TransFirst® Forms Strategic Alliance With Planet Group, Inc.

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., Nov. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TransFirst®, a leading provider of secure transaction processing services and payment enabling technologies, has entered into a strategic alliance with Planet Group, Inc., an information technology company dedicated to the financial payment space, to build a proprietary back-end processing system.

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Under the partnership, TransFirst will combine the best components of its OnTrak merchant management system with the processing power of Planet Group's Acquire360 software, creating an industry-leading solution for TransFirst's merchant customers and sales partners. The ability to control the processing environment will give TransFirst the opportunity for more flexibility in terms of pricing, reporting, customization and statement production, as well as speed-to-market and additional ability to penetrate new business verticals.

In conjunction with the Planet Group alliance, TransFirst has made the strategic decision to continue its long-standing business relationship with TSYS as its preferred front-end system provider. TSYS' best-in-class position for dial and IP authorization and capture technology, combined with Transaction Express™, TransFirst's innovative proprietary payment gateway, will create a solid foundation for future success.

"This venture will allow TransFirst to leverage its rapidly increasing scale and maximize efficiencies to help us better serve our clients and partners," says John Shlonsky, president and CEO of TransFirst. "Having our own back-end system will simplify our back office and create an ease of operations that will contribute to our already significant growth. We are confident that Planet Group will be an outstanding partner as we move forward with new solutions that will enhance our company's market value. We are equally pleased to extend our relationship with TSYS and look forward to continuing to work with them in the future."

"This deal with TransFirst lands right in our sweet spot as a company," says Tom Nichting, president and CEO of Planet Group, Inc. "Because Planet Group is dedicated to providing software and consulting services to the financial payment space, there's nothing better than working with a company like TransFirst, which fits solidly into our target for partnership. We look forward to providing the technology and support that will produce a mutually successful venture."

About TransFirst (www.transfirst.com)

A leading provider of secure transaction processing services and payment enabling technologies, TransFirst offers innovative products and services designed with financial institution, independent sales organization, healthcare, e-commerce, government and merchant customers' unique needs in mind. By collaborating with our customers and utilizing strong industry knowledge, we help them grow their businesses. Founded in 1995, TransFirst continues to attain significant market share and world-class expertise in growing and profitable industry segments. Built on a platform of personal service, customer commitment and flexible pricing, TransFirst is headquartered in Hauppauge, New York, and has operations facilities in Aurora, Colorado; Broomfield, Colorado; Omaha, Nebraska; Overland Park, Kansas; Arlington, Virginia; Nashville, Tennessee; Cypress, California; and executive headquarters in Dallas, Texas. Company-wide, TransFirst currently processes approximately $30 billion in annual sales volume, and for more than 175,000 merchants and financial institution partners. For additional information, please call 800.745.2659 or visit www.TransFirst.com.

About Planet Group, Inc. (www.planetgroupinc.com)

Planet Group, Inc. is a provider of software and consulting solutions dedicated to the financial payment space. Founded in 1996, it offers information technology management products and services that help companies streamline business processes, reduce costs and enhance productivity. Planet Group is a privately held company with more than 150 employees and is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. For additional information, please call 800.979.9166 or email [email protected].

About TSYS (www.tsys.com)

TSYS provides digital commerce solutions that connect consumers, merchants, financial institutions, businesses and governments. Offering merchant payment-acceptance solutions, as well as services in credit, debit, prepaid, mobile, chip, healthcare, installments, money transfer and more, TSYS makes it possible for those in the global marketplace to conduct safe and secure electronic transactions. The company is headquartered in Columbus, Georgia. For more information, please visit www.tsys.com.

SOURCE TransFirst