Associate Product Specialist - Product Management

2026 Sponsorship Excellence Awards winners announced. Industry leaders across agencies, properties, brands and innovators recognized for excellence at the 2026 Sponsorship Mastery Summit in Nashville NASHVILLE, Tenn., October 1, 2026 (Newswire.com) - The Sponsorship Marketing Association (SMA) is proud to announce the winners of the 5th annual Sponsorship Excellence Awards, celebrated at the Sponsorship Mastery Summit in Nashville, September 28-30. The following awardees were recognized: Myles Gallagher, CEO of The Superlative Group, received the Hall of Fame Award. As a 42-year veteran, Myles has built one of the world's most respected naming rights and sponsorship consultancies, negotiating more than $4 billion on behalf of clients across professional sports, higher education, healthcare, and cultural institutions. Momentum received the Agency of the Year Award. As the world's leading global experience agency, Momentum delivered its biggest year yet in 2025, executing disruptive activations at the FIFA Club World Cup, Super Bowl, and F1. CMA Fest received the Property of the Year Award. As the longest-running Country Music festival in the world, CMA Fest draws 100,000 daily fans to Nashville, generating 123 billion media impressions and $86 million in direct visitor spending while giving $2 million back to music education. Athletic Brewing Company received the Sponsor of the Year Award. As the number one non-alcoholic beer brand in the United States, Athletic transformed non-alcoholic beer into one of the fastest-growing partnership categories. DIGIDECK received the Innovation in Sponsorship Award. DIGIDECK transformed the sponsorship industry by turning the static pitch deck into an interactive, personalized, and measurable platform trusted by 600+ organizations including every major league. Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and Mastercard received the Social Impact Award for the Indigenous Playmaker Marketplace presented by Mastercard, giving Indigenous-owned businesses access to Maple Leafs intellectual property, retail space, and a national fan base to turn cultural celebration into economic opportunity. The Rising Star Award was given to Ashley Dye, Sponsorship Sales Manager at Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., celebrating an emerging sponsorship professional already making waves. Canva received the Best in Show: Outstanding Activation in Arts & Entertainment Award for their Creative Cabana at Cannes Lions. Canva returned to Cannes Lions three times larger with the Creative Cabana, turning the world's most competitive marketing festival into a hands-on experience for over 10,000 visitors. Maple Leaf Foods and the Canadian Olympic Committee received the Best in Show: Outstanding Activation in Sports Award. In its Olympic debut as Official Protein Partner of Team Canada, Maple Leaf Foods brought "Victory. But First, Protein." to life across athlete storytelling. Harley-Davidson and Summerfest received the Best in Show: Outstanding Activation in Fairs & Festivals Award. Two iconic Milwaukee brands reunited on America's 250th birthday and a July 4th fireworks show, generating 350 press stories valued at over $20 million. Michelob ULTRA and Park City received the Best in Show: Outstanding Activation in Events & Venues Award. Michelob ULTRA transformed Park City Mountain into the ultimate Team USA celebration during the 2026 Winter Olympics, combining Olympic artifact exhibits, elevated watch parties, and a Kygo summit concert. Andrew Duffy, Chief of Corporate Partnerships at U.S. Army HQ IMCOM DFMWR, received the SMA Member of the Year Award for his extraordinary contributions to the SMA community, building strategic partnerships that enhance Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs for Soldiers and Families worldwide.

San Diego pizza shop sues Visa, Mastercard over merchant fees. The Pizza Standard has only accepted Visa and Mastercard credit cards since 2021, so it didn't qualify for a $5 billion settlement inked in 2019. BROOKLYN (CN) - A San Diego pizzeria has sued Visa, Mastercard and several banks in Brooklyn federal court, claiming the restaurant had to pay artificially inflated credit card fees on credit card transactions that, all told, cost merchants hundreds of billions of dollars. The Pizza Standard LLC filed the class action Wednesday, naming, in addition to the credit card companies, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase Bank, Citibank and Wells Fargo. "This case challenges a massive, ongoing conspiracy between Visa, Mastercard, and the nation's largest banks to artificially inflate the fees that merchants pay on every credit card transaction," The Pizza Standard writes in the 84-count complaint, accusing the defendants of imposing a "deadweight toll on virtually every credit card purchase in America." "That conduct has been litigated, but it has not stopped," the plaintiff says. In 2019, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Margo K. Brodie approved a $5 billion settlement to merchants harmed by anticompetitive trade practices in the credit card industry. But the settlement, stemming from a suit dating back to 2005, accounted for harm suffered before Jan. 24, 2019. The Pizza Standard has only accepted Visa and Mastercard credit cards since 2021, so it didn't qualify for the settlement, which the Second Circuit affirmed in March 2023. "In short: some merchants obtained relief for pre-2019 purchases, some may eventually benefit from prospective rule changes, but merchants accepting cards after January 2019 are left with zero recompense for their injuries suffered since then," the pizza restaurant writes, adding the group includes millions of merchants. Merchants pay "interchange fees" from each credit card transaction at their business. Beyond that, however, Visa and Mastercard charge "network fees" and other fees the plaintiff says would be significantly lower if not for the "cartel" formed by Visa, Mastercard and banks that issue their credit cards. Reinforcing the conspiracy, The Pizza Standard says, is the fact the same banks issue cards for both companies and, together, comprise the "vast majority" of all cards issued. The pizzeria is asking the court to hold the defendants liable for antitrust violations and award damages to the plaintiff class. Representatives for Visa, Mastercard and the accused banks did not immediately return requests for comment.

