About Us

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Our Mission

The core values of the Merchant Industry inspire us to strive for excellence in everything that we do. Our card processing company stands apart from other companies by delivering unparalleled payment processing services to enable business like yours to succeed. As a Merchant Industry valued client, you will receive a robust suite of payment processing solutions designed to deliver unsurpassed value. Your success is our success!

Our Team

Leo Vartanov
CEO
Jennifer Vartanov
COAO
Christopher Benabu
CRO
Jennie Tufano
SVP & Compliance Officer
Khatia Gogsadze
Vice President of Finance
Jason Sierra
Customer Support Manager
Craig Benabu
Director of Marketing
Yesenia Alzate
Director of Underwriting
Nicholas Malave
Tech Manager
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Merchant Industry LLC
36-36 33rdst, Suite 206,
Long Island City, NY 11106

Merchant Industry LLC
150 S. Pine Island Road,
Suite 440, Plantation, FL 33324

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Merchant Industry LLC® is a registered MSP/ISO of the following: Elavon, Inc. Georgia a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp, Minneapolis, MN Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Concord, CA., Esquire Bank, N.A., Jericho, NY, Commercial Bank of California, Irvine, CA, and Synovus Bank, Columbus, GA. Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. American Express may require separate approval. The Clover name and logo are owned by Clover Network, Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Data Corporation, and are registered or used in the U.S. and many foreign countries.

Copyright © 2025 Merchant Industry All Rights Reserved.

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Leo Vartanov
CEO

A St John’s University Honors graduate who also attended NY Law School, Leo oversees the day to day operations of Merchant Industry and is the driving force behind the explosive growth experienced over the past several years culminating in the naming of Merchant Industry to INC’s list of the 5000 fastest-growing private companies in the country. Merchant Industry started out in a small one-room office space and has expanded to a large operation with offices in multiple locations. Through the many hierarchies of this firm there exist dozens of processing solutions and myriad tools available for use by businesses from the smallest mom and pop operation to the largest multiple location businesses nationally. Not content to rest on past successes, Merchant Industry has been the recipient of multiple awards and generous recognition from the banks and processing platforms that it works with. All of this proves that Merchant Industry is not just another startup company but rather a name that will be trusted and recognized in the industry for many years to come.
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Jennifer Vartanov
COAO

A St. John’s University graduate, Jennifer has dedicated her talents to overseeing the many financial aspects of a fast-growing company. Her hard work from the first day has contributed to the growth the company has experienced over the past 10+ years. Her expertise in her field at such a young age is unprecedented and her incredible work ethic as well as her tireless energy is the engine to keeping this company on a firm but expanding financial footing. As the company expanded from a small office with two people to multiple offices and hundreds of people she has kept her finger on the pulse of not only the company’s needs but the industry as well allowing Merchant Industry to stay nimble, responsive and at the forefront of an ever evolving and fluid market.

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Christopher Benabu
CRO

Christopher Benabu is the co-founder and CRO of Swipe4Free. Having started at a very young age, his entrepreneurial drive was evident in building a chain of 24 mobile phone stores in the metro New York area alongside his partners. The sale of those stores and the experience garnered in building and running them led to the next phase in his career with Swipe4Free, the first US compliant Merchant Services Provider offering a cash discount and surcharging platform. Christopher has expanded the customer portfolio to over 15,000 merchants, processing over 3 million transactions and over 4 billion dollars a year in credit card processing volume. As of 2020 Swipe4Free has saved their merchants over 100 million dollars in credit card processing fees. Christopher is the driving force behind the sales teams at Swipe4Free. His expertise in sales, marketing, and relentless energy are a major factor in Swipe4Free’s substantial growth since its inception in 2007. He is adept in seeing industry trends as they emerge and positioning Swipe4Free at the forefront of the ever changing credit card processing industry.

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Jennie Tufano
SVP & Compliance Officer

Jennie Tufano, serving as the Senior Vice President (SVP) and Compliance Officer at Merchant Industry, possesses a wealth of expertise in overseeing Underwriting, Risk and Compliance within the credit card processing domain. With a background that includes pivotal roles at Esquire Bank, where she focused on ISO Compliance, actively contributed to maintaining adherence to industry compliance standards specific to Independent Sales Organizations. Jennie Tufano’s career trajectory showcases her commitment to ensuring compliance and mitigating risks in all aspects of credit card processing.

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Craig Benabu
Director of Marketing

Craig Benabu, a seasoned Director of Marketing with over 20 years of design experience, excels in creating digital advertisements and communications for Merchant Industry and its subsidiaries. He adeptly provides marketing materials to internal teams and the sales force, manages budgets for monthly trade shows, and oversees web design teams abroad. Craig’s strategic prowess shines through in setting and monitoring marketing and design team goals, ensuring impactful campaigns and sustained business growth for Merchant Industry.

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Yesenia Alzate
Director of Underwriting

Yesenia J. Alzate began her career in merchant services in 2012, initially working in customer service. She quickly took on additional clerical roles and supported the Spanish queue during PCI week and in the retention department. Yesenia transitioned to underwriting after a year, progressing from a junior underwriter to a director. Her expertise lies in managing high-risk merchants, particularly in the nutraceutical and CBD industries. She now leads the Underwriting Department at Merchant Industry, where she is responsible for training new underwriters, developing policies, and participating in audits with card brands and banks.

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