Talbott Roche Named Chief Executive Officer of Blackhawk Network

PLEASANTON, Calif., Feb. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackhawk Network, a leading prepaid and payments network, announced today that the Board of Directors appointed Talbott Roche to succeed William Y. Tauscher as Blackhawk Network's chief executive officer, effective today. Tauscher will continue in his role of chairman of the board and leading the organization's international business and its corporate development strategy and execution. Roche has been president of Blackhawk for more than five years, a role she will continue to fill.

"Talbott has been with Blackhawk since its inception, and we would not be the global payments innovator we are today without her contributions," said Tauscher. "She has been integral to our rapid growth and diversification, and is well suited to lead Blackhawk forward in the rapidly changing payments industry. It has long been my intention for Talbott to one day lead the company as president and CEO, and I have supreme confidence in her abilities and leadership to carry this great organization forward."

In Roche's role as president and CEO, she will oversee Blackhawk's aggressive growth strategy and expanding product and solution portfolio, as well as direct all Blackhawk consumer and incentive business units.

"I am honored to assume the role of CEO of Blackhawk Network, and continue to execute on our corporate growth strategy," said Roche. "I am confident in Blackhawk's position as an innovative disruptor in the fast-moving payments industry. We will continue to grow through best practices and digital innovation in our retail and incentives businesses, and international expansion and acquisitions that meet our strategic and financial objectives. Additionally, Bill has been an incredible mentor and we have an extremely strong partnership. I look forward to his continued support and ongoing participation in the business."

Blackhawk Network's business has tripled over the last five years from a gift card network in one grocery chain into a global prepaid and payments company. Following a successful IPO in 2013, Tauscher and Roche have led Blackhawk's aggressive growth objective, including an acquisition strategy that has resulted in nine multinational acquisitions that have added to Blackhawk's offerings, scale and reach. Blackhawk now employs over 2,500 people in 24 countries.

About Blackhawk Network
Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAWK) is a leading prepaid and payments global company, which supports the program management and distribution of gift cards, prepaid telecom products and financial service products in a number of different retail, digital and incentive channels. Blackhawk's digital platform supports prepaid across a network of digital distribution partners including retailers, financial service providers, and mobile wallets. For more information, please visit www.blackhawknetwork.com or product websites Cardpool, Gift Card Lab, Gift Card Mall, GiftCards.com and OmniCard.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "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, or the Exchange Act. We intend that these forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created by those provisions. These statements include, but not limited to, statements regarding our expectations, beliefs, intentions, strategies, future operations, future financial position, future revenue, projected expenses and plans and objectives of management. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "suggest," "may," "might," "plan," "project," "will," "would," "should," "could," "can," "predict," "potential," "continue," "objective," or the negative of these terms, or other variations on such terms of comparable terminology intended to identify forward-looking statements. However, not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release involve a number of risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, many of which are outside of our control. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from projected results include, but are not limited to, those discussed in the "Risk Factors" section included in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are expressly advised to review and consider those Risk Factors. Although we believe that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore there can be no assurance that the results anticipated by such statements will occur. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by us or any other person that the results or conditions described in such statements or our objectives and plans will be achieved. Furthermore, past performance in operations is not necessarily indicative of future performance. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update, supplement, or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CONTACT:
Ashley Jackson
[email protected]
719-332-3495

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SOURCE Blackhawk Network

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