Exceptional Women in the American Payments Industry Recognized at the Women in Payments Awards Ceremony

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Women in Payments recognized exceptionally talented leaders and rising stars in the payments industry at the annual Women in Payments symposium in Washington, DC, on February 10.

The 2020 U.S.A. awards were presented in partnership with Visa, as part of the annual Women in Payments symposia, to outstanding payments professionals, with recipients commended for their leadership, innovation, and commitment to strengthening the industry and for advocating the success of women in the payments ecosystem.

“Visa is delighted to sponsor the 2020 Women in Payments Awards Dinner and we congratulate the awards winners for their significant contributions to the industry,” said Sharon Haines, senior vice president of sales, Visa. “Women power economies around the world and at Visa, we’re committed to supporting and empowering women in all facets of live.”

"Women in Payments is committed to fostering leadership, innovation and championing women in payments, fintech, banking, and treasury services. We have been recognizing the outstanding work of payment leaders and innovators since 2013. The awards are a chance to celebrate and recognize the achievements of the women and men who pave the way for rising stars across the payments industry. We could not be more pleased with this year's six incredibly talented winners," said Kristy Duncan, founder and CEO of Women in Payments. "Congratulations to all!"

The awards, across six categories, went to:

• Distinguished Payments Professional, Kimberly Lawrence, Visa
• Innovation, Monica Eaton-Cardone, Chargebacks 911
• Change Agent, Cheryl Guerin, Mastercard
• Rising Star, Rawan Shawar, ACI Worldwide
• Advocate for Women, Talbott Roche, Blackhawk Network
• Educator, Mary Rosendahl, Bank of America

MORE ABOUT THE AWARDS AND WINNERS:

The Women in Payments Distinguished Payments Professional Award is a lifetime achievement award that recognizes a woman who is an acknowledged trendsetter, role model, and a strong contributor to the overall positive image of the industry. This year, this award was presented to Kimberly Lawrence, SVP, Global Head of Client Services, Visa for her role in developing initiatives that have been instrumental in shaping the way card payments work today.

The Women in Payments Innovation Award is presented to a woman who has promoted payments innovation through creativity and vision. This year the award was presented to Monica Eaton-Cardone, Co-founder, Chargebacks 911, for her outstanding work advocating innovations in security and risk in payments, while pushing for greater diversity at senior levels.

The Women in Payments Change Agent Award is awarded to a woman in the industry who has led initiatives to drive change and transformation in the industry or her organization, while exuding a strong desire for growth and a vision for the future. This year, the award was presented to Cheryl Guerin, EVP, North America Marketing and Communications, Mastercard, for her leadership role in the payments space. Cheryl is a key player in championing women business owners at Mastercard, where she leads the company's work to spotlight female business owners.

The Women in Payments Rising Star Award recognizes emerging talent. The award pays tribute to women who demonstrate leadership, professional excellence, and a commitment to motivating others to make a positive impact on the payments ecosystem. This year, the award was presented to Rawan Shawar, Senior Software Engineer and Team Lead, ACI Worldwide, for her hard work and dedication to giving back to the network of women in the payments industry through speaking events and mentorship.

The Women in Payments Educator Award goes to a woman in the payments industry who is an authority in her field, leads by example and contributes to a positive and supportive learning environment. This year the award goes to Mary Rosendahl, Director, Bank of America, for her passion for helping others. She mentors colleagues, supporting them to be ready and capable to adapt to the constant change of the payments industry.

The Women in Payments Advocate for Women Award goes to a man or a woman who actively contributes to the advancement and development of women, and publicly celebrates the work and accomplishments of women in the workplace. This year, the award was presented to Talbott Roche, CEO and President, Blackhawk Network, for recognizing the importance of female mentorship and using leadership to advocate for the advancement of women in the payments sphere.

See a full list of all the nominees here.

About Visa Inc.

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit About Visa, visa.com/blog and @VisaNews.

About Women in Payments

Women in Payments is an initiative offering women opportunities for career development through learning, networking, mentorship, and recognition at all stages of their careers in the payments sphere. They run conferences, events, and award and mentorship programs in Canada, the US, Australia, the UK, New Zealand, and Singapore. Engagement and support comes from global leaders in payments and fintech, including Mastercard, Visa, JPMorganChase, Finastra, ACI Worldwide, Ripple, PayPal, Scotiabank, RBC, TD Bank, CIBC, BMO, ANZ, and Ingenico Group. Further information can be found at www.womeninpayments.org