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Ventas Declares Regular Quarterly Dividend of $0.535 Per Share

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:08:20 -0400

Ventas, Inc. (NYSE: VTR) (“Ventas” or the “Company”) said today that its Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.535 per share, payable in cash on September 30, 2010 to stockholders of record on September 17, 2010. The dividend is the third quarterly installment of the Company’s 2010 annual dividend.

Ventas, Inc., an S&P 500 company, is a leading healthcare real estate investment trust. Its diverse portfolio of approximately 600 assets in 44 states (including the District of Columbia) and two Canadian provinces consists of seniors housing communities, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, medical office buildings and other properties. Through its Lillibridge subsidiary, Ventas provides management, leasing, marketing, facility development and advisory services to highly rated hospitals and health systems throughout the United States. More information about Ventas and Lillibridge can be found at www.ventasreit.com and www.lillibridge.com.

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding the Company’s or its tenants’, operators’, managers’ or borrowers’ expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, funds from operations, dividends and dividend plans, financing plans, business strategy, budgets, projected costs, operating metrics, capital expenditures, competitive positions, acquisitions, investment opportunities, merger integration, growth opportunities, dispositions, expected lease income, continued qualification as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”), plans and objectives of management for future operations and statements that include words such as “anticipate,” “if,” “believe,” “plan,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “will” and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and security holders must recognize that actual results may differ from the Company’s expectations. The Company does not undertake a duty to update such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made.

The Company’s actual future results and trends may differ materially depending on a variety of factors discussed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These factors include without limitation: (a) the ability and willingness of the Company’s tenants, operators, borrowers, managers and other third parties to meet and/or perform their obligations under their respective contractual arrangements with the Company, including, in some cases, their obligations to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company from and against various claims, litigation and liabilities; (b) the ability of the Company’s tenants, operators, borrowers and managers to maintain the financial strength and liquidity necessary to satisfy their respective obligations and liabilities to third parties, including without limitation obligations under their existing credit facilities and other indebtedness; (c) the Company’s success in implementing its business strategy and the Company’s ability to identify, underwrite, finance, consummate and integrate diversifying acquisitions or investments, including those in different asset types and outside the United States; (d) the nature and extent of future competition; (e) the extent of future or pending healthcare reform and regulation, including cost containment measures and changes in reimbursement policies, procedures and rates; (f) increases in the Company’s cost of borrowing as a result of changes in interest rates and other factors; (g) the ability of the Company’s operators and managers, as applicable, to deliver high quality services, to attract and retain qualified personnel and to attract residents and patients; (h) the results of litigation affecting the Company; (i) changes in general economic conditions and/or economic conditions in the markets in which the Company may, from time to time, compete, and the effect of those changes on the Company’s revenues and its ability to access the capital markets or other sources of funds; (j) the Company’s ability to pay down, refinance, restructure and/or extend its indebtedness as it becomes due; (k) the Company’s ability and willingness to maintain its qualification as a REIT due to economic, market, legal, tax or other considerations; (l) final determination of the Company’s taxable net income for the year ended December 31, 2009 and for the year ending December 31, 2010; (m) the ability and willingness of the Company’s tenants to renew their leases with the Company upon expiration of the leases and the Company’s ability to reposition its properties on the same or better terms in the event such leases expire and are not renewed by the Company’s tenants or in the event the Company exercises its right to replace an existing tenant upon default; (n) risks associated with the Company’s senior living operating portfolio, such as factors causing volatility in the Company’s operating income and earnings generated by its properties, including without limitation national and regional economic conditions, costs of materials, energy, labor and services, employee benefit costs, insurance costs and professional and general liability claims, and the timely delivery of accurate property-level financial results for those properties; (o) the movement of U.S. and Canadian exchange rates; (p) year-over-year changes in the Consumer Price Index and the effect of those changes on the rent escalators, including the rent escalator for Master Lease 2 with Kindred, and the Company’s earnings; (q) the Company’s ability and the ability of its tenants, operators, borrowers and managers to obtain and maintain adequate liability and other insurance from reputable and financially stable providers; (r) the impact of increased operating costs and uninsured professional liability claims on the liquidity, financial condition and results of operations of the Company’s tenants, operators, borrowers and managers, and the ability of the Company’s tenants, operators, borrowers and managers to accurately estimate the magnitude of those claims; (s) the ability and willingness of the lenders under the Company’s unsecured revolving credit facilities to fund, in whole or in part, borrowing requests made by the Company from time to time; (t) risks associated with the Company’s recent acquisition of businesses owned and operated by Lillibridge, including its ability to successfully design, develop and manage MOBs and to retain key personnel; (u) the ability of the hospitals on or near whose campuses the Company’s MOBs are located and their affiliated health systems to remain competitive and financially viable and to attract physicians and physician groups; (v) the Company’s ability to maintain or expand its relationships with its existing and future hospital and health system clients; (w) risks associated with the Company’s investments in joint ventures, including its lack of sole decision-making authority and its reliance on its joint venture partners’ financial condition; (x) the impact of market or issuer events on the liquidity or value of the Company’s investments in marketable securities; and (y) the impact of any financial, accounting, legal or regulatory issues that may affect the Company or its major tenants, operators or managers. Many of these factors are beyond the control of the Company and its management.

