Category: 2021

NOVI, MI., (Dec. 8, 2021) – Fortis, a payment and commerce technology leader for software providers, marketplaces, developers and businesses, announced it is expanding its robust enterprise resource planning (ERP) and value-added reseller (VAR) channels by acquiring VIP Integrated Payments, as well as adding new senior members to their leadership team to continue scaling.

VIP has been serving U.S.- and Canada-based businesses for 25 years, offering merchants and B2B business’ native accounting software integration, credit card and ACH/EFT payments, automated settlement, omni-channel connectivity and a range of other financial and commerce services on multiple technology platforms. 

VIP’s technology simplifies payments and increases cash flow for complex businesses as they digitize and scale. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

“We are thrilled that VIP’s exceptional team and array of solutions will become part of the Fortis family,” said Fortis CEO Greg Cohen. “VIP is a trusted guide and partner in the ERP community helping VARs solution on behalf of B2B businesses. Joining forces means both organizations will continue to expand on the exceptional service they are already known for.”

Miah Green, CEO of VIP Integrated Payments, and his full team will continue to execute as they are integrated into the greater organization.

“We have been watching with great interest as Fortis continues to expand its capabilities and its commercial footprint,” Green said. “It’s exciting to become the newest chapter of that growth story. Businesses will benefit from the innovations our organizations will continue to roll out as we offer a modern, fully integrated commerce and payment facilitation experience.

In addition to Miah, Fortis has also added two additional leaders to maintain the company’s rapid pace of growth.

Guy DiMaggio, a recognized leader in the financial services industry with more than 25 years of experience building and leading world-class operating environments, has been named chief operations officer (COO).    

Guy has held senior executive and general management positions both domestically and internationally for companies such as CPI Card Group, iPayment, Vantiv and Western Union. He has also worked with various advisory boards and industry forums.

Raj Pannu, who brings more than 25 years’ experience in professional sales and sales management experience, has been named vice president of business development for the lodging vertical. His responsibilities range from independent and branded hotel portfolio expansion to strategic partner relationships and integrated software vendor management.

In his previous roles with Chase, First Data and Elavon, Raj led an array of teams specializing in hospitality, commerce and anti-fraud segments. 

Fortis has been rapidly expanding its suite of products and its market reach. Over the past several months Fortis has brought payment facilitation and new vertical capabilities to market, expanded into Canada and launched over a dozen new integrated software partnerships. Technology is critical in the pursuit of scale and the Fortis platform continues to excel through innovation and investment. 

About Fortis

Fortis, formerly known as FortisPay, delivers comprehensive payment solutions and commerce enablement to software partners and developers, processing billions of dollars annually. The company’s mission is to forge a holistic commerce experience, guiding businesses to reach uncharted growth and scale. As the solution of choice for the future of payments, Fortis moves commerce closer to invisible with a proprietary platform that supports and strengthens the commerce and payments capabilities of software partners. For more information, visit www.fortispay.com.

About VIP Integrated Payments

VIP Integrated Payments is a leading provider of integrated payment technology solutions to North American merchants, differentiated by strategic partnerships and multiple-platform business model. VIP offers a broad suite of end-to-end payment solutions and superior U.S.- based customer support. Its solutions are offered through a diversified network of partners and alliances built over more than 25 years by integrating and developing relationships as part of the company’s drive to help its business partners succeed and grow.

Media Contact

Kayla Cash

kcash@nextpr.com 

New Commerce Enablement Capabilities and Payment Solutions Allow Software Partners to Scale 

New brand look and feel underscore the company’s game-changing transformation 

NOVI, Mich., Oct. 12, 2021 — Fortis Payment Systems, LLC (Fortis), a payment and commerce technology leader for software providers, marketplaces, developers and businesses, announced today the company has refreshed its brand look and feel to better reflect the new technology stack, solutions and value proposition it offers to partners and developers. Now doing business as Fortis, the commerce technology leader is on a mission to deliver a holistic payments experience, guiding businesses to reach uncharted growth and scale.

