The 2009 Paybefore Awards Ceremony

The 2009 Paybefore Awards are the oldest and most prestigious awards to recognize excellence in the worldwide prepaid and stored value card industry. Last year, Paybefore honored 43 organizations and individuals for their achievements including 13 programs that were designated best in category.  This year, a five-judge panel, which includes Marilyn Bochicchio and four additional industry experts (see below) will choose three winners in each category, which will be announced during this session. Selected winners will make brief presentations during a special break-out session to be held on Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at 11:30am.

1. Best Consumer-Funded Prepaid Card. The best use of a consumer-funded network branded prepaid card such as travel, teen, cross-border remittance and general purpose spending cards. Excludes gift cards.
2. Best Gift Card or Gift Card Product Line. The best use of a gift card or product line of gift cards. Includes network branded, retailer-branded and restricted authorization network gift cards.  
3. Best Business/Corporate-Funded Card. The best use of a business- or corporate-funded prepaid card such as incentive/reward, loyalty, direct marketing, corporate spending, claim, payroll and health care cards. Includes network branded and restricted authorization network cards.
4. Best Government-Funded Prepaid Card or Program. The best use of a prepaid card used to distribute state or federal government benefits. Includes reloadable and non-reloadable cards.
5. Best Third-Party Card Retailer. The best sales promotion and implementation by a retailer for multiple, third-party prepaid card products such as gift card malls, kiosks, point-of-sale promotions and other forms of in-store and/or online distribution.
6. Most Innovative Prepaid Product, Service or Card. The most innovative network branded, retailer-branded or restricted authorization network product, service or card.
7. Industry Achievement. The individual who has contributed most to the success and progress of the prepaid and stored value card industry during the past year or over many years.
8. Best Non-US-Based Prepaid Card or Program.  The best prepaid card program launched and operated by a non-U.S. company outside of the United States. Cards or programs that use a U.S.-based company for processing or similar support are eligible. 
9. Best Prepaid Marketing or Awareness-Building Program. The best consumer marketing or awareness-building campaign to support a network branded, retailer-branded or restricted authorization prepaid card program or the prepaid category. May include print, TV, Web, radio, in-store/POS, outreach, grass roots, viral or guerilla marketing media.
10. Best Prepaid Materials Design. The best design of electronic or printed materials associated with a network branded, retailer-branded or restricted authorization network prepaid card program such as marketing collateral, card(s), packaging, mailers, inserts or Website.

• Marilyn Bochicchio, CEO of Paybefore, has worked in electronic payments for more than 30 years. She is the former president and executive director of the NBPCA, of which she is a founding director. 
• Dan Horne, associate professor at Providence College, is a leading expert in gifting, which was the subject of his doctoral dissertation. He is a frequent speaker at prepaid-focused meetings worldwide, often presenting the results of his extensive primary research on consumer behavior and attitudes towards gift cards.  
• Ken Howes, a director of Edgar, Dunn and Company since 1996, spent 26 years at Midland/HSBC Bank, where his positions included head of global cards and electronic banking director. He is a co-founder and director of the U.K.-based Payment International Forum and chairs its Consumer Education Working Group.
• John MacAllister, principal of Dorrado Industries, was the president of Benton International, one of the first and most influential consultancies in electronic payments, for 25 years. His clients—past and present—are a who’s who in the evolution of electronic payments.
• Gary Palmer, executive vice president at Fidelity National Information Systems, is the NBPCA’s chairperson elect and a founding director of the association. In 1997, he founded WildCard Systems (now FIS), one of the first prepaid-focused processors. An ardent prepaid advocate, Palmer is called upon frequently to educate government officials on prepaid matters. 

The Paybefore Awards 2009 nomination form may be downloaded here.