PaymentsFirst Bids Farewell to Respected Executive Vice President Gai Craig as She Embarks on a Well-Deserved Retirement

BIRMINGHAM, AL, UNITED STATES, December 7, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — PaymentsFirst, a leading player in the payments industry, announces the retirement of Gai Craig, the esteemed Executive Vice President of Education, Operations, and Member Support. Ms. Craig’s departure marks the end of an era, as she leaves behind a remarkable legacy of leadership and innovation.

Having served as EVP since the inception of PaymentsFirst in 2015, Gai Craig played a crucial role in orchestrating the successful merger of four payment associations—ALACHA, GACHA, SOCACHA, and TACHA. Her expertise and dedication were pivotal in shaping the organization and positioning it for success in the dynamic payments landscape.

Gai Craig is a certified industry professional, holding designations as a Certified Treasury Professional from the Association of Financial Professionals and an Accredited ACH Professional from Nacha. Her illustrious career includes a tenure as the Executive Director of the Alabama Automated Clearing House Association, where she served from September 2008 to December 31, 2014. Before that, Ms. Craig contributed 22 years to Treasury Management at SouthTrust Bank/Wachovia and Regions Bank, leaving an indelible mark on product development, operations, and sales in the ACH, Wire Transfer, Lockbox, and Cash Vault domains.

Her retirement, December 31, 2023, comes as a significant transition for PaymentsFirst. Gai’s passion for serving members and her unwavering commitment to excellence have been driving forces behind the organization’s success. Colleagues and industry peers alike express their gratitude for her leadership, which has been characterized by vision, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Gai Craig is known for her active involvement in the Birmingham, Alabama community, where she resides. Her commitment to family and volunteer work at local schools reflects the depth of her character and community spirit.

While Gai’s presence will be missed, PaymentsFirst is confident in the team she leaves behind—a team that is well-prepared to continue her legacy and drive the organization forward. As Gai embarks on this new chapter, we extend our warmest wishes for a fulfilling and joyful retirement.

About PaymentsFirst: PaymentsFirst is a non-profit Payments Association for Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. PaymentsFirst originated with a merger in 2015 with the Alabama Automated Clearing House Association (ALACHA), Georgia Automated Clearing House Association (GACHA), South Carolina Clearing House Association (SOCACHA), and Tennessee Automated Clearing House Association (TACHA). PaymentsFirst provides support, education, risk, and compliance services to the financial and payments industry. We support the secure use, advancement, and understanding of payment systems for our members, transcending the customer experience in payments, ACH, Checks, Cards, Wires, RDC, Faster & Emerging Payments, and more!

Jennifer Stadler, CPP, CCE
PaymentsFirst
+1 866-993-3753
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