The Alliance for Affinity Security has announced its launch focusing on administering new affinity programs designed to encourage the adoption of employer group health savings accounts (HSAs) and other defined contribution health care accounts, such as flexible spending accounts

Using the tagline "Be Your Own Bank", privately held Affinity Card Systems has announced the Ethos Visa Debit Card account claiming it is the first and only card of its kind for the financially underserved.

"ACS intends to provide an ethos branded Visa Debit Card Account to a financially underserved customer base," said Terry Lock, chief executive officer of ACS, "by offering branded cards through employers, staffing agencies, unions and government agencies that disburse funds. This revolutionary new tool can help provide the underserved with financial independence through low cost access to funds."

In an effort to increase usage and loyalty, two major banks have begun emphasizing their respective savings programs to consumers.  Both Bank of America and Citibank today have released the results of recent consumer surveys emphasizing the benefits of savings - using their card products.

We're taking a look back at the major payments-related news stories for 2005.   We've examined our archives month by month and have culled the the most important and interesting highlights.  We'll be posting each month's highlights over the next few days.  Here are the Payments News highlights from March 2005.

John Rebchook writes for Denver's Rocky Mountain News about First Data Corp.'s Charlie Fote and his decision announced yesterday to retire from his role as Chairman and CEO of FDC.  FDC's corporate headquarters moved to the Denver area when Fote took over as CEO several years ago.

MarketWatch writers Gail Liberman and Alan Lavine examine the various ways to pay and their pros and cons - concluding that the "old faithful credit card may be the safest way to pay."  The article cautions against using both debit cards and e-checks to pay because of their direct link into consumer checking accounts.

GE has announced the appointment of several new company officers including Margaret Keane, 46, named as President and CEO, Retail Consumer Finance, GE Consumer Finance-Americas.

Note: Throughout the day, as Payments News happens, this post is updated.

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