Celebrating Achievement in the Prepaid Industry
Best-in-Category and Industry Achievement Honorees to be Revealed at Prepaid Expo, Feb. 22
For the fourth consecutive year, Paybefore Awards is recognizing the best programs and people in the worldwide prepaid community. A record number of prepaid programs vied for a top spot in this year’s Paybefore Awards—providing the stiffest competition ever for nominees and creating the greatest challenge to date for the five-judge panel.
The key trends spotted last year—more non-U.S.-based entries and more entries for non-network branded prepaid products—continued. The big surprise? So many entries for "virtual" card programs that a separate category was formed to recognize achievement in this emerging area of prepaid.
Paybefore Awards Ceremony 2010
Join your colleagues at the 2010 Paybefore Awards ceremony on Monday, Feb. 22 at 5:15 p.m. in the Rio’s Amazon Ballroom during the Prepaid Expo USA in Las Vegas. Click here to add the Paybefore Awards ceremony to your Outlook calendar.
The 45-minute ceremony immediately precedes the Day One Welcome Reception. Best-in-Category and Industry Achievement honorees will accept their awards during the ceremony and all winners will be recognized. Attending is a great way to celebrate the accomplishments of your colleagues and, perhaps, your own organization.
To register for the 2010 Prepaid Expo USA in Las Vegas, Feb. 22-24, visit: https://www.iirusa.com/prepaid/online-registration.xml?state-select_event. Paybefore subscribers may take advantage of a 10 percent admission discount by entering the promo code XU2348PPM when registering.
|
The three winners chosen by the judges in each program category are now competing for Paybefore Awards’ Best-in-Category distinction. Best-in-Category winners will be announced during the Paybefore Awards ceremony at 5:15 p.m. on Day One of the Prepaid Expo USA—Monday, Feb. 22—at the Rio in Las Vegas. In addition, the prestigious Paybefore Industry Achievement award will be presented to the individual (or individuals) whom the judges determined made the most significant contribution to the success of the prepaid industry during the past year or throughout their careers.
New for 2010: Outstanding New Entrants
This year, the Paybefore Awards judges had the option to recognize Outstanding New Entrants in the program awards categories, and they chose to bestow this new honor in 10 categories. (A New Entrant is a program not previously nominated for Paybefore Awards.) Although Outstanding New Entrants do not qualify to compete for Best–in-Category recognition, they represent programs the judges found particularly valuable, innovative or worthy. Programs tapped as Outstanding New Entrants will be recognized during the Paybefore Awards ceremony and winners will receive an award in recognition of their achievement.
About the Judges
Marilyn Bochicchio, Paybefore CEO, was chair of the judging panel, along with four additional individuals chosen for their familiarity with diverse prepaid products and for their independent position in the industry:
- Cherie Hamblin, Independent Prepaid Consultant
- John MacAllister, Principal, Dorado Industries, and Former President of Benton International
- Chris Reddish, Chair, Prepaid International Forum
- Kirsten Trusko, President and Executive Director, NBPCA
Paybefore extends its thanks to these four individuals who dedicated many hours to reviewing the extensive materials submitted for evaluation and making reasoned choices among the many nominees worthy of recognition.
See You in Las Vegas!
Congratulations to all of the Paybefore Awards winners for their outstanding achievements in creating programs that help consumers, governments and businesses achieve myriad goals—from automating paper-based processes to creating new and innovative services.
And, thank you to all Paybefore industry colleagues who completed the extensive materials required as part of the nomination process.
We look forward to celebrating your victories and your contributions to the advancement of prepaid at the Paybefore Awards ceremony in Las Vegas!
Paybefore Awards 2010 Winners
The programs listed below will compete for the Best-in-Category distinction—to be announced at the Paybefore Awards ceremony on Feb. 22 at the Prepaid Expo USA.
BEST CONSUMER-FUNDED PREPAID PROGRAM
• The Facecard MasterCard Teen Card (Best in Category)
- edō Interactive
- Meta Payment Systems
• OptumHealth Bank Health Savings Account
- OptumHealth Bank
• Travel Money Card
- Commonwealth Bank of Australia
BEST GENERAL PURPOSE RELOADABLE PROGRAM
• Green Dot GPR (Best in Category)
- Green Dot Corporation
• H&R Block Emerald Card
- H&R Block
• Walmart MoneyCard
- Walmart
- GE Capital
- Green Dot Corporation
BEST NETWORK BRANDED GIFT PROGRAM
• Gift and Greeting Card
- Western Union
- Meta Payment Systems
- FIS
• Happy SchenkCard
- paysafecard.com Wertkarten AG
• New American Express Gift Card (Best in Category)
- American Express Global Prepaid
BEST CLOSED-LOOP OR RAN GIFT PROGRAM
• BP Aral SuperCard
- PrePay Solutions
• Downtown Gift Card Program (Best in Category)
- Downtown Boise Association
- StoreFinancial
• Starbucks Card Program
- Starbucks
BEST PREPAID PROGRAM MARKETING
• Bonus Alimentación/Provis Alimentación (Best in Category)
- NovoPayment, Inc.
