's an acquired

340

business within the platform.

341

But what's great about their artificial

intelligence, we've referred to as Annie.

342

I love Annie.

343

And they could say to

Annie, I need, a computer.

344

I'm looking for, an HP

computer or Mac computer.

345

And Annie will tell them exactly.

346

Here's computers that you can look for.

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here's the, direct line to click into

where you can get the discount based on

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the services that are provided by Savify.

349

So they can go in there and talk to

Annie and tell Annie What they're

350

interested in purchasing, or if they're

looking for a payroll services, it'll

351

direct them into, and Annie might ask

them how many employees you have within

352

your company and direct them into

what's possibly payroll company might

353

be better for them, but allow them

the opportunity to pick and choose.

354

So we're excited.

355

We just introduced the AI

intelligence referred to as

356

Annie in March of this year.

357

And, it's, like with anything

Desmond, it's new is, it's

358

exciting, but you're right.

359

The opportunity for the data collection

and the analytics and what will continue

360

to happen as they continue to use the

AI just gives us more data and more

361

information about these businesses

and how we can support and help them.

362

Desmond Nicholson: Well,

quite robust, indeed.

363

Beyond your corporate roles, you

also contributed to some key industry

364

institutions like the ETA, co founder of

Women Network in Electronic Transactions,

365

now Paytech Women, served as advisor board

of Visa, MasterCard, and board positions

366

at MerchantLink and Front Stream Payments.

367

That's quite an impressive

roster of industry titans.

368

However, let's focus on these

two associations for a moment.

369

The ETA and Women Networking in

Electronic Transaction Association.

370

The ETA, you served on his board

for roughly nine years also served

371

as president between thousand four

and two thousand five any standout

372

accomplishment come to mind during

your tenure as president that helped to

373

shape the organization what it is today.

374

Diane Faro: So it's a

phenomenal organization.

375

ETA.

376

I, urge anybody in the payment space.

377

They should be part of the Electronic

Transactions Association, especially

378

I'm a believer, if you want to be

part of something and help change or

379

grow something, you need to be part

of it and not be on the sidelines.

380

Doing nothing, right?

381

ETA was a great opportunity for

me personally and professionally.

382

I've met a lot of friends that

I have today because of ETA that

383

I'm still friends with a lot of

colleagues, a lot of respect for

384

a lot of people in the industry.

385

but ETA at the time, when you think about

it, I think ETA was formed in 98, 97.

386

It's in the 90s.

387

I was a part of it.

388

Because if anybody remembers the

history of payments, a lot of the

389

acquirers and processors were not

fond of doing business with the

390

ISOs back in the early 90s, mid 90s.

391

that all changed because we all

started saying, I remember saying to

392

Nabanco, First Financial Management,

we need to get into the ISO business.

393

That is the next stepping stone of

where we're going to acquire businesses

394

because they had agents that feet on the

street and they were out there selling.

395

But anyways, but ETA was growing.

396

So when I joined ETA, I think

it was 98, you probably have

397

my dates better than I do.

398

in 98, we still needed to embrace ISOs.

399

Desmond Nicholson: I couldn't hear her

400

Diane Faro: as more of

a financial institution,

401

Desmond Nicholson: she said.

402

Diane Faro: supporting or listening

to what the ISOs wanted to do.

403

Desmond Nicholson: with

404

Diane Faro: important.

405

Desmond Nicholson: I remember

406

Diane Faro: working closely with a lot

of ISOs, asking them to be board members,

407

Desmond Nicholson: We worked together.

408

Diane Faro: If you think we're not

helping you, then you should be

409

on the board and help us help you.

410

And we did.

411

So a lot of discussions were growing the

board, not through having it all by the

412

heavy hitters, the big, companies that

were out there that were the processors

413

that was also inviting a lot of the up

and coming ISO organizations to join

414

and be part of the decision making.

415

And so that was a lot of

416

Desmond Nicholson: Okay.

417

Diane Faro: growing and bringing

in, it wasn't during my tenure

418

president, but on the executive

board, we then decided to bring ETA

419

in house cause it was outsourced.

420

And it was run by an outside

organization, which is great when

421

you're young and starting, right?

422

You don't have the funds you don't have,

but now it's time to bring it in house.

423

So the executive committee were part

of interviewing, bringing on a new CEO.