BMO and Mastercard enable embedded Commercial payments directly within enterprise software across North America. Oct 01, 2026, 09:00 ET * BMO becomes the first Mastercard issuer in Canada to enable eligible Corporate Card clients to initiate and manage virtual card payments within procurement and finance systems. TORONTO, Oct. 1, 2026 /CNW/ - BMO and Mastercard today announced the availability of a new embedded Commercial payments capability that enables eligible Corporate Card clients to initiate and manage BMO Commercial virtual card payments directly within the software platforms they use to run their operations. Through this expansion, BMO becomes the first Mastercard issuer in Canada to offer an integrated embedded finance and payment experience by virtual card within participating platform integrations. Now available for eligible clients in Canada and the United States, the solution integrates Commercial payments into enterprise resource planning (ERP), procurement, accounts payable and travel management systems, helping businesses manage payments inside their existing workflows. Company payment workflows have historically been fragmented across separate systems, requiring manual intervention, disconnected banking portals, and distinct operational setups. By integrating BMO Commercial virtual cards into participating software platforms through Mastercard's Commercial Express framework, eligible clients can execute secure payments for supplier invoices, travel, and corporate expenses without ever leaving their primary operational workflows. The framework also provides participating platforms with a standardized framework for enabling issuer-backed virtual card payments, helping reduce implementation complexity and support broader adoption across the ecosystem. "As our Corporate Card clients digitize their operations, they expect us to integrate seamlessly into their existing workflows," said Seth Blacher, Head of TPS Product Management and Payments Modernization, BMO. "This partnership with Mastercard lets us deliver exactly that by removing the friction between finance software and payment execution, creating a more streamlined payment experience." Driving Efficiency and Scalability for Modern Enterprise Treasury The embedded payment model offers key advantages for corporate buyers, B2B software platforms, and commercial issuers: * Streamlined Payment Workflows: Corporate treasury, procurement, and accounts-payable leaders can initiate, approve, and reconcile virtual card transactions directly within existing platform interfaces, accelerating invoice settlement and reducing operational complexity. * Standardized Integration Framework: Reduces platform-to-issuer setup complexity, enabling faster rollout across the ecosystem. * Enhanced Visibility and Control: Embedded virtual cards deliver precise controls over spending parameters, automated reconciliation data, and improved working capital efficiency. "As businesses digitize their operations, payments must move seamlessly alongside day-to-day business activities," said Diane Miquelon, Senior Vice President, Financial Institutions Partnerships, Mastercard Canada. "By embedding Mastercard's virtual card capabilities directly into the platforms where treasury and finance teams operate, we are removing friction, enhancing payment security, and helping organizations optimize working capital management with greater control and predictability." The capability is available in Canada and the United States for eligible BMO Corporate Card clients through participating enterprise software platforms. About BMO Financial Group BMO Financial Group is the eighth largest bank in North America by assets, with total assets of $1.5 trillion as of July 31, 2026. Serving clients for more than 200 years, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management, global markets and investment banking products and services across Canada, the United States, and select markets globally. BMO is innovating for business value, by deploying and integrating human, digital and artificial intelligence to personalize client experiences, augment teams, and automate its business responsibly. Driven by its purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life, BMO is committed to driving positive change in the world, and making progress for a thriving economy, sustainable future, and stronger communities. About Mastercard (NYSE: MA) Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we're building a resilient economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential. SOURCE BMO Financial Group Media Contacts: BMO: Anke Suwanda, Toronto, [email protected], (416) 867-3996; Mastercard: Helena Wade, Director, Communications, Mastercard, [email protected]