SAN ANTONIO, TX – Acclivus Corporation in Dallas, Texas, has been recognized by Clarke American Checks, Inc. as one of four organizations to be honored with the company’s 2004 Supplier Excellence Award. The annual award distinguishes suppliers that have significantly contributed to the success of Clarke American through innovation and the demonstration of passion to the company, its financial institution partners and their account holders. Clarke American is a leading provider of checks, check-related products, contact center services, Internet and direct response marketing solutions for the financial services industry.

“The Supplier Excellence Award allows Clarke American to honor suppliers who exemplify the outstanding attributes that we seek to embody as a company,” explains George Bordon, Vice President of Procurement and Supply Management for Clarke American. “The recipients have successfully aligned with our business approach and vision and effectively contribute to taking our business to the next level. Out of more than 1500 suppliers to Clarke American, these are among the best.”

Recipients were nominated by Clarke American business leaders and selected for the award based on measurable criteria that include trust, customer focus, a passion for excellence and customer care, collaboration, a proactive and innovative approach to business, and a track record of measurable and profitable results.

Acclivus Corporation, a strategic supplier of sales training services to Clarke American, was recognized for its extraordinary customer service and innovation in helping the company develop and implement effective sales training programs in 2004. “Acclivus embodies the award’s criteria – trusted, customer-focused, passionate, collaborative, proactive and results-driven,” explains Jim Jory, Director of Sales Development for Clarke American and one of Acclivus Corporation’s nominators. “It is really the brand behind the brand for Clarke American, and Acclivus professionals practice what they preach about sales excellence in training. The two companies have a very similar culture; we’re like-minded in what we believe. And we both believe in quality – which is what Acclivus delivers – quality training so that Clarke American’s field sales associates can be effective and efficient in what they do.”

Scott Keller, Global Relationship Manager for Acclivus, agrees with the assessment that the two companies share common beliefs and values. “The reason we work so well with Clarke American is that there is a common relationship that both companies aspire to have with their respective customers,” he observes. “We use and teach an approach that is consultative, customer-focused and emphasizes relationships. Clarke American is unique in that it actually cares about relationships, calls its customers ‘partners’ and means it. Being recognized with the Supplier Excellence Award is a tremendous honor because the value of what we do has been quantified and measured. The award is validation that the training and development we provide is making a difference.”

As part of the Supplier Excellence Award recognition, Clarke American has made a donation in Acclivus Corporation’s name to The Smile Train. The Smile Train provides free cleft surgery for children in developing countries who have nowhere else to turn.

Other 2004 award recipients are Caraustar Custom Packaging Group in Austell, Georgia; Eric Scott Custom Products in Sainte Genevieve, Missouri; and Julien J. Studley, Inc. in New York City. The four were honored with the award in an early February ceremony.

About Clarke American
Clarke American provides checks and check-related products, contact center services, Internet and direct response marketing solutions for the financial services industry. Each year, the company produces more than 10 billion personal and business checks in a variety of formats for more than 4,000 banks, credit unions and other financial institutions nationwide. The company has more than 3,200 associates and a national network of electronically linked production facilities and customer service centers located 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. For more information about Clarke American, visit www.clarkeamerican.com.

For information about this press release contact
Cary Corbin
(830) 609-1932
Debbie Talley
(210) 697-1228