Hercules Technology Growth Capital announced that effective March 7, 2015, Susanne D. Lyons, former chief marketing officer of Visa USA, was appointed to the Hercules board of directors. Lyons will serve on the audit, compensation, and nominating and corporate governance committees.

Lyons is a retired senior executive who has held top marketing and general management roles at some of the largest financial services companies in America, including Visa, Charles Schwab, and Fidelity Investments. From 2004 to 2007, Lyons served as chief marketing officer and executive vice president of Visa, responsible for all aspects of brand, advertising, marketing services and sponsorship marketing. She was responsible for launching the “Life Takes Visa” campaign in 2006. Before joining Visa, Lyons served as chief marketing officer and executive vice president at Charles Schwab and held various marketing and general management positions, including enterprise president of retail client services, from April 1992 to May 2001. Lyons spent ten years at Fidelity Investments from 1982 to 1992, where she held senior positions in marketing, product development and business strategy.

Lyons currently serves on the board of directors of the U.S. Olympic Committee, a position she has held since December 2010. She has been president of the board of directors of Wildcare, a not-for-profit organization, since 2008. She previously served on the board of directors of CNET Networks, from 2007 to 2008, until its acquisition by CBS, as well as Gain Capital Holdings, from 2008 to 2013. Lyons also served on the advisory board of Marketo, a marketing automation software company, prior to its IPO.