Global Cash Access Names Chief Financial Officer and Appoints Director

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:04:02 -0400

Global Cash Access Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: GCA), the gaming industry’s leading provider of cash access services, has named Mary E. Higgins, executive vice president and chief financial officer. Ms. Higgins will assume her responsibilities on September 14, 2010. Additionally, GCA’s board of directors has appointed Mike Rumbolz as a member of the board, effective immediately.

Ms. Higgins has served as the chief financial officer of Herbst Gaming, Inc. since 2000. Herbst Gaming, Inc. is a diversified, multi-jurisdictional gaming company with 15 casino properties located in Nevada, Missouri and Iowa and is one of the largest slot route operators in Nevada. During her tenure with Herbst Gaming, Inc., Ms. Higgins was responsible for all facets of financial management, including financial controls and reporting, taxation, financial planning, treasury, and investor relations.

Mr. Rumbolz most recently acted as an independent consultant to GCA and previously was the chairman and chief executive officer of Cash Systems, Inc., a competitor of GCA’s that was acquired by GCA in 2008. Mr. Rumbolz is also the former vice chairman of the board of Casino Data Systems, was the president and chief executive officer of Anchor Gaming and the president of Casino Windsor at the time of its opening. He additionally has served as a member and subsequently the chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, and is the former chief deputy attorney general of the State of Nevada.

“We’re excited to have Mary Beth join our executive management team. She is a seasoned financial executive with a strong background in both the operations and cash management sides of the casino industry. We believe that Mary Beth’s leadership and years of experience in complex financial management in a public company setting as well as her proven record of revenue growth will serve us well as we continue our efforts of fully integrating cash access technologies on the gaming floor,” said Scott Betts, GCA’s president and chief executive officer.

“Similarly, Mike’s years of experience in virtually all facets of the gaming industry will be a valuable asset to our board of directors. Mike already has a proven track record with GCA and was an invaluable asset in our obtaining the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s approval of QuikTicket. Both these appointments bring a wealth of industry experience to GCA, strengthening our customer focus as we continue to pursue our strategy of innovation in the industry,” concluded Mr. Betts.

About Global Cash Access

Global Cash Access, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Global Cash Access Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: GCA), is the world's leading provider of cash access and related services to the gaming industry. Based in Las Vegas, GCA serves approximately 1,000 casinos and other clients in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and Asia. With a singular focus on the worldwide casino industry, GCA provides proprietary technology that helps responsible patrons access cash via ATM, debit card, check cashing and credit card cash access transactions for their casino entertainment. GCA also provides services that enhance casino marketing initiatives and credit decision-making through its wholly owned subsidiary Central Credit LLC, a credit decision-making tool that uses proprietary credit bureau databases. GCA is recognized with numerous gaming industry awards for developing technologies and services that enhance casino profitability and customer loyalty. For more information, visit www.gcainc.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Important factors that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated by such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding our beliefs regarding the benefits of Ms. Higgins’ and Mr. Rumbolz’s prior experiences, GCA’s financial position and product innovation. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results implied or contemplated by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to the risks detailed in the GCA’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the most recently filed Form 10-Q and Form 10-K. GCA does not intend or assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

Stellar Recovery Simplifies Multi-Site PCI Compliance with LiveVox

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:52:05 -0400

LiveVox Inc., the leading provider of enterprise cloud-based consumer contact solutions, today announced that Stellar Recovery Inc., a leading receivables management firm, has leveraged the integrated IVR and on-demand payment lines of LiveVox that meet the security and privacy requirements of the Payments Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard.

Compared to site-premised hardware solutions, LiveVox simplifies contact center compliance, because organizations can leverage existing PCI compliant infrastructure and business processes. With even the newest contact center hardware, organizations are forced to invest precious resources to meet PCI compliance. This includes an ongoing focus on implementing, auditing, updating and maintaining compliant networks, infrastructure and change control processes. Several hosted vendors have also yet to achieve PCI security and procedure standards.

“Contact centers are increasingly looking to gain efficiencies through automation, but at the same time security and compliance will always be primary concerns,” said John Schanck, Chairman/CEO, Stellar Recovery, Inc., a Kalispell, MT-based receivables management firm. “At Stellar, we leverage vendor partners that share our commitment to safety of consumer data. We can utilize the IT redundancy and process excellence of LiveVox to addresses the nuts-and-bolts of PCI compliance across multiple locations while focusing core resources on client service and business strategy.”

The complexity of compliance increases at multi-site organizations where system redundancies, policies and audits must be duplicated at each location. PCI rules around payment lines are especially stringent with requirements around transmission, processing and storing of credit card data. By leveraging already PCI-compliant infrastructure deployed in the cloud, contact center operations and IT groups can shift resources to application deployment, vendor management, analytics and strategy.