424

so we went through a lot in the time

of my tenure of being on there is not

425

only Bringing everything in house,

finding a facility, which we picked in

426

Washington and growing a staff, that,

understood who ETA was and why ETA was

427

so important to the payments industry.

428

So I believe a lot of that during

my timeframe with a lot of my

429

colleagues and I worked to change.

430

what the impression or the outlook

of what ETA was at that time in the

431

late nineties to where it is today.

432

And it was again, fostering change that

ETA is here to support the payments

433

industry and the payments industry

could be an agent, could be an ISO,

434

could be an ISV, could be,

435

Diane Faro: an acquirer,

could be a processor.

436

It was anybody.

437

Who really needed to understand

and was involved in the payments

438

in what I say, anything is not cash

that's electronic and needs to be.

439

that I think was a lot of what we did.

440

In those early days.

441

there's so many things that are

going on with the ETA and thankfully

442

for the organization, because

the payments industry needs ETA.

443

So it was great.

444

Ours was just the fundamental of

moving it in, taking it from a non

445

home into a home and building that new

home to support the future of where

446

we needed to go with the payments.

447

Desmond Nicholson: Great.

448

Now, uh, let's talk about Women

Networking in Electronic Transactions.

449

Now PayTech Women, how did this

organization come about and what

450

was the reason, purpose, vision,

and aspirations its formation?

451

Diane Faro: Oh, the near

and dear to my heart.

452

Desmond Nicholson: I can tell.

453

Mm

454

Diane Faro: other colleagues, um,

Mary Gertz, Holli Targan and Linda

455

Perry and myself, in all different

stages, Mary Gertz has her own company,

456

Linda Perry worked for Visa, Holly

Targan, is a partner in a law firm,

457

a lawyer, and myself at First Data.

458

we knew we wanted to help

women grow in the industry.

459

as I always say, I had a great history.

460

I've been able to do a lot within

my career, but it didn't come easy.

461

it was always proving yourself,

going that extra mile because, and

462

not because you're, I guess, because

you're a female, I don't know.

463

But anyways, we wanted a place for

women to come, to mentor, to talk

464

about situations of home life, business

life, work life, having, different,

465

opportunities to do different things.

466

We wanted them to feel comfortable.

467

and have the passion and the ability to

say, we want you, we want a place to go.

468

and in the problems that happened during

my tenure in the eighties, nineties still

469

exist today, but in a different way.

470

And so we wanted women to feel

comfortable and the ability to

471

mentor sometimes very difficult.

472

As we know, there's still a big

population of males that are

473

executives within the industry, and

still a smaller population of women.

474

It's increasing, but it's still a

different dynamics of women, men to

475

women in, in the executive space.

476

So we started discussions,

477

Of talking about women networking

and electronic transactions.

478

And, and we just recently changed,

the name to PayTech Women.

479

Desmond Nicholson: hmm.

480

Diane Faro: so I say this and

I've had a lot of successes, but

481

this is one that I'm so proud of.

482

we have almost 6, 000 members today.

483

we're across the United States.

484

We're in Canada.

485

We're, looking branching

out more internationally.

486

but it's the opportunity to help others,

Whatever situation they're in, or just

487

building friendships, the friendships

people have built when they come together

488

and you see all these women in a room

and being able to talk about things and,

489

the dynamics of things that happen in

their career or happen in their home

490

life, trying to raise children, trying

to work, there's a lot of different

491

things that are happening in the dynamics

around, that this gives them a venue.

492

and we have a lot of

different discussions.

493

We have a summit every year.

494

but it's the ability to feel comfortable

to talk about things that you may not

495

feel comfortable with your current

boss or with, or even a different

496

colleague, you can talk to people in

the industry, about situations and they

497

just become your friend or colleague.

498

And they're your mentor, or you're

mentoring someone It's a place to go to.

499

so you can tell my passion on that, I,

I, I have a granddaughter and I tell

500

women who have daughters, I don't have

daughters, I have sons, but now that

501

I have a granddaughter, it's just so

important, I want them, and I have

502

nieces, I want them to know that their

voice is heard and they have a place.

503

Desmond Nicholson: I know this is going

to be a sentimental question as PayTech

504

women celebrate 20 years of empowerment

for women in the payments fintech space.

505

And knowing that in part you

gave life to this organization,

506

what goes on in your mind?

507

are your thoughts and reflection?

508

Diane Faro: I want to say the word, wow.

509

there was times that I.

