Collaboration: The word of the week

03 Oct Collaboration: The word of the week

By Kelly Funk, Retail Solutions Providers Association, PCI SSC Board of Advisor

Who would have thought that a pilot, a journalist, numerous industry experts and myself would all serendipitously share the same, non-industry specific central thought over 3 days. Collaboration was the word of the week. It was woven throughout each session I attended and in numerous conversations in the exhibit hall and over cocktails. John Nance spoke about aircraft crew and healthcare professionals working together to achieve better outcomes. Brian Krebs shared that even the bad guys are collaborating in clever ways to increase their success. If that wasn’t a wakeup call for us to find ways to join forces to increase the level of security in payments, I’m not sure you were listening.

I’m grateful for my time in beautiful Vancouver and for the conversations I had while there. I learned from each and every exchange; some technical, a few philosophical and all enjoyable. I look forward to engaging, finding ways we can work together and to the next opportunity we have to convene as a community. There is strength in numbers and power in collective knowledge.

Collaboration is the key and I challenge our community to not just say the words, but to wholeheartedly embrace it.