PRINCETON JUNCTION, NJ -- 01/14/08 --
The Smart Card Alliance Latin
America Chapter (SCALA) today announced its 2008 and 2009 executive
committee to lead the organization's advisory board. SCALA, an affiliation
of the Smart Card Alliance, focuses on building awareness and adoption of
smart card technology in Latin America. Its membership includes more than
twenty leading commercial and government organizations located across the
region, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and
Venezuela.
"The Latin American smart card market has progressed dramatically, with
government and commercial secure identification initiatives, and the
migration to EMV in banking and GSM in mobile telecommunications," said
Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the Smart Card Alliance. "The new
executive committee will help drive this progress by expanding smart card
knowledge and awareness in a market that has a diversity of cultures,
experience and adoption levels."
In recent months, SCALA has successfully run a smart card industry
conference in Mexico City and has delivered numerous Educational Institute
training programs at industry events across the region. The organization
launched a new Web site containing Latin American industry news, white
papers and articles, as well as products and services profiles to educate
potential smart card users about available technologies on the market.
"Since forming the Latin America chapter in 2005, leading smart card
companies have eagerly participated in raising the awareness of smart cards
and their usage in the region, particularly in the payments and security
industries," said Edgar Betts, associate director for Latin America, Smart
Card Alliance. "The new advisory board, elected from this group of
dedicated industry leaders, is highly qualified to guide the organization
to further successes in 2008 and beyond."
Peers from chapter member organizations chose the committee based on their
leadership qualities and commitment to supporting SCALA's efforts in
developing the smart card market in Latin America. The newly elected
executive committee is:
-- Chair (active first year, supportive second year), Marcelo Bellini
Garcia, sales and marketing director, Sagem Orga of Brazil
-- Chair (supportive first year, active second year), Humberto de la
Vega, vice-president of sales, Latin America and the Caribbean, HID Global
-- Vice Chair, Ismael Dykman, government sales, Latin America, DataCard
Group
-- Secretary, Luis Cohen, commercial director, Gemalto
About the Smart Card Alliance Latin America (SCALA)
The primary mission of the Smart Card Alliance Latin American chapter is in
line with the overall goal of the Alliance: to stimulate the understanding,
adoption, use and widespread application of smart cards. The Alliance
plans to use specific projects such as bilingual education programs, market
research, advocacy, industry relations and open forums to keep Latin
American chapter organization members connected to industry leaders and
innovative thought.
About the Smart Card Alliance
The Smart Card Alliance is a not-for-profit, multi-industry association
working to stimulate the understanding, adoption, use and widespread
application of smart card technology.
Through specific projects such as education programs, market research,
advocacy, industry relations and open forums, the Alliance keeps its
members connected to industry leaders and innovative thought. The Alliance
is the single industry voice for smart cards, leading industry discussion
on the impact and value of smart cards in the U.S. and Latin America. For
more information, please visit http://www.smartcardalliance.org.
Media Contact:
Deb Montner
Montner & Associates
203-226-9290
dmontner@montner.com
Media Contact Brazil:
Roger Hayas
PressTexto
55-11-6694-1142
roger@presstexto.com.br