“Multi-site PCI compliance is difficult and expensive to obtain and time consuming to maintain,” said Louis Summe, Chief Executive Officer, LiveVox. “Contact centers never fully ‘outsource’ their commitment to security, but they require vendors who can facilitate compliance even as regulations change. Our more flexible infrastructure delivered from a carrier-class data center, enables us to develop GUI-based configuration tools that provide a simple path to multi-site compliance management.”

About Stellar Recovery

Stellar Recovery is an accounts receivable management company (ARM) servicing the financial services, telecommunications, utilities and retail industries. Stellar Recovery has customized processes, innovative technology and procedures that provide the information needed to maximize results. Based in Kalispell, MT, Stellar also operates in Denver. For more information, visit www.stellarrecoveryinc.com.

About LiveVox

LiveVox is the leading provider of enterprise cloud-based consumer contact solutions. LiveVox offers a patented platform with integrated IVR, ACD, call recording and automated dialing configurable by a single web-based GUI. The carrier-class solution includes web-based multi-site deployment, routing and controls that are pre-integrated with major VoIP standards and carriers, delivering capacity on demand. LiveVox is headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, visit www.livevox.com.

Wells Fargo to Present at Barclays Capital 2010 Global Financial Services Conference

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:48:03 -0400

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) said today that Chief Financial Officer Howard Atkins will present at the Barclays Capital 2010 Global Financial Services Conference to be held in New York on Monday, September 13, at 9 a.m. Eastern Time (6 a.m. Pacific Time).

The live audio webcast and presentation slides will be available at the following addresses:

www.wellsfargo.com/invest_relations/presents

http://cc.talkpoint.com/barc002/091310a_rb/?entity=2_I53BN3P

A replay of the webcast presentation will be available for six months.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.2 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 10,000 banking stores, 12,000 ATMs, the Internet (wellsfargo.com and wachovia.com), and other distribution channels across North America and internationally. With more than 278,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in America. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked #19 on Fortune’s 2009 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially.

Freedom Bank of Virginia Announces New President

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:04:21 -0400

Freedom Bank of Virginia (Bulletin Board:FDVA.OB): The Board of Directors of the Freedom Bank of Virginia announced today Craig S. Underhill has been named President of the Bank. John T. Rohrback, who has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since October 2003, will continue in his role as Chief Executive Officer and concentrate on strategic issues. “This promotion from EVP & Chief Lending Officer to President recognizes Craig’s contributions to Freedom Bank as well as the multiple responsibilities he has assumed during the last three years,” stated Mr. Rohrback. “He has already proven his deep knowledge of the needs of businesses in our community through his extensive background and successful leadership in commercial banking.”

Mr. Underhill has more than 27 years of banking experience and a long list of accomplishments. Prior to joining Freedom Bank, he was Chief Lending Officer with Potomac Bank of Virginia. He was a senior lending officer at M&T Bank, Central Fidelity Bank and other institutions. He maintains professional affiliations in the Northern Virginia area.

Mr. Underhill holds a MBA degree from George Washington University and a Business Administration degree from James Madison University.

“This opportunity will allow me to focus my efforts on what I enjoy most about banking, building high performing teams and developing deep, longstanding relationships with clients," said Underhill.

Freedom Bank is a full service financial institution which provides a full range of financial services, including credit and deposits products, cash management and internet services for commercial and consumer clients. Information on products and services may be obtained by calling (703) 242-5300 or visiting the Bank’s website at www.freedombankva.com.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6415919&lang=en

BlackRock Announces Further Refinements to iShares Gold Trust

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:32:02 -0400

BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK) today announced that the iShares Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) business, the world’s largest provider of ETFs, has made further refinements to the iShares Gold Trust (NYSEArca: IAU). These changes will make the Trust the first US-listed gold ETF to be fully allocated daily. In addition, the name of the Trust has been changed to the iShares Gold Trust to more clearly reflect that the Trust holds only physical bullion, not futures.

“We continue to make refinements to the iShares Gold Trust to meet growing demand for gold investing and to meet clients’ specific needs,” said Noel Archard, Head of US iShares Product at BlackRock. “The Trust’s new custodian, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., London branch, is providing daily 100% allocation of the gold bullion. We understand client concerns with exposure to unallocated gold and, as part of these refinements we've taken steps to minimize risks from unallocated gold exposure.”

Each business day, the trusts assets will be fully allocated, so that, at the end of such business day, no gold is held in unallocated form. The custodian will not allow issuances of shares on unallocated amounts.

These changes are part of the continuing refinements the firm has made to the Trust. In June 2010, the firm announced several changes to the iShares Gold Trust including: reducing the share price – and increasing the Trust’s shares outstanding – through a 10-for-1 share split, and lowering the Trust’s sponsor fee to 0.25% by leveraging BlackRock’s broader platform to drive greater operating efficiencies for the Trust.

