Utilizing services provided by Fiserv allows Heritage Bank access to the full capability of Fiserv's check image item processing for Montana-based financial institutions. All of the services flow seamlessly into the Fiserv Clearing Network to facