Contact:
Cynthia Dorrill, Chief Marketing Officer
Phone: 404.886.8885
Email: cdorrill@calpian.com

NEWS RELEASE
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 18, 2005

Calpian announces NorthStar program for ISO retirement security

Dallas, Texas and Atlanta, Georgia —In response to industry demand, Calpian announces the establishment of their NorthStar program, created for seasoned acquiring industry veterans with a 3, 5, 7 or 10 year window toward a financially secure retirement. "I've received an extraordinary number of calls from people who are all saying the same thing. They've built their careers in the merchant services industry, they are exceptional salespeople, and yet, as they look forward to retiring in the near future, they are realizing that, with current industry conditions, their futures aren't as secure as they had originally hoped and planned," says Harold Montgomery, Calpian CEO. The goal was to retire early, enjoy lifetime residuals and live a comfortable life - however many are faced with having to work past their original retirement goal, or even take on a new retirement career. Says Montgomery, "One caller told me, ‘Look, I know how to sell, I've built a good business, I want to retire in my early 50's while I'm young enough to enjoy my life - I don't want to have to be a greeter at Wal-Mart to make ends meet.’ We developed the NorthStar program to give ISO's a guaranteed strategy for personal wealth."

NorthStar by Calpian
Calpian’s NorthStar financing product appeals to ISOs who need or want a long-term (between 3-10 years) earnings goal broken down into month to month steps. ISOs set their own goal and time frame whether it’s $5,000 in one month, or $5 million in 5 years. Calpian structures a formula which shows the ISO how to accomplish their goals. With NorthStar by Calpian, each ISO sets their own long term financial goal, usually in the millions of dollars, which Calpian funds. Most ISOs in this group are proven industry producers with a solid sales track record. They know they can produce the specified amount of residuals each month, and therefore have a high degree of confidence in their plans.

NorthStar is flexible, allowing ISOs to take charge of their future. Calpian can compensate ISOs in one or more large lump sums, or on a merchant by merchant basis. ISOs can choose to keep some merchants and build residuals or sell them to Calpian. This service allows ISOs to prioritize their time and focus on high yield merchants, moving them toward their goal faster. ISOs can receive payment each month, each quarter, each year or in whatever time frame suits their needs. According to Montgomery, "We have some ISOs who sell us enough merchants to cover all their monthly costs. They keep the rest of their monthly merchant production, building their residual stream that way. Basically, they are getting their residual stream for free!"

This program is ideal for ISOs wishing to secure their retirement and feel confident that their hard work is actually going to materialize into that security instead of just hoping that when the time comes, they will be okay. With the already proven Wealthbuilder program, Calpian now offers solutions for financial security for all stages of ISO career and business development. For a side-by-side comparison of the two Calpian programs, please see the chart below.

Calpian NorthStar and Wealthbuilder Programs

Plan Name	What It Does	Time Horizon	Why Consider It?	Who’s It For?
Wealth Builder	Provides monthly cash	Ongoing, time frame not specified	Provides investment capital Operating deficit caused by high growth Extraordinary investment need, etc.	ISOs building an organization ISOs in growth mode Unlimited time horizon
NorthStar	Provides long term incentive through large payments	Time frame less than 10 years Goals defined	Long term vision Concrete, achievable plan for financial success	ISOs focused on specific financial goals within a defined time frame

About Calpian

Calpian, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dallas-based ART Holdings, Inc., provides financing to Independent Sales Organizations and Merchant Level Salespeople in the credit card acquiring industry. With over 18 years industry experience, Calpian understands the specific needs and challenges of acquirers with regard to capital investment. Among the programs Calpian offers are residual buy-outs for cash, creative financing to grow your business, programs producing ongoing cash inflow and partnership opportunities for maximizing ongoing and future payoffs. Calpian can accommodate the needs of an ISO in virtually any stage of its life cycle. To arrange an interview with Calpian, call Cynthia Dorrill, 404.886.8885. To receive a free portfolio analysis or to learn more about financing options for your business, call Harold Montgomery, 214.758.8603.