510

Can't believe where we're at

today and thank God for the CEO of

511

PTW with the board of directors.

512

it's they who run the organization

and took it to the next level.

513

I am proud with my three other colleagues

to be where we're at today, but I'm just,

514

equally proud of the board of

directors and the direction

515

they want to take it into.

516

I know if I'm not here, this will

continue and this will grow with the

517

vision that we, the four of us had in

518

why we wanted to do what we wanted to do.

519

You're right.

520

It's very, it's emotional.

521

it's just, like I said, you can't say

enough about when you see these women

522

in the room, you're just in awe about

how excited they are the whole idea

523

has changed from back in the nineties.

524

Desmond, I mean, the whole

different world today.

525

And the men are there to

support these women as well.

526

And you see them, they would think

nothing of not supporting, and it's great.

527

And, but again, no different than any

of us, you need someone to talk to.

528

You need someone to just say, Hey,

you know, I'm having this situation,

529

I'm not sure how to handle it.

530

How do I, what do you think?

531

and you build friendships

and you build colleagues.

532

Yeah.

533

So I think that's.

534

Desmond Nicholson: Great.

535

it's quite apparent that among your

many accomplishments, your passion

536

extends to nurturing leadership talents,

especially among professional women.

537

How would you describe

your leadership style?

538

Diane Faro: I'm sure you've heard

some stories about me in the past.

539

I am very determined.

540

I would call it determination.

541

I always say to people, and it's

interesting because just at the last ETA,

542

several individuals who worked for me

in the 90s, they came up to me to say,

543

How sometimes tough I was, but how I was

there working right alongside with them.

544

so I would say I'm very,

determined, but I'm passionate.

545

I I would describe myself that way.

546

How would you describe you?

547

you, you were temporary, right?

548

Desmond Nicholson: I was

temporarily under your custody,

549

reported to you back in 2004 or

550

Diane Faro: right.

551

Desmond Nicholson: that.

552

I will say this.

553

And this is something that

a very close friend of yours

554

also said, is tough as nails.

555

Diane Faro: I agree.

556

I agree.

557

I don't disagree.

558

I, so I would say I, I would use

the word determined versus tough

559

and passionate about, anything I do.

560

Desmond Nicholson: Okay.

561

what aspect of your personality do you

think has been the most helpful career?

562

Diane Faro: That's a good one.

563

The aspect of my personality.

564

I would say my outgoing style.

565

I do speak my mind.

566

I do listen at times, especially as I

got older, I'd listen a lot more than

567

I probably did when I was younger.

568

But I would say the part is

listening and giving an opinion.

569

I think it's very important for people

to not sit back, because you see a lot

570

of people in meetings and they don't say

anything, and they're probably thinking

571

things but just don't know how to say it.

572

So, I think a lot of it is really

based on, my ideas, my suggestions,

573

and my, willingness to give an

opinion right, wrong, or indifferent.

574

and hopefully it'd be the right,

not the wrong or being different.

575

but I think more in there, what

was your biggest challenge as

576

you climbed the corporate ladder

577

but that was why WNET started.

578

I I think my biggest challenge

was really proving myself.

579

You have to, I had the CEO of First

Financial Management told me that one day

580

he goes, your job is the hardest cause

you're always having to prove yourself.

581

so if I had to work at 11 o'clock

at night, I would be working at 11

582

o'clock at night when my family was.

583

Sleep, to make sure what I was

supposed to deliver the next morning,

584

be it a presentation a report

or whatever it was getting done.

585

I had some great bosses.

586

thankfully, It just took

a lot longer to make sure

587

when somebody said, Is she

ready for the next promotion?

588

They would say, Yes, she is.

589

Because of the things that I did

to make sure I was getting there.

590

And I knew I was moving up the ladder.

591

I was not sitting and being dormant.

592

I was moving up that ladder

and I was going to prove that

593

I was capable of doing that.

594

Desmond Nicholson: preparation?

595

Now, over the years, CEOs and business

leaders have shared their thoughts

596

on the phrase work life balance.

597

What does that mean to you?

598

Or would you phrase it differently?

599

Diane Faro: back in my early days, I

think I was more work work than balance.

600

now where I'm at today, Desmond,

I tell everyone, female or male,

601

you need a work life balance.

602

Work cannot be only, your

life, you have to have a life.

603

You have a balance, you have a family.

604

You have to look at that.

605

but I believe things are different today.

606

Everybody.