About BlackRock

BlackRock is a leader in investment management, risk management and advisory services for institutional and retail clients worldwide. At June 30, 2010, BlackRock’s AUM was $3.15 trillion. BlackRock offers products that span the risk spectrum to meet clients’ needs, including active, enhanced and index strategies across markets and asset classes. Products are offered in a variety of structures including separate accounts, mutual funds, iShares^® exchange traded funds, and other pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock also offers risk management, advisory and enterprise investment system services to a broad base of institutional investors through BlackRock Solutions^®. Headquartered in New York City, as of March 31, 2010, the firm has approximately 8,500 employees in 24 countries and a major presence in key global markets, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East and Africa. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.blackrock.com.

About iShares

iShares is the global product leader in exchange traded funds with over 430 funds globally across equities, fixed income and commodities, which trade on 16 exchanges worldwide. The iShares Funds are bought and sold like common stocks on securities exchanges. The iShares Funds are attractive to many individual and institutional investors and financial intermediaries because of their relative low cost, tax efficiency and trading flexibility. Investors can purchase and sell shares through any brokerage firm, financial advisor, or online broker, and hold the funds in any type of brokerage account. The iShares customer base consists of the institutional segment of pension plans and fund managers, as well as the retail segment of financial advisors and high net worth individuals.

iShares Gold Trust (“Trust”) has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus and other documents the Trust has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting www.iShares.com or EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the Trust will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling toll-free 1-800-474-2737.

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. The iShares Gold Trust (“Trust”) is not an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 or a commodity pool for purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act. Shares of the Trust are not subject to the same regulatory requirements as mutual funds. Because shares of the Trust are created to reflect the price of the gold held by the Trust, the market price of the shares will be as unpredictable as the price of gold has historically been. Additionally, shares of the Trust are bought and sold at market price (not NAV). Brokerage commissions will reduce returns.

Shares of the Trust are created to reflect, at any given time, the market price of gold owned by the trust at that time less the trust’s expenses and liabilities. The price received upon the sale of the shares, which trade at market price, may be more or less than the value of the gold represented by them. If an investor sells the shares at a time when no active market for them exists, such lack of an active market will most likely adversely affect the price received for the shares. For a more complete discussion of the risk factors relative to the Trust, carefully read the prospectus.

Following an investment in shares of the Trust, several factors may have the effect of causing a decline in the prices of gold and a corresponding decline in the price of the shares. Among them: (i) Large sales by the official sector. A significant portion of the aggregate world gold holdings is owned by governments, central banks and related institutions. If one or more of these institutions decides to sell in amounts large enough to cause a decline in world gold prices, the price of the shares will be adversely affected. (ii) A significant increase in gold hedging activity by gold producers. Should there be an increase in the level of hedge activity of gold producing companies, it could cause a decline in world gold prices, adversely affecting the price of the shares. (iii) A significant change in the attitude of speculators and investors towards gold. Should the speculative community take a negative view towards gold, it could cause a decline in world gold prices, negatively impacting the price of the shares.

The amount of gold represented by shares of the Trust will decrease over the life of the trust due to sales necessary to pay the sponsor's fee and trust expenses. Without increase in the price of gold sufficient to compensate for that decrease, the price of the shares will also decline, and investors will lose money on their investment. The Trust will have limited duration. The liquidation of the trust may occur at a time when the disposition of the trust’s gold will result in losses to investors.

Although market makers will generally take advantage of differences between the NAV and the trading price of Trust shares through arbitrage opportunities, there is no guarantee that they will do so. There is no guarantee an active trading market will develop for the shares, which may result in losses on your investment at the time of disposition of your shares. The value of the shares of the Trust will be adversely affected if gold owned by the trust is lost or damaged in circumstances in which the trust is not in a position to recover the corresponding loss. The Trust is a passive investment vehicle. This means that the value of your shares may be adversely affected by trust losses that, if the trust had been actively managed, it might have been possible to avoid.

Shares of the iShares Gold Trust are not deposits or other obligations of or guaranteed by BlackRock, Inc., and its affiliates, and are not insured by the Federal deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.

BlackRock Asset Management International Inc. (“BAMII”) is the sponsor of the Trust. BlackRock Fund Distribution Company (“BFDC”), a subsidiary of BAMII, assists in the promotion of the Trust. BAMII is an affiliate of BlackRock, Inc.

Although shares of the iShares Gold Trust may be bought or sold on the exchange through any brokerage account, shares of the Trust are not redeemable from the Trust except in large aggregated units called Baskets.

©2010 BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. All rights reserved. iShares® is a registered trademark of BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. All other trademarks, servicemarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Fitch: U.S. Credit Card ABS Issuance Trusts Updated

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:56:03 -0400

Fitch Ratings today published its U.S. Credit Card ABS Issuance Trust Updates for the following issuers:

--American Express Issuance Trust;

--BA Credit Card Trust;

--Capital One Multi-asset Execution Trust;

--Chase Issuance Trust;

--Citibank Credit Card Issuance Trust;

--Citibank Omni Master Trust;

--Discover Card Execution Note Trust;

--Washington Mutual Master Note Trust.

