News from the Wire

Hy-Vee launches Pay By Touch finger scan payment pilot in Iowa and Illinois

Wednesday, October 11, 2006 — 16:39:07 (EDT)

SAN FRANCISCO – (October 11, 2006) – Pay By Touch, the leader in integrated biometric authentication, personalized marketing and payment solutions, and Hy-Vee, Inc., today announced the launch of a pilot finger-scan payment program in six Hy-Vee stores in Illinois and Iowa. The new program will allow Hy-Vee customers in Quincy, Illinois, and Mason City and Ames, Iowa to conveniently and securely make purchases with a touch of a finger. %%N %%N“Hy-Vee prides itself on innovation and customer service. We are personally committed to providing great value and the best possible shopping experience,” said Eric Smith, vice president, management information systems, Hy-Vee, Inc. “Pay By Touch gives us the opportunity to help shoppers move quickly through the checkout line with the touch of their finger – no need to write checks or fumble for credit cards. We are very excited that the new program is underway and are looking forward to customer feedback.” %%N %%NThe Pay By Touch service uses a simple finger scan to authorize a secure, electronic withdrawal from a customer's existing checking account. A one-time enrollment takes only a few minutes to complete and, once enrolled, Pay By Touch members can use the Pay By Touch system in any participating store. %%N %%NIn addition to convenience, Pay By Touch’s finger-scan payment services provide enhanced privacy and security. No one – not even the store associate – sees the consumer’s account number or the payment method used to make purchases. Each fingerprint is unique, which helps prevent fraud or identity theft. In addition, since there is nothing to carry, there is nothing to be lost or stolen. %%N %%N“Pay By Touch is thrilled to join forces with Hy-Vee to give shoppers a more secure, private and convenient way to pay at the checkout line,” said Pete Espinosa, vice president, Pay By Touch. “Hy-Vee has achieved regional and national recognition for its laser focus on superior customer service, making our efficient and easy-to-use payment solutions a perfect match.” %%N %%NAbout Hy-Vee, Inc. %%N%%NHy-Vee, Inc., headquartered in West Des Moines, is an employee-owned corporation operating 225 retail stores in seven Midwestern states. For 2005, the company recorded total sales of $4.9 billion, ranking it among the top 20 supermarket chains and the top 35 private companies in the U.S. %%N %%NAbout Pay By Touch%%N %%NPay By Touch (www.paybytouch.com) is wowing the world one touch at a time as the leader in biometric authentication, personalized marketing and payment solutions. To date, the company’s patented biometric services enable 3.3 million shoppers to quickly and securely access personal accounts using a finger scan to identify themselves, make purchases, earn rewards and cash checks at 2,400 locations nationwide. It also provides robust payment processing solutions for ACH (electronic checking), card-present and card-not-present debit and credit transactions for 138,000 retail clients and manages personalized rewards programs for 130 million opt-in consumer profiles. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in San Francisco, Pay By Touch employs 700 professionals and holds over 50 patents worldwide on secure, convenient and cost-effective transaction solutions. %%N%%NSource: Company press release

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Source: Company press release.