North America Bytes

Douglas National Bank, Douglas, Ga., has chosen Raymond James Financial Services (RJFS) to provide investment programs to its investment services department.

Raymond James' programs and resources that will be available through Douglas National Bank include: financial planning programs and support; non-proprietary products; client-approved mutual fund research; comprehensive insurance and annuity services; portfolio management; trust and estate planning; investment banking and public finance; retirement-plan consulting; multiple fee-based accounts; extensive equity research; corporate, government and municipal bond inventories; self-clearing order execution services; online trading; continuing education and training; investment due diligence and selection; comprehensive confirmations and statements; and account access for clients via the Internet.

"Douglas National Bank now has superior resources for building a solid, comprehensive customer base," said Stuart Smith, president and CEO of Douglas National Bank. "The outstanding track record of Raymond James Financial Services provides our bank with the expertise it needs to become a true leader in the industry. Together we will take community banking to a new level and raise the bar for customer satisfaction and excellent service."

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MasterCard Remote Payment and Presentment Service (MasterCard RPPS) has launched a new campaign to raise public awareness of electronic bill payment and presentment (EBPP) services.

Designed to address the growing importance of education in promoting consumer adoption of EBPP services, the campaign includes the publication of a full-color brochure to provide consumers with a concise, easy-to-read introduction to online bill-presentment and bill-payment features and benefits. The brochure is available to participating financial institutions and service providers of MasterCard RPPS in an electronic version that may be placed on their websites with permission. A detailed Q&A section addresses common consumer questions about service functionality, availability, and fees, as well as enrollment procedures and security.

"Financial services industry experts agree that the deployment of electronic bill presentment, which is now becoming more widely available to consumers, could drive the long-awaited adoption and aggressive growth envisioned for EBPP services," says Cathleen Conforti, vice president, MasterCard RPPS. "Growth, however, will be possible only with enhanced consumer adoption, and education is key to helping us reach that critical level of understanding. "Individuals will change their billing and payment behaviors only if they understand the benefits of EBPP and have confidence in the security and reliability of the service."

MasterCard RPPS allows biller service providers (BSPs) to communicate with multiple customer service providers (CSPs) via a single connection through the RPPS hub. The one-stop connectivity and support of open standards by MasterCard RPPS are designed to accelerate acceptance of electronic solutions in payment and presentment.

Consumers can receive a free copy of the brochure by calling, toll-free, 1-800-256-0856, or by sending an e-mail request to [email protected].

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TSYS has signed a five-year credit card processing agreement with Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC).

Using the TS2 card processing system from TSYS, CIBC will become the first bank in Canada to offer both American Express and VISA credit cards.

TSYS will support CIBC as it issues a line of card products under the name "entourage," leveraging American Express' brand name and product development capabilities. The "entourage" line is being launched with three new credit cards: CIBC entourage American Express Card, Canada's first nationwide smart card, which provides greater security for online shopping; CIBC entourage Platinum American Express Card with exclusive features and benefits; and CIBC entourage Business American Express Card, which offers special benefits for small and medium-sized businesses.

"TSYS is the only third-party processor in the United States or Canada that currently serves institutions that issue cards with the American Express, Visa and MasterCard labels," said Richard W. Ussery, chairman of the board and CEO of TSYS. "By providing the industry's leading brand-neutral processing system, TSYS offers banks and their customers the freedom to choose the products that best meet their unique and changing needs."