Dee Ward Hock

Lack of a formal education did not prevent Hock from foreseeing the future of financial services, where he catapulted his own bank-card firm, Visa International, past industry leaders Mastercard and American Express. He became the CEO of National Bank-Americard Inc. in 1970, and renamed it in 1977 to become Visa International. As a pioneer in the use of electronic bank transfers, magnetic strips on cards, and worldwide financial services he led the industry in offering services we now take for granted. He retired in 1984, having revolutionized the financial services industry.