Friday, February 15, 2019
View ShowroomIt’s been a long day of traveling. You’ve checked into your hotel room, stopped by the registration desk for your conference badge and are now heading to the first workshop of the event … and your feet are already killing you.
Unless, of course, you are Betsy Bohlen, Senior Vice President of Payment Processing with Evolve Bank & Trust.
Even if you never met Betsy, who passed away Saturday February 9, 2019 after losing her battle with cancer, you have likely seen her. She was the woman be-bopping around in a business suit and brightly colored, completely coordinated tennis shoes.
That's right you read that correctly. Tennis shoes.
In an interview in late 2016, Betsy explained her unique footwear. “It is hard to talk about your business and maintain a good conversation when your feet are hurting in terrible shoes,” Betsy said when asked about her penchant for fancy, if unconventional, footwear.
It started years ago when she worked for 1st Interstate Bank in downtown Denver, where heels could easily get caught in sidewalk crevices. Or walked out of, which Betsy once did as she got into a light rail train car — leaving one shoe sitting on the platform. The perils were great enough that Betsy began to opt for tennis shoes anytime she left the office.
Eventually, her preference for practical footwear extended to travel. On a business trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico, Betsy and her coworkers were photographed by a local newspaper while traversing some of the cobblestone streets. Two of the three women were sporting high heels, but Betsy’s feet were far sportier — and wound up featured on the front page.
“About six or seven years ago, I decided it was my mission to change the world,” Betsy said. “People need to start wearing more comfortable shoes, especially at conferences!”
Betsy listed the benefits of wearing more forgiving footwear, including:
And, indeed Betsy did leave her mark on the world… especially on those who knew her, her customers that she went above and beyond to help, the people she mentored, the ATM industry and on trade show attire.
“When I’m packing for a trade show and get to the part where I have to decide what shoes I’m bringing with me, I’m always tempted to throw in a pair of tennis shoes as Betsy always advised me to,” said Sharon Lane, ATM Industry Association (ATMIA), Global Director, Finance & Member Services. “I also linger at the tennis shoes in the store and think to myself ‘I wonder if I could get away with wearing those with a business suit.”
“Losing beautiful Betsy is a real blow for our industry,” said Mike Lee, CEO of ATMIA, a non-profit trade association representing the global ATM industry with more than 10,700 members from over 650 participating companies in 67 countries. “Her infectious energy, strong character, sensor of humor and, of course, her dazzling footwear will be missed tremendously. We are sad to hear of her passing and we plan to honor her next week at our trade show in Orlando.”
“Betsy was a visionary and groundbreaking leader in the Payments Industry,” said Scott Stafford, CEO & President of Evolve Bank & Trust, said. “Betsy’s drive and passion contributed to Evolve’s extraordinary growth in the last two years. I know her colleagues will remember her bold personality and, of course, the designer tennis shoes she wore that were the talk of every convention.”
To honor Betsy, Evolve Bank & Trust will be giving away brightly colored shoe laces, and ribbons and armbands at their booth (#204) that say “Betsy Strong” and “Forever in our hearts during the ATMIA US Conference in Orlando.