Senior managers at Mercury Payment Systems joined Vantiv executives Wednesday to ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
The ceremony at the center of American capitalism comes nearly a year after Vantiv, which is traded on the NYSE, acquired Mercury for $1.65 billion.
For Mercury employees, “it’s a celebration of all of the combined successes we’ve had for the last 12 years,” said Matt Taylor, integrated payments president.
Vantiv CEO Charles Drucker joined Taylor on the NYSE podium along with other Mercury and Vantiv executives. Taylor’s two daughters accompanied him, and his parents were in the audience.
It was a good day on the stock exchange. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.3 percent, finishing above 18,000, while Vantiv stock rose 1.75 percent.
“It was a great, very active day of trading,” Taylor said. “The market closed up, so it was a really fun day on the floor.”
The Mercury and Vantiv contingent also toured the stock exchange, including old areas that no longer are used.
Mercury, founded in 2001, is one of Durango’s largest employers, with about 400 employees in Durango and 350 in Denver.
Since acquiring Mercury on June 13, 2014, Vantiv stock has risen 27 percent to $40.81.
cslothower@ durangoherald.com
