WCBO West Coast Bancorp (MM)

West Coast Bank Gift Card Program Is Tailored for Small Businesses Merchant Gift Card Was Previously Affordable for Larger National Retail Chains Only LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., Aug. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- West Coast Bank (NASDAQ:WCBO), in partnership with First Data Merchant Services, now offers a cost effective gift card solution for small business customers. The popular plastic cards previously were affordable for larger merchants only due to the high costs of design and implementation. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010816/SFTH016ALOGO ) West Coast Bank's program's technology uses most credit and debit card terminals to process the cards, which eliminates new equipment purchases. Clients can select from stock art cards or customize their own design, which further reduces start-up costs. The program also provides detailed daily and monthly reports, promotional materials and 24-hour customer support. VP Corporate Loan Services Manager Brian Devereux said, "Gift cards have surged in popularity over the past couple of years and have proven to create value for our clients by creating brand awareness and customer loyalty, increasing sales and reducing fraud. Businesses are finding that customers spend more for a gift card, return more frequently, and reload value on a previously purchased card. On the return side, it's also an efficient way to give in-store credit." West Coast Bancorp, one of Oregon Business Magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work For, is a Northwest bank holding company with $1.7 billion in assets, operating 48 offices in Oregon and Washington. The company combines the sophisticated products and expertise of larger banks with the local decision making, market knowledge and customer service of a community bank. For more information, visit the Company web site at http://www.wcb.com/. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010816/SFTH016ALOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: West Coast Bank CONTACT: Brian Devereux, VP & Corporate Loan Services Manager of West Coast Bank, +1-503-454-3312 Web site: http://www.wcb.com/

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