Master Your Card Launches Small Business Panel
WASHINGTON, D.C. (PRWEB) May 03, 2016 -- Master Your Card (MYC), a community empowerment program sponsored by MasterCard®, today announced the formation of a new advisory panel that will help small businesses grow and thrive through the acceptance and effective use of electronic payment technology. The panel’s work will support a new MYC campaign, Electrifying Business Growth.
Launched in conjunction with National Small Business Week, the MYC Small Business Panel is comprised of entrepreneurs and business leaders from across the United States. Members will provide input to help MYC better understand the unique needs of small businesses with the goal of developing customized strategies, education and technology solutions.
“The ability to accept credit, debit and prepaid cards is essential for merchants to grow and compete in today’s digital economy,” said Antonella Pianalto, president and CEO of the Association of Women’s Business Centers, and MYC Small Business Panel member. “Far too many small businesses continue to only accept cash in an environment where consumers increasingly prefer electronic payment options. By adopting the latest technology, small business owners have an opportunity to expand their market and gain customers.”
Electronic payments are an important contributor to the U.S. economy. The increased use of electronic payment technology over the previous 10 years was responsible for generating nearly 5.7 million permanent American jobs and nearly $433 billion in gross domestic product in 2014, according to a study by The Perryman Group.
“Electronic payments help small businesses better compete with larger retailers, and offer immediate and accurate accounting,” said Pat Moran, CEO of BlackLine Payments Advisors LLC and MYC Small Business Panel member. “Our panel is working to arm small business owners with the resources and information they need to accept electronic payments and build revenue by giving customers the power of payment choice.”
Members of the MYC Small Business Panel include:
• Tray Abney, director of government relations, The Chamber of Reno, Sparks, and Northern Nevada
• Donnel Baird, founder and CEO, BlocPower
• Bill Connors, president and CEO, Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce
• Allen Gutierrez, national executive director, The Latino Coalition
• Ray McCarty, president and CEO, Associated Industries of Missouri
• Pat Moran, CEO, BlackLine Payments Advisors LLC
• Harold Oliver, managing principal, TX Capitol Consulting Group LLC
• Antonella Pianalto, president and CEO, Association of Women’s Business Centers
• Jerry and Rosemary Sullivan, owners, Precision Camera
• Terri Thomson, president, Thomson Strategies LLC
• Ra’Tonya Willis-Friedman, owner, Sweet T’s
“We are honored to have this impressive group of small business leaders serve on the Master Your Card Small Business Panel,” said Ravi Aurora, MasterCard advisor to the Master Your Card program. “Through their committed support and powerful insight, together, we will help small merchants across the U.S. better leverage electronic payment technology to grow their business.”
For more information about MYC, please visit http://www.masteryourcardusa.org.
###
About Master Your Card
Master Your Card is a community empowerment program by MasterCard® to help consumer advocacy groups, small business groups and governments appreciate the value of credit, prepaid and debit cards as access points to an economically empowering electronic payments network. Learn more at http://www.masteryourcardusa.org.
Jackie Priestly, Master Your Card, +1 202-251-9703, [email protected]
Share this article