Sensing industry fundamentals were shifting toward seamless experiences, the company’s leaders staked out a new vision: to meet the future of payments by moving commerce closer to invisible. Fortis invested in new capabilities to enable software partners to scale. Fortis’ end-to-end solutions take payment facilitation and instant connectivity, enablement and adoption to new levels. Fortis is uniquely able to offer numerous models and payment connectivity options off a single platform to maximize adoption and create meaningful value.

The market has responded favorably to the Fortis strategy. Each software partner is different and the “guide driven” methodical approach to partner success has been well received allowing the company to grow 5X over the past 2 years and show an impressive 46% increase in organic volume processed over the last 12 months.

“It’s an incredibly exciting time because we’ve built a team and assembled a set of unified capabilities that enable unparalleled integration excellence,” said Fortis CEO Greg Cohen. “Software companies’ payments needs are expanding, and we’re proactively making commerce easier by providing more choices and guidance. Given the shift in our mission and expansion of our capabilities, a refresh of our brand makes sense because we do more than just payments, we enable embedded commerce. This change reorients our team, partners and marketplace around our new vision.”

To be the solution of choice for the future of payments, Fortis is embracing complexities and engaging the industries it serves to facilitate growth and streamline commerce. The company is committed to delivering unique paths to empowering businesses with meaningful choices and control while serving as an advocate and trusted guide. Fortis makes software partners stronger by offering bespoke experiences on its proprietary platform, delivering downstream value to business networks.

“The future of commerce is seamless integration with software, and the Fortis platform is ready with a full technology stack that delivers comprehensive commerce enablement features,” said Kevin Shamoun, CTO at Fortis. “Whether it’s core integration capabilities, multiple payment facilitation experiences, omnichannel connectivity or award-winning APIs, our platform and certification team are ready to embrace industry and marketplace nuances to move businesses forward.”

Learn more about Fortis’ new direction and mission to deliver a holistic commerce experience at www.fortispay.com.

About Fortis

Fortis, formerly known as FortisPay, delivers comprehensive payment solutions and commerce enablement to software partners and developers, processing billions of dollars annually. The company’s mission is to forge a holistic commerce experience, guiding businesses to reach uncharted growth and scale. As the solution of choice for the future of payments, Fortis moves commerce closer to invisible with a proprietary platform that supports and strengthens the commerce and payments capabilities of software partners. For more information, visit www.fortispay.com.

Media Contact 
Bri Helm 
bhelm@nextpr.com

Deal gives fast-growing FortisPay access to enhanced software enablement technologies and new partnerships

NOVI, Mich., Sept. 14, 2021 — Fortis Payment Systems, LLC (FortisPay), a payment technology leader for businesses, independent software vendors (ISVs) and developers, announced it has acquired OmniFund, whose cloud-based Payments-as-a-Platform solution is leveraged by software and enterprise resource planning ERP solutions across the country. Founded in 2005, Omni is dedicated on delivering superior commerce solutions for their software partners and business clients. The acquisition will enable FortisPay to expand its platform of offerings and capabilities while pursuing new accounts receivable and ERP initiatives. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. 

“This represents an exciting expansion of our platform,” said FortisPay CEO Greg Cohen. “OmniFund has developed a full technology stack with additional commerce enablement features that will make our unified offering unmatched in our target markets. The addition of Stacy and her team to our family is exciting as they share our passion for making software partners better through technology and amazing experiences.  

Stacy Roderick, CEO of OmniFund, will join the FortisPay leadership team and her entire team will continue to execute as they are integrated into the greater organization. 

“We are excited to join FortisPay during a time when the company is rapidly expanding,” Roderick said. “FortisPay offers the market a truly modern, fully integrated commerce and payment facilitation experience, and OmniFund’s customized technology will further enhance their platform. Joining forces means the software partners and businesses of both entities will benefit from new solutions and innovation.”

FortisPay has been rapidly expanding its suite of products and its market reach. Over the past three months FortisPay has acquired payment facilitation and new vertical capabilities, as well as expanded into Canada and launched over a dozen new integrated software partnerships. Technology is critical in the pursuit of scale and the FortisPay platform continues to excel through innovation and investment.  

