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2025 Awards Call for Nominations

Recognizing leaders and awarding innovations that have propelled the industry forward.

NOMINATIONS CLOSE JANUARY 10, 2025

ETA CPP

ETA Certified Payments Professional of the Year

This award recognizes a current ETA CPP who has dedicated extra time and effort to contributing to the growth of the program.

Should be a current ETA CPP and should have held your credential for at least two years when applying.
Should have made material contributions to further awareness and growth of the program (e.g., authored/co-authored white papers/blogs, webinars/spotlight calls/podcasts, industry events).
No repeat
ETA CPP Committee picks the winner

Star Awards

The ETA Star Awards honors individuals and companies that have made a significant difference in the payments industry through innovation, business practices, or contributions to the association.

Nominations are judged by the ETA Industry Affairs Awards & Recognition Committee, made up of a panel of industry executives, who selected the finalists and winners in each category.

All honorees will be recognized at the Visa Celebration & ETA Star Awards at TRANSACT, April 2-4, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas.

Questions? Contact Eduardo Umana.

Committee Volunteer of the Year

This award recognizes a volunteer who dedicated extra time and effort to a committee’s success. The winner will be recognized at TRANSACT.

Should be a current ETA member in good standing when receiving this award.
Should have served as an active committee chair in 2024.
Should have been an ETA committee volunteer for at least two years prior to receiving the award.
Should have made material contributions to further awareness and learning while on the committee. E.g. Authored/Co-authored white papers/blogs, webinars/spotlight calls/podcasts, managed the agenda and key speakers.
The recipient cannot be a past winner.

Pay it Forward

This award recognizes the unsung everyday heroes who work in the payments industry and make the world a better place through community service. The winner will be recognized at TRANSACT.

The recipient should be a current ETA member or company who has exhibited selfless acts of kindness to improve their community. The good deed may or may not be linked to the payments industry.
The company or individual should be an active ETA member in good standing at the time of receiving this award.
The recipient cannot be a past winner.

Distinguished Payments Professional

This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated significant leadership within the industry and is an acknowledged trendsetter, role model, and positive contributor to its efficacy and image. The winner will be recognized at TRANSACT.

The ETA Industry Affairs Awards & Recognition Committee nominates recipients of the Distinguished Payments Professional Award which is approved by the Board of Director’s Executive Committee.
The company or individual should be an active ETA member in good standing at the time of receiving this award.
The recipient cannot be a past winner.

Business Partner of the Year

This award recognizes a current ETA member company who has demonstrated an exceptional level of support for the association as evidenced by activities such as sponsorship, advertising, speaking at ETA events, committee service, and otherwise helping to further the association’s goals and objectives. The winner will be recognized at TRANSACT.

The company or individual should be an active ETA member in good standing at the time of receiving this award.
The recipient cannot be a past winner.

ISO of the Year

This award recognizes an ISO who is currently registered with Visa and Mastercard, whose actions move the payments industry forward, exhibits high ethical standards and has successfully met industry challenges with demonstrated results. ISOs of all sizes who are current ETA members are eligible for this award. The winner will be recognized at TRANSACT.

The ISO should be currently registered with Visa and Mastercard.
The ISO should be an active ETA member in good standing at the time of receiving this award.
The recipient cannot be a past winner.

Most Innovative Product or Solution

This award recognizes an ETA member who has a proven product or solution in the market that does one of the following: promotes customer usability, increases profitability, reduces friction, or otherwise enables significant advances for the payments ecosystem. The nominated product or solution should be in current use in the marketplace with demonstrated results and not a concept or in beta testing. The winner(s) will be recognized at TRANSACT.

Candidates for this award can be VARs, ISVs, mPOS providers, Security Providers, Payment Facilitators, Embedded Payments providers, or other technology companies that have a product supporting or relating to payments.
The organization should be an active ETA member in good standing at the time of receiving this award.
The recipient cannot be a past winner.
This category could have more than one winner.

Top 10 Payments ISVs

Candidates for this award are ISVs who are integrating payments solutions that disrupt and drive the payments industry forward. The unique software used by organizations adds significant value and deepens the relationship between the user and the chosen platform.

Criteria

Start-ups or organizations in business for at least one year, who have not previously won this award, are welcome to apply. ETA membership is not required for this award.

Qualifying applicants include companies that have introduced disruptive software that improves the payment process, and:

Offers end users an enhanced user experience
Provides improved payments security and PCI DSS Compliance
Enables a quicker, more efficient payments process for Merchants
Generates increased revenue and stickiness

Unlike the candidates for the ‘Most Innovative Product or Solution Star Award’, who may or may not provide merchant acquiring services, the winner of this award must be an Independent Software Vendor that enhances payments through emerging financial technology.

