Dave & Norma McCarthy Family Scholarship Established for RSPA Reseller Members

SYRACUSE, NY and RALEIGH, NC – Longtime RSPA (Retail Solutions Providers Association) members Dave and Norma McCarthy are establishing a new scholarship that will help the families of retail technology reseller organizations. The Dave & Norma McCarthy Family Scholarship is being funded through a $100,000 donation by the McCarthys to the RSPA Scholarship Program. Each year for at least the next decade, one child or grandchild of an RSPA reseller member company will receive a $10,000 scholarship.

The McCarthys’ scholarship is record-setting on several levels:

  • The $10,000 scholarship will be the largest individual scholarship awarded in RSPA history
  • The $100,000 donation by the McCarthys is the largest donation in RSPA history
  • The RSPA Scholarship Fund has received over $225,000 in donations over the past year, the highest 12-month total in the 36-year history of the association’s Scholarship Program

The McCarthys have been longtime supporters of the association (both the ICRDA and RSPA) through their family company DUMAC Business Systems, Inc. A retail IT solution provider based in Syracuse, NY, DUMAC has been helping independent retailers since 1952 and has been a staple in the RSPA community for 69 years, joining in 1954. Dave McCarthy is a Past Chair of the RSPA Board, former association Secretary/Treasurer, H.O. Whistler Award recipient, and Lifetime Member. In 2022, he was inducted into the RSPA Retail Technology Hall of Fame.

“Norma and I are both thrilled to make this donation to both a great organization and great cause,” said Dave McCarthy. “With the ongoing escalation of college costs, we felt this $10,000 scholarship amount per year would be more beneficial in helping the recipient with college expenses. Both of our children received ICRDA/RSPA scholarships back in the 1990s, so this is also allowing us to ‘give back’ to the RSPA Scholarship Fund.”

The first Dave & Norma McCarthy Family Scholarship recipient will be formally announced at RetailNOW 2023, the RSPA’s annual trade show, education conference, and networking event. Recipients of the McCarthy Scholarship will be the child or grandchild of the owner or employee of an RSPA member company that operates as a full-service POS solution provider.

“We are incredibly grateful to Dave and Norma for their generosity and their support of our community,” said Jim Roddy, RSPA President and CEO. “When I think of Dave and Norma, two words that come to mind immediately are ‘kind’ and ‘helpful.’ Their scholarship is rooted in those traits. For many years to come, their generosity will make a significant positive impact on many families in the RSPA Community.”

The announcement of the McCarthy Scholarship follows a series of donations that have boosted the scholarship program. Since July 2023, the association has seen the creation of the Datacap Systems Scholarship and the John B. Lockington Memorial Scholarship and a renewal of the Stanley and Shirley Hayman Founder’s Scholarship.

Since the inception of the RSPA Scholarship Program, the RSPA has awarded nearly $3 million to families of reseller companies. The children and grandchildren of RSPA members are eligible for merit-based scholarships to help ease the costs associated with post-secondary education.

For more information on the RSPA Scholarship Program, visit www.GoRSPA.org/scholarship or email Membership@GoRSPA.org.

About RSPA (Retail Solutions Providers Association)

The RSPA is North America’s largest community of VARs, software developers, vendors, and distributors in the retail, restaurant, grocery, and cannabis verticals. The mission of the RSPA is to accelerate the success of its members in the retail technology ecosystem by providing knowledge and connections. The organization offers member-to-member introductions, education, hotlines for legal, security, sales, and business advice, 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 visiting www.GoRSPA.org.