607

Executives are looking at

life, work life balance.

608

I'm not sure in the nineties,

if executives, CEOs of companies

609

really looked at work life balance.

610

not to talk about any of them, but

I remember, I know some of them.

611

I'm not sure if they ever went home

and when they finally went home.

612

I mean, cause they worked very long hours.

613

But today, work life balance

is key to being successful.

614

People need that and in all

corporations, people have changed.

615

People realize that you

must take vacations.

616

there was times when back in my

early, I'm talking early days

617

when I was taking vacation, they'd

be like, you're taking vacation.

618

Desmond Nicholson: Hmm.

619

Diane Faro: that's, you're

talking the eighties.

620

You're talking

621

Desmond Nicholson: hmm.

622

Diane Faro: was different back then.

623

So, yes, if it's the Diane today,

work life balance is critical for

624

yourself, your family and your job.

625

Desmond Nicholson: Now, What can

women in the payments industry do

626

to advance when they feel stuck

in place on the career ladder?

627

Diane Faro: I'll look at it.

628

both ways, female or male, as I

would tell him, and I'll say with a

629

female, as I would tell a female, if

you feel stuck in a job, you need to

630

ask why are you stuck in this job?

631

What would, are you being

overlooked for promotion?

632

Somebody received some promotion that

you believe should have been yours.

633

And if you did, then you should be

in there talking with your boss.

634

Listing everything of why you believe

you should receive that promotion.

635

don't walk in there and say,

why didn't I get the promotion?

636

Absolutely not.

637

You better go in.

638

With your homework and why you should

receive the promotion, but if you're

639

in a dead end job I would tell anybody

get out go look for another job.

640

Go start a company go do something

different We work hard in the job

641

we're doing and you better be happy

to go to work every day and not be

642

happy would be so miserable to me.

643

I mean, like I said, I'm very fortunate.

644

I have had a great career.

645

I've had lots of laughs, happy,

yes, a lot of stress, a lot of

646

tears, but it comes with anything.

647

Nothing and nothing's perfect.

648

But the point is, if you're in a dead end

job, then you need to sit down with your

649

boss, be it, if that's your superior,

and why are you in a dead end job, and

650

can you both work together to get out of

that dead end job, or you need to remove

651

yourself and find a different avenue.

652

Desmond Nicholson: Well done.

653

is the biggest threat to the

payments fintech industry right now?

654

What is the biggest opportunity,

from your perspective?

655

Diane Faro: I don't know if

there's a biggest threat.

656

I think the consolidation

has kind of quieted down.

657

you don't hear some, you hear

some acquisitions, but not

658

like, it was going really crazy.

659

I think you've got fewer,

acquirers, processors out there.

660

World Pay now is rejoined,

separating from FIS.

661

I think you have to look at the

dynamics of where we're going into

662

Virticalization, because I think.

663

Where you'll see a lot of the ISOs,

they now are becoming, vertical.

664

they're not just be all to every all.

665

I I don't look at that as any Concern I

think it's great for the future because

666

you're going to have people that are

going to concentrate on restaurants or

667

people who are going to concentrate on,

salons or they're going to concentrate

668

on, where payments are, different

niches within the payment space.

669

I think that's great.

670

I think the industry is changing

where you're not hearing

671

of ISOs is just starting.

672

In the industry and just

being an ISO to all different,

673

different types of businesses.

674

Desmond Nicholson: Generalist?

675

Mm hmm.

676

Diane Faro: think there's

any good or bad in it.

677

I think right now people are still trying

to figure out, where do they want to go?

678

I kind of joke and people say, oh,

I wouldn't want to be an ISO today.

679

I don't know if you remember this,

20 years ago, they said that.

680

I don't know if I want to be an ISO.

681

And I said, do you know how

many times people said that?

682

And they should have been an ISO because

they would have made a ton of money.

683

The point is you always should be an ISO.

684

ISOs are needed.

685

It depends where you want

to go within the market.

686

Who do you want to support?

687

That's what you have to look at.

688

what industry do you want to

support within that payment space?

689

Desmond Nicholson: Good.

690

Diane, having such a distinguished

career of accomplishments, would

691

you most like to be remembered for?

692

Diane Faro: Oh, that's a tough one.

693

I don't know if that's fair.

694

Desmond Nicholson: Ha

695

Diane Faro: I don't know

if that's really fair.

696

I would hope

697

Boy, I don't know if anyone's

ever answered that one.

