Epoch’s Joel Hall Assumes New Title; Clay Andrews Starts New Venture

MARINA DEL REY, Calif. – The upper ranks of Epoch/Paycom announced a change Friday involving the company’s two chief executives, Joel Hall and Clay Andrews, the founding fathers of one of the most successful and widely known adult third-party payment processors.

Hall, formerly the company’s chief technology officer, has been promoted to CEO, and partner Andrews has moved on to another business venture in manufacturing, although no details have yet been disclosed.

According to Communications Director Rand Pate, Andrews, who formerly acted as president of Epoch, found that his new venture required full-time attention. Pate said he will still be remotely involved with the company.

Managerial duties related to Andrews’ former position will be delegated to other members of Epoch’s executive team, Pate said, which includes Esther Martinez, chief operating officer, Mike Costanza, vice president of sales and marketing, and Jeff Thaler, director of business development.

Hall's former position as CTO will be filled by Manish Poddar, also a member of the company’s executive team.

Hall and Andrews founded Epoch in 1996, building on a long friendship that dated back to their teenage years. The parting of ways was amicable and, as Hall put it, “the next evolution of the company.”

“We’ve gone through a lot of changes in recent years,” Hall said in a statement. “But the next evolution of our company is just around the corner…We are poised to address the future needs of the adult business as never before. I think the adult entertainment community will be extremely pleased with the direction in which we’re going.”

Copyright © 2026 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

New Kickstarter Rules Ban Fundraising for Adult Content, Products

Crowdfunding platform Kickstarter has posted new “Mature Content” rules banning projects that involve adult content and sextech.

WebGroup Czech Republic Settles Florida AV Suit, Will Pay $1.2 Million

WebGroup Czech Republic (WGCZ), the parent company of XVideos, XNXX, BangBros and GirlsGoneWild, has settled a lawsuit filed by the state of Florida over those sites’ alleged failure to age-verify Florida users before allowing access to adult content.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches for March, April

AEBN has published the top search terms for March and April from its straight and gay theaters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Ofcom Investigates Two Sites Over Possible AV Violations

U.K. media regulator Ofcom on Wednesday launched investigations into two adult sites as part of its age assurance enforcement program under the Online Safety Act (OSA).

Brazzers Launches Model Management Division 'Brazzers Creator'

Brazzers has launched its new full-service model management division, Brazzers Creator, offering content management services across multiple platforms.

FTC Promises 'Vigorous' TAKE IT DOWN Act Enforcement

The Federal Trade Commission is warning platforms that the agency will strongly enforce the notice-and-removal requirements of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which go into effect next week on May 19.

STD Hero Joins Pineapple Support as Sponsor

Better Life Science brand STD Hero has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

2026 XBIZ Miami Speaker, Open-Floor Conversation Guide Lineup Announced

XBIZ is pleased to announce the release of the full speaker lineup for XBIZ Miami, the latest edition of the adult industry’s premier summer conference, set to take place May 11-14 at the Goodtime Hotel in Miami Beach.

2026 XBIZ Miami Conference Schedule Announced

XBIZ is pleased to announce the release of the full show schedule for XBIZ Miami, set to take place May 11-14 at the Goodtime Hotel in South Beach.

UPDATED: Utah VPN Rule Enforcement Paused in Aylo Lawsuit

Provisions of a new Utah law making adult websites liable if minors in the state circumvent geolocation efforts to bypass age verification, which were set to come into force on Wednesday, have been put on hold until Sept. 3 in the case of Aylo, which filed suit in the matter.

Show More