Enable Systems' Mike Martinez Named as Panel Participant in EFTA Council's May Meeting

EFTA Electronic Commerce Payments Council to Address Online Payment Model Alternatives: Meeting Scheduled for May 9 in Chicago

HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILLINOIS – May 1, 2001 – The Electronic Funds Transfer Association (EFTA) will convene its Electronic Commerce Payments Council on Wednesday, May 9 in Chicago to explore a variety of e-commerce payment models. 

"E-commerce activity is exploding within the payments sector," notes Kurt Helwig, EFTA executive director. "Participants in the business need to understand who the players are, who is offering viable business solutions, and whether these solutions offer solid value propositions for all stakeholders - consumers, merchants, processors, as well as financial institutions, networks and other third parties that are committing resources to bring these solutions to market.

"EFTA's Electronic Commerce Payments Council offers a forum in which representatives from all sides of the business can explore their mutual needs," he continues. "Participation in the Council offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of this dynamic field." 

Reflecting the inter-industry composition of EFTA's membership and the need to share viewpoints across industry lines, a panel of e-merchants and e-merchant service providers will address E-commerce Payments: What Works, What Doesn't and What's Next. 

Moderated by Steve Klebe, vice president of strategic alliances, payment and risk at CyberSource, the panel will include Catherine Genovese, vice president of operations at Playboy.com, Inc.; Mike Martinez, senior vice president and chief financial officer at Enable Systems, and Rene Pelegero, director of global payments at Amazon.com. 

Mr. Pelegero also serves as co-chair of the Council, with Paul Schmelzer, formerly of Star Systems, Inc. 

In addition to the merchant-focused panel, guest speakers will present three e-commerce solutions classified as Models I and II, according to classifications developed by the Advanced Payments Group, a subcommittee of EFTA's Network Executives' Council. Earlier this year the subcommittee released Online Debit on the Internet: Models and Guideline, providing an open technological and operating framework that encourages a variety of interoperable e-commerce solutions. 

Speakers and their presentations include:

John Donovan, vice president of electronic commerce at Maestro International: The Maestro Electronic Commerce Solution 

Kiran Gandhi, vice president, Mag-Tek, and Roger Applewhite, director, emerging payments practice, Benton International/Perot Systems: The Alliance - An Overview 

Paul Tomasofsky, vice president, NYCE Corporation: SafeDebit--The Solution for PIN Debit on the Internet 

At the conclusion of each presentation, Council members will evaluate the presenters' e-commerce solutions based on earlier-established criteria, which include consumer and merchant acceptance, value propositions, authentication and security. Speakers will receive copies of Council members' evaluations, providing the input and reactions of experts in a wide variety of fields. 

ABOUT EFTA 

Now approaching a quarter century of service, EFTA is a leading industry trade organization dedicated to the advancement of electronic payment systems and commerce. Members include financial institutions, processors, technology firms and virtually all shared ATM systems in the U.S.