At the ATM Industry Association's recent conference in Miami, I was struck by the apparent health of our industry and its association. I wondered why this place was such an oasis in the still-recovering economy.
No one can deny the conference's record sell-out of 700-plus attendees and 55 exhibitors. You couldn't cram another booth into the hall. Almost every session was full, and every time someone opened the door during the presentations, crowd noises from the hallway rushed in. The conference program's cover was littered with sponsor logos.
I stopped a friend of mine, Neil Clark (now with Payment Alliance International), as he darted from one end of the exhibit hall to the other. He told me he was booked with meetings during every waking moment that day. Many other acquaintances said the same thing.
Randy Nolte of Manhattan Financial Services asked me why there was so much activity. Was it the improving economy, loosening travel budgets, the special price for first-time attendees, increasing government regulation or the fact that Miami was about the only place in the country not blanketed with snow?
It's in the offerings
Sunny skies aside, an important distinction that has set ATMIA apart for many years is what it offers the industry. This was illustrated in grand fashion in Miami, as speaker after speaker referred to the dozens of best practice documents and reference materials found on ATMIA's Web site.
These documents — free to members — cover topics like insider fraud prevention, PIN and encryption security, PCI requirements, Windows security, corporate governance, ATM cash and physical security and ATM business efficiency. Additionally, the association's international crime database contains more than 5,000 incidents and is utilized by law enforcement worldwide.
ATMIA's new online ATM management training course, as well as various webinars, provide further educational opportunities.
It's in the issues
Many believe the greatest benefit ATMIA delivers to the industry is its involvement in the regulatory activity swirling about Washington, D.C.
Kurt Helwig, a long-time industry advocate, legislative activist and CEO of the Electronic Funds Transfer Association (EFTA), recently joined ATMIA's board. His political weight and contacts bring a wealth of resources to bear (witness the jointly signed ATMIA/EFTA position paper on overdraft protection).
A few of the recent regulatory issues ATMIA has been involved in include the ATM sales tax, international surcharging, PCI compliance, ATMs in gambling locations and the Reg E amendments impacting gift cards redeemed at ATMs.
It's in the people
When we handed Mike Lee, ATMIA's CEO, his 10th-anniversary award, I told him he was the best hire I and many other board members have ever been involved with. Another stellar staffer, conference director Dana Benson, also received a 10-year award.
I met Mike when he invited me to speak at a 1999 ATM banking conference in London. We hired him within 12 months to head up ATMIA's European chapter, and soon after that he took the reins of the whole association. He is the consummate international diplomat and his personal network extends to every major ATM market in the world.
Mike and his staff executed a major turnaround last year when the economy threatened to plunge ATMIA into debt. After some restructuring and a renewed five-year plan, Mike's leadership — and the executive board's direction — is turning ATMIA into a global powerhouse. (Who knew this association only had nine employees, four of which are part time?)
The various boards and committees got together in Miami to tackle some tough issues. The energetic involvement of so many professionals was something to behold.
I can only imagine where this industry would be without ATMIA. I can't wait to see where Mike and his team take this dynamic association in the coming years. The momentum swelling underfoot will surely continue as new initiatives like the current outreach to financial institutions lift ATMIA to a new level.
If you're not a member yet, you're missing out on a powerful ally that is ready and willing to carry your business forward.
Tom Harper is the president and co-founder of ATMIA. He also serves as president of NetWorld Alliance, which publishes SelfServiceWorld.com. To submit a comment about this article, please e-mail the editor, Chritopher Hall.
