Membership Information

Membership Recruitment Letter

Dear Smart Card Industry Professional,

Thank you for your inquiry about membership in the Smart Card Alliance.

As a not–for–profit, membership organization, the Smart Card Alliance mission is to accelerate the widespread adoption, usage, and application of smart card technology in North and Latin America by bringing together users and technology providers in an open forum to address opportunities and challenges for our industry. This balance makes the Smart Card Alliance a unique place where users, issuers and suppliers meet to exchange ideas, discuss common issues and work together to develop and expand the use of all types of integrated circuit “chip” cards and alternative form factor smart cards in the Americas. Members come from all industry sectors, including financial, retail, transit, corporate, government, healthcare, mobile and others, along with the technology and solution providers that service these sectors.

Your membership and participation will deliver these important benefits:

  • Networking – connecting with valuable contacts and making new ones.
  • Visibility – putting your organization at the forefront of the industry.
  • Information, research and education – through conferences, training programs, council participation, white paper publications, and web-based resources.
  • Business and industry growth – lowering costs and increasing vendor choices through support for standards and industry interoperability.
  • Influence with policy makers, media and analysts – through association outreach to government and commercial organizations adopting smart card technology.
  • Innovation – exploring new ways of approaching common business goals.
  • Professional development – through education and training of industry professionals

This is an excellent time to join the Smart Card Alliance. Smart cards are now solidly established in North and Latin America, with rapid market growth predicted over the next 5 years in the banking, transit, government, mobile, healthcare, and commercial security industries. Primary drivers for growth in North America include: the issuance of over 75 million contactless credit and debit cards and 500,000 POS terminals in the U.S. and Canada; the further adoption of this technology by transit operators; the U.S. government issuance of millions of NIST standards-based Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards to federal employees, port workers, and first responders, and the millions more electronic passports and travel documents. Emerging applications involving electronic health records in the healthcare industry and the continued push towards NFC-enabled mobile handsets mean that the Americas smart card market is going to continue to expand rapidly.

Two major initiatives are helping to expand the reach and influence of the Smart Card Alliance organization. First, the Alliance has organized five industry and technology councils to enable members to form focused groups that drive targeted initiatives and deliverables to reach specific industry segments and address specific market or technology issues more effectively. Councils empower individuals and groups to establish projects such as white papers, webinars, and research projects that meet immediate market needs. Secondly, the Alliance web site has become the most visited smart card industry web site in the world, with an average of over 75,000 unique visits per month. The web site provides a free resource where member organizations increase their market presence by posting press releases and listing company products and services and where knowledge seekers can download dozens of reports, white papers, position documents, and web seminar presentations developed and published by collaborative working groups. Smart Card Alliance members are creating the educational resources, thought leadership, and outreach into the vertical markets that rely on chip card technology, accelerating the further adoption of smart cards across all industry segments.

Isn’t it time to place your company with the leaders and become part of the ”voice of the smart card industry in the Americas?” Visit our Web site at http://www.smartcardalliance.org.

Sincerely,

Randy Vanderhoof
Executive Director

Membership Information Documents

Benefits of Membership in the Smart Card Alliance

We’d like to invite you to join the Smart Card Alliance. Below are the benefits to your organization:

  1. Visibility – Active participation puts your organization at the forefront of leaders in industry and government through meetings, conferences, news bulletins, web resources and the organization’s outreach efforts promoting the industry and our members.

  2. Networking – Establish valuable contacts that can help your organization improve and grow, using meeting facilities and events to maximize business opportuntities.

  3. Innovation – Work with peers to explore new ways of approaching common business goals and preparing the infrastructure and end users in different vertical markets for change. Stimulate and plan changes in multiple levels of the value and service chain to prepare for doing business with smart cards.

  4. Lower research or implementation costs – Sharing work with peers from other organizations reduces the time and cost needed to evaluate new business models, think through and plan complex implementation details, develop best practices and resolve industry issues.

  5. Standards support – Influence standards bodies and contribute input as an industry organization into standardization efforts.

  6. Information, research and learning – Gain priority access to new policies, technology advances, and legislative changes, through meetings, conferences, exhibitions, council participation, white papers, and educational programs.