The 'Credit Card ABS Issuance Trust Updates' offer a wide array of performance data and trust detail. Fitch designed these comprehensive reports to provide investors with timely and innovative research on credit card issuance trusts updated monthly. The 'Issuance Trust Updates' link will access a compilation of parent company and trust descriptions, collateral performance measures, trust capital structures and maturity schedules, and break-even stress scenarios.

The updates are available on the Fitch Ratings web site at 'www.fitchratings.com' under the following headers:

Structured Finance >> ABS >> Research & Reports

Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'.

ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE.

RewardsNow Lands on Prestigious Inc.5000 List for Fourth Consecutive Year

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:40:01 -0400

RewardsNow Inc., a turnkey loyalty marketing solutions company, has been named one of the nation’s fastest growing companies on the Inc. 5000 annual list. This is the fourth consecutive year that RewardsNow has been recognized as one of the top growing companies in the nation ranking this year at 841 and a 3-year growth rate of 358%. Each year, RewardsNow’s ranking in the Inc.500/5000 has also steadily climbed.

RewardsNow continues to enhance its position as a leader in loyalty marketing and rewards programs for financial institutions as more banks, credit unions, retailers and other organizations seek to increase customer loyalty through programs that offer rewards. Colloquy, a loyalty marketing educational publisher reported (June 2009) that in spite of dire economic news of the past 18 months, consumers remain as engaged, if not more, with loyalty and rewards programs. According to Steven VanFleet, CEO, “despite the economic downturn, we continue to grow because loyalty programs have become an even more critical tool in acquiring new customers, keeping existing customers happy while showcasing other products they may be interested in.”

RewardsNow ranked as the 9^th fastest growing company in New Hampshire, 18^th fastest in the Boston Metro area and 26^th in the New England states, including Massachusetts. “We are very aggressive in our product development; we are focused on making sure whatever program we offer is comprehensive, completely turnkey and can meet the growth needs of today’s institutions who are trying to be nimble in a changing landscape,” said VanFleet. “We will be rolling out an extensive Merchant Rewards Network…clients are excited about this because it will give their existing programs more amp while bringing national and local merchants into the network, ”he continued. “It’s this kind of innovation that keeps us ahead of the curve. We plan to be on this list every year for the foreseeable future.”

About RewardsNow Inc.

RewardsNow is the premier provider of loyalty marketing services for the financial industry. RewardsNow designs, implements, and managers turnkey direct marketing and rewards programs for all banking products from credit and debit cards, to loan, deposits, and online banking. These products and services generate incremental profits from increased member acquisition, increased product usage, and lower customer attrition rates. RewardsNow Inc. has been based in Dover, New Hampshire since 1997.

CRE Secure Announces Integrated Connection to Skipjack Gateway

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:36:09 -0400

CRE Secure, the industry’s first cloud-based, elegantly designed, secure payment solution for online merchants, announced today that its PCI-validated payment acceptance service is now certified to Skipjack’s payment gateway.

Through its innovative, HTML clone™ design, online consumers are redirected to CRE Secure’s hosted payment platform through a window seamlessly mirrored from within their trusted merchant’s web site. Since visually, consumers feel like they never leave the merchant’s site, online merchants are able to maintain greater levels of branding continuity for their customers when processing ‘card not present’ transactions. This empowers merchants to better protect the investment in their web site’s design as CRE Secure’s service can be easily integrated with Skipjack’s payment gateway that services thousands of merchants in the U.S. and Canada.

“CRE Secure’s solution is a great fit for our merchants,” said Brad Hoeweler, President of Skipjack. “Our merchants are looking for PCI-validated solutions, and CRE Secure’s solution helps them do that in a way that doesn’t compromise the integrity of their brand or overcomplicate their solution.”

“We are committed to serving the needs of online merchants in helping them protect themselves and their valued customers from theft at the point of payment,” said Greg McGraw, CEO of CRE Secure Payments, LLC. “To that end, we have designed our patented technology from the ground up with merchants’ needs and preferences in mind. In working with Skipjack, its users now have direct access to a PCI-validated service that gives them increased flexibility and control over the payment process.”

About Skipjack

Founded in 1997, SKIPJACK is a leading provider of electronic payment processing and management solutions to merchants across the US and Canada (through its TransActive Ecommerce Solutions, Inc. subsidiary). SKIPJACK’s solutions are used by small businesses and Fortune 500 corporations to support their retail, mail order/telephone order and e-commerce processing needs. SKIPJACK processed for over 25,000 merchants’ accounts and $7 billion in sales in the last twelve months.

SKIPJACK is owned by Cincinnati, Ohio based Fifth Third Processing Solutions, LLC; a joint venture with Advent International and Fifth Third Bank, a subsidiary of Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB).

For further information about SKIPJACK, please visit www.skipjack.com.

About CRE Secure

CRE Secure Payments is a cloud-based Internet payment security company. CRE Secure enables leading ecommerce shopping carts and payment software systems distributed worldwide with secure PCI compliant hosted, payment processing solutions using patent pending technology and through its partnerships with top global payment gateways. CRE Secure is a level one PCI DSS certified service provider and a contributing member of the PCI Security Standards Council. For more info, visit www.cresecure.com or call (888) 453-4885.

