Get to know: Paul Byers

Paul Byers joined Niner Nation in July during the COVID-19 pandemic. In his new role as PCI/eCommerce manager, he enjoys working from home and interacting closely with his team members while maximizing productivity. He’s also a pretty good cook. Get to know Paul Byers more in the Q&A below.

How would you describe your work as a PCI/eCommerce Manager? What has it been like starting your new job at UNC Charlotte during COVID-19? My role consists of understanding, advising and managing UNC Charlotte’s electronic payment acceptance environment (credit/debit card) and ensuring compliance with industry, state and University standards, policies and requirements. The position also serves as the primary liaison to the Office of the State Controller and third-party service providers involved in payment processing, payment security and compliance. You would think starting a new job during this pandemic would cause challenges, but the on-boarding, training and meeting team members has been very positive and successful thanks to my great team and technology (Zoom and Google Meet). My manager and co-worker on the e-commerce team have been very responsive and helpful with training and getting questions answered.

Do you usually work from home or on campus? What does a normal week’s schedule look like? I work from home and it’s been a very positive and productive experience. Working from home allows me to manage my time in the most effective manner while maximizing productivity to add value to the University and our team. A normal week consists of a variety of Zoom and Google meetings with team members to collaborate on existing and new projects. Researching and understanding the technical and operational processes related to the universities payments environment.

What’s the most challenging part of your job? Most rewarding? Like any new role you take on, there are many challenges, but I believe the most challenging aspect has been learning the different payment environments within the University and the service providers associated with them. The most rewarding aspects are completing projects and adding value (even if it’s small) to others.

What is something you like to do in your spare time? I’ve been working on home improvement projects, hanging out outside (hiking, golfing, boating) and spending time with my family (wife Kari, Gentry (6) and Emerson (3)).

What is something people may not know about you? I do most of the cooking in our home and most of the time the people are happy with what they are eating.

Interview by: Jordan Estabrook