YOUNGSTOWN ATMs in area will switch to STAR

The ATM switch will give MAC customers twice as much access to their money.
THE VINDICATOR
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR'
YOUNGSTOWN -- Area residents who want cash from a machine soon will be going to STAR machines instead of MAC machines.
A Tennessee company that operates both automated teller machine networks is starting to use the STAR name for all of its networks.
Since January, MAC, STAR and Cash Station cards have worked in any ATM machine affiliated with Concord EFS.
Eventually, all of the signs will be changed to the STAR logo.
Change at banks: Banks have three years to change the signs to STAR, said Barbara Span, a Concord spokeswoman. Some banks began changing signs last fall and many others will make the switch in the next six months to coordinate with Concord's advertising, she said.
At Home Savings and Loan, the name change on ATM machines is expected to be completed in May, said Robert Steele, vice president of deposit services.
"We are very enthusiastic about the benefits that the STAR network will bring to Home Savings customers," he said.
Home Savings customers will not receive STAR cards until they are due to receive a new card. In the meantime, they can use the MAC card.
Concord, a leading electronic payment network, acquired the MAC network two years ago and the STAR and Cash Station networks last year.
Known elsewhere: Although MAC is prominent in this area, STAR is well-known in the Southeast, West and much of the Midwest.
Span said STAR was chosen as the main brand because it was the larger network and its red-and- white logo was thought to be easy to spot from the street.
Span said the company wanted to bring the systems under one name to increase brand identity and give consumers more access points.
The MAC system has 80,000 ATMs, and the combined system has 191,000.
Combining the networks also gives consumers more retail locations where they can use their ATM cards to make purchases, Span said. Cards can be used at 850,000 retail locations, including gas stations and discount stores.
shilling@vindy.com