MAG Insights

We are excited to share that in addition to our continued MAG member and sponsor growth, our internal team has grown as well.  We are pleased to welcome Meg Thaxton to our Growth Team as Manager of Sponsorship Programs.  Meg resides in Alexandria, Virginia, and comes to us with an extensive background in the association and events industry. She works closely with our new and existing MAG Sponsors to ensure their partnership with the MAG is both valuable and rewarding.  Please join us in also welcoming Abby Arseneau, Julie Zambos, and Nicole Mills to the MAG team. Abby joins the Advocacy and Communications team as Communications Coordinator, Julie is MAG’s new Strategic Project Manager, and Nicole is a Conference and Event Planner.

With our focus on growing the MAG, we are targeting several industry verticals for membership growth, including eCommerce, healthcare, insurance, education, hospitality, gaming, fitness, and, as always, the Retail Top 100.  We currently have over half of the Top 100 and 19 of the Top 20 companies as MAG members.  As you network with your industry peers, we appreciate your help in introducing them to the MAG. If they have not attended a MAG conference in the past, we are happy to extend a guest pass to non-members for the upcoming Annual Conference.  Please reach out to Kristi Simonett with any questions regarding membership (and sponsorship) opportunities.  

We have outlined a few of the member benefits that are available with your MAG membership:

• Engagement:  MAG merchant members have many ways to get involved with their peers by joining Committees, Special Interest Groups (SIGs), and/or Communities of Practice (COPs). We encourage you to review these opportunities on our website and get involved!  
• MAG Conferences:  MAG members receive complimentary registrations to attend both our Mid-Year and Annual conferences,  (based on membership level).  The conferences provide the opportunity to network with merchant peers and sponsors and hear from industry-leading speakers focusing on the latest payments industry trends, including innovations in payments.
• Collaboration:  MAG brings together merchants from all different verticals to collaborate and share knowledge on hot topics in the payments industry. Meet your merchant counterparts and service providers to move your business forward and solve real-world problems you are facing in payments acceptance.
• Payments Education: Exclusive access to educational resources including our  Payments 101 Series and our just completed Payments 200 Series. A benefit of being an All Access Member includes the Merchant Payments 101 eLearning course at no additional cost.  We continue to hear wonderful reviews of this eLearning payments education opportunity from merchants and industry stakeholders.  
  

The MAG staff is busy preparing for a robust MAG Annual Conference and Tech Forum in Atlanta September 10-13, 2023, with an exciting agenda focused on the most relevant payments topics in the industry.  We expect record attendance and look forward to seeing you there!

If we can be of any assistance in addressing your MAG benefits and the many opportunities available for your involvement, please reach out to Kristi Simonett, Director of Membership Engagement and Sponsorship Programs.