PayIt appoints new president and COO as fast-scaling KC govtech company hits pivotal moment
November 16, 2023 | Startland News Staff
A veteran govtech leader is joining one of Kansas City’s best-known scale-ups as the company eyes a new era of growth and the expansion of its national and international footprint.
PayIt — a leader in digital customer experience solutions with integrated payments for state, local, and provincial governments — announced on Thursday the appointment of Tom Nieto as its new president and chief operating officer.
Nieto, who comes with 15 years of industry experience, is expected to focus on driving strategy for PayIt, scaling its operations, and building out capabilities to continue to drive growth for the company.
“Tom’s rich blend of highly relevant professional experiences, strong leadership style, and passion for the PayIt mission made him an easy choice to help guide our business through its next stages,” said John Thomson, co-founder and CEO of PayIt. “I am confident that his contributions will drive our company forward, and our customers, current and future, will benefit from the progress we make with Tom on the team.”
PayIt currently has more than 225 employees distributed across North America, with its headquarters in downtown Kansas City, as well as offices in Nashville and Toronto.
Mike Plunkett and John Thomson, PayIt co-founders; photo by Tommy Felts, Startland News
Thomson and co-founder Mike Plunkett will remain in essential roles with the company, PayIt said.
With Nieto on board, Thomson will be able to focus even more of his efforts on strategic growth and business decisions as the new president takes over overseeing more of the scaling business’s operations.
In his new role as chief development officer, Plunkett — who previously served as COO — will prioritize client relationships, key business development efforts, and leadership development within the company.
RELATED: PayIt co-founder: No one-size-fits-all formula for scaling one of KC biggest startup ideas
Nieto was most recently COO at Accela. He previously held leadership positions at companies including Box and Boston Consulting Group. Nieto holds an M.B.A. from Harvard University and B.A. in International Relations from Stanford University.
PayIt’s modern customer experience and payments platform for government simplifies the way government agencies serve their communities. Cities, towns, counties, states, and provinces use PayIt to collect revenue, work more efficiently, and deliver a better customer experience.
Click here to learn more about PayIt.
The company consolidates services including property tax, DMV, outdoors, courts, and utilities into one connected experience for residents — launching quickly and saving government agencies up to $6 per transaction, according to PayIt.
“Payit is at a pivotal moment in our continued growth trajectory,” said Nieto. “Our differentiated offering and talented team has us poised to continue our growth across North America.”
“I am excited to join PayIt to build our next phase of growth and deliver an unparalleled experience to our clients and the customers they serve,” he added.
2023 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Techweek dedicating Oct. 10 afternoon programming to diversity in KC business culture
A first-time programming track dedicated to diversity and inclusion issues is an intentional effort by Techweek Kansas City organizers to open a needed conversation about true representation in the city’s business culture, said Drew Solomon. The mid-point of the Oct. 8-12 Techweek KC event series is expected to feature an afternoon of panel discussions and…
‘Millennial’ isn’t a curse word — it’s a critical marketing tool, says Social Apex Media
Social Apex Media is designed to feed the creativity of hungry millennial entrepreneurs who don’t fit into the corporate culture of many other marketing agencies, said Brandon Priest. “We’re building Social Apex on the backs of entrepreneurs. That means instead of employees who feel like, ‘OK, I just got to work 9 to 5 every…
ProfessionalChats founders on high growth: Don’t reinvent the wheel, just make it better
Entrepreneurship isn’t like Shark Tank, said the co-founders of rapidly expanding Kansas City startup ProfessionalChats. “I think people get confused in the Kansas City entrepreneurship community and they think they need to have an original idea that nobody’s ever done before and they need funding,” said Scott Hansen, co-founder, and CEO. Outside funding doesn’t necessarily…
Serial entrepreneur hopes to cultivate ‘real talk’ with startups at day-long Own It event
Business often isn’t pretty, said serial entrepreneur Mike Wrenn. And it’s time to expose some of the hard truths he and his wife, Becky Cole — as well as other business heavyweights — have learned through their careers, he said. “Becky and I have built a successful business with national and international reach,” said Wrenn, chairman…