- Transferencia Electrónica de Beneficios, C.A. (TEBCA)
• The Escape Card
- E.Z. Pay/Phones 4U
• NetSpend iAdvance Marketing Program
- NetSpend Corporation
- Meta Payment Systems
BEST BUSINESS/CORPORATE-FUNDED PROGRAM: B2E
• Payoneer Prepaid MasterCard (Best in Category)
- Payoneer
- Meta Payment Systems
• Wal-Mart Associate Electronic Pay Program
- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
- First Data Corp.
• Yellow Cab Cooperative smartOne Visa Pay Card
- First National Merchant Solutions
- Yellow Cab Cooperative
BEST BUSINESS/CORPORATE-FUNDED PROGRAM: B2B
• Cash Passport
- Travelex
• Unlimited Budget
- Carlson Marketing Worldwide
- Avis Budget Group
• Visa InsurCard Program (Best in Category)
- The Bancorp Payment Solutions Group
BEST BUSINESS/CORPORATE-FUNDED PROGRAM: B2C
• Just Energy Prepaid TruCa$h MasterCard (Best in Category)
- DCR Strategies Inc.
- TruCa$h
• Sprint Referral Rewards Program
- Citi Prepaid Services
• Verizon Telecommunications
- Parago
BEST BUSINESS/CORPORATE-FUNDED PROGRAM: TRANSIT
• Commuter Check Card
- Accor Services USA
• Petrobras Flota—Ticket Car
- Accor Services Chile
• The TransitChek Card (Best in Category)
- TransitCenter, Inc.
- The Bancorp Payment Solutions Group
- FIS
BEST GOVERNMENT-FUNDED PROGRAM
• City of Bogota, Colombia Disbursement Program
- Citi Prepaid Services
• Missouri Access MasterCard
- Central Bank
• ReliaCard (Best in Category)
- U.S. Bank
BEST THIRD-PARTY PREPAID PRODUCT RETAIL PROGRAM
• ACE Cash Express
• MoneyGram AccountNow Prepaid Visa Debit Card
- AccountNow, Inc.
- MoneyGram International
- Meta Payment Systems
• Walgreens (Best in Category)
- Walgreens
- InComm
BEST WEB SALES CHANNEL
• GiftCardMall.com (Best in Category)
- Blackhawk Network
• GiftCards.com
- GiftCards.com, LLC
• RushCard
- UniRush, LLC
BEST CARD DESIGN
• Crystal Mosaic Cards (Best in Category)
- Perfect Plastic Printing
• Vanilla Gift Cards
- InComm
• $88 Lunar New Year Gift Card
- American Express Global Prepaid
BEST NON-U.S.-BASED PREPAID PROGRAM
• Contactless AlterkArt Program
- Bank Zachodni WBK S.A.
• London Borough of Lewisham Disbursement Program
- Citi Prepaid Services
• Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games (Best in Category)
- Citizens Bank of Canada
- Vancity Credit Union
MOST INNOVATIVE PREPAID PROGRAM
• The Facecard Prepaid MasterCard Card Program
- edō Interactive
- Meta Payment Systems
• NetSpend Personal Financial Manager (Best in Category)
- NetSpend Corporation
• PayID Card
- U.S. Bank
BEST VIRTUAL PREPAID CARD
• Billocity
- PreCash
• Starbucks Card Mobile (Best in Category)
- mFoundry
• Ukash Vouchers
- Ukash
Paybefore Awards 2010 Outstanding New Entrants
The following were identified by the Paybefore Awards judges for special recognition as they represent prepaid programs that are particularly valuable, innovative or worthy. These programs are not in competition for the Best-in-Category distinction.
BEST GENERAL PURPOSE RELOADABLE PROGRAM
• MoneyWise Visa Prepaid Card
- Western Union
- Meta Payment Systems
- i2c Inc.
BEST CLOSED-LOOP OR RAN GIFT PROGRAM
• The PizzaExpress Gift Card
- G-T-P Group Ltd
- PizzaExpress
BEST PREPAID PROGRAM MARKETING
• Sales Accelerator: The Idea Machine
- American Express Incentive Services
• Everyday Prepaid: Hispanic Marketing and Consumer Education Campaign
- MasterCard
BEST BUSINESS/CORPORATE-FUNDED PROGRAM: B2E
• Paycard Program
- Global Cash Card
• The PayPal Merchant Debit Card
- PayPal, Inc.
BEST BUSINESS/CORPORATE-FUNDED PROGRAM: B2C
• TransCard & UPMC/Pitt Research Study
- TransCard, LLC
BEST THIRD-PARTY PREPAID PRODUCT RETAIL PROGRAM
• Money Centers
- NovoPayment, Inc.
BEST WEB SALES CHANNEL
• Spiffs.com
- MTC Performance
• AccountNow’s “Finally Credit Free” Website
- AccountNow, Inc.
- Meta Payment Systems
BEST CARD DESIGN
• Buffalo Sabres Season Ticket Holder Rewards
- DCR Strategies, Inc.
- TruCa$h
• ViewSonic Finch Club Dealer/Distributor Incentive Program
- American Express Incentive Services
- ViewSonic
BEST NON-U.S.-BASED PREPAID PROGRAM
• Rêv Drivers Card
- Rêv Asia Pacific
- GM Labs
MOST INNOVATIVE PREPAID PROGRAM
• ReadyCARD Mobile iPhone Application
- Ready Credit Corporation
• MoneyPak and PayPal Joint Service
- Green Dot Corporation
- PayPal, Inc.
Request Reprint | Comments | Top of Page