Payment Alliance International
Our Innovative Leaders
Management Team
John J. Leehy III - President and Chief Executive Officer
Greg Sahrmann - Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Bill Blakey - Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
David Kozal - Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Donna Embry - Senior Vice President, Strategic Development
Neil Clark - Senior Vice President, ATM Services Group
Marty L. Ambuehl - Senior Vice President, ATM Services Group
Conrad De Lone Wilson - Senior Vice President, ATM Services Group
E. John Macht - Senior Vice President of Operations
Keith L. Myers - Senior Vice President of Financial Services
Scott McFarland - Senior Vice President, Merchant Alliance
Greg Mercer - Senior Vice President, Digital and Media Solutions
Don Apgar - Senior Vice President, Market Partner Sales
Michael W. Hammer - Vice President of Application Development
Dale A. Jones - Director of Software Development
John J. Leehy, III
President and Chief Executive Officer
Leehy has been a leader in the field of payment processing for almost three decades. Prior to co-founding Payment Alliance International (PAI) in 2005, Leehy served as CEO of Confluent Technologies. He was also a founder and Managing Director of Resource Alliance Partners (RAP), an early-stage venture firm focused on building shareholder value for e-commerce and high-growth technology companies.
Leehy served as Chairman and CEO of Financial Alliance Processing Services, one of the nation’s fastest growing transaction processing companies. From its inception in late 1991, he guided Financial Alliance through its sale in 1995 to Deluxe Corporation, a Fortune 200 company. Two years later, Leehy and his management team repurchased the company in a leveraged buyout, which ultimately resulted in a successful sale in 1998 to National Processing Company (NPC), a publicly traded (NYSE) payment processing company. Following the sale, Leehy served as EVP and head of all transaction processing business and head of NPC’s combined transaction processing group.
Prior to Financial Alliance, Leehy directed the formation of First Data Resources'(FDC) Merchant Services Group and led that unit, as well as FDC's Security Services Company, throughout the late 1980s. Leehy serves on the ATMIA International Board of Directors, the Board of Directors for Green Technologies Environment Coatings, Inc., and has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
Greg Sahrmann
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
From 2005 to 2008, Sahrmann served jointly as both COO and Chief Financial Officer of Payment Alliance International (PAI). Prior to co-founding PAI in 2005, Sahrmann served as COO/CFO of Confluent Technologies. He was also a founder and Partner of Resource Alliance Partners (RAP), a venture capital firm providing both capital and management expertise to early stage e-commerce and high-growth technology companies.
In 1991, Sahrmann co-founded and served as the COO of Financial Alliance Processing Services, one of the nation's fastest growing transaction processing companies in the 1990s. After a sale of the company in 1995 to Deluxe Corporation, he helped lead a management buyback of the company and a successful sale to National Processing Company (NPC), a publicly traded (NYSE) payment processing company, in 1998. Sahrmann then served as EVP and Managing Officer of the Payments Processing Group, where he effectively integrated the operations of both companies and cultures, and forged a continuing growth strategy.
Prior to Financial Alliance, Sahrmann was SVP/Managing Officer of the Payment Services group for Norwest Bank (now Wells Fargo), consisting of the credit card processing, ATM services and bank data processing businesses. In this capacity, he directed five years of record growth and profitability.
Sahrmann has a Master in Business Administration degree and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree from the University of Missouri.
Bill Blakey
Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
Prior to co-founding PAI in 2005, Blakey founded and served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Electronic Data Resources, a credit and debit card processor recognized by Inc. Magazine in 2004 as one of the country's fastest growing privately held companies.
Blakey served as Executive Vice President of Financial Alliance Processing Services and participated in the successful sale and subsequent management buyback of the company from Deluxe Corporation, and ultimate sale to National Processing Company (NPC).
Prior to joining Financial Alliance, Blakey served as Chief Financial Officer for NaBanco, which was one of the top three card processing companies in the industry at the time. In this capacity, Blakey coordinated the acquisitions of over twelve bank credit card processing portfolios. Blakey has over 25 years of industry experience.
