ATMIA Conference 2008 pulled one of the highest attendance numbers in ATMIA Conference history, show organizers said. The conference ran Feb. 20-22 in New Orleans.

Attendees and exhibitors said this year’s conference marked a heightened interest in and awareness of advanced ATM functions and services.

On the showroom floor, deployers continued to demonstrate and show off their cash-based solutions, but they also touted some new bells and whistles.

Digital signage and onscreen advertising is being used by more ATM manufacturers to illustrate how ATMs can be used for diversified purposes.

Nautilus Hyosung’s new NH 1820 is touted for its small footprint and sleek design. The company expects to begin pushing the new ATM to retailers within the coming weeks.

Nautilus Hyosung showed off a few ATMs from its tried-and-true Mini-Bank line, shown here, as well as some new machines from its fresh MoniMax line, which it introduced in the fall at BAI’s Retail Delivery Conference & Expo in Las Vegas.

Nautilus Hyosung’s MoniMax 5000 series.

J. Michael Brown, the president and CEO of New Orleans’ First Bank & Trust, shared his emotional, first-hand experience as a Katrina victim trapped in New Orleans during the hurricane in 2005.

Better ATM Services, a relative newcomer to the ATM scene, grabbed a lot of attendee time at its booth, where it showed off its ability to print stored-value (closed-loop) cards on the spot at the ATM.

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GRG Banking, which says it plans to make 2008 its year in the States, showed off its H22 TTW (through-the-wall) ATM — an extremely popular banking model in China. GRG just installed its 30,000th ATM globally.

Arjan Schutte of the Center for Financial Services Innovation in Chicago talks with an attendee.

Gloria Grand, left, and Sandra Hartfield of PDNB’s Electronic Banking Division, talk with Brian Kett (hidden on the right) of Global Cash Services and Mike Clinnard of Cardtronics

Tranax Technologies showed off a number of its new deployments, including counter-to-ATM check cashing and prepaid card dispensing from an ATM sidecar.

Tranax’ Mini-Bank line is still its most popular.

WRG Services showed off a number of its retail-oriented ATM solutions.

Tranax’ check-cashing solution, built on the VALID Systems platform.

It’s all about branding in the retail space, as this Target ATM wrap proves.

Richard Gould and Marilyn Kilcrease were honored during ATMIA’s annual awards banquet for their individual contributions to the ATM industry. Gould received an award for his company’s ATM Raminator, a device designed to prevent ATM ram rai

From left are ATMIA Conference Award winners Dennis Flood, an ATM security consultatn with NCR Corp., Marilyn Kilcrease of Creative Card Solutions, and Richard Gouold of Lockit Systems Australia and his wife.

Tom Harper, the president and founder of ATMIA, opened up the evening’s ceremonies during the annual awards banquet.

Thanks to the donations of ATMIA members, ATMIA donated $5,000 to the Kingsley House, a safe haven for children and families in New Orleans. Since Katrina, more than 10,000 children and adults throughout southeast Louisiana have participated.