OmniFund offers scalable, cloud-based payments technology to businesses in a range of industries. The Payments-as-a-Platform solution includes credit-card processing, SMS payment requests, recurring payments, mobile payments, a virtual terminal and other features. The company has partnerships with a range of software companies, specifically focusing in the areas of finance and health care.

About FortisPay

FortisPay provides commerce technology and merchant solutions to businesses and software developers nationwide, processing billions of dollars annually. FortisPay’s mission is to provide technology-enabled solutions and amazing customer experiences helping software partners and small and mid-sized businesses scale through innovation. FortisPay’s proprietary gateway provides state-of-the-art connectivity solutions for hundreds of business owners, software developers, and channel partners. For more information, visit www.fortispay.com.

About OmniFund

OmniFund provides simple solutions to complex payment problems for businesses of all sizes nationwide. OmniFund’s Payments as a Platform® is a customizable solution with robust features, and the tools businesses need to create a fully-integrated and seamless payment processing experience for their customers. The company provides a secure, PCI-compliant, world-class platform backed with expert service and personalized support to boost profits and grow your business.

Newly hired executives will help company continue its rapid growth

NOVI, Mich., July 15, 2021 — Fortis Payment Systems, LLC (FortisPay), a payment technology leader for businesses, independent software vendors (ISVs), and developers, today announced the addition of three new top executives to lead the company’s continued growth  and expansion into new markets. The leadership team will continue to scale the organization’s offerings and support the expanding network of partners.

Greg Cohen, FortisPay’s executive chairman, early integrated payments veteran and highly sought-after FinTech advisor, will serve as the company’s CEO. Cohen served as the executive chairman of the organization for 18 months prior to being appointed CEO. Preceding FortisPay, Cohen lead numerous, highly-successful commerce businesses from the executive suite including, Paya, iPayment (now PaySafe) and Cayan (now part of Global Payments). Additionally, he is the former president of the Electronic Transactions Association and member of Mastercard, Discover and NACHA advisory boards. 

“Greg has extensive knowledge of the commerce ecosystem and a unique ability to scale platform businesses and solutions both directly and indirectly in complex environments,” said Jimmy Nafso, co-founder and executive officer of FortisPay. “His support at the board level has been tremendous and we’re thrilled to have him onboard full-time as he contributes to the firm’s strategic growth. His leadership will be invaluable as we continue on our rapid growth track.”

FortisPay also announced two additional members of the executive team. Seasoned finance professional Dennis McLaughlin will take the helm as the company’s CFO. McLaughlin previously served as the vice president of finance at Berkeley Research Group, Paya, JP Morgan & Chase Co., as well as the director of finance for Capital One. While working with Paya, Dennis served as the interim CFO and was responsible for all facets of finance and accounting. The company has also appointed strategic business advisor and  IT and implementation expert Ashley Usher to serve as chief integration and information officer. Usher brings to FortisPay two decades of experience in the digital payments, FinTech and technology industries, where she has served as a partner in executive operations, product development, IT strategy and other critical initiatives. In her prior experience, Usher worked as a partner at TechCXO and vice president at Global Payments, where she led enterprise platform integrations.

FortisPay is rapidly expanding its suite of products and its market reach. The business continues to grow both organically and inorganically. In May, the company announced the acquisition of payment facilitator (or “PayFac”) platform EpicPay and integrated solutions provider Change Merchant Solutions. As the organization expands, the additional leadership will enable operations to scale and consistently meet the demands of the fast-paced market.  

“FortisPay is making exceptional progress as it brings promising new technologies to market and further integrates its platform with software and ERP providers, creating a truly unique value proposition in a range of industries,” said Trevor Rich of Lovell Minnick Partners, a private equity backer of FortisPay. “These C-level, industry veterans bring visions of commerce enablement and track records that indicate this progress will continue, if not accelerate, at FortisPay.”

