Kate Gillespie joined the payments industry in 1999 when she signed on to work with Paul Green, who had launched the very first ISO for card services 20 years prior. Green also founded The Green Sheet as a resource for merchant level salespeople and others carving out careers in payments. It wasn’t long before Gillespie’s passion for journalism drew her to Green’s growing magazine, where her emphasis on excellence helped win the publication multiple awards, and her duties included researching and writing the first in-depth report on biometric payments for acquirers. 

Her curiosity and resilience also meant “I can’t” wasn’t in her vocabulary, and her varied professional experience, which included working as a statistician for the Department of Defense, corporate HR director, co-owner and general manager of an optometry practice, and researcher for a business incubator also gave her requisite skills to advance. As Green’s right-hand colleague, she served stints managing editorial, circulation and production areas of the business. And in 2005, she became the company’s chief operating officer and general manager.

When Green retired in 2014, he sold the business to Gillespie, who was, he said, uniquely qualified to uphold and advance The Green Sheet tradition. As president and chief executive officer, she has strengthened the company’s core mission to support the industry’s feet on the street while also adapting to ongoing industry changes, innovating and expanding scope as needed to connect and empower payments professionals for not just today but also tomorrow.