Award Inclusions

Those companies chosen as a Top 10 Payments ISV will receive the following as part of their recognition and must be present to participate:

Announced in ETA marketing communications and highlighted on the ETA website.

At Transact

Winners receive award live during the ISV deep dive program on Friday, April 4th.
A ~ 10 min multi-media speaking session during the program on April 4th to showcase their solution and explain why it is disrupting payments.
A 5×5 space* to display products/services in the “ISV Village”, powered by MAPP Advisors, or an appropriate space as determined by ETA, located on the Exhibit Hall floor.

*ETA reserves the right to determine and adjust the appropriate space in the Exhibit Hall. Winners do not pay for show floor space or “standard” build. Extra costs, such as F&B, additional tech needs, etc., will be paid by the winner. Winners will be subject to the T&Cs as any other exhibitor.

Top Payments Sales Professionals

Sales professionals are indispensable in the payments industry because they drive growth, revenue, and innovation while providing essential support, education, and problem-solving for businesses navigating the complex world of payments. This industry involves facilitating financial transactions and payment processing, and sales professionals play a crucial role in helping businesses and consumers adopt and use payment solutions effectively. Their role goes beyond sales; they act as consultants and partners in helping businesses optimize their payment processes and achieve their financial goals.

The ETA is honoring 50 sales representatives from member companies that have demonstrated commitment and passion for achieving excellence. Applications are welcome from all sectors of payment sales.

Sales professionals in the payments industry can be successful due to their in-depth product knowledge, problem-solving skills, relationship-building abilities, industry expertise, and their capacity to adapt to evolving technologies and regulations. These qualities enable them to meet the diverse needs of clients in a complex and dynamic field.

Each recipient will be honored, and receive an award, at TRANSACT 2025. They will also be featured on ETA’s website, in a press release and a special edition of TT Weekly Newsletter.

ETA YPP

ETA Young Payments Professionals

PROGRAM SPONSORED BY

ETA YPPs, the rising stars of the industry, are offered valuable mentorship and leadership opportunities guided by some of the most successful and experienced leaders in the field. 2025 YPPs and their mentors will be recognized at TRANSACT, April 2-4, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas. Questions? Contact Ali Furlong at afurlong@electran.org.

ETA seeks mentors for the 2025 class of ETA YPP scholars. Mentors will help the ETA YPP scholars build knowledge, leadership skills and gain tools to advance goals through coaching and feedback.

Goals & Benefits

The ETA YPP scholar program provides support, education and opportunity to young payments professionals, and encourages ETA YPPs to assume leadership roles within ETA and the industry.

ETA YPPs stand to gain invaluable insight through this program. ETA’s goal is to provide the elements needed to help our young payments professionals of today grow, build collegial relationships with a class of scholars, and meet with respected leaders from influential companies that matter to the future of payments innovation.

Following their year as an appointed ETA YPP scholar, ETA invites these young payments professionals to continue their involvement with ETA by volunteering on committees and councils, contributing articles, and taking on an advisory role with the next group of ETA YPP scholars.

Each of the 2025 ETA YPP scholars will receive benefits in 2025 as listed.

Eligibility

Currently employed by an ETA member company
Each of the scholars will represent different companies, though one company may have multiple applicants
Between the ages of 21-35 years
Working in payments for a minimum of two years
Application approved by your supervisor
Has not previously served as an ETA YPP

ETA YPP Scholars Receive

Assigned a senior industry mentor
Complimentary exam to earn ETA CPP Certification
Complimentary registration and travel stipend (if applicable) to TRANSACT
Complimentary registration to Payments Fly-In on Capitol Hill, Fintech Policy Forum and TRANSACT Tech events
Dedicated networking time with industry leaders
Opportunity to contribute to development of ETA YPP session at TRANSACT
Discount at SLF

Forty Under 40

PROGRAM SPONSORED BY

The ETA Forty Under 40 award recognizes the game changers of the payments industry. The ETA Forty Under 40 honorees represent all the evolving segments of the industry and are widely recognized for their contributions to the industry.

All honorees will be recognized at TRANSACT, April 2-4, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas.

Questions? Contact Ali Furlong at afurlong@electran.org.

Nominees must be under the age of 40 as of April 30, 2025, to be eligible. Previous ETA Forty Under 40 honorees are not eligible to apply.

EXCELLENCE PAYS OFF HERE

2025 Awards Call for Nominations