About FortisPay

FortisPay provides payment technology and merchant solutions to businesses and software developers nationwide, processing billions of dollars annually. FortisPay’s mission is to provide technology-enabled solutions and amazing customer experiences helping software partners and small and mid-sized businesses scale through innovation. FortisPay’s proprietary platform provides state-of-the-art connectivity solutions for hundreds of business owners, software developers, and channel partners. For more information, visit www.fortispay.com.

FortisPay announces two acquisitions to offer PayFac capabilities and expand into new markets. The strategic investment will enable a full suite of commerce experiences and engagement models for technology partners looking to scale.

NOVI, Mich., May 26, 2021 — Fortis Payment Systems, LLC (FortisPay), a payment technology leader for businesses, independent software vendors (ISVs), and developers announced today the acquisition of EpicPay International, LLC (EpicPay), an award-winning payment facilitation (PayFac) platform and processor, and Change Merchant Solutions, LLC (CMS), an integrated payment solutions provider. These investments will not only bring incremental scale and new technology partnerships to the company but also further enhance FortisPay’s offerings to developers and ISVs. Technology partners will be able to choose from a wide array of operating models while connecting to a single payment platform. Partners can create customized commerce experiences through easy-to-integrate APIs, an extensive suite of reporting, and go-to-market resources.

Founded in 2001, EpicPay provides flexible, secure, reliable, and seamless integrated payments technology to more than 13,000 clients. As one of the first companies to develop a Payment Facilitator platform in the United States and Canada, EpicPay has established a robust processing infrastructure. The Epic Platform is a proprietary, PCI-validated, and unified commerce payments solution offering unsurpassed pricing flexibility and equipment compatibility. 

The combination of the EpicPay Platform with FortisPay’s Zeamster gateway will create a full-service solution spanning point of sale, card-not-present, and mobile acceptance with an automated engagement and reporting suite in modern cloud-based architecture.

Established in 2006, Change Merchant Solutions has spent years creating and nurturing deep partnerships with technology organizations and developers around the nation. Recently, CMS leveraged the FortisPay proprietary platform, Zeamster, to expand its reach as their omnichannel go-to solution for ISVs, enabling them to add new software partners and deepen relationships with existing clients.

The acquisitions expand FortisPay’s presence in the not-for-profit market and further enhance its specialty hospitality business. As the business’ integrate over the coming months, all clients will benefit from the newly added solutions and the high-touch FortisPay engagement model.

“Expansion into new segments via technology has always been part of our strategy. Both acquisitions support our efforts in this vision,” said Jimmy Nafso, President and COO of FortisPay. He added, “In addition, the capabilities that both EpicPay and CMS bring to the business are best-in-class. The full-service EpicPay platform with PayFac capabilities alongside CMS’s industry expertise will transform our business. I couldn’t be more excited to welcome them to the FortisPay family.”

FortisPay and these two new additions have all seen remarkable growth through the pandemic, as more payment experiences have been created in partnership with software companies. The recent investment will give FortisPay the unique ability to support partners through a unified technology platform while leveraging a scaled go-to-market team, regardless of the business model. These acquisitions further demonstrate FortisPay’s unique position as a market leader in delivering modern payments technology specific for targeted verticals.

“Together, we can transform the way software companies integrate not just payments but a full commerce stack into their platforms,” said Greg Cohen, Chairman at FortisPay. “These acquisitions will accelerate our mission to help technology partners scale and deliver amazing experiences to their customers. The ability to offer segment-specific payment solutions, rapidly board new merchants and provide an advanced service experience will define tomorrow’s leaders in the payment industry; and FortisPay is ready for that.”

MAPP Advisors, a fintech advisory firm with a core focus on payments and ISVs, served as a strategic advisor to FortisPay for the EpicPay transaction.

About FortisPay

FortisPay provides payment technology and merchant solutions to businesses and software developers nationwide, processing billions of dollars annually. FortisPay’s mission is to provide technology-enabled solutions and amazing customer experiences helping software partners and small and mid-sized businesses scale through innovation. FortisPay’s proprietary gateway, Zeamster, provides state-of-the-art connectivity solutions for hundreds of business owners, software developers, and channel partners. For more information, visit www.fortispay.com.

