YPP Scholar Spotlight: Jason Fritz, BillingTree

Jason Fritz is Finance Manager at BillingTree, and a 2019 ETA Young Payments Professionals (YPP) Scholar, sponsored by Discover Global Network. In this interview, Jason discusses his background, his work at BillingTree, and the value of the ETA YPP program for his career.

Tell me about your background. How did you get into the payments industry? Where did you start and how did you end up in your current role?

I graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Finance.  Once I graduated, I began working in the manufacturing industry at MI Windows and Doors. I soon realized that the manufacturing industry was not for me and I returned to school full time at Thunderbird School of Global Management, where I earned my MBA. Upon graduating, I took a role in Dallas, but quickly determined that I wanted to return to the Phoenix area to be closer to family and friends. I accepted a role as Financial Analyst with TSYS and worked there for 3 years before moving to BillingTree, were I currently serve as Finance Manager.

What’s your day-to-day like? What major functions do you serve, and what types of projects do you like to work on?

As Finance Manager with Billing Tree, no day is exactly the same. Sometimes I work on business development for new and existing clients. In other instances, you’ll find me creating business cases for new products, vendors, and various other responsibilities.

My favorite projects involve working with the product team on new revenue streams (SMS Payments,  AMEX Opt Blue, Account Updater, pricing structures, emerging markets, etc.) and their projected impact to the business.

What payments trends are on your radar?

Primarily regulations within the credit card space. BillingTree’s niche – Accounts Receivable Management – is an industry that is heavily regulated by the card brands and banks. Staying on top of these trends and mitigating the risks are critical for the long-term stability of the company.

What do you think will be the most significant development in the payments industry across the next five years?

Increased ACH transactions. As P2P payments grow, I foresee merchants accepting payments via these accounts, causing declining card transactions.

What topics do you consider yourself to be an expert in? 

Interchange and card brand fee optimization have helped deliver savings to the processor as well as the merchant. This creates long-term sustainable partners.

What surprised you most about the payments industry?

I was most surprised to learn about cost to the merchant (interchange, card brand fees, processing fees, sponsorship fees) and the impact this plays on the cost of goods and services.  Also, the complexity of the various fees (interchange, card brand fees) and how difficult it must be for a merchant to negotiate their merchant services account was surprising to me.

Have you found any particular challenges or advantages being a young payments professional in payments technology?

One challenge is that as a young payments professional, I was not part of the evolution of the payments space and missed the radical evolution of the industry over the years.

An advantage is utilizing the P2P payment platforms, which are the growth markets.

What advice would you give other young people who are entering the payments industry?

Get involved with ETA and attend webinars.  Find a good mentor to go to for advice and to bounce ideas off. Stay on top of the latest innovations and industry trends.

What has participating in the Young Payments Professional Scholar program meant to you?

This program is a great way to help me increase my knowledge of the industry. In addition, regularly meeting with my mentor has helped me understand the payments ecosystem as well as navigate various personal and professional situations.

YPP Spotlight Features highlight ETA’s Young Payments Professionals (YPP) Scholars, their path through the payments industry, and their aspirations for the future. The 2019 ETA YPP Scholars represent the finest young minds across the payments technology ecosystem. You can read more about the program, which is sponsored by Discover Global Network, here.