PRESS RELEASE

PRINCETON JUNCTION, NJ, March 14, 2011 – The Smart Card Alliance announced today that the theme of its 2011 Annual Conference will be “The Roadmap to EMV Payments and Secure ID,” where attendees can look forward to presentations and discussions on the advancement and growing adoption of smart card technology in EMV, contactless and mobile payments, and secure identification. The conference will be held May 3rd through May 5th, with pre-conference workshops on May 2nd, at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in Chicago.

“We see 2011 as the year where the payments industry seriously examines EMV payments and preparations for mobile payments pick up speed. At the same time, federal, state and local governments will launch new citizen ID programs for the Internet and expand the use of current secure ID programs,” said Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the Smart Card Alliance. “Our annual conference is the ideal time for all of the stakeholders in these markets to come together to learn about the role that smart card technology plays in all of these applications, and look seriously at the next steps to make all of these projects a success.”

The Smart Card Alliance 2011 Annual Conference will allow professionals in the payments and security markets to gather together to share use cases and best practices, meet vendors in the large exhibit hall, witness live demonstrations, network with industry peers, and more. Day one of the conference, May 3rd, brings conference attendees together for keynote speakers and plenary sessions with experts in EMV payments, government regulators, national cybersecurity strategy, and the Canadian payments market. From them, attendees will learn about the forces that are driving EMV adoption and mobile payments globally, and shaping the national strategy for trusted identities in the workplace and on the Internet.

The remainder of the conference program will be divided into two tracks – Payments, and ID and Security – that will cover the requirements and technology approaches for secure payment and identity applications. Topics include:

* Secure EMV payments and impact on fraud * U.S. roadmap options and readiness for EMV * Mobile and NFC-enabled access and payments implementations * Federal, state and local identity management initiatives * Programs to secure identity in cyberspace * Healthcare identity management

Each track will feature individual presentations, panels, and roundtable discussions about how issuers and end users utilize the security and data management capabilities of smart card technology to enable secure transactions – over the Internet, in retail stores, in transit centers, on mobile devices, and in government and commercial enterprises.

Pre-conference, on May 2nd, attendees can choose to attend one of the three pre-conference workshops: “OTA Email Authentication Academy,” sponsored by the Online Trust Alliance; "Mobile and Contactless Payments," sponsored by Collis; or "EMV Implementation Roadmap for the U.S.," sponsored by the Smart Card Alliance Payments Council.

Also pre-conference, individuals who have joined the LEAP education and professional development and training program can register for the Certified Smart Card Industry Professional (CSCIP) full-day classroom smart card training and exam preparation course. The CSCIP exam will be held at the conclusion of the conference on May 5th.

Further information about the conference, with links to event information and registration web site containing the complete agenda, list of exhibitors and registered attendees to date, and full registration details are available on the 2011 Smart Card Alliance Annual Conference website. Early registration discounts expire on April 4th. Smart Card Alliance members receive special registration benefits and discounts.

About the Smart Card Alliance

The Smart Card Alliance is a not-for-profit, multi-industry association working to stimulate the understanding, adoption, use and widespread application of smart card technology.

Through specific projects such as education programs, market research, advocacy, industry relations and open forums, the Alliance keeps its members connected to industry leaders and innovative thought. The Alliance is the single industry voice for smart cards, leading industry discussion on the impact and value of smart cards in the U.S. and Latin America. For more information please visit http://www.smartcardalliance.org.