NOVA Information Systems Opens New Operations Facility, Brings 400 New Jobs to Knoxville Over Next Two Years.

Business Editors

ATLANTA & KNOXVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 24, 2003

NOVA Information Systems, the third largest payment processor in the United States, is expanding its operations in Knoxville, Tenn., which is anticipated to bring nearly 400 new jobs to the area during the next two years. The new facility will be operational July 1, 2003.

The expansion includes a new 60,000 square foot facility that will be in addition to the two existing NOVA facilities on Chapman Highway where more than 900 NOVA employees are currently based. The three facilities will occupy space totaling more than 200,000 square feet once the project is complete. NOVA Information Systems is one of the largest employers in Knoxville.

Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale, and Mike Edwards, CEO of the Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership (KACP), were instrumental in working with the State of Tennessee to assist NOVA in their expansion plan in making the new facility a reality. State grants have been approved to support NOVA with training and infrastructure improvements. These efforts were instrumental in NOVA selecting Knoxville for expansion.

"We're grateful for the support of Mayor Ragsdale and the KACP for helping bring this new facility to life," said David Strider, NOVA Information Systems Executive Vice President. "We recognize our role as a major employer in the Knoxville community and look forward to contributing to the vitality of Knoxville with this expansion plan."

"We are very excited that NOVA chose to expand in Knoxville," said Partnership Executive Vice President Rhonda Rice. "There are many communities that compete for these type of projects and this decision is a true testament to the continued dedication NOVA has for Knoxville and their employees. The creation of these new jobs will certainly bring new economic growth to the area and makes NOVA one of our larger private sector employers."

NOVA's newest facility will include a cafeteria and other employee focused amenities similar to existing facilities. The interior layout, indirect lighting, sound absorption and color scheme were uniquely designed to provide a striking, state-of-the-art facility for a 24-hour operations center.

NOVA Information Systems, a leader in the payment processing industry, is a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB). NOVA partners with financial institutions, independent sales organizations, associations, government agencies, community banks, merchants and retailers to offer integrated payment processing services. NOVA's products include credit and debit card processing services, software applications, electronic check conversion, gift card solutions and other value-added services to more than 650,000 merchant locations in the United States and Europe. For more information visit www.novainfo.com.