ICMA ANNOUNCES SIX NEW ACE ACCREDITED MEMBERS

Results Bring Total To 22 Accredited Members

PRINCETON JUNCTION, NJ – November 17, 2009 – The International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA), a global non-profit association for card manufacturers, personalizers, issuers and suppliers, announced six more members have earned the Advanced Card Education (ACE-M) accreditation. The program recognizes the knowledge, experience and dedication of leading professionals throughout the card manufacturing industry.

ACE-M, the first designation, launched in 2007, covers general card manufacturing. To date, 22 members have successfully passed the exam. The following are the most recent members to earn the ACE-M designation:

• Arun P.K.                                                        

Quality Assurance Manager                          

Cupola Plastic Cards                                     

            United Arab Emirates

• Julie Davison                                                  

Project Manager

Travel Tags, Inc.

            United States

• Joel Germain

Customer Service Manager

Travel Tags, Inc.

            United States

• Manoj Mathew

VP Operations

Versatile Card Technology Ltd.

            India

• Lynne McDevitt

Quality Manager

ABnote North America

            United States

• Dean Warner

Plant Manager

L-1 Identity Solutions

United States

Individuals earn the ACE designation by demonstrating an in-depth knowledge of card manufacturing processes through the completion of a rigorous exam. The accreditation validates expertise and distinguishes employees as experts in the card manufacturing industry. Applicants must be working for an ICMA member company and have a minimum of three years of industry experience in order to take the exam.

The ACE examination is comprised of eight sections: Substrates, Inks, Adhesives, Printing, Collation, Lamination, Die-cutting and Standards/Testing. Individuals must score minimum proficiency in all eight areas to pass the test.

“Earning the ACE designation enables our members to validate their knowledge and practice of card manufacturing processes, helping to position themselves as experts to their customers, colleagues and throughout the industry,” said Al Vrancart, ICMA Co-Founder and Industry Advisor. 

The following members have also earned ACE accreditation: Derrick Celewicz, Versatile Card Technology; Shannon K. Crawford-Taylor, CFC International; Bob Cristinzio, CFC International; Walter Floyd, CFC International; Julie Hermanson, PSA; Guy Meeker, CPI Card Group, Inc.; Barry Mosteller, Oberthur Technologies of America Corp.; Matthew O’Connell, ABnote North America; Mark Powell, Giesecke & Devrient (OH); Jason Prince, CardLogix; Del Reyes, Giesecke & Devrient (OH); Mike Sabatini, Perfect Plastic Printing; Mike Sovich, H.W. Sands Corp.; Daniel Szumski, CFC International; Eric Virostek, Giesecke & Devrient (OH) and Jim Ward, Allegheny Plastics Inc.

The next testing date is May 5, 2010, in conjunction with ICMA’s 20^th Anniversary Card Manufacturing and Personalization EXPO in Scottsdale, Arizona.

For more information on the ICMA ACE accreditation, or to learn how to become an ICMA member, call (609) 799-4900; e-mail info@icma.com or visit the ICMA website at www.icma.com.

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About ICMA

Based in Princeton Junction, NJ, USA, ICMA is a non-profit association of card manufacturers, personalizers, issuers and related industry participants. With more than 240 members globally, ICMA acts as a clearinghouse for industry issues, including the production, technology, application, security and environmental issues of transaction, identification and other cards.