Citibank Japan Tops Nikkei's Retail Banking Survey

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:28:02 -0400

Citibank Japan Ltd. (hereafter Citibank Japan) was ranked number one in the Nikkei's prestigious Retail Banking Survey. Jointly conducted by Nikkei Inc. and Nikkei Research Inc., the sixth annual survey compared the quality of over-the-counter service and financial products of 118 banks in Japan.

The survey included ‘undercover customers’ visiting the banks' main branches during June and July, posing as potential customers. Seeking advice on product offerings, they ranked each bank branch on a broad range of different criteria, from office management, customer service, knowledge and ability to explain products, through to the waiting time of ATM users. They also focused on the quality and range of products and services available to customers at each branch. Citibank Japan was ranked number one overall for its extensive product range.

Commenting on the survey results, Vikram Pandit, CEO of Citigroup, said: "We have been in Japan since 1902, focusing on our clients and investing in our business so we can become the most innovative bank in the market. Our team in Japan is setting a new benchmark for quality and I congratulate them on this well-deserved recognition."

Stephen Bird, CEO of Citi Asia Pacific, said: “Market Leadership is about delivering best in class value propositions. Innovation means bringing fresh value to customers. Our Japanese team has delivered a new digital "Smart Banking" experience tailored to each specific customer segment...clearly they love it and we're on a new growth trajectory as a result."

In April this year, Citibank Japan opened two new state-of-the-art retail banking branches in Nihonbashi and the Marunouchi area, both within walking distance of Tokyo station. They were the first full-service Smart Banking branches in Citi's global network, and designed around Citibank's target customer segments, with customized products, services and information.

The new branches give customers the convenience of accessing leading-edge technology, such as interactive touch panels and video-conferencing, or the option of receiving full-service banking from branch staff in the private consulting rooms. The branches are also strategically located in high-traffic areas, making it easy and convenient for customers to access.

Darren Buckley, Citigroup Japan Country Head said:" Innovating around our customers to significantly enhance their experience by delivering banking services in a more simple, convenient and accessible way across all our channels is at the heart of Smart Banking. We’re very proud that our efforts have been recognized independently by the Nikkei Retail Banking Survey and we will be expanding this focus on customer-centric innovation throughout our Citi Japan franchise."

Citibank Japan is planning to open a number of new Smart Banking branches within the next twelve months, bringing the total number of retail banking branches across the country to 35. Citibank Japan eventually plans to convert its entire current branch network into the new model.

Citi

Citi, the leading global financial services company, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 140 countries. Through Citicorp and Citi Holdings, Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com.

Citi entities in Japan provide a broad range of financial products and services across corporate, consumer and investment banking as well as credit cards business.

In a Tight Credit Market Small Business Funding from a Cash Advance Program Might Be Just the Answer

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:05:02 -0400

Anyone operating a small business these days knows credit and financing for growth or even daily operations is tighter than ever. While traditional lenders have tightened credit and reporting requirements, and the time to funding for those who can get it has lengthened to almost intolerable periods, more small businesses are turning to funding alternatives and cash advance programs are leading the way.

Merchant Cash & Capital, LLC, (www.merchantcashandcapital.com) one of the nation’s small business cash advance funding leaders since 2005, is launching a comprehensive series of programs and making funding available to more small businesses in need than ever before. MCC’s new programs are being announced on the heels of its recent announcement of having secured additional credit. Those new funds are expected to provide MCC with the ability to fund an estimated $75 million to $100 million in business per year allowing it to service its existing client base and expand despite one of the tightest credit markets small business has ever faced. Overall, in the last five years, MCC has provided funding to more than 7,500 merchants since its inception and currently funds a roster of approximately 2,000 small businesses nationwide.

MCC’s programs have been created with the specific requirements of small businesses in mind. From its “Starter Program” that helps new and lower credit scored businesses secure critical funding, especially in industries where traditional lenders normally shy away from providing credit, to its “Quick Service Restaurant” (QSR) and “Medical Programs” that are designed to meet the tailored requirements of businesses in these industries, MCC has a program that can assist almost any small business with their individual funding needs no matter what their credit issues may be.

“There was a time when we could call on our traditional lender to help us through a difficult time or with our growth but, those days have long passed,” said Dom Cosenza, Onwer of Bassett’s Restaurant Group of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. “Now, when we have financing needs, we’re turning to a cash advance provided by Merchant Cash & Capital that can meet our needs in terms of lending and the time to get funded. Without the MCC cash advance option, I don’t know where our business would be today.”

“In general, our programs are designed to say yes to more businesses and make a broader spectrum of businesses eligible to take advantage of cash advances,” said MCC CEO Stephen Sheinbaum. “We have created flexible programs that can help almost any business with the capital and cash-flow they need to grow and manage their business.”

How does the MCC Cash Advance Work?

