GameStop Exchange Wins Gold at PYMNTS.com 2015 Innovator Awards

BOSTON, April 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- GameStop Exchange powered by Cardpool is the recipient of the Gold Award in the Best Merchant Solution category of the 2015 PYMNTS Innovator Awards.  GameStop Exchange allows customers to conveniently sell other unused gift cards and receive a GameStop egift card that may be redeemed at any of GameStop's nearly 4,200 U.S. retail locations as well as online at gamestop.com.

"We are honored to have our card exchange innovations recognized by such a significant awards program," said Tomas Campos, Blackhawk Network general manager of digital & emerging services, including Cardpool. "With GameStop, we were able to expand its successful trade-in and preowned services to the gift card exchange industry. This deal showcases our commitment to driving commerce for our partners and delivering the best services in the gift card exchange industry."

"Through our partnership with Cardpool, GameStop is able to offer customers a new way to purchase the great games and devices they enjoy playing," said Jon Haes, senior director, pre-owned merchandising at GameStop. "By exchanging other retailers' gift cards for a GameStop eGift, we are providing customers another way to get more value."

The PYMNTS Innovator Awards are viewed as the most prestigious recognition in the payments industry and boast a submission, selection and voting process that is unmatched in intellectual rigor and competitive energy. With more than 600 submissions, a panel of judges made up of executives from across the payments spectrum included:

• Jane Estep, NACHA President and CEO
• Matt Harris, Co-Founder and Managing General Partner at Bain Capital Ventures
• Matt Witheiler, General Partner at Flybridge Capital Partners
• Aaron Goldman, General Atlantic Principal
• Hans Morris, NYCA Partners Managing Partner and former Visa President
• Dan Rosen, Founder and Partner at Commerce Ventures
• Paul Purcell, Continental Advisors Partner
• Karen Webster, PYMNTS.com CEO

The 2015 PYMNTS Innovator Awards winners were announced during a live ceremony at The Innovation Project 2015, powered by PYMNTS.com. The industry's foremost thought leadership event took place March 18-19th and convened the most thoughtful minds from established players, emerging disruptors and entrepreneurial visionaries in the world of payments and commerce on the campus of Harvard University.

About Cardpool
Cardpool, Inc., a subsidiary of Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc., is a premier gift card exchange company where customers can buy a discounted gift card, sell their gift card for cash, or trade gift cards, safely and securely. Headquartered in San Francisco, California; visit Cardpool at www.cardpool.com.

About Blackhawk Network
Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAWK and HAWKB) is a leading prepaid and payments global company, which supports the program management and distribution of gift cards, prepaid telecom products and financial service products in a number of different retail, digital and incentive channels. Blackhawk's digital platform supports prepaid across a network of digital distribution partners including retailers, financial service providers, and mobile wallets. For more information, please visit www.blackhawknetwork.com and www.giftcardmall.com.

About PYMNTS.com
PYMNTS.com is reinventing the way in which companies in payments share relevant information about the initiatives that shape the future of payments and commerce and make news. This powerful B2B platform is the #1 site for the payments and broader commerce ecosystem by traffic and the premier source of information about "what's next" in payments. C-suite and VP level executives turn to it daily for these insights, making the PYMNTS.com audience the most valuable in the industry. It provides an interactive platform for companies to demonstrate thought leadership, popularize products and, most importantly, capture the mindshare of global decision-makers. PYMNTS.com, where the best minds and best content meet on the web to learn "What's Next" in Payments and Commerce.

About the Innovation Project
Over two content -packed days this March 18 & 19, 2015, The Innovation Project 2015, powered by PYMNTS.com, convened the most thoughtful minds from established players, emerging disruptors, and entrepreneurial visionaries in the world of payments and commerce on the campus of Harvard University. This year's theme - Innovation At The Intersections –explored the many forces outside of payments that are reinventing and reshaping how payments and commerce evolve. Leading and participating in these discussions were the most innovative, thoughtful and dynamic players from their sectors.

*Please note that The Innovation Project™ and PYMNTS.com^SM are not affiliated with Harvard University, nor is the Innovation Project™ 2015 a Harvard University program or activity.

CONTACT:
Tara Strazdas
[email protected]
732-275-7732

SOURCE Blackhawk Network