Fall 1998

Stalter excels at giving credit where credit is due in electronic commerce

The next time you swipe your bank card through an ATM or use your credit card, remember the Earl Stalters of the world who provided you such convenience.

As a Rose-Hulman civil engineering major 20 years ago, Earl Stalter learned the importance of infrastructure. Today, he applies his talents to an infrastructure that crisscrosses the world in the process of electronic commerce.

Stalter, a 1979 Rose-Hulman graduate, is a partner in the financial services practice of Andersen Consulting. He specializes in the areas of debit and credit card processing, along with other forms of electronic payments and electronic commerce. One of this year’s six Distinguished Young Alumni, Stalter has been with Andersen since his graduation. He spent the first several years of his Andersen career on a variety of projects in several industries, including construction, manufacturing, banking, health care and the legal profession.

In 1984, Stalter moved into a banking concentration for the consulting giant. By 1989, he was responsible for overseeing the development of a complete new credit card system from scratch for Bank One in Columbus, Ohio. The result was a trademarked software called TRIUMPH. It has become the base credit card processing engine for Bank One, Barclays Bank in England, EuroCard in Germany and American Express. He oversaw the TRIUMPH product development from the original business concept to technical design.

Current assignments have Stalter splitting his time between KeyCorp in Cleveland and The Financial Advisors Division of American Express in Minneapolis. Since 1994, Andersen has assisted KeyCorp improve operations in the consumer bank, the commercial bank, procurement and systems development under Stalter’s direction. Andersen is helping American Express Financial Advisors assess the technological impacts of that company’s aggressive growth plans.

Stalter likes to call what he does process engineering. “What I really know is the business process...the business issues around credit card processing,” he explained. “I’m not a hard-core technologist. We put together multicompetency teams including strategy, technology process engineering and people change management, and I have to know enough of each to be sure I’m helping the team to value-added solutions.”

“Process engineering makes business more efficient and focused,” Stalter said.

Products Stalter works on can affect worldwide economic transactions. “In banking and financial services, the technology is the product,” Stalter said. “The credit card is nothing more than plastic.”

“My role in this process is working with client management in defining their front end interest in making improvements to their business to leading joint project teams delivering on this change and maintaining an ongoing relationship of mutual trust and respect between the client organization and Andersen Consulting,” Stalter explained.

Key elements of being successful in this field, according to Stalter are: a desire to learn and grow, self-confidence, interpersonal skills, relating to other people, critical thinking and analytical skills, and the ability to handle yourself in a variety of situations.

Stalter has put those elements to the test around the globe. He has done business in Canada, Mexico, England, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Japan.

Stalter resides outside of Akron, Ohio, with his wife, Peg, and children Doug, Allison and Jenna. He is active is several civic organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America and the Cleveland Orchestra.

— by Bryan Taylor