David Kozal
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
David has over 25 year's financial experience in the Payment Processing Business. Prior to joining PAI, David spent 20 years at First Data Corporation. Starting as a manager of Financial Reporting within the Finance Orgnaization and eventually becoming the Chief Financial Officer of First Data Resource's Card Issuing business. David was a member of the Merger and Acquisition team and the senior financial member of the First Data Client Renewal and New Business team. David also worked at First National Bank of Omaha as a bankcard Financial Credit Card Analyst.
David holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nebraska. David currently serves on the Habitat for Humanity Metro Louisville Board of Directors.
Donna Embry
Senior Vice President, Strategic Development
Embry has more than 40 years experience in the payments industry. Her prior executive positions include Executive Vice President, Product and Marketing for Vital Processing (TSYS Acquiring) and Senior Vice President, Electronic Banking for PNC Bank, as well as Chief Operations Officer for PNC's former division, CFC Financial Services.
Embry authored the first ETA publication, "The Encyclopedia of Terminology for the Acquiring Industry", developed and taught the inaugural Introduction series of classes for ETA University.
In addition, she was founding member and served on the Board of Directors as Chairman for the former Kentucky-based Quest ATM network. Embry currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Midwest Acquirers Association and on the "ISO and Agent" Advisory Board.
Embry has a BA in foreign languages from the University of Louisville. In October, 2005, she was selected as the Greensheet's profiled industry leader. In July 2009 she was awarded the MWAA "Lifetime Achievement Award" for Payment Industry Professionals.
Neil Clark
Senior Vice President, ATM Services Group
Clark was a founder of ATM Express in 1999, which PAI acquired in 2008. Clark has been heavily involved in ATM processing and ATM placement and is focused on growing PAI by helping others become successful ATM Operators. This is accomplished by utilizing innovative products and procedures, and considering future business opportunities. From 1991 to 1993, Clark owned a small service-oriented company and has also owned/operated a retail business for an additional 13 years.
Clark was raised in Billings, MT, where he attended Montana State University.
Marty L. Ambuehl
Senior Vice President, ATM Services Group
Ambuehl has over 19 years of experience in the ATM business and was one of the founders of ATM Express, which was purchased by Payment Alliance International in 2008. As Chief Operations Officer for the ATM Group, Ambuehl's goal is to provide an integrated and seamless customer experience across a wide range of transaction processors and a customer friendly business atmosphere.
Ambuehl has a BSBA in Accounting and Management from Montana State University - Billings.
Conrad De Lone Wilson
Senior Vice President, ATM Services Group
Wilson worked with NetBank Payment Systems (formerly Financial Technologies) since its inception in 1995 and played an instrumental role in shaping the company and its success. Prior to PAI's acquisition of NetBank in 2007, Wilson directed the company's sales efforts, distribution programs, and operations efforts. He served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing prior to taking over as President of the company in April 2006. Wilson worked in non-profit fund raising with ALSAC-St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee for four years.
Before that, Wilson worked in insurance sales with Northwestern Mutual and Farmers Insurance.
Wilson serves as the President of the Board of Directors of Deliver Me, a senior citizen support service, as well the Board of Directors of the Epilepsy Foundation of Mississippi. Wilson also serves on the Finance Committee of Parkway Hills United Methodist Church.
Wilson holds a BBA from Mississippi State University and an MBA from Memphis State University.
E. John Macht
Senior Vice President of Operations
Macht came to PAI with over 25 years experience in the merchant processing business. Prior to arriving at PAI in late 2009, Macht worked on several small business ventures for many years. He was also with NOVA Information Systems (now Elavon) for eight years as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Operations. From 1990 to 1993, he managed the operations for Norwest Card Services. Macht began his career at Fifth Third Bank in 1978.
Macht obtained his Bachelor's Degree in Administrative Management from the University of Cincinnati.
