Audrey Marks' Paymaster Jamaica began providing bills payment service in 1997 as the first such agency in Jamaica.

By 1999 when Marks was nominated as a Business Leader, Paymaster was processing $3.6 billion in annual payments for the three utility companies.

Paymaster now collects $12 billion annually on behalf of 30 client companies which include utility companies, Internet service providers, and cable operators. Paymaster provides services to over 715,000 people each month, with 1,042,000 persons having used the system at least once.

Marks says she was able to grow her company by a combination of expanding client services, initiating strategic alliances, an aggressive branch expansion programme, and upgrading and integrating the software capability.

Over the past 4 years, Paymaster's network has grown from 30 locations to 106, through a mix of company-owned and agent locations.

Importantly, Paymaster has entered into a strategic alliance with the Postal Corporation of Jamaica, with Paymaster providing selected post offices with the technological backbone for the provision of a wide range of services.

This relationship will ultimately help to place the Paymaster technology in some 640 new locations island-wide. Still with its agent network, the Paymaster multi-payment system will have a network reach of some 1,000.

Recently, clients have been able to make payments via its website - one of Jamaica's first e-commerce sites.

Marks says that the agent network provides remittance services for 6 companies, including Money Gram. It also undertakes cheque encashment for firms like Jamaica Money Market Brokers.

Another important programme involves making electronic payments to government beneficiaries - 160,000 of whom will be facilitated during the first stage. Other initiatives include:

* the establishment of Paymaster USA in Alabama;

* a joint venture with a NASDAQ- listed company to commercialise the Paymaster system worldwide;

* the launching of Jamaica's first co-branded pre-paid calling card.

The Paymaster USA operation will, however, be Marks' primary focus this year.

Marks has also established a foundation - Jamaica Promise - to assist 40,000 youth over a 5-year period.

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