Balancing Innovation and PCI Compliance

ControlScan is a leading provider of PCI compliance solutions designed for small- to mid-sized merchants. Joe Baker, ControlScan’s New Vice President of Business Development, spoke with PYMNTS.com about the unique challenges of developing security products for this market sector.

(Related Article: Joe Baker Joins PCI Compliance Provider ControlScan as Vice President, Business Development)

PYMNTS.com: Could you tell us a little bit about your professional background, and what it means to be Vice President, Business Development for ControlScan?

JOE BAKER: The majority of my professional career has been in and around the payments industry with primary focus on emerging technologies. I spent the majority of my career prior to ControlScan at CheckFree Corporation, where my responsibilities included new business development, market development and sales management focused opportunities. Most recently, I held a similar role at CRE Secure. At ControlScan, my focus will be to drive new business throughout North America via a direct sales team. We sell our PCI solution to banks and ISOs throughout the region and look forward to building momentum based on ControlScan’s stellar reputation and history of delivering outstanding results for our customers.

PYMNTS: What was most attractive about ControlScan, and what was the driving factor to join the organization?

BAKER: There are several characteristics about ControlScan that were driving factors to join, including the opportunity to join an early stage/high-growth company, a very strong executive team, selling a solution that is focused on the solving problems for small businesses (one that has received little attention related to security) and the technology offers a unique position in the security and PCI solutions market.

PYMNTS: PYMNTS.com is all about “what’s next” in payments. How will you, in your role, help ControlScan define “what’s next” ?

BAKER: My objective is to continue to push the aggressive efforts of the company to build security products and solutions for small merchants and businesses. Merchants in this market are underserved but require the same level of security posture as large organizations in order to assure its consumer customers that their payment card information is safe. Security standards, such as those developed by the PCI Council, are just the beginning of efforts to protect vital consumer and business information. ControlScan is the leader in the small merchant market and will continue to drive innovation and cost savings to these businesses.

PYMNTS: Who or what has been your biggest influence in your career?

BAKER: I’ve been most influenced by those that have a real passion for what they do and how they do it. I’ve been most influenced by individuals who remain focused, driven and with a positive attitude to help those around them become wildly successful. Great leadership is often more about the intangibles. Mentors with character, integrity, attitude and having an “others first” focus have influenced me the most in my career.

Joe Baker (Vice President Business Development, ControlScan)

Joe Baker brings more than 20 years of experience in the software, technology and payments industry to ControlScan. As Vice President of Business Development at ControlScan, Baker is responsible for developing partnerships with processors and merchant banks and driving sales growth within ControlScan’s North American operation.

Prior to ControlScan, Baker was responsible for guiding strategy and directing all CRE Secure business development activities including all strategic partnerships, sales and new business development.

Before his tenure at CRE Secure, Baker was with CheckFree Corporation from 1995 to 2008 and served the Company in several senior executive roles including Sales, Client Operations, Strategic Alliances, and over seven years as head of Corporate Business Development.  Mr. Baker was responsible for establishing key partnerships and alliances, exploring strategic acquisition possibilities and managing new business development opportunities that focused on long term business initiatives and CheckFree’s Corporate Strategy initiatives through the identification and development of new market expansion opportunities.

Prior to CheckFree, Baker was founder and president of Image Information, Inc. a provider of document management systems and consulting services. Products and partners included IBM’s AS400 product division, leading Imaging Systems companies as well as several other smaller independent image software providers.