Charlotte, NC â€Ã‚ The Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA) has received an appointment to the 2015-2017 PCI Security Standards Council Board of Advisors, President and CEO Kelly Funk announced today.

Election to the Board of Advisors represents an important opportunity for RSPA to provide the perspective of its membership to this cross-industry and international group.

“I’m pleased that the RSPA will continue to have a seat on the Board of Advisors. The voice of our membership is vital and our engagement with the PCI SSC is of great value to the entire industry,” said Funk.

The Board of Advisors represents the Council’s 1,000 Participating Organizations and security assessors worldwide to ensure global industry involvement in the development of PCI Security Standards.

As the RSPA’s representative, Kelly Funk is one of 28 board members to join the PCI Council in its fight against payment fraud and data breaches globally. Among many duties, board members provide directional and technical input on matters of focus vital for maintaining the security standards that protect digital purchasing and payments. Areas of importance include new cybercrime tactics, public-private-law enforcement information sharing, app development and merchant needs in developing economies.

“Cybercrime is standing in the way of economic growth for all businesses, including start-ups in the developing world and multinationals. Criminal networks are well funded and highly motivated to steal our hard-earned money and our personal information. At the Council we are grateful to have some of the best economic and security minds in the world joining the Board to help tackle the challenge that cybercriminals present,” said Stephen W. Orfei, PCI SSC General Manager.

“Cross-industry and global collaboration is critical to the work we’re doing to protect payment transactions, and the Board of Advisors plays an important part in representing the perspectives of a wide variety of stakeholders. We’re pleased to have RSPA join the board as together we work to educate and protect against today’s global threats.”

About RSPA
The RSPA is the only association dedicated to the retail technology industry. The mission of the RSPA is to accelerate the success of its members in the point of sale ecosystem by providing knowledge and connections.  The organization offers education, certification, a legal hotline, industry advocacy, and discounts on other services to assist members with becoming and remaining successful.  RSPA is most well-known for its signature events, RetailNOW® and INSPIRE® which provide face to face learning and networking opportunities. Learn more by going to www.GoRSPA.org.

About PCI Secrurity Standards Council
The PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) works with organizations around the world to protect businesses and consumers against data theft by continuously developing new payment security standards, cybersecurity training courses and certification programs.