Former BITS Chairman Receives Leadership Award

James H. Blanchard, former chairman and CEO of Synovus, has received the 2008 BITS Leadership Award, an honor that acknowledges excellence in leadership within the financial services community and in advancing the interests of the member institutions of BITS.

BITS Leadership Award recipients are innovative leaders who are highly respected by their peers and whose contributions have substantial and lasting benefits to the financial services industry. Blanchard was chairman of the organization from 2000 to 2002.

According to BITS, Blanchard, in his over 30 years of leading Synovus, has played a role in the industry with his understanding of the interplay of technology, commerce and financial services. In the aftermath of 9-11, Blanchard promoted crisis management coordination and the payments system through TSYS and for BITS' payments work. Over the years, he also promoted industry efforts in privacy, patent reform, data aggregation and outsourcing risk management.