University of Georgia Implements Merchant Link Encryption for Campus Hotel

  • Jun 22, 2011
The Georgia Center, a conference center and hotel on the campus of the University of Georgia (UGA), is working with Merchant Link, a cloud-based payment gateway and data security solutions provider, to install the company's TransactionShield point-to-point encryption solution ensuring customer data is secure from the moment their credit card is swiped.

"We have always sought to be aggressive when it comes to our approach to data security," said Corey Doster, the IT Director at the Georgia Center.  "Merchant Link solutions help us meet and exceed our PCI compliance requirements while removing the customer data completely from our premises.  The addition of TransactionShield provides another layer of security to protect our faculty, staff, students and campus visitors against theft and misuse."

The Georgia Center, which serves over 42,000 guests every year, has been a longtime customer of the Merchant Link Payment Gateway since August 2006. The conference center and hotel also deployed Merchant Link's TransactionVault tokenization solution last year with significant success. By combining the two solutions, the Georgia Center completely removed sensitive data from their systems.

The recent addition of the TransactionShield point-to-point encryption solution will extend the protection of customer data from the moment the credit card is swiped and as data travels through UGA's IT environment to the Merchant Link network. New credit card readers immediately encrypt credit card data and decryption does not occur until it reaches Merchant Link's cloud-based payment gateway. Once authorization is received, data is sent back to UGA's Micros OPERA Property Management System in the form of a token.

The implementation of TransactionShield at the Georgia Center is Merchant Link's first point-to-point encryption installation. Following the successful implementation at the Georgia Center, Merchant Link expects to rapidly deploy the solution to other hotel, restaurant and retail merchants around the country.


Featured

  • 2025 Gun Violence Statistics Show Signs of Progress

    Omnilert, a national leader in AI-powered safety and emergency communications, has released its 2025 Gun Violence Statistics, along with a new interactive infographic examining national and school-related gun violence trends. In 2025, the U.S. recorded 38,762 gun-violence deaths, highlighting the continued importance of prevention, early detection, and coordinated response. Read Now

  • Big Brand Tire & Service Rolls Out Interface Virtual Perimeter Guard

    Interface Systems, a managed service provider delivering remote video monitoring, commercial security systems, business intelligence, and network services for multi-location enterprises, today announced that Big Brand Tire & Service, one of the nation’s fastest-growing independent tire and automotive service providers, has eliminated costly overnight break-ins and significantly reduced trespassing and vandalism at a high-risk location. The company achieved these results by deploying Interface Virtual Perimeter Guard, an AI-powered perimeter security solution designed to deter incidents before they occur. Read Now

  • The Evolution of ID Card Printing: Customer Challenges and Solutions

    The landscape of ID card printing is evolving to meet changing customer needs, transitioning from slow, manual processes to smart, on-demand printing solutions that address increasingly complex enrollment workflows. Read Now

  • TSA Awards Rohde & Schwarz Contract for Advanced Airport Screening Ahead of Soccer World Cup 2026

    Rohde & Schwarz, a provider of AI-based millimeter wave screening technology, announced today it has won a multi-million dollar award from TSA to supply its QPS201 AIT security scanners to passenger security screening checkpoints at selected Soccer World Cup 2026 host city airports. Read Now

  • Brivo, Eagle Eye Networks Merge

    Dean Drako, Chairman of Brivo, the leading global provider of cloud-native access control and smart space technologies, and Founder of Eagle Eye Networks, the global leader in cloud AI video surveillance, today announced the two companies will merge, creating the world’s largest AI cloud-native physical security company. The merged company will operate under the Brivo name and deliver a truly unified cloud-native security platform. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.