Keith L. Myers
Senior Vice President of Financial Services
Myers has over 30 years of experience in the retail banking and financial services payments industry. He previously held numerous executive management positions with Cardtronics where he was responsible for managing the ATM global operations, product development, sales and marketing activities. He was responsible for developing and implementing the largest ATM off premise bank branding and surcharge free programs in the USA. He also served as Chairman of the Allpoint Network.
Myers has an MBA in Finance from St. Mary's University and a Bachelors of Science degree in Accounting from Indiana State University. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.
Scott McFarland
Senior Vice President, Merchant Alliance
Prior to joining Payment Alliance International, McFarland was Executive Vice President for Event Marketing International (EMI), overseeing both domestic and global business-to-business sales. McFarland began his career in the bankcard industry 11 years ago while managing a program for Cardservice International and later First Horizon Merchant Services. Under Scott's tenure the business produced more than 20,000 new merchant accounts annually through door-to-door sales. Working in the consumer credit issuing arena, McFarland managed sales organizations responsible for acquiring more than 12 million consumer applications annually around the globe.
McFarland served eight years in the U.S. Air Force, which culminated in his assignment to the Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Team.
Greg Mercer
Senior Vice President, Digital and Media Solutions
With over 10 years experience in financial services and interactive media sales, Mercer came to Payment Alliance International in 2009 to lead PAI’s focus to improve customer service and retention. In 2010, Mercer expanded his role at PAI when he moved into the position of Director, Target Marketing Group. In his current role of Senior Vice President of Digital and Media Solutions, Mercer is responsible for managing multiple sales and partner channels as well as developing new digital and media solutions for PAI’s portfolio of customers and partners. Prior to arriving at Payment Alliance International in 2009, Mercer’s career included work at Careerbuilder.com and Autotrader.com, and he also had a successful residential lending business for a number of years.
Mercer graduated summa cum laude from North Central College in Naperville, IL in 2000 with a degree in Psychology and Marketing.
Don Apgar
Senior Vice President, Market Partner Sales
Apgar has over 25 years of experience in the financial services and electronic transaction processing industries. In addition to leading sales teams in both regional and national markets for industry leaders, specifically First Data, Citigroup, and Bank of America, Don has held senior management and advisory roles with several start-up ventures.
Apgar also has broad experience in compliance, operations, marketing, and product development, including private label retail credit programs, e-commerce transaction systems, and commercial card programs. While at Citigroup, Apgar successfully developed a strategic plan and product set aimed at business-to-business purchasing and payables automation within large corporations as an efficient alternative to the EDI standard.
Apgar is a cum laude graduate of C.W. Post College of Long Island University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and Management.
Michael W. Hammer
Vice President of Application Development
Hammer has experience in all facets of Information Technology. Having started his career as a developer, he has served in roles ranging from system architect to help desk support engineer. He served as Director of Software Development for Financial Alliance Processing Services of Louisville, KY, a leading provider of processing services to the credit and debit card industries, which was later acquired by National Processing Corporation (NPC).
Hammer has directed e-commerce projects that employ multi-merchant shopping carts, highly specialized web development, site personalization via Microsoft's LDAP implementation of the ISO x.500 directory standard, and secure variable transaction flow to fulfillment partners. He has a unique business analysis background, having worked in such diverse environments as small, privately held firms, Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and Internet start-ups. He has experience in a myriad of industries including legal, financial, technology, e-commerce and construction/development. Hammer has also served as a Database Administrator (DBA) for Microsoft SQL Server on several occasions, and marries this database expertise with his development experience and varied business background to architect complete customer solutions.
Dale A. Jones
Director of Software Development
Jones is a 17 year technology professional with expertise in telecommunications, data center management and software development. As Director of Software Development for Payment Alliance International, Jones's directs all software application development initiatives of the enterprise and strives to provide a professional user friendly experience at all touch points for customer facing software applications and web portals. Jones served as Director of Information Technology for ATM Express, which was purchased by Payment Alliance International in 2008. During his 7 year tenure with ATM Express Jones also served as co-founder and President of the industry-recognized ATM management web portal, PAIReports.com (formerly ATMReports.com).