| October
21, 2004
Open Solutions Completes Acquisition
of Datawest
- Acquisition Expands Market Presence
Internationally -
GLASTONBURY, Conn., Oct. 29, 2004
– Open Solutions Inc.® (NASDAQ:
OPEN), a provider of integrated enabling
technologies for community financial
institutions, announced today the
completion of the acquisition of all
the shares of Canadian-based Datawest
Solutions Inc. (TSX: DS) by a Canadian
subsidiary of Open Solutions Inc.
The final purchase price was CDN $1.16
per common share for 29,824,126 common
shares and CDN $2.60 per preferred
share for 5,000,000 preferred shares.
Datawest’s common shares will
be de-listed from the Toronto Stock
Exchange on or before November 4,
2004 and shortly thereafter Datawest
will cease to be a reporting issuer
in British Columbia and Ontario.
“We are very pleased to announce
the completion of this acquisition
and delighted to welcome both the
employees of Datawest and their clients
into the Open Solutions family,”
said Louis Hernandez, Jr., Chairman
and CEO of Open Solutions. “We
look forward to working closely together
to further expand on our company’s
market presence and reach within the
financial services industry. Together,
our organizations are committed to
our ongoing efforts to offer industry-focused
proactive solutions designed to enable
financial institutions to better compete
and to provide superior products and
services to their customers.”
About Datawest
Datawest Solutions Inc. provides
innovative banking and payment technology
solutions. Datawest’s Banking
Solutions Group is a principal provider
of outsourced banking technology to
Canadian credit unions, integrated
with advanced phone and Internet Banking
solutions and web-based customer relationship
management (CRM) and loans origination
systems. The Payment Solutions Group
manages Canada’s largest ATM
network and develops and delivers
electronic payment products and services,
including fast, secure ATM and POS
systems and electronic funds transfer
transaction processing, device management
and monitoring. Datawest also provides
professional services for implementation
of banking and payment systems in
major financial institutions and other
financial services organizations.
Datawest is a public company traded
on the Toronto Stock Exchange under
the symbol "DS." More information
can be found on the corporate web
site at www.datawest.ca
About Open Solutions
Open Solutions Inc. offers a fully
featured strategic product platform
that integrates core data processing
applications, built on a single centralized
Oracle(R) relational database, with
Internet banking, cash management,
CRM/business intelligence, financial
accounting tools, interactive voice
response, imaging, Check 21 and loan
origination solutions. Open Solutions'
full suite of products and services
allows banks, thrifts and credit unions
to better compete in today's aggressive
financial services marketplace, and
expand and tap their trusted financial
relationships, client affinity, community
presence and personalized service.
Contact: Marvin (Mickey) Goldwasser Open Solutions
Inc. 860.652.3153
mgoldwasser@opensolutions.com
www.opensolutions.com
Open Solutions Inc.(R) is a registered
trademark of Open Solutions Inc.
Safe Harbor Statement
Statements made in this press release
that state Open Solutions Inc.'s or
management's intentions, beliefs,
expectations, or predictions for the
future are forward-looking statements
within the meaning of The Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Readers are cautioned that these
statements are only predictions and
may differ materially from actual
future events or results. All forward
looking-statements are only as of
the date of this press release and
Open Solutions Inc. undertakes no
obligation to update or revise them.
Such forward-looking statements are
subject to a number of risks, assumptions
and uncertainties that could cause
Open Solutions Inc.'s actual results
to differ materially from those projected
in such forward-looking statements.
For example, we have entered into
and may continue to enter into or
seek to enter into business combinations
and acquisitions which may be difficult
to integrate, disrupt our business,
dilute stockholder value or divert
management attention. And, we have
limited experience in the operation
of our business outside the United
States, and, as this acquisition will
be our first international acquisition,
upon its completion we will face the
additional risks associated with managing
an international business, and there
is no assurance that we will integrate
it successfully with our business.
Other factors which could cause our
actual results to differ materially
from those projected in forward-looking
statements include, without limitation,
economic, competitive, governmental
and technological factors affecting
the banking and credit union industry
and/or Open Solutions Inc.'s operations,
markets, products, services, prices
and other factors set forth under
the heading “Factors Affecting
Future Operating Results” in
Open Solutions’ Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q for the three months
ended June 30, 2004, as filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
All other company and product names
may be trademarks of their respective
owners. Copyright (C) 2004 Open Solutions
Inc. All rights reserved.
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