$1.3 Billion Lutheran Church Extension Fund Plans Efficiency Boost With Aurum Outsourcing Solution.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 9, 2004

Unique Needs of Faith-Based Institution Led to Selection

of Aurum's Integrated Core Processing,

Branch Automation and CRM Solution

Aurum Technology(R), a leading provider of open and integrated technology-based solutions for Community Banks, Credit Unions and Savings Institutions, today announced that $1.3 billion Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) has signed a five-year agreement to outsource its core processing, branch automation and customer relationship management functions. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, LCEF is a nonprofit religious organization dedicated to the growth and expansion of the 2.6 million-member Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. LCEF currently serves more than 120,000 members nationwide through the offering of investments, loans, and services to support mission and ministry expansion. LCEF chose Aurum's solutions based on the company's flexibility to meet its distinct financial services needs as well as Aurum's demonstrated ability to help financial institutions improve operational efficiencies and reporting capabilities.

"We provide uniquely tailored financial services that give our members the opportunity to invest their money and earn interest while helping to build churches and schools at the same time. While our mission and ministry objectives are clear, we also need to operate as a financial institution and therefore need flexible solutions that can easily adapt to our specific needs," said Merle Freitag, president of LCEF. "Aurum's core solution delivers this vital flexibility. The company's value-added capabilities like branch automation and customer relationship management will help us maximize efficiency, enabling LCEF to further its goals."

Delivery is scheduled for August 2004, when the parameter-driven architecture of Aurum's MISER(TM) core processing solution will enable the organization to create a customized solution without the excessive time and expenditures of developing a completely custom system. The Lutheran Church Extension Fund will leverage MISER as the foundation for delivering a wide range of financial services including investment and savings options, loans for construction and affiliated building and remodeling projects, and personal loans for debt consolidation and housing for commissioned or ordained ministers. LCEF also offers a variety of related services such as demographic studies, capital funding and escrow disbursement. Through its ViewPoint(TM) offering, Aurum will deliver sophisticated and integrated branch automation and customer relationship management capabilities that will enable LCEF to increase the efficiencies of delivering these and other services.

"Outsourcing our technology operations to Aurum has many advantages," said Rick Lauer, chief information officer at LCEF. "Aurum's flexible core solution gives LCEF customized capabilities without the traditional expense and headaches of creating and using a custom system. The integration of its advanced browser-based branch automation and customer relationship management tools will allow LCEF staff to spend more time focused on organizational goals and investor needs. The financial expertise of the Aurum team lets everyone rest assured that our IT operations are in capable hands."

"When faced with issues ranging from customer demands to competitive positioning to operational requirements, it's absolutely critical that financial institutions evaluate solution providers based on the feature and functionality of the systems they offer and on their ability to do business in a way that meets the institution's unique and precise needs," said Santo Cannone, president of Aurum's MISER division. "This agreement with LCEF presents yet another example of how the flexible, feature-rich capabilities of MISER can suit financial institutions of all types, and more importantly, the agility and flexibility that Aurum--as a solutions provider--brings to its customer relationships."

About Aurum Technology Inc.

Aurum Technology Inc. provides open and integrated information technology-based solutions to the financial services industry, with capabilities ranging from Core Solutions to eBanking to Check Imaging to Business Intelligence. Using its more than 30 years of experience and proven suite of products and services, Aurum provides Community Banks, Credit Unions and Savings Institutions with the means to increase efficiencies, grow market share and fortify customer and member relationships. With a nationwide network of 25 image item processing centers and 1,400 professionals, Aurum serves more than 1,100 customers throughout North America, including many of the financial industry's highest-performing institutions. More information is available at www.aurumtechnology.com.