Clarke American Named One of Orlando's Top 100 Companies for Working Families; Orlando Sentinel Recognizes Companies that Balance Work and Life for Employees.

Business Editors

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 9, 2002

Clarke American, a leading provider of checks and check-related services, was recognized for the third year in a row by the Orlando Sentinel as one of the "Top 100 Companies for Working Families" in Central Florida.

This marks the ninth year for the awards program, which highlights the top 100 Central Florida employers with the best family-friendly workplace practices, benefits and programs.

The Orlando Sentinel invited employers in the Central Florida area to submit their entry forms outlining information related to family-specific programs, employee awards, benefits and options, in-house communications, long-range programs and industry or other outside recognition the company has received. Judges, who were comprised of local leaders in the human resources field and Orlando Sentinel staff, then assigned the entry forms a numerical score based on the employers' responses. The top 100 scores became the "Top 100 Companies for Working Families."

Mary Lynn Wooten, vice president of contact center services, said, "Being named one of Orlando's Top 100 for the third year is very rewarding for us. Clarke American prides itself on having the best possible work environment for its associates (and their families). Receiving this distinction is further proof of our dedication and commitment to having world-class facilities and services."

Clarke American has a production facility and a call center in Orlando employing more than 177 people, and an additional six call centers and 17 production facilities located throughout the country. Clarke American offers competitive salaries and a wide array of outstanding benefits, including insurance, employee recognition programs, family events and a retirement savings plan. The company believes in promoting from within and offers extensive training as well as tuition reimbursement. Clarke American was also a recipient of the 2001 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in the manufacturing category, and the recipient of the 2001 Texas Award for Performance Excellence.

Kathleen M. Waltz, president and publisher of Orlando Sentinel Communications, said in a letter to Charles Korbell, president and CEO of Clarke American, "The many efforts you've taken to make your workplace more family-friendly have earned you this important recognition. It's obvious that you acknowledge the need for strong families - and when you do your part to develop strong families, you build a strong workplace and an even stronger community."

About Clarke American

Clarke American Checks, Inc. provides checks and check-related services, contact center services and direct response marketing solutions for the financial services industry.

Clarke American produces more than 10 billion personal and business checks a year in a variety of formats for more than 4,000 banks, credit unions and other financial institutions nationwide. The company has more than 3,300 associates and a national network of electronically linked production facilities and customer service centers throughout the United States.

Clarke American is a recipient of the 2001 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in the manufacturing category, awarded by the U.S. Department of Commerce, and is the recipient of the 2001 Texas Award for Performance Excellence given by the Quality Texas Foundation.

Fourteen state banking associations and a number of state credit union league associations across the nation endorse Clarke American as their official check-printing provider. Clarke American is a subsidiary of Novar plc of Weybridge, Surrey, England. For more information about Clarke American, visit www.clarkeamerican.com.