  7. Business and industry outreach – Carrying your message promoting the value of smart cards into many sectors is good for expanding business opportunities for industry providers, and for end users looking for vendor neutral information.

  8. Public opinion influence – An association provides a unified, credible voice that no single member can achieve alone with policy makers, media, analysts and other influencers.

  9. Advance knowledge – Gain market advantage by getting information and acting on it before many “outsiders” even know it is happening.

  10. Growing the pie – Work collectively with other organizations and end users to help to grow the size of the smart card industry.

Smart Card Alliance Membership Value Statements

Membership dollars go to support the council and task force initiatives, networking meetings and industry events, web site development, marketing programs, newsletter, Educational Institute, industry advocacy and media outreach efforts that all contribute to the growth of the smart card industry in North and Latin America.

Our strategy for the coming year is to continue to engage the many diverse aspects of our industry and to strive to bring together the providers of the technology and the users of the technology in a friendly, open community.

The Alliance has extended its reach globally by engaging international smart card organizations to join the Smart Card Alliance to bring their experience and innovation to the organization and enabling the Alliance to keep a global perspective on how the smart card industry is evolving elsewhere in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

The Alliance is a founding member of ISCAN, an international network of smart card associations with representatives from smart card industry organizations from Europe, Canada, India, Asia, South Africa, and China. ISCAN facilitates the sharing of information and market trends involving the smart card industry around the world.

The Alliance delivers value to its membership. Below are some quotes from member organizations about their experience of being members of the Smart Card Alliance:

“IBM’s participation in the Smart Card Alliance Steering Committee and various councils has provided us an invaluable opportunity to interact with our partners in the payments industry. It offers a forum for cutting-edge thought leadership, business insights, and technology development that is clearly shaping the direction of the industry. Together, we will revolutionize the smart card arena.”
– Sri Chawla, Business Development, IBM Payments Practice

“The Smart Card Alliance provides Visa with valuable research and first-hand information on trends and directions in the smart card and mobile payments space. The Alliance work on new developments in chip cards and authentication makes the organization an invaluable source of current and relevant market intelligence.”
– Simon Hurry, Sr. Business Leader, Visa Inc.

“The Smart Card Alliance is a neutral forum of industry leaders that addresses core-level issues that touch industry participants across the board. The Alliance and Contactless and Mobile Payments Council produce white papers, position papers, webinars, and focused task forces to make the contactless roll out smoother and more successful. This provides a direct value to ViVOtech.”
– Mohammad Khan, President and Founder, ViVOtech

“The Smart Card Alliance Contactless Payments Council has provided an opportunity for Giesecke & Devrient to interact with decision makers in the industry ecosystem, including financial institutions, payment brands, and component and device suppliers. G&D has participated in the creation of key Alliance white papers, a valuable tool in moving the contactless payments industry forward.”
– Heather Klein, Director, Marketing Communications, Giesecke & Devrient

“First Data is always looking for ways to stay on top of trends in the payments industry. The Smart Card Alliance provides a great forum for First Data to interact with payments industry leaders who share a common interest in promoting contactless and mobile payment solutions.”
– Roger Musfeldt, Director Mobile Solutions, First Data

“Participation in the Contactless Payments Council enables member companies to directly tackle the challenges which face our industry. Without effectively run industry groups like the Council, members would be individually trying to overcome issues which are greater than our respective companies. However, the collaborative efforts of the Council have enabled tangible advances to occur through informative white papers, thought-provoking conferences and responsive PR.”
– Garfield Smith, Vice President, Marketing, Oberthur Technologies

“Through its Industry Councils, the Smart Card Alliance has provided INSIDE Contactless with a unique opportunity to network with the key stakeholders in the important markets we serve, including contactless and mobile payments, identity, physical access and transportation.
– Charles Walton, EVP Payments, INSIDE Contactless and Payments Council Chair

“For me, one of the most important benefits of the Smart Card Alliance has been for both the industry and key members of the user community to be able to speak to important issues of security and privacy with one voice. Of course the other benefit, as always, is the very active interaction with the user community and in particular those in the federal government. The Alliance has played an invaluable role in providing a vendor-agnostic place where industry and government decision makers can work out the practical issues towards creating interoperable and standards-based solutions for government applications.”
– Neville Pattinson, Vice President, Government Affairs and Standards, Gemalto and Identity Council Chair