698

I would hope I would be remembered as

a friend, a colleague, Someone that

699

if you needed me, I was there for you.

700

I'm still there for people today.

701

I'm there to support you and help you.

702

So I've mentored a lot of people in my

career, and I have people that call me,

703

and people that I've never mentored that

call me, for advice, and I hope they

704

would know that in all my toughness, that

I would help anybody out, and I would

705

always be there if I can help somebody,

find a job, or I can help somebody help

706

guide them on their thought process, I

would hope that they would remember me for

707

that, for always having a helping hand.

708

Desmond Nicholson: Well done.

709

Now we move into our final segment.

710

The lightning round bridges to

excellence inspired leadership

711

in payments and fintech.

712

Desmond Nicholson: Diane, I pose these

rapid fire questions and you respond

713

with a single word or a sentence or two.

714

What does success mean to you?

715

Diane Faro: wow.

716

I look at success as happiness

717

Desmond Nicholson: That's good.

718

What is the best career

advice you have ever received?

719

Diane Faro: I would just say,

don't take everything to heart.

720

Desmond Nicholson: Okay.

721

If you could name one thing attributed

to your career success, what would it be?

722

Diane Faro: So I'm very

passionate about Nabanco.

723

I think, the people, My timeframe

there, NaBanco built a lot in the

724

industry and contributed to my growth.

725

Desmond Nicholson: Good.

726

. What is one thing that people you

work with would be surprised to learn?

727

Diane Faro: then I'm emotional.

728

I think people would be very shocked on,

things that would happen at work that I

729

would go home very upset, like in tears.

730

they never would see that side of me.

731

but I think they would be surprised at

how emotional I would get over things

732

that I knew affected them, or affected

the company or affected, things that I

733

would hope I could have controlled better.

734

I'm a very emotional person.

735

Desmond Nicholson: It's

the Italian in you.

736

Diane Faro: I know it is.

737

But yes.

738

Oh yeah.

739

Desmond Nicholson: Interesting.

740

how would you define

yourself in one or two words?

741

Diane Faro: loving life.

742

I'm life and fun.

743

Desmond Nicholson: Okay.

744

we're down to the final three.

745

What is the next item on your

bucket list to be checked off?

746

Diane Faro: I just want to travel.

747

Greece is my next trip.

748

I haven't planned it yet, but yeah,

I'd like to see the world a lot more.

749

Desmond Nicholson: What drives Diane?

750

Diane Faro: Well, see, right

now, I'd say my grandchildren.

751

Desmond Nicholson: Uh,

752

Diane Faro: it's like

everything with anybody.

753

I still love the idea of winning.

754

I'm not going to deny that.

755

I love being involved.

756

I love helping people.

757

that's what drives me.

758

Desmond Nicholson: And the final question,

what have you fired up right now?

759

Diane Faro: that's a tough one.

760

I think, planning my travel, right?

761

I don't know if fired

up is the right word.

762

different, Part of my life

where I'm at right now.

763

I'm enjoying just having a great

time and still having a lot of good

764

friends and colleagues and doing

still some things in the industry.

765

And, I think that continues my family

number one, I think all of that just.

766

Thankful for everything

that's happened in my life,

767

Desmond Nicholson: Great.

768

Diane, it's been a treat

having you on the show.

769

Is there anything you want to

add or we didn't mention that's

770

important for you to talk about?

771

Diane Faro: I can't think of

anything we've gone through a lot.

772

and I really wanna thank you, Desmond.

773

'cause I really enjoyed just catching

up from old times and knowing

774

each other in the early years.

775

no, not really.

776

I just thank you for your time.

777

Desmond Nicholson: You're quite welcome.

778

And that's our conversation for this week.

779

Our guests, Diane Faro,

CEO of Savify at Savify.

780

CO and If you like what you heard on

this episode, please rate us on Apple

781

podcast as it helps our algorithm.

782

So others know where to find us

and to our listeners as always.

783

Thank you for your time.

784

And, never forget, the more you expect

from yourself, the more you excel.

785

Speaker 4: You've been listening to

Bridges to Excellence podcast, inspired

786

leadership in payments and fintech.

787

Be sure to join us next time for more

conversations with another of your

788

colleagues in payments and fintech.

789

Insightful conversations in their

journey to excellence for transcripts

790

and other materials covered on the show.

791

Visit us at DesmondNicholson.

792

com.