First Wnet Town Hall Won't Be the Last

What Ignites Your Passion Around Wnet?

Wnet Town Hall Video with Audrey Blackmon, Acies.AI; Genevieve Dozier, Merchant's PACT; Stacy Hughes, Global Payments Inc.; Gail Burgos, Girls Inc.; Liz Pike, Green Rhino Recruitment; and Cynthia Knowles, FIS.		Wnet Town Hall Video with Polly Van Duser, One Inc; Jess Turner, Mastercard; Mary Uslander, Fiserv; Serena Smith, i2c Inc.; and Kelly Tufts, Discover.

2022 Wnet Town Hall
January 27, 2022

New Board President Kelly Tufts, VP, Field Talent at Discover, shared Wnet’s initiatives for the year, and Past President Mary Uslander, SVP and Head of SMB Solutions at Fiserv, reminded the audience of the many highlights from 2021. After introductions, many of the Wnet Board of Directors took part in a Q&A session led by Wnet CEO Wendy Holliday, M.Ed., CAE. 

Nearly 180 Wnet members registered for the inaugural event, and time was reserved for questions from the attendees. Nearly 92% of survey respondants agreed the event was excellent or very good, and 96% would attend a future Town Hall session.

"It is encouraging to hear the passion from the women who power Wnet, and makes me excited to see what is to come. Keep up the good work and great content that comes from each session. I appreciate what you have done, and continue to do, to be a light in this complex world of payments!"

Watch on-demand the first-ever, members-only Town Hall meeting.

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Volunteer Fair Sparks Inspiration

Wnet Virtual Volunteer Fair
January 25, 2022

2022 is a year of firsts, as Wnet restructures their volunteer groups and holds its first Volunteer Fair. Similar to a Career Fair, this virtual event enticed more than 120 Wnet members to register and explore the many volunteer opportunities for the new year.

After brief introductions and a summary of the 2022 strategic plans by new Board President Kelly Tufts, VP, Field Talent at Discover, attendees were presented with the five Priority Teams and their Co-Chairs who will lead the volunteer Task Forces, Committees and Groups:

• Branding and Messaging
• Business Development and Revenue Growth
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Member Recruitment and Engagement
• Event and Content Strategy

Attendees then had 25 minutes to move among the five Priority Team Breakout Rooms to learn more about each team's goals and learn more about joining a sub-group.

Immediately upon the virtual fair's completion, Wnet had a list of more than 20 new volunteers for 2022. Survey responses were very positive about not only the event's transparency and engagement, but also about any past volunteer experiences with Wnet.

Volunteer your expertise and gain valuable industry connections! 

Join a Volunteer Group on SocialLink:

• Log in to SocialLink, Wnet's Member Community
• Select Groups from the main menu or from the Quick Links in your feed
• Choose your area of interest from the list
• Select one group to join and click on Join Group or Request to Join

Watch on-demand the first-ever, members-only Virtual Volunteer Fair. Download the presentation slides to see the details.

Good News about Our Members and Partners

Aubrey Amatelli, Chief Revenue Officer at QuickFee, has joined the Wnet President's Advisory Council (PAC). Welcome Aubrey!

MEMBER MOVES

Lacey Frenzl is now at First American by Deluxe as Director of Product and Partner Development

Correction from 1/25/22 issue:

Kathryn Kmiotek has moved to Fortis as their Channel Marketing Director, not Manager as listed.

Congratulations to all!

If you have moved to a new company or a new role, tell us so we can highlight you in MEMBER MOVES! Send details, and Press Release link if applicable, to info@wnetonline.org.

PARTNER NEWS

United, Chase and Visa Celebrate Black History Month with Special Cardmember Offer. Read more.

Discover Earns a Perfect Score for LGBTQ+ Equality Nine Years in a Row. Read more.

Finastra extends collaboration with National Bank of Greece for ISO 20022 migration. Read more.

Fiserv to Accelerate Digital Banking Transformation for Clients with Acquisition of Finxact. Read more. 

InstaPay, Mastercard offer public new options. Read more.

Paysafe acquires SafetyPay. Read more.

Digital Transactions: Better Communication And Fee Transparency Boost Big Banks on Merchant Satisfaction

ETA: ETA Forty Under 40 2022 Nominations Are Open

The Green Sheet: FedNow pricing revealed

MIT News: MIT experts test technical research for a hypothetical central bank digital currency

Payments Dive: Walmart buys into 'super app' services

PYMNTS.com: 60% of Millennials are Interested in Bank-Provided BNPL Plans, If Available

The Strawhecker Group: ETA/TSG: The Future of Payments is Integrated INFOGRAPHIC

What Does Inclusion Mean to You? 

New Series with Wnet Inclusion Group Chairs

     Interview with Wnet DEI Content Chair Melyssa Barrett, CEO, Jali Enterprises

Part 4: Interview with Black/African American Inclusion Group Member Melyssa Barrett

Wnet: What does inclusion mean to you, especially as we honor Black History Month? 
Melyssa: From the time I was a little girl, my father always told me that I could achieve whatever I wanted in life. He showed me what success looked like to him and the obstacles he had to navigate to achieve them. To me, inclusion means everyone is valued and appreciated, given equitable access to contribute, succeed and thrive in every aspect of their lives. We need to hear different sides of a story to understand the powerful impact and influence we can make in people’s lives. An African proverb states, “Until the Lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the Hunter.” Make sure your stories are told and be sure to explore the stories of others.

Wnet: What has been some of the value of having an employee resource group within your organization that is aligned with the inclusion group of Wnet?
Melyssa: Having worked 30 years at Visa, I think the value of an Employee Resource Group (ERG) is a precursor to the integration of inclusion into every aspect of the business.

Read more.

LEARN, CONTRIBUTE, WATCH AGAIN

The Wnet Thought Leadership Center, curated by members, for members, gives you access to best-of-the-best links to research, articles, publications and industry information. Plus, members can watch replays of most Wnet events in the TLC!

• (Chapter Event) Atlanta Chapter LinkUp: Building a Positive Culture in the Workplace
• (Chapter Event) NTX & SoCal Chapter LinkUp: How to Navigate SocialLink and Get the Most Out of Your Membership
• (Webinar) 2022 Wnet Town Hall
• (Webinar) Wnet Virtual Volunteer Fair
  
• (Article) 10 Practices & Principles that Attract Diverse Talent

We Invite YOU to Contribute!
Found a great article you want to share with Wnet members?
Be the connection! Share it in the TLC.

Nominate a Wnet Member for the Member Spotlight
to Celebrate Their Dedication to Our Community!

• Join the Wnet Book Club or a NEW Inclusion Group
• Connect in SocialLink, our member community
• Meet your Wnet Leaders
• Join your local Chapter

Not a member? Learn more about joining Wnet to enjoy all the benefits of membership!