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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS:
Iowa Restaurant Association
Doni DeNucci, CAE
ddenucci@restaurantiowa.com
515-276-1454
Jessica Dunker
jessica@dunker.com
515-202-6786
First Data
Jeff Fowler
jeff.fowler@firstdatacorp.com
(713) 331-7359
Restaurants
“TakeCharge” with Iowa Restaurant Association, National Restaurant Association,
and First Data
Associations Team with First Data to Provide Members
Exclusive Rates on Credit Card Processing, Increased Payment Choices
Des
Moines, Iowa (May 23, 2005) – The Iowa
Restaurant Association, in partnership with the National Restaurant Association
and First Data Corp. (NYSE: FDC), today announced the Iowa launch of the TakeCharge
payment program, designed specifically for the restaurant industry. TakeCharge,
developed by restaurateurs, provides increased payment choices and
attractive rates for credit card processing to small and mid-size merchants in
addition to national chains.
“The
National Restaurant Association is committed to providing our members with the
programs and services that will help improve their operational efficiencies and
increase profitability,” said Steven C. Anderson, president and chief executive
officer of the National Restaurant Association. “With National Restaurant
Association membership numbers at record-high levels and a strong relationship
with our powerful state restaurant association partners, we were able to create
a new value proposition with First Data for our members, making this program a
first of its kind for the Association.
“First
Data is helping the National Restaurant Association and the Iowa Restaurant
Association deliver on their goals by providing strategic payment processing
solutions designed specifically for the needs of our collective members through
a program created by restaurateurs for restaurateurs,” added Anderson.
TakeCharge
reflects the results of a comprehensive development and thorough selection
process by the National Restaurant Association, with recommendations and reviews
by two committees of the Association’s board of directors, and an organization
representing all the state restaurant associations. Additionally, the state
restaurant associations have been actively involved in helping develop and
refine the program to its final form.
“One of
the primary objectives for the Iowa Restaurant Association is to introduce ways
to help restaurants and retail beverage establishments operate more
efficiently,” said Doni DeNucci, president and CEO of the Iowa Restaurant
Association and one of the state representatives who helped develop the program
for the national association. “This program offers a valuable service to our
membership and is a prime example of how the state association and the National
Restaurant Association are collaborating to bring first rate programs to our
members.”
“TakeCharge
was created by First Data and the National Restaurant Association and its
members to empower
restaurateurs with First Data’s complete set of payment solutions,” said Diane
Vogt, president of Enterprise Customer Development for First Data. “With TakeCharge,
restaurants get a total payments solution that is customized and designed with
the restaurateur in mind.”
In addition to exclusive rates for
credit card processing, members will benefit from other advantages of the TakeCharge
program, including: easy-to-understand billing; acceptance for all major credit
cards provided through First Data’s alliances with various banks; PIN-secured
and signature-based debit acceptance through leading networks like the STAR®
Network; merchandising programs including First Data Gift Cards; Internet
Protocol (IP) based, near instant processing; the EARN Loyalty Solution; the
TeleCheck Electronic Check Acceptance® (ECA®) service; and
Dynamic Currency Conversion services that allow consumers to pay in the currency
of their choice.
“First
Data and the National Restaurant Association have collaborated to deliver
increased payments choice and affordability to restaurant owners and operators,”
added Vogt. “TakeCharge will help more restaurants realize increased
profitability through flexible payments solutions and delivers on First Data’s
objective of being a partner in developing unique, innovative value propositions
for the restaurant industry.”
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About the Iowa Restaurant Association
Headquartered in Des Moines, the Iowa Restaurant
Association is the professional association of the restaurant and retail
beverage industries in Iowa. In addition to representing the industries’
legislative concerns, the Iowa Restaurant Association works to educate its
members on ways to operate efficiently, safely, and profitably and to promote
quality and professionalism in the industry.
For more information, visit our Web site at
www.restaurantiowa.org.
About the National Restaurant
Association
The National Restaurant Association, founded in
1919, is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which is
comprised of 900,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a work force of 12.2
million employees - making it the cornerstone of the economy, career
opportunities and community involvement. Along with the National Restaurant
Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to represent, educate
and promote the rapidly growing industry. For more information, visit our Web
site at
www.restaurant.org.
About First Data
First Data Corp. (NYSE: FDC) is
a leading provider of electronic commerce and payment solutions for businesses
and consumers worldwide. Serving 4.1 million merchant locations, 1,400 card
issuers and millions of consumers, First Data powers the global economy by
making it easy, fast and secure for people and businesses around the world to
buy goods and services using virtually any form of payment. The company’s
portfolio of services and solutions includes credit, debit, private-label, smart
and stored-value card issuing and merchant transaction processing services;
money transfer services; money orders; fraud protection and authentication
solutions; check guarantee and verification services through TeleCheck; as well
as Internet commerce and mobile solutions. The company’s STAR Network offers
PIN-secured debit acceptance at 1.6 million ATM and retail locations. For more
information, visit
www.firstdata.com.
© Copyright Iowa Restaurant Association 2004-2005
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