Meet the PayBright Leadership Team
TRANSPARENT | AFFORDABLE | SIMPLE
PayBright was Built by Business Owners. Just Like You.
We Get It — Because We Live It.
At PayBright, we know what it’s like to run a small business. Like you, we are privately owned, with no outside investors, and we plan to keep it that way. Our merchants trust us to power their business, and we take that responsibility very seriously. At PayBright we show up every day with a servant’s mindset — ready to help however we can. No red tape. No runaround. Just real people who care deeply about the businesses we support. ‘Merchant Services Done Right’ is not just our slogan, it is our mantra that we set out to deliver on every single day.
Dustin Magaziner, CEO & Founder
RALEIGH, NC
Dustin is the definition of a workaholic. Up late at night and awake early in the mornings, Dustin is always working on something. Having been born to a family of serial entrepreneurs, Dustin saw firsthand what it takes to run a successful business. Having watched his family’s businesses struggle to understand the merchant processing industry, he realized that most business owners don’t understand their merchant statements and as a result are being taken advantage with unfair fees.
Dustin founded PayBright as a full-time college student, signing PayBright’s first merchant out of his college dorm. Since then, PayBright has grown to serve over 15,000 businesses nationwide and is headquartered in one of Raleigh’s most prestigious skyscrapers in the heart of downtown Raleigh. Under Dustin’s leadership, PayBright has evolved into one of the fastest-growing merchant services providers in the country.
Recognized for his entrepreneurial drive, Dustin has been named to both the Electronic Transactions Association’s prestigious ETA 40 Under 40 (formerly 30 under 30) and the Triangle Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, while also leading PayBright to be ranked on the Inc. 5000 and among the Triangle Business Journal's Fast 50 fastest-growing companies numerous years in a row.
With a personal mission to bring ethics, transparency, and true partnership back to payment processing, Dustin built PayBright on the belief that merchants deserve real support, no rate increases, no early termination fees, and honest long-term relationships. Today, Dustin remains actively involved in leading PayBright’s national growth, mentoring agents, and driving new innovations across the payments space.
When not building the business, Dustin enjoys spending time outdoors with his dog Chai, traveling with his wonderful fiancé Julie, and exploring new challenges — whether it's hiking new trails, scuba diving down under, or jumping out of planes at 10,000 feet.
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Thad Sheffield | Director of Partner Success
ATLANTA, GA
Thad Sheffield serves as Director of Partner Success at PayBright, bringing 25+ years of leadership in the payments industry. His expertise spans operations, growth strategies, market expansion, team leadership, and partner development. A co-founder of a previous processing company, Thad has held senior leadership roles including Director of Business Development and National Sales Director. He helps shape the future of the payments industry while supporting PayBright’s growing partner network.
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Shannon Waugh | Head of Operations
MONTREAL, CANADA
Shannon Waugh is Head of Operations at PayBright, bringing over 15 years of experience in merchant services across sales, operations, and leadership. She previously held leadership roles at Pivotal Payments and Züm Rails before officially joining PayBright in 2023. Shannon works closely with teams to drive operational success and efficiency. She lives in Canada with her husband and two daughters, and the occasional goat or two, balancing work and family life with her love of nature and animals.
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Jonathan Young | VP of Sales
HOUSTON, TX
Jonathan Young is Vice President of Sales at PayBright, bringing 15+ years of sales and entrepreneurial experience. Known for his dynamic leadership and creative sales strategies, Jonathan helps agents grow their businesses while building strong client relationships. Passionate about empowering others, he’s dedicated to helping agents reach their full potential. Outside of PayBright, Jonathan enjoys time with his family and church, and supports causes related to children’s welfare, civil rights, and social services.
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Starr Hodel | VP of Business Development
WILMINGTON, NC
Starr Hodel is Vice President of Business Development at PayBright, bringing 15+ years of leadership in merchant services and a passion for coaching and empowering sales professionals. A U.S. Army veteran who served in Operation Desert Shield, Starr is known for his integrity, strategic thinking, and commitment to building high-performing teams. Before PayBright, he held senior leadership roles at IMS and Heartland Payment Systems. Outside of work, Starr enjoys time with family, learning, and fitness.
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John Scheirer | Director of POS Desk
PHILADELPHIA, PA
John Scheirer leads client relations, sales operations, and product management as Director of POS Desk at PayBright. With extensive experience from product inception to delivery, John drives operational excellence by analyzing trends and building scalable solutions that improve performance and retention. Before joining PayBright, John held leadership roles at Quantic and International Recovery Systems. He is passionate about animal welfare, children’s causes, and health initiatives.
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Chai | Chief Dog Officer
RALEIGH, NC
Chai may be a rescue, but has quickly become the heart and soul of PayBright. As Dustin’s right-hand dog, she has been part of the company since day one. Known for her calm but energetic presence, Chai brings positivity to the office and has visited nearly every dog-friendly PayBright merchant in the Raleigh area. She works hard to ensure happy merchants at all times. As we say: “Be the person your dog thinks you are.” That’s the standard we strive for every day at PayBright. Woof woof.