About EpicPay

EpicPay is on the Fortune Inc. 5000 Honor Roll and a six-time recipient of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies. Processing more than $2 billion annually in credit card and ACH volume, EpicPay offers an enterprise solution to power secure, compliant, and profitable PayFac program to ISVs. In the 2018-2019 TSG Developer/API Awards competition, EpicPay was awarded first place — with a first-ever perfect score — for simplest and quickest account onboarding due to integration ease, account set-up, sandbox access, and production launch. They also leverage omnichannel solutions to allow merchants to capture sales from whichever channel is most convenient for their customers. 

About Change Merchant Solutions

Change Merchant Solutions emerged as a pioneer in the payments industry, securely processing more than a billion dollars annually for thousands of businesses in the U.S. and Canada. CMS serves merchants and businesses of all sizes and types, leveraging technology partnerships with exceptional customer experiences. 

Swype at Work acquisition and strategic partnership with Net at Work opens payment integrations across a broad range of ERP and e-commerce platforms.

NOVI, MI. – January 6, 2021 – Fortis Payment Systems, LLC (FortisPay), the leader in payment technologies to businesses and developers, today announced it has acquired Swype at Work (Swype) and entered into a long-term strategic partnership with Net at Work an affiliate company of Swype.   The acquisition will allow FortisPay to expand its offerings into new B2B and middle markets throughout all of North America. The acquisition will leverage the ERP and e-commerce integration expertise of Net at Work, with FortisPay’s 20 years of payment experience, providing customized solutions that seamlessly integrate into a wide range of complex solutions that serve a myriad of market segments.

FortisPay’s Zeamster commerce platform enables developers and business technology integrators to deliver amazing experiences.  Zeamster is leveraged by hundreds of solution partners and fits the needs of the middle market delivering robust multi-channel processing capabilities, cloud EMV with point-to-point encryption, full recurring commerce functionality, integrated invoicing and cost optimization. Swype enables FortisPay to extend Zeamster’s functionality to a broader range of business technology markets, improving both payment processes and overall business efficiencies.

“Today’s announcement signals our further commitment to providing businesses, developers and VARs with flexible payment solutions that are tailored to the way they work,” said Jimmy Nafso, FortisPay’s CEO. “As important as the Swype acquisition, the partnership with Net at Work is equally important.   Net at Work has the industry’s most respected team of ERP and e-commerce specialists and will help us extend our value proposition to new markets.”

“This is a particularly exciting development for Net at Work and our customers.   FortisPay is the preeminent payment company in the SMB space serving all types of middle market companies, they understand partner enablement and are a perfect complement to our broad ERP and e-commerce expertise,” said Alex Solomon, Net at Work’s Co-President. “Partnering with FortisPay gives our customers the benefit of their 20 years of payment experience and their customers the benefit of our extensive ERP and ecommerce expertise, allowing both to unleash the power of their business.”

About FortisPay

FortisPay provides payment technology and merchant solutions to businesses and software developers nationwide. FortisPay has a focus on technology-enabled solutions through a white-glove service approach and a mission to help small and mid-sized businesses scale through innovation. FortisPay’s technology platform, Zeamster, provides state-of-the-art connectivity solutions for hundreds of software developers and channel partners. FortisPay provides payments and financial technology solutions to thousands of businesses that are processing billions of dollars annually. For more information, visit https://fortispay.com.

About Net at Work

Net at Work provides their clients and Alliance Partner clients, with the vision, leadership, and support of a “Virtual CIO.” This allows them to focus on their core competencies knowing they can fully rely on Net at Work to implement technology solutions that unleash new levels of efficiency, performance, and success.

With experience across virtually every business discipline, the Net at Work team supports over 6,000 organizations in making software, systems, and people work together in achieving their core organizational objectives. Their comprehensive range of services and solutions include ERP, CRM, Employer Solutions, e-commerce, Payments, to Cloud, and IT Managed Services. From the company’s founding in 1996, Net at Work has garnered wide industry recognition as problem-solvers and promise-keepers, which are the foundational principles on which all their client relationships are based, and that their clients say they value the most. For more information, visit http://www.netatwork.com