AI-based modernization of North American mainframe secures spot on 2026 list

Foundry’s CIO, the executive technology brand serving senior IT and digital leaders, has named trusted Payments and Data company Deluxe (NYSE: DLX) to its CIO 100 list for the third time since 2024.

The almost 40-year-old award lauds organizations that use technology to deliver real-world business impact by improving revenue, efficiency, and customer outcomes.

This year’s list recognizes Deluxe for its successful migration of operations from a mainframe older than the CIO 100 itself to leading-edge, AI-enabled, cloud-native infrastructure.

Piloted by Chief Technology & Digital Officer Yogaraj “Yogs” Jayaprakasam, the initiative leveraged advanced agentic AI tools from OpenAI, Anthropic, and GitHub to accelerate code conversion, automate testing, and optimize workflows.

Deluxe attempted to decommission the mainframe in the early 2000s—at a time when many other companies were similarly adjusting to new demands—but undocumented systems and limited subject matter expertise hampered the effort.

“AI played a critical role in addressing that gap, which has led to this year’s successfully completed transformation,” said Jayaprakasam. “At Deluxe, we pride ourselves on applying AI responsibly to solve real business problems, not just as a science experiment. I’m honored for this recognition of the value that the work of this incredible team has provided for Deluxe and our customers.”

The landmark project required the company’s technology team to swap out the framework supporting more than $2 trillion in payment transactions annually, using leading AI. Other key metrics resulting from the upgrade, which helped Deluxe achieve the CIO honor include:

• $3.2 million in annual operating expense savings;
• $1.7 million in additional annual cost reductions;
• $1.6 million in one-time cost avoidance;
• 40–50% improvement in development productivity;
• Zero defects reported post-production release; and
• Enhanced automation, real-time insights, and self-service capabilities.

“Through investment in AI, we have created a scalable, resilient, and future-ready ecosystem that better serves the thousands of financial institutions and millions of small businesses that rely on Deluxe,” said McCarthy. “We are honored by this recognition of our continued commitment on their behalf.”

About Deluxe Corporation

Deluxe, a trusted Payments and Data company, champions business so communities thrive. Our solutions help businesses pay, get paid, and grow. For more than 100 years, Deluxe customers have relied on our solutions and platforms at all stages of their lifecycle, from start-up to maturity. Our powerful scale supports millions of small businesses, thousands of vital financial institutions and hundreds of the world’s largest consumer brands, while processing more than $2 trillion in annual payment volume. Our reach, scale and distribution channels position Deluxe to be our customers’ most trusted business partner. To learn how we can help your business, visit us at www.deluxe.com.

About the US CIO 100 Awards

The annual US CIO 100 Awards celebrate 100 organizations and the teams within them that use IT in innovative ways to deliver business value, whether by creating competitive advantage, optimizing business processes, enabling growth, or improving relationships with customers. The award is an acknowledged mark of enterprise excellence.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260501883733/en/