“Meaningful and actionable insights covering the full payments industry landscape informed by experienced partners”

From consumer and commercial payment card issuance to merchant acquiring to emerging payment technologies, the partners at McGovern Smith Advisors support their client’s strategic as well as tactical needs in insightful and efficient ways.

With a minimum of 20 years of payments industry experience each, the partners at McGovern Smith Advisors have both the knowledge and practical experience to assist their clients with even the most complicated challenges, whether they entail strategic dilemmas, operational needs or partnership development/rejuvenation.

Recently, McGovern Smith Advisors helped

Several Payment Card Issuers…

With assessing both their fraud mitigation and chargeback operations, technology, policies and procedures to mitigate fraud losses associated with the changing nature of payment card fraud due to the rapid increase in Card Not Present transactions driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supported a Number of Large Payment Card Issuers…

In evaluating and/or negotiating their MasterCard and Visa payment network relationships.

Assisted Numerous North American Credit and Debit Card Issuers…

In soliciting, evaluating and/or negotiating either new or enhanced existing card processing/servicing agreements with TSYS, Visa DPS, FIS, First Data and other third-party payment industry service providers.

Facilitated Several Recent New Commercial Credit Card Issuers…

In conducting RFP processes to select transaction processors, account servicers and other third-party service providers for program implementation and ongoing support.

Assisted an Existing Merchant Acquirer...

In conducting a strategic review of its merchant acquiring business to set the course for its future growth and expansion.

Helped Several Payment Card Issuers and Other Industry Participants…

In assessing their program delivery relative to PCI requirements.

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Bill Westervelt

Managing Partner
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Jeff Slawsky

Partner
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Jeff Tassey

Partner
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Jim Leroux

Partner
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Scott Reaser

Partner
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Sean Songer

Partner

Bill is a founder and managing partner of McGovern Smith Advisors with over 40 years of operating and advisory experience in the payments industry. Bill specializes in payment system strategies, assessing and structuring alliances, evaluating emerging payment systems alternatives and mergers and acquisitions.

Bill Westervelt bwestervelt@mcgovernsmithadvisors.com

Full Bio.

Jim is a partner whose expertise is helping payments industry companies develop and implement their growth strategies and complete strategic transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, outsourcing and other transactions. Jim also has extensive experience working with payments industry companies on legal and regulatory compliance matters.

Jim Leroux jleroux@mcgovernsmithadvisors.com

Full Bio.

Scott is a partner who manages our Strategic Sourcing practice and is the foremost advisor in the industry. He has over 20 years of industry experience assisting leading financial institutions, card issuers, new entrants, and others in evaluating, structuring, and negotiating card brand, EFT network, credit and debit card processing, portfolio servicing, merchant processing and other relationships in the payments industry.

Scott Reaser sreaser@mcgovernsmithadvisors.com

Full Bio.

Partner at McGovern Smith since it’s founding with over 39 years of experience in the financial services/payments industry, both domestically and internationally. A 20-year operator of payment card businesses for large financial institutions with proven operational and strategic skills including a long history of successful payment card product innovations (e.g. first frequent flyer credit card; first combination chip credit card/loyalty program). Jeff has been helping clients with all aspects of their payments business needs, both strategic and operational, as a consultant and trusted advisor for the past 17 years.

Jeff Slawsky jslawsky@mcgovernsmithadvisors.com

Full Bio.

Jeff is an attorney with over 35 years of experience in legislation, regulation and litigation impacting the consumer finance industry with a particular emphasis on payment cards. Jeff provides strategic advice and counsel to clients seeking to manage their public policy risk in the consumer-lending arena in both domestic and international settings. Jeff has served on the team at McGovern and Smith since it was founded.

Jeff Tassey jtassey@mcgovernsmithadvisors.com

Full Bio.

Paul, partner at McGovern Smith Advisors, is a well-known payment systems executive with over 37 years’ experience in retail financial services. Paul specializes in all aspects of small-value payment systems, including operations analysis, strategic planning, training, competitive analysis, and product development. During the past fifteen years he has consulted extensively on prepaid cards, debit cards, mobile payments, merchant acquiring, bill payment and presentment, reward programs, EMV, faster payments, payments risk management, product positioning, outsourced procurement and operational topics. He is a frequent speaker at industry gatherings.

Paul Tomasofsky ptomasofsky@mcgovernsmithadvisors.com

Full Bio.

Sean is a partner at McGovern Smith Advisors specializing in the commercial payments space. Sean helps clients create and execute accounts payable and accounts receivable payments strategies. He is a trusted advisor to financial institutions, established technology providers, new entrants, and large corporate buyers and suppliers.

Sean Songer sesonger@mcgovernsmithadvisors.com

Full Bio.

Partner at McGovern Smith Advisors, Brian is a financial and operating professional with over 25 years of experience in the payments industry with expertise in executing mergers, acquisitions, partnerships and divestitures focused on merchant acquiring, processing and related industries. Brian has significant experience in all stages of the deal cycle including business valuation, due diligence, contract negotiation, and integration. In addition, Brian has been an operating executive where he blended his M&A experience with operating and strategic growth execution.

Brian McCutcheon bmccutcheon@mcgovernsmithadvisors.com

Full Bio.