Novantas Acquires Facilitas, Creator of FindABetterBank.com, and Expands Banking Research Practice

NEW YORK, Sept. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Novantas LLC announced today the acquisition of Facilitas, a New York-based company that provides banks and credit unions with web-based tools, including the site Find A Better Bank. Facilitas CEO and Founder Rob Rubin will join the Firm as a partner of Novarica, the research and advisory services division of Novantas.

"Facilitas will significantly expand the research we offer our core banking clientele to drive their customer strategies," said Dave Kaytes, Managing Partner at Novantas. "This acquisition further solidifies our position as the leading provider of consulting, solutions, and research to the banking industry."

Facilitas provides banks and credit unions with web-based tools, analytics, and research. The company created FindABetterBank.com, a site that reaches consumers searching for a new bank or credit union. It allows consumers to compare banks based on a number of attributes, such as convenience, feature preferences like online banking capabilities, and banking behavior. The site averages over 35,000 unique visitors per month and has generated a database of needs, attitudes, and behaviors of hundreds of thousands of bank customers at key decision points in the buying process.

The acquisition is structured as a purchase of Facilitas assets, and is Novantas's seventh acquisition in the past six years, with the Firm having entered into purchase agreements with consulting groups, credit analytics providers, and technology companies.

Rob Rubin will head the banking research practice in the firm's Novarica division, with a focus on the intersection of customer strategy and channel technology. Prior to founding Facilitas, Rubin spent seven years at Forrester Research, Inc., most recently serving as their Vice President of Forrester Data. He will be based in the New York office.

About Novantas

Novantas is the acknowledged leader in customer science and revenue strategy in the financial services industry. The firm's Management Consulting, Solutions, and Research divisions specialize in investigating and interpreting customer needs, attitudes, and behaviors in ways that help companies to refine marketing decisions, customer strategies, and sales and service activities. For more information, visit www.novantas.com.

About Novarica

Novarica, the research division of Novantas, provides information, insights, and perspective on markets, operations, and technology to financial services and insurance executives and project teams. The company delivers its service through published research, retained advisory services, and project-based consulting. Novarica draws its knowledge from the professional experience of its principals, the ongoing information gathering initiatives of dedicated research staff, and regular communication with industry sources through informal networks and formal Research Councils of hundreds of senior industry executives. For more information, visit http://www.novarica.com.

SOURCE Novantas LLC