EPayment Business Expands in WC, Ireland

A local ePayment business is expanding in Ireland … and in Walnut Creek.

Execs from YapStone Inc. this week hosted Irish government officials as the company opens its international headquarters in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland.

"International expansion is a top priority for us this year,” said Tom Villante, co-founder and chairman, according to a YapStone news release. “The core markets we serve  – such as vacation home rentals, apartment rentals and non-profit organizations  –  are borderless."

The expectation is hiring 120 people over three years for the international headquarters in Ireland. In Walnut Creek, at 2033 N. Main St., there are now 104 employees with the company "looking to grow that by about 30 percent through the end of the year," said Kiara Kempski, marketing manager for YapStone in Walnut Creek. YapStone also has offices in San Jose and Santa Monica.

Some of the domestic growth will be to facilitate the launching of the international headquarters. The company is also expanding its services for nonprofit organization donations, said Kempski.

"The payments industry, encompassing e-commerce solutions and payments technology, has been identified by IDA as a key sector for growth," said Barry O'Leary, chief executive of the Ireland Industrial Development Agency. "The fact that YapStone has chosen Ireland as its first base outside of the U.S. is another example of the significant benefits that we offer to U.S. companies looking to expand into the EMEA (Europe-Middle East-Africa) region.”

You can read the full YapStone news release at iStockAnalyst.com.