TSYS completed its acquisition of First National Merchant Solutions, LLC (FNMS), which was ranked as the 10th-largest merchant acquirer in the U.S. by dollar volume in 2009 by The Nilson Report. FNMS, which will be rebranded as TSYS Merchant Solutions, provides transaction processing, merchant support, credit underwriting, risk management and value-added services, as well as Visa®- and MasterCard®-branded prepaid cards for small- to large-scale businesses.
In this exclusive NEXTcast interview, industry expert David S. Evans talks to (Troy Woods, President and COO of TSYS), Diana Mehochko (President, TSYS Merchant Solutions) and Mark Pyke (President, TSYS Acquiring) about what this acquisition means for the TSYS’ future and what value TSYS Merchant Solutions will provide for participants.
Troy Woods
Troy Woods, president and chief operating officer of TSYS, has been a critical influence in the company’s strategic decisions for the past two decades. Woods has been involved in directing the company’s international expansion, strategic planning activities, negotiations with major clients, and the continual improvement of TS2, the company’s core payments engine. Under Woods’ leadership, the company has expanded to Canada, Mexico, Europe, Brazil and the Asia-Pacific.
Woods started his career at Columbus Bank and Trust Company (Columbus, Ga.) in 1970, working part-time in the bankcard department and eventually becoming a vice president. He left the company in 1977 to become a senior vice president for consumer lending with AmSouth Bank in Birmingham, Ala. He rejoined TSYS in 1987.
Woods is member of the TSYS Board of Directors, along with serving on the Board of Directors for China UnionPay Data Services, Ltd. (CUP Data), TSYS’ joint venture with CUP Data in China; GP Network Corporation, TSYS’ joint venture in Japan; and First National Merchant Solutions (FNMS), TSYS’ joint venture with First National Bank of Omaha. He also serves on the Board of Directors for several civic organizations, including the YMCA of Metropolitan Columbus (Ga.), West Georgia Honor Flight and the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees for Columbus State University.
Woods earned a bachelor’s degree from Columbus State University (Columbus, Ga.), and also graduated from the University of Virginia’s Graduate School of Retail Bank Management and Louisiana State University’s School of Banking of the South.
Mark Pyke
As president of TSYS Acquiring Solutions, Mark Pyke uses his extensive banking and financial expertise to generate strong business results for the wholly owned TSYS affiliate. Serving on the TSYS management committee, he brings more than 25 years of payments and financial services experience to the company.
Prior to joining TSYS Acquiring Solutions, Pyke served as president of Bank of America Merchant Services. He also previously held the title of chief operating officer and executive vice president for National Processing Company, and served as vice president and chief credit officer of NaBANCO Merchant Services — a division of First Data Corporation — along with a variety of other positions in the payments and financial services industries.
Pyke holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Northeastern University and master’s in business administration from the University of Michigan.
Diana Mehochko
Diana Mehochko brings vast leadership and payment industry experience to her role as president of First National Merchant Solutions. She joined the division in 2005, and in 2010, oversaw the operation’s transition from a subsidiary of First National Bank Omaha (FNBO) to an independent company jointly owned by TSYS and FNBO.
Before joining First National Merchant Solutions, Mehochko was the head of DMM Consulting, Inc., working with industry executives to improve transaction services, develop business and product strategies and create operational efficiencies. Prior to that, she was chief operating officer of Chase Merchant Services, responsible for all aspects of daily operations including technical solutions, account implementations and association compliance.
Mehochko has also held various sales and sales management positions at First USA Merchant Services, First Bankcard Center of First National Bank of Omaha, and NCR Credit Corporation.
In addition to past service on the Visa Acquirers Executive Council and MasterCard Acquirer Committee, Mehochko serves on the Discover Acquirers Council. She has held various chair and member positions with the Electronic Transaction Association; is past president of the board of Omaha’s Rose Theater and is a board member of Omaha’s YWCA.
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