« We'll fiÂnalÂly start to see the moveÂment around moÂbile payÂments. We've been waitÂing for this magiÂcal moÂment to take place. » PamÂeÂla Joseph, head of payÂment serÂvices diÂviÂsion at U.S. BanÂcorp
About Joseph: PamÂeÂla Joseph leads one of U.S. Bank's most dyÂnamÂic diÂviÂsions. PayÂments is a key growth enÂgine for the bank, covÂerÂing credÂit, debit and preÂpaid cards; card proÂcessÂing for merÂchants, and the Minneapolis-based bank's inÂvestÂment in moÂbile payÂments. Joseph has preÂsided over maÂjor acÂquiÂsiÂtions and inÂterÂnaÂtionÂal exÂpanÂsion of its card proÂcessÂing opÂerÂations since 2004.
PerÂsonÂal file: A naÂtive of ChiÂcaÂgo, Joseph lives in the AtÂlanÂta subÂurb of Roswell with her husÂband, Hank, and three sons. She heads the nonprofit Women LeadÂers in AcÂtion, which supÂports women's edÂuÂcaÂtion in AfÂriÂca, and travÂels there freÂquentÂly.
What's big in 2014: Joseph sees the long-awaitÂed breakÂthrough in moÂbile payÂments, although she's not sure what exÂactÂly it will look like. "We've worked on pilÂots with just about every kind of handÂset, every piece of softÂware." The bank is foÂcused on point-of-sale techÂnolÂoÂgy to help merÂchants acÂcept smartphones as payÂment. MiÂcro loÂcaÂtion techÂnolÂoÂgy alÂlows reÂtailÂers to tell what aisle of the store you're in, for inÂstance, and zap you a couÂpon on the spot. The bank is doing a beta launch of a meÂdiÂa app called "Peri" that alÂlows comÂpanies to enÂcode meÂdiÂa so peoÂple can quickÂly scan an item, click and buy it from their moÂbile deÂvice.
Final word: "It's total imÂpulse buyÂing. Now you can turn adÂverÂtisÂing into acÂtion."
JENNIFER BJORHUS