The Winner’s Circle 

Paybefore Announces 2009 Award Winners

During the Prepaid Expo USA’s welcome session on March 10, 2009, in Orlando, Fla., Paybefore CEO Marilyn Bochicchio announced the 2009 Paybefore Awards winners including organizations that received the coveted best-in-category designation and three individuals, designated Industry Achievement winners, for their outstanding contributions to the development of the industry.

Addressing one of the largest general session audiences at the three-day annual event, Bochicchio noted that this year’s competition received an unprecedented number of nominations—nearly twice the previous year, making winning a Paybefore Award an even more significant achievement. She also thanked the team of judges for their “thoroughness and thoughtfulness” during the Paybefore Awards deliberations.

Paybefore Awards are the oldest and most prestigious awards to recognize excellence in the worldwide prepaid and stored value card industry. Twenty percent of this year’s nominees were for non-U.S.-based programs. Five non-U.S. programs were chosen as winners, and two received the Best-in-Category distinction in categories open to all nominees. An additional three non-U.S. programs were recognized as winners in the new “Best Non-U.S.-Based Prepaid Card or Program” category.

Click below to read about awards winners in each category. You also can read profiles of Industry Achievement winners Matt Gillin, founder and CEO of Citi Prepaid Services; Steve Streit, CEO and founder of Green Dot Corp.; and Brad Hanson, president of Meta Payment Systems. Look for our special coverage of Best-in-Category and Industry Achievement winners in the Spring issue of Paybefore Magazine.

Paybefore Awards Winners

BEST CONSUMER-FUNDED PREPAID CARD - click here to read full article

• Jackson Hewitt iPower Plus
   - Jackson Hewitt
   - Meta Payment Systems

• Stored Value Card
   - AccountNow, Inc.
   - Center for Community Change

• Walmart Money Card
   - GE
   - Green Dot
   - Walmart

BEST GIFT CARD - click here to read full article

• Bonus Kontor Forum Prepaid
   - Garanti Technology

• The Gift That Takes the Gold “Amazing Moments”
   - Coca-Cola
   - Simon Property Group

• Starbucks Card
   - Starbucks

BEST CORPORATE-FUNDED PREPAID CARD - click here to read full article

• TeacherDollar$
   - Evolution Benefits

• US Xpress Dual Purpose Corporate Card
  - TransCard

• WageWorks Visa Healthcare Card
   - The Bancorp Bank
   - Metavante
   - WageWorks, Inc.

BEST B2C CORPORATE-FUNDED PREPAID CARD - click here to read full article

• PowerPump Gas Rewards
   - Blackhawk Network
   - Safeway

• Verizon Wireless Rebate Program
   - Citi Prepaid

BEST B2B CORPORATE-FUNDED PREPAID CARD - click here to read full article

• Esteem Pass
   - eCommLink
   - Sodexo Pass

• IMAGINE
   - DCR Strategies, Inc.
   - TruCa$h

• SVC PlayDeck Program
   - Shell Vacations Club, L.P.

BEST GOVERNMENT-FUNDED PREPAID PROGRAM - click here to read full article

• g2g Youth Opportunity Card
   - Altair Financial Services
   - Cambridgeshire County Council
   - Raphaels Bank

• Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians

• TV Converter Box Coupon Program
   - CLC Services
   - IBM
   - NTIA

BEST THIRD-PARTY PREPAID CARD RETAILER - click here to read full article

• Ace Cash Express

• Shoppers Drug Mart
   - InComm
   - Shoppers Drug Mart

• Variable Load Program
   - Blackhawk Network

MOST INNOVATIVE PREPAID PROGRAM - click here to read full article

• American Express Handhelds
   - American Express

• ItzCash Octroi Automation
   - ItzCash Card Ltd.
   - Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM)
   - State Bank of India (SBI)

• Jackson Hewitt iPower Prepaid Visa Card
   - Jackson Hewitt
   - Meta Payment Systems

BEST PREPAID MATERIALS DESIGN - click here to read full article

• 2008 Earth Month Gift Card
   - Wal-Mart

• Anne Geddes Card Designs
   - InComm

• The Gift That Takes the Gold “Amazing Moments”
   - Coca-Cola
   - Simon Property Group

BEST NON-U.S. PREPAID PROGRAM - click here to read full article

• Carrier/Bryant Canadian Dealer Sales Incentive
   - American Express Incentive Services

• Paysafecard
   - Prepaid Services Company Ltd.

• Poste Italiane Social Card
   - Poste Italiane

BEST PREPAID MARKETING/AWARENESS PROGRAM - click here to read full article 

• Green Dot Corporation

• H&R Block for “Money Suit” Commercial

• Network Branded Prepaid Card Association

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