For financial institutions serving consumers across the credit spectrum, delivering the right product at the right time is both a challenge and an opportunity. For PREMIER Bankcard, that mission is rooted in helping underserved consumers gain access to financial tools that support their goals and long-term financial well-being.
“We’re focused on providing solid financial services to our customer base, a customer base that’s often underserved in the market,” said Chris Thornton, Chief Credit Officer and Head of Collections at PREMIER Bankcard. “Being able to personalize those offers and help customers make informed and better financial decisions, that’s at the core of what PREMIER is seeking to do.”
Strengthening decisioning through partnership
As consumer needs evolve and the financial services landscape becomes increasingly complex, lenders need more than access to data. They need technology, analytics and expertise to drive smarter decisions across the customer lifecycle. Those decisions span acquisition, fraud prevention, credit risk management and product placement.
For PREMIER Bankcard, strengthening its long-standing relationship with Experian helped support that evolution. While the two organizations have worked together for more than a decade, the partnership deepened in recent years as PREMIER sought a more integrated approach to navigating fraud, credit decisioning and customer engagement.
“Experian brings to the table the ability to not only provide data assets, but how you use that data, including the platforms in which that data resides,” Thornton said. “That marriage of the tech platform and the data assets, coupled with experts in their field, will help achieve PREMIER’s business objectives.”
By leveraging Experian’s technology platforms, data capabilities and consultative expertise, PREMIER has been able to strengthen credit decisioning and better align products with customer needs. The result is a more personalized approach that helps connect the right products with the right customers.
Shared values, shared purpose
Equally important to technology is the strong alignment in values and purpose between the two organizations. In evaluating strategic partners, PREMIER looks beyond products and services to find organizations whose values align with its own. According to Thornton, alignment has been a key factor in the success of the relationship.
“We’re looking for people that want to serve the underserved. We’re looking for people that can help us bring better financial products to bear in the market. And we found that in Experian,” he said.
As financial institutions continue seeking ways to expand access while managing risk, partnerships built on innovation, expertise and a shared purpose can make a meaningful difference. For PREMIER Bankcard and Experian, that common goal remains clear: helping more consumers access the financial opportunities they need to move forward with confidence.
About PREMIER Bankcard
PREMIER Bankcard is dedicated to expanding financial access for underserved consumers through innovative products, technology modernization and a customer-first approach. Since its inception, the company has served more than 30 million customers, with a focus on providing both first-time and second-chance credit opportunities. Beyond its business mission, PREMIER Bankcard, alongside its founder Denny Sanford and sister company First PREMIER Bank, has contributed more than $4 billion to charitable causes.
In recognition of its commitment to innovation and customer impact, PREMIER Bankcard was named a recipient of the 2025 Experian Vision Award for Excellence in Innovation.
Learn more about PREMIER Bankcard and its mission at https://www.mypremiercreditcard.com/.
