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EXHIBIT 99
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Omaha, Nebraska - December 29th, 2000 . - First National Bank of Omaha today
announced that an acquisition group, led by Windward Capital Management LLC and
Retriever Payment System's existing management, acquired in a recapitalization
approximately 80% of Retriever Payment Systems for $67,000,000 from First
National Bank of Omaha. Retriever Payment Systems is one of First National
Bank of Omaha's merchant credit card processing subsidiaries and is based in
Houston, Texas.
After the sale, First National Bank of Omaha will no longer be involved in the
management of the company, but will continue to process for the merchants
currently serviced by Retriever under a five year processing agreement.
First National Bank of Omaha will continue its 50 years of direct involvement in
the merchant credit card processing industry through its wholly owned
subsidiary, First of Omaha Merchant Processing based in Omaha, Nebraska.
First National Bank of Omaha along with its parent company, First National of
Nebraska, is a multi state, multi bank holding company headquartered in the
heart of downtown Omaha, Nebraska. With more than $10 billion in assets and
over 6,000 employees, First National ranks as the tenth largest bank holding
company west of the Mississippi. Established in 1863, First National serves
over 6.6 million customers in all 50 states, with over 50 banking locations in
Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, South Dakota and Texas. As of September 30, 2000
First National had over $10,000,000,000 in assets.
First of Omaha Merchant Processing is a premier payment processor specializing
in providing service to both the traditional and Internet marketing industry, as
well as the traditional face to face card acceptance market. First of Omaha
provides financial management and payment processing solutions for large and
small retailers, restaurants, lodging merchants, petroleum marketers,
associations/franchise groups and banks in both the business to consumer and
business to business marketplaces. Known for superior customer service, First of
Omaha specializes in providing clients the latest in card processing
technologies. Through development of a diversified product line, First of Omaha
has become a leader in the merchant processing industry, assisting clients in
the reduction of chargebacks and fraud.
Windward Capital Management LLC is a New York based private equity firm that
provides capital to middle market companies for management buy-outs,
recapitalizations and growth financing.
CONTACTS:
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF OMAHA Elias Eliopoulos 402-341-0500
FIRST OF OMAHA MERCHANT PROCESSING Nick Baxter 402-341-0500
WINDWARD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC Mark Monaco 212-382-6519
RETRIEVER PAYMENT SYSTEMS Bill Higgins 281-376-3399
