
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 13, 1994                   TAG: 9408050005
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: C8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MAG POFF STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

BANKCARD MOVES OPERATIONS TO SALEM BECAUSE OF LIVING COSTS

Bankcard Holders of America, a frequently quoted consumer authority on credit cards, has moved its operations center from Northern Virginia to Salem.

William Brand III, manager of the center at 524 Branch Drive, said it has four employees. He expects two others to transfer soon from Northern Virginia.

Bankcard Holders of America maintains its headquarters and executive offices at McLean, having recently moved there from Herndon. The switch of two people to Salem will reduce the staff there to four people.

Brand said the Salem operations center, opened in early May, fills mail orders for its reports, data entry, membership services and customer services.

The organization has 35,000 members but sells its publications about credit cards to the general public. It tracks rates and features offered by various companies issuing credit cards, and provides other consumer credit education.

Dues are $24 a year, and new members get application forms for both a non-fee and a low-interest-rate credit card. The latter is offered by North Carolina's Wachovia Bank at a current 6 percent.

Ruth Susswein, spokeswoman for the company, attributed the move to the lower cost of living and of doing business in Salem than in Northern Virginia. She said the move made good sense for business reasons.

The members of the organization are people interested in tracking the terms of various credit cards and keeping track of those with the best terms.

The operations center takes orders by telephone and mail for the organization's publications about credit cards.

by CNB