Howard Kessler

US businessman and entrepreneur, probably best recognized as the founder of The Kessler Group, one of the largest companies in the payment industry. In 1982, Kessler initiated the concept of affinity credit card and promptly established the Kessler Financial Services L.P. Howard Kessler and his wife, Michele, are also known for being active philanthropists, supporting a wide range of national and global causes, such as the William J. Clinton Foundation, the American Red Cross, the American Ireland Fund, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Prince of Wales Trust and Partners HealthCare (a not-for-profit, integrated healthcare system founded by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital). They together founded the Kessler Family Foundation. The Kesslers are residents of Palm Beach, FL and divide their time between Palm Beach, Boston and Osterville, MA (Cape Cod). They have two sons and four grandchildren. Business career: c 2016-current Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Kessler Group, Boston, MA 1993- c. 2016 Founder and Chairman, Kessler Group, Boston, MA 1979-1993 President and CFO at Trans National Financial Services, Boston, MA 1978-1979 Partner at Professional Financial Services, Philadelphia, PA 1972-1978 COO at Teachers Services Organization (later called Advanta, d. c 2009) Education: 1969 BS in Accounting, Temple University.