Bartels Receives Distinguished Service Award at EPCOR Payments Conference
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (October 7, 2024) – EPCOR® – Your Electronic Payments Core of Knowledge today presented Ann-Marie Bartels, former CEO of EPCOR, with a Distinguished Service Award during the opening remarks of EPCOR’s Payments Conference – Fall 2024. The award encapsulates a long overdue celebration of Ann-Marie’s over 30 years of contributions to the payments industry and her unwavering dedication to EPCOR’s mission following her retirement in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Always the association person at heart, Ann-Marie has missed the people the most in retirement. Today, we not only honor her legacy but also give her a chance to say her goodbyes to the members she cared so deeply about,” announced current EPCOR President & CEO, Brandie Thacker.
Ann-Marie Bartels led EPCOR through numerous significant milestones, transforming the organization and strengthening its role as a key resource for its members. Her tenure saw the merger of Mid-America Payments Exchange (MPX) and Payments Central in 2009, creating what we now know as EPCOR. Under her leadership, EPCOR launched many innovative member offerings, including the EPCOR Knowledge Community, EPCOR Payments University, Electronic Resources License and Did You Know video series. A highly respected figure in the payments industry, Bartels also participated in numerous industry groups and played an integral role in countless payments industry initiatives including developing the Guiding Principles for The Center for Payments.
“Ann-Marie has had a long-lasting impact on the EPCOR staff, members, board members and industry associates,” Thacker continued. “You can continue to hear the echoing of Ann-Marie’s advice in some of the EPCOR planning sessions with staff and industry colleagues. She had that much of an impact.”
Under Ann-Marie’s leadership, EPCOR received national recognition, including the 2017 Association Trends’ Most Innovative Education Program award for its Electronic Resources License. Her undeniable impact also lives on in the fabric of EPCOR culture, including EPCOR’s beloved mascot, Hoot-E.
The entire EPCOR community is grateful for Ann-Marie’s decades of service and leadership and wishes her all the best in her well-deserved retirement.
About EPCOR® – Your Electronic Payments Core of Knowledge
EPCOR is a not-for-profit payments association that provides payments expertise through education, advice and member representation. EPCOR assists banks, credit unions, thrifts and affiliated organizations in maintaining compliance, reducing risk and enhancing the overall operational efficiency of the payments systems. Through our affiliation with industry partners and other associations, EPCOR fosters and promotes improvement of the payments systems which are in the best interest of our members. For more information on EPCOR, visit www.epcor.org.
Media Contact: Kristel Goins
816-595-7632
