Vital® Renews Long-Term Contract With Heartland Payment Systems For End-to-End Processing Services
Tempe, Ariz., March 12, 2002 - Vital Processing Services® (Vital®), a recognized leader in technology-based commerce enabling services, announced today the renewal of a long-term agreement with Heartland Payment Systems, Inc. (HPS), a full-service payment systems solutions provider specializing in the lodging, restaurant and food services industries, in addition to Payroll Processing. Heartland's renewal agreement with Vital is for point of sale and clearing and settlement processing services for its merchant base.
HPS is a recognized leader and one of the largest acquirers in the industry. Founded in 1997, the company has experienced rapid merchant account growth and today has more than 55,000 existing merchant customers with monthly bankcard processing volume exceeding one billion dollars. A leader in providing merchant services to the restaurant industry, more than 55 percent of Heartland's recent transactions are from its restaurant base.
"Vital's unique position as the merchant acquiring industry's only pure processor helps us focus on contributing to our acquiring clients' success in the merchant marketplace. Heartland has become a force in the industry as one of the fastest growing and most successful acquirers, and we are proud that Vital has been there every step of the way to help them achieve that success. We will continue to provide reliable processing services and a rich and growing line of competitive products and services to help Heartland achieve even more success," said Jonathan Palmer, president and CEO of Vital Processing Services.
"We have grown up with Vital," says Martin J. Uhle, President and Chief Operating Officer of Heartland Payment Systems. "We are pleased that we were able to structure the contractual side of the partnership in a flexible way to manage our processing services while continuing to rely on Vital for their first-class service and delivery of products to meet our vertical merchant customers' needs. We will continue to leverage Vital's best of breed solutions."
About Heartland Payment Systems, Inc.
Heartland Payment Systems, Inc. (HPS) is a full-service payment systems solutions provider, handling merchant card and payroll processing services for over 55,000 merchants of all types and sizes.
Using a strategically located national sales force, HPS builds long-term business relationships in local sales territories providing merchants with enhanced technology tools that assist them in more effectively operating their businesses. For more information about HPS, please visit them online at www.heartlandpaymentsystems.com or www.e-hps.com
About Vital Processing Services
A leader in technology-based commerce enabling services, Vital Processing Services® (Vital®) is the only pure acquirer processor in the industry. Vital's clients include acquirers and merchant service providers that offer electronic payment processing and related services to merchants. Vital provides leading point-of-sale (POS) products and services, electronic authorization and data capture; clearing, settlement and exception processing; accounting, billing and reporting; risk management; and merchant support services. Vital also provides POS equipment management services through its subsidiary Vital Merchant Services and a full suite of Information Services. Vital is a merchant processing joint venture of Visa U.S.A. and TSYS® ("NYSE: TSS"), a global leader in payments processing. Additional information regarding Vital can be found at www.vitalps.com.