“The Alliance is a wonderful place to meet and exchange ideas with industry professionals having similar interests. The public output from the councils provides benefit to all members and the industry at large, but there is another whole layer of opportunity that comes with council participation. It is here that small groups with a more narrow focus regularly exchange ideas and strategies to expand the awareness and understanding of smart card technology and applications.”
– Linda Brown, Business Development Manager, Infineon Technologies

“IDmachines believes that identity is a cornerstone of the 21st century economy. The evolution of e-commerce, the mobile workforce, effective logical and physical security and many facets of our lives all depend on our ability to assert our identity in an efficient, safe and widely-accepted manner. The Smart Card Alliance and the Identity Council represent an opportunity to collaborate with end-user, consultant, vendor and government organization leaders.”
– Sal D’Agostino, Principal, IDmachines LLC and Identity Council Secretary

“The Smart Card Alliance has done a tremendous amount of work in terms of raising awareness and stimulating thought leadership around smart card technology. Through the events and education programs, our employees and our clients are better connected to the latest information on issues surrounding smart cards.”
– Gordon Hannah, Principal, Deloitte Audit & Enterprise Risk Services

“The Smart Card Alliance is a key voice in helping to map the relevance and use of smart card technology in the Americas. Issues such as privacy, interoperability, verification, anti-counterfeiting and security are essential criteria when discussing credential issuance to society and must be taken with the utmost consideration. Oberthur looks to the Smart Card Alliance as a spokesman for our community and a beacon for policymakers, industry leaders, academics and the general public for guidance on how to successfully apply such concepts into everyday practice.”
– Patrick W. Hearn, Vice President Government and Identification Markets - North/Central America, Oberthur Technologies

“The Smart Card Alliance continues to be a driving force in the high assurance identity and payments marketplace, and through its industry councils is helping address some of the key security and privacy issues in today’s dynamic world. The Identity Council, one of the Alliance’s most prolific, provides expert comment and advice on the pressing and emerging challenges of human identity in the 21st century, ranging from the security of border management to the privacy of electronic health records to the trustworthiness of Internet and mobile commerce. Come join us help shape the future of identity.”
– John McKeon, Chief Architect, Trusted Identity Initiative, IBM and Identity Council Vice Chair

“The theme for the Healthcare Council is education and collaboration. Patient identification, security and privacy, data exchange and consumer empowerment are some of the areas smart cards can greatly improve. We hope to educate our healthcare leaders and vendor community about the advantages of smart cards.”
– Paul Contino, Vice President of Information Technology, Mount Sinai Medical Center and Healthcare Council Chair

“The Alliance has been a wonderful tool for TrustBearer to collaborate both with companies within our industry and as a way to reach out to industry in general. It is a must for those who wish to stay abreast of the latest happenings in the digital security and smart card space.”
– David Corcoran, President, TrustBearer Labs

“We at LifeMed/SMART have been tremendously pleased with our participation with the Smart Card Alliance. Not only are we getting front-line information as to the other goings-on around the globe, we are able to help shape policy that will not only forward our industry, but establish the foundation for years to come. We could not be more pleased with the Smart Card Alliance–it has been the best investment we have made as a company!”
– Dale Grogan, Director of Smart Card Initiatives, SMART Association

“The Smart Card Alliance’s Healthcare Council is focused on improving the security and privacy issues facing the U.S. healthcare system as we move our antiquated paper-based systems into the electronic world. Through educational initiatives and collaboration, Council members are focused on increasing the adoption of secure and standards-based smart card technology in the U.S. healthcare system. Gemalto is pleased with the opportunity to actively participate on the Healthcare Council and help drive adoption of this technology.”
– Michael Magrath, Director, Business Development - Government & Healthcare, Gemalto and Healthcare Council Secretary

“The Smart Card Alliance is an invaluable resource for professionals working in smart card technology within the federal, state and local governments, and health care. We have participated in numerous Alliance conferences and workshops, as well as shared thought leadership with our employees and our clients. All of these outlets have increased our understanding and awareness of the latest advancements in smart card technology and enabled us to better connect with our clients who are facing challenges in the identity management arena.”
– Carey Miller, Senior Manager, Security, Privacy and Identity Management Solutions, Deloitte Consulting

Smart Card Alliance Membership Levels January 2010

Smart Card Alliance membership period starts on the first day of the month that the completed membership agreement is received and runs for 12 months. Renewal notices will sent approximately 45 days prior to the one year anniversary date.

Leadership Council - Annual Dues US $12,000

Leadership Council membership is the premier level of membership, reserved for those organizations that choose to be not only smart card industry leaders, but to help lead the Smart Card Alliance as the primary voice of the smart card industry as well. Those commercial organizations who aspire to become leaders in the industry will join at this level. Leadership Council members hold the majority of voting seats on the Smart Card Alliance Board of Directors and chair the various Industry Councils. Leadership Council members are showcased in all Alliance activities to promote their companies’ industry leadership and have priority for participation in and direction of Alliance conferences, webinars, workshops, and other organizational activities. Leadership Council members serve as committee members and participate on a regular basis to help shape the Alliance.

Leadership Council Members are eligible for all special working group meetings and advisory panel groups where the Alliance may bring in special political, legislative, or technical experts to discuss industry issues and problems regarding the industry. Additionally, Leadership Council Members can be invited to provide Alliance industry perspective at input sessions or educational sessions.

Leadership Council Benefits:

  • Showcased as industry leader in Alliance activities and publications. (examples: featured position on Alliance web site, special promotions in Alliance publications and conference events, first option for speakers)
  • Entitled to participate in special programs available only to Leadership Council members (e.g., speaker’s bureau, advisory panels)
  • Priority position for sponsorship in Alliance events and speaker selection for all conference activities
  • Eligible to be a voting member of the Board and Executive Committee
  • Entitled to vote at the annual, general, and special meetings of the Alliance
  • Entitled to vote on Industry Council and Work Group strategies and project selection
  • Entitled to up to three (3) representatives attending each Industry Council or Work Group meeting at no charge
  • Entitled to two (2) complimentary registrations, in most circumstances, for all general and special Alliance meetings and conferences. Additional representatives can attend meetings at discounted member fee.
  • Entitled to three (3) complimentary LEAP first-year memberships for individuals seeking professional training
  • Eligible to serve as chairperson of any Industry Council, Work Group, the Executive Committee and the Board
  • Entitled to an unlimited number of individuals joining and participating in an Industry Council or Work Group
  • Free access to the members-only section of the web site with copies of all working documents, studies, meeting minutes, conference proceedings, member-restricted Alliance reports, Alliance Newsletter, and other general membership mailings.
  • Entitled to receive free Smart Card Industry Daily News Summary containing news clips from global news services
  • Entitled to have company listing with logo and link to company web site on the Alliance web site
  • Entitled to post all company press releases on Alliance Industry News home web page
  • Entitled to list all company products, services, and areas of expertise in searchable database for web site visitors

General Member - Annual Dues US $5,000

Smart Card Alliance General Membership is open to any non-government organization that is interested in the supporting the mission of the Smart Card Alliance. General Members make up the majority of the Alliance membership. Typically, these organizations are committed leaders in their respective markets as it pertains to the smart card industry but do not possess the financial or personnel resources to participate at the Leadership Council level. General members are invited to participate in all Alliance activities, attending conferences and member meetings and participating in Industry Councils and Work Groups.

General Member Benefits:

  • Eligible to serve as the non-voting Observing Director for the General Members
  • Entitled to one (1) vote for Observing Director for the General Membership
  • Entitled to have up to three (3) representatives attending each Industry Council or Work Group meeting, as determined by the Executive Committee (which may also establish a fee or other conditions for attendance)
  • Entitled to one (1) complimentary registration, in most circumstances, for all general and special Alliance meetings and conferences. Additional representatives can attend meetings at discounted member fee.
  • Eligible to apply for Leadership Council membership by either paying the Leadership Council annual membership fee or by applying to the Board for acceptance based on “exceptional active contribution.” Such “exceptional active contribution” will be from participation in different working groups and/or events throughout a period of at least one year, with acceptance determined by the Alliance Board of Directors.
  • Entitled to vote on Industry Council and Work Group strategies and project selection
  • Entitled to up to three (3) representatives attending each Industry Council or Work Group meeting at no charge
  • Entitled to one (1) complimentary LEAP first-year membership for individuals seeking professional training
  • Exclusive access to certain Alliance deliverables
  • Free access to the members-only section of the web site with copies of all working documents, studies, meeting minutes, conference proceedings, member-restricted Alliance reports, Alliance Newsletter, and other general membership mailings
  • Entitled to receive free Smart Card Industry Daily News Summary news clips from global news services
  • Entitled to have company listing with logo and link to company web site on the Alliance web site
  • Discounted member pricing for Alliance deliverables
  • Entitled to post all company press releases on Alliance Industry News home web page
  • Entitled to list all company products, services, and areas of expertise in searchable database for web site visitors

Government Membership - Annual Dues US $1,750

Smart Card Alliance Government Membership is open to any federal, state, or local government agency or government-run public authority (e.g., public transit agency). Government members are invited to participate in all Alliance activities, attending conferences and member meetings and participating in Industry Councils and Work Groups.

Government Member Benefits:

  • Eligible for appointment to the Board of Directors as an Observing Government Board Member
  • Entitled to vote on Industry Council and Work Group strategies and project selection
  • Entitled to up to three (3) representatives attending each Industry Council or Work Group meeting at no charge
  • Entitled to one (1) complimentary registration, in most circumstances, for all general and special Alliance meetings and conferences. Additional representatives can attend meetings at discounted member fee.
  • Entitled to the discounted member rate for LEAP membership for individuals seeking professional training
  • Exclusive access to certain Alliance deliverables
  • Free access to the members-only section of the web site with copies of all working documents, studies, meeting minutes, conference proceedings, member-restricted Alliance reports, Alliance Newsletter, and other general membership mailings
  • Entitled to receive free Smart Card Industry Daily News Summary news clips from global news services
  • Entitled to have company listing with logo and link to company web site on the Alliance web site
  • Discounted member pricing for Alliance deliverables
  • Entitled to post all company press releases on Alliance Industry News home web page
  • Entitled to list all company products, services, and areas of expertise in searchable database for web site visitors

University Membership - Annual Dues US $1,750

Smart Card Alliance University Membership is open to any not-for-profit post-secondary college or university. University Members are invited to participate in all Alliance activities, attending conferences and member meetings and participating in Industry Councils and Work Groups.

University Member Benefits:

  • Eligible for appointment to the Board of Directors as an Observing University Board Member
  • Entitled to vote on Industry Council and Work Group strategies and project selection
  • Entitled to up to three (3) representatives attending each Industry Council or Work Group meeting at no charge
  • Entitled to one (1) complimentary registration, in most circumstances, for all general and special Alliance meetings and conferences. Additional representatives can attend meetings at discounted member fee.
  • Entitled to the discounted member rate for LEAP membership for individuals seeking professional training
  • Exclusive access to certain Alliance deliverables
  • Free access to the members-only section of the web site with copies of all working documents, studies, meeting minutes, conference proceedings, member-restricted Alliance reports, Alliance Newsletter, and other general membership mailings
  • Entitled to receive free Smart Card Industry Daily News Summary news clips from global news services
  • Entitled to have company listing with logo and link to company web site on the Alliance web site
  • Discounted member pricing for Alliance deliverables
  • Entitled to post all company press releases on Alliance Industry News home web page
  • Entitled to list all company products, services, and areas of expertise in searchable database for web site visitors

Associate Member Level - Annual Dues US $1,200

The Associate Membership level is open to individual consultants or contractors, who are not full-time or part-time employees of a public or privately-held company or government agency. Associate Member applicants who meet the qualifications must be approved by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Associate Members are invited to participate in all Alliance activities, attending conferences and member meetings and participating in Industry Councils and Work Groups.

Associate Member Benefits:

  • Entitled to vote on Industry Council and Work Group strategies and project selection
  • Entitled to one (1) representative attending each Industry Council or Work Group meeting at no charge
  • Entitled to one (1) complimentary registration, in most circumstances, for all general and special Alliance meetings and conferences
  • Entitled to the discounted member rate for LEAP membership for individuals seeking professional training
  • Exclusive access to certain Alliance deliverables
  • Free access to the members-only section of the web site with copies of all working documents, studies, meeting minutes, conference proceedings, member-restricted Alliance reports, Alliance Newsletter, and other general membership mailings
  • Entitled to receive free Smart Card Industry Daily News Summary news clips from global news services
  • Entitled to have company listing with logo and link to company web site on the Alliance web site
  • Discounted member pricing for Alliance deliverables
  • Entitled to post all company press releases on Alliance Industry News home web page
  • Entitled to list all company products, services, and areas of expertise in searchable database for web site visitors

Smart Card Alliance Membership Application

If you are interested in joining the Alliance, please contact us. You may also download the membership application, print and review the document, and sign and return the membership application.

The Smart Card Alliance membership year begins on the first day of the month that the application is received. The anniversary date of the membership start date becomes the renewal date for continued membership in the Smart Card Alliance. Members may upgrade to a higher membership level at any time during the membership year. Please contact the Alliance office at 1-800-556-6828 for details.

The Smart Card Alliance does not lobby and no allocation of dues is necessary for tax purposes.

Membership FAQ

Who are current Smart Card Alliance members?

Smart Card Alliance membership includes both U.S.-based and international organizations covering the full spectrum of industry suppliers, integrators and end user organizations. Members include participants in all active industry sectors–financial, government, enterprise, transportation, mobile telecommunications, healthcare, and retail–and suppliers of the full range of products and services supporting the implementation of smart-card based systems. Membership is open to anyone focusing resources and energy on the utilization of smart card technology.

What membership levels are available?

Five membership levels–Leadership Council, General, Government, University, Associate–are available to accommodate different types of organizations. There is also a Smart Card Alliance Latin America Chapter organization that has a separate membership than with the main SCA organization.

What is the membership year?

The Smart Card Alliance membership year begins on the first day of the month that the membership application is received. The anniversary date of the membership start date becomes the renewal date for continued membership in the Smart Card Alliance.

Can I upgrade my membership level?

Yes, any member can upgrade to Leadership Council level before their member year expires. However, they can only do so by starting a new 12 month membership year and paying $12,000 less any unused months in this current member year.

How can an organization apply for Leadership Council membership without paying the $12,000 fee?

Members can apply to the Board for consideration for acceptance based on ‘exceptional active participation’ such as from significant and sustained participation in work groups and/or events over a minimum period of 1 year. Acceptance will be determined by the Board of Directors.

Can non-Leadership Council members participate on councils?

Yes, any member is eligible to participate on a council. It is at the discretion of the council steering committee and chair to decide how many people can participate and what role each individual can play in council activities.

Why should I consider becoming a Leadership Council Member?

Leadership Council Members have a leadership voice in the industry through the Alliance. Leadership Council Members have priority for the participation in and the direction of Alliance activities. In the future, they may have exclusive access to certain Alliance deliverables and events, or be invited to Leadership Council-only programs. The Board of Directors is elected by the Leadership Council member organizations and candidates who wish to run for the Board must be Leadership Council Members.

Why do you have an Associate member level for individuals?

There is a strong base of individual smart card experts who are contractors or who have chosen to be independent consultants. These individuals have a great deal of knowledge and expertise that they can contribute to our organization and the industry. We created this category to include them in our organization and give them access to all that the Alliance offers other members. We have put in some controls for qualification as an Associate level member to protect the membership value of other organizational members.

What is the Latin America Chapter and where can I find more information about this chapter?

The Latin America Chapter (America Latina or SCALA) was created in 2005 to service the smart card industry needs for Latin America. Since the market drivers, educational requirements, and smart card industry providers and customers vary significantly from the United States and Canada, a separate Chapter organization was formed. Individuals and organizations based in Latin America or North American organizations with business interests in Mexico, Brazil, the Caribbean and other Latin American regions can participate in SCALA or both organizations. Visit the Latin America Chapter web site for more information or contact the Latin America Chapter office in Florida at 1-954-922-1564 .

Do you have to be a member of the Smart Card Alliance to receive smart card training and certification?

No, the Smart Card Alliance offers education and training opportunities to members and non-members. There is information about Smart Card Alliance Education and Certification Programs on the web site. Individuals who are employed by member organizations, receive discounts and other benefits reserved for member organizations.

Where can I get more details about member benefits?

Additional information about member benefits can be found on the Alliance web site. You can also contact the Alliance main office at 1-800-556-6828 or at info@smartcardalliance.org.
 

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