R.K. Hammer, a leading card analyst based in Thousand Oaks,Calif., celebrated its 25th anniversary Monday.

Its founder observed how few industry fundamentals have changed,even as the details have shifted.

The firm observed the industry is focused on regulation,competition and technology, the same issues that led the agenda when the agencyopened 25 years ago, observed Founder and CEO Bob Hammer.

“We still expect even more restrictive regulatory oversight,fierce competition for every quality account, and a rapidsuccession of technological advancements in the payments spaceproducts and delivery systems, the likes of which may well takeyour breath away as they emerge,” Hammer said in a release.

R.K. Hammer is known for having valued and evaluated hundreds ofcard portfolios for credit unions considering partnering withanother firm for agent issuing. The firm also provides expertwitness testimony in litigation where aspects of portfolio sales ormanagement are disputed.

“The most important thing we came to learn about a brandreputation over the decades: You have to get up and earn it allover again each new day,” Hammer said.