Heartland Payment Systems (NYSE: HPY), one of the nation's largest payment processors and a leading provider of merchant business solutions, has hired award-winning branding and strategic marketing expert, Michael McMillan, as chief branding officer.
He will be responsible for leading branding and marketing initiatives to drive business objectives and build brand preference and equity for Heartland products and services.
"At Heartland, we attribute our continued success to providing our customers with innovative solutions, backed by honest relationships and transparent terms," said Bob Carr, chairman and chief executive officer, Heartland Payment Systems. "We trust Michael to bring Heartland's vision and values to life and help us capitalize on the growth potential we see in the market, as he has done through effective, award-winning solutions for clients worldwide."
For 20 years, McMillan was chief executive officer of McMillan Associates, a visual communications firm he founded in 1984. More recently, he has toured globally as an inspirational speaker and was president of McMillan Media, where he focused on thought leadership and consulting engagements on the topics of creative thinking, innovation and making positive change. McMillan's clients have spanned Fortune 100 corporations, small entrepreneurs, sports and music legends, and non-profit organizations and institutions.
"Heartland has climbed from a small business to a Fortune 1000 company based on its founding principles," said McMillan. "The company is well-positioned to grow and I am excited to contribute to the team's success as we empower business owners through honest relationships, products and services."
Throughout his career, McMillan's work has earned recognition. His work in corporate identity, brand positioning and strategic marketing has been recognized by nearly every major international design, marketing, advertising and communication organization. In addition, McMillan produced Michael Jordan's New York Times best-selling pictorial autobiography, Rare Air, which established a new niche in retail publishing. He has written three critically acclaimed books: Pink Bat: Turning Problems Into Solutions, The Pooower of Teamwork, The 'i' in Team: Missing Ingredients for Team Success, and Paper Airplane: A Lesson for Flying Outside the Box.