MCC provides businesses with a unique type of funding that avoids the hassles often associated with traditional lenders. MCC “buys” a small, fixed percentage of future credit card revenues and advances that money up front. Businesses can use the money as they see fit; for inventory, marketing, expansion, renovation or simply working capital. Once the capital is available, MCC begins to collect a small, agreed upon percentage of daily credit card sales until the agreement is completely met. There is no check writing and no risk of late fees as the processing bank will automatically transfer funds electronically the way it does with current credit card batches.

For more information about Merchant Cash & Capital and its new small business- focused cash advance programs, please visit www.merchantcashandcaptial.com.

Leading Payment Network in Brazil Deploying 30,000 Hypercom Optimum Terminals

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:28:02 -0400

Hypercom Corporation (NYSE: HYC) today announced that Cielo S.A. (formerly Visanet Brasil), has selected, purchased and is deploying 30,000 Hypercom Optimum T4205 countertop terminals to merchants throughout Brazil.

The multi-million dollar rollout is believed to represent one of the largest in the country, and represents a significant expansion of Hypercom’s high security product portfolio in Brazil. The rollout is expected to be completed by the end of this month.

“Cielo S.A. is one of the largest electronic payment networks in Latin America and one of the five largest in the world. Their selection of Hypercom significantly expands our footprint in Brazil and speaks to the quality of our company and products,” said Reinaldo Assis, Managing Director, South America, Hypercom Corporation.

About Hypercom (www.hypercom.com)

Global payment technology leader Hypercom Corporation delivers a full suite of high security, end-to-end electronic payment products, software solutions and services. The Company's solutions address the high security electronic transaction needs of banks and other financial institutions, processors, large scale retailers, smaller merchants, quick service restaurants, and users in the transportation, petroleum, healthcare, prepaid, self-service and many other markets. Hypercom solutions enable businesses in more than 100 countries to securely expand their revenues and profits. Hypercom is a founding member of the Secure POS Vendor Alliance (SPVA) and is the second largest provider of electronic payment solutions and services in Western Europe and third largest provider globally.

Hypercom and Optimum and Design are registered trademarks of Hypercom Corporation. All other products or services mentioned in this document are trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks or registered service marks of their respective owners.

This press release includes statements that may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding market acceptance of new products, product capability and performance, product competitiveness, product sales, revenues, profits and market share. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. In particular, factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include: industry, competitive and technological changes; the loss of, and failure to replace any significant customers; the composition, timing and size of orders from and shipments to major customers; inventory obsolescence; market acceptance of new products and services; compliance with industry standards, certifications and government regulations; the performance of distributors, suppliers, contract manufacturers and subcontractors; risks associated with international operations and foreign currency fluctuations, the state of the U.S. and global economies in general and other risks detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's most recent 10-K and subsequent 10-Qs and 8-Ks. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made and are not guarantees of future performance. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. HYCP

Consumers Divided on Interchange Issues, says Auriemma Consulting Group

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:32:02 -0400

As advocates of the payments industry and retailers battle over proposed changes to interchange, neither side will find it easy to rally consumer support, according to Cardbeat^®, a syndicated market research report published by Auriemma Consulting Group (ACG). “Even among heavy credit card users, reaction to the concept of discounts for paying cash is neutral to positive; however, few expect that merchants would pass along the savings,” says Nancy Stahl, editor of Cardbeat.

About 60% of consumers knew that merchants have to pay credit card companies a fee to process each transaction: their average estimate of the amount the merchant pays was 2.66%, with the most putting it between 1% and 2%, a relatively accurate answer, Stahl noted. On the other hand, Cardbeat respondents tended to overestimate the importance of merchant fees: on average, they guessed that 41% of the money that credit card companies make comes from merchants. In a standard credit card portfolio, the contribution of interchange is usually less than 25%, she said.

When asked about whether it is appropriate for merchants to charge less to customers who pay with cash, only 20% voiced opposition, while 42% were neutral and 38% approved of the idea. “Somewhat surprisingly, heavy credit card users and holders of rewards cards were no more likely than the overall population to oppose the idea of differential pricing,” said Stahl. However, when they were asked how merchants would respond if Congress passed a law that reduced or capped the amount of merchant fees, only 14% thought it was likely that they would pass along the savings to customers by reducing pricing.

While the payments industry has battled the practice of two-tier pricing at gas stations, Federal and State governments have familiarized consumers with a 2.5% surcharge for paying taxes with a credit card. “Our survey asked about the fees merchants pay for credit card transactions, whereas the Durbin Amendment is focused on debit card interchange,” Stahl cautioned. “Nevertheless, these findings show that most consumers don’t object to the idea of differential pricing per se.”

The information in this release includes data from a survey of 408 credit card holders conducted in July 2010.

About Auriemma Consulting Group

Auriemma Consulting Group (ACG) is a full-service management consulting firm serving the payments and lending industries since 1984. Cardbeat is ACG’s syndicated market research study of credit card holders, conducted monthly in the U.S. and quarterly in the U.K. With offices in New York and London, ACG consultants are experienced practitioners, drawn from the credit card, private label, auto finance, mortgage, and retail banking industries that we serve.

Inaugural EverBank Field Logo Unveiled

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:40:02 -0400

EverBank^® Financial Corp - one of the nation's largest privately-held bank holding companies - and the National Football League’s Jacksonville Jaguars today unveiled a new signage system for EverBank Field anchored by the new EverBank Field logo. The announcement included details of EverBank-hosted fan events leading to the Jaguars’ opening regular-season game on September 12.

In July, EverBank and the Jaguars announced a multiyear strategic partnership that includes the naming rights to EverBank Field, the home of the Jaguars.

The new signage system includes some 400 signs and covers more than 34,000 total square feet at the venue. In addition, EverBank Field directional signs will begin appearing throughout Jacksonville over the coming weeks, including at One EverBank Field Drive, the Jaguars’ headquarters address.

Many of the creative additions to EverBank Field will be visible at prime locations on the stadium’s interior and exterior, including ticket windows, escalator towers, Touchdown Club entrances as well as light poles and flagpoles on the stadium grounds. Installation started this week.

The distinctive designs feature vibrant colors and integrate the EverBank Field logo with various iconic Jacksonville and football images.

The new design system will be launched in two phases with the first visible to fans at the Jaguars’ Sunday, September 12 regular-season opener against the Denver Broncos. The second phase is scheduled to be completed during the season.

“EverBank Field is an integral part of our national marketing platform and the new designs are the result of a disciplined and collaborative creative process between EverBank and the Jaguars,” said EverBank Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Robert Clements. “Our objective was to go beyond a traditional corporate branding approach and bring out the pageantry of a unique NFL experience using distinctive Jacksonville landmarks.”

Said Wayne Weaver, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Jacksonville Jaguars, “The new EverBank Field signage creates an exciting new football experience for the team and its fans. We are thrilled at the innovation this partnership has produced in only one month’s time.”

For fans at the Jaguars’ September 12 season opener, the team and EverBank will host a formal unveiling of the EverBank Field logo during pre-game activities.

EverBank also introduced a number of promotional events to be held during the week leading up to the September 12 game. The promotions include a daily “Get Your Teal On” scavenger hunt to culminate with an EverBank-hosted pep rally on Friday, September 10, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Jacksonville’s St. Johns Town Center.

The public rally will be promoted during the week preceding the season opener by on-air hosts of Jacksonville radio stations WOKV-AM/FM, WAPE-FM, WXXJ-FM, WFYV-FM and WJGL-FM. Starting on Tuesday, September 7, EverBank will sponsor the scavenger hunt for prizes to include daily Jaguars’ ticket giveaways for the September 12 season opener, with clues to be provided on air by WAPE personalities.

About EverBank Financial Corp

EverBank Financial Corp is a privately-held bank holding company headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, with approximately $11.2 billion in assets, $9.0 billion in deposits, more than 2,200 employees, and over 700,000 customers nationwide. EverBank provides banking, investing and lending products nationwide directly to consumers and through a variety of businesses. EverBank has a 4-star rating from BauerFinancial. Banks rated 4 stars or more are considered “safe, financially sound and operating well above their regulatory capital requirements.” In addition, EverBank has received numerous awards including Forbes and Online Banking Report’s "Best of the Web,” Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine’s “Best Checking Account” as well as other servicing, banking, and technology honors.

About Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars joined the National Football League on Nov. 30, 1993. They began play in 1995 and became the most successful expansion franchise in NFL history by earning playoff berths in four of their first five seasons. The Jaguars rank 10^th during their 15 seasons among the 32 NFL teams with a regular season record of 125-115.

About EverBank Field

Located on the shores of the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, EverBank Field is the 67,246-seat home stadium of the National Football League’s Jacksonville Jaguars. In 2005, the stadium served as the host site of Super Bowl XXXIX.

Legacy Bancorp, Inc. Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend of $0.05 per Common Share

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:04:03 -0400

Legacy Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company” or “Legacy”) (NASDAQ: LEGC), the holding company for Legacy Banks (the “Bank”), announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.05 per common share. The dividend will be paid on or about October 1, 2010, to stockholders of record as of September 20, 2010. Chairman and CEO J. Williar Dunlaevy stated, “We are pleased that the Board of Directors approved this most recent dividend for our shareholders. The Board determines dividends based on its review of earnings, financial condition, capital and other regulatory and financial considerations.”

Legacy Banks is headquartered in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It employs 189 people and has nineteen offices throughout Western Massachusetts and Eastern New York. Legacy offers Personal Banking, Mortgage Lending, Commercial Services, Insurance, Investments, Portfolio Management, Credit and Debit Card products, and Online Services.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements herein constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on the beliefs and expectations of management, as well as the assumptions made using information currently available to management. Since these statements reflect the views of management concerning future events, these statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. As a result, actual results may differ from those contemplated by these statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include words like “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” and “intend” or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could” or “may.” Certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results include changes in the interest rate environment, changes in general economic conditions, legislative and regulatory changes that adversely affect the businesses in which Legacy Bancorp is engaged and changes in the securities market. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether in response to new information, future events or otherwise.