TSYS announced today its inclusion in the Smart Card Alliance Center of Excellence recognition program. The program was established in 2013 to acknowledge member companies with the highest levels of participation and achievement in the Smart Card Alliance and the EMV industry in general. Honorees were announced at a gala during the Smart Card Alliance member meeting in Orlando, FL.

Inclusion in the program is directly related to accomplishments and involvement companies have demonstrated in 2013-2014, including industry council recognition, peer election to council officer positions, training and certification achievements, event sponsorship and support of multiple chapters.

"TSYS has been a proud sponsor of the Smart Card Alliance for several years, and to be recognized for our involvement is an honor," said M. Troy Woods, president and chief executive officer, TSYS. "With more than a decade of experience processing smart, or EMV, cards in Canada and Europe, we see the challenges to broader adoption that lie ahead in the U.S. However we, along with other processors, must ramp up our chip card capabilities as the market's demand for the products continues to grow. Our involvement in the Smart Card Alliance is an example of how we can stay closely attuned to efforts in this area."

Sarah Hartman, Senior Director of Consumer Payments for TSYS, was also honored by the Alliance. She was announced as a member of the 2014 Payments Council Honor Roll — a selection based on her participation in and input to the Payments Council. Hartman was also recently re-elected to the U.S. EMV Migration Forum member-elected steering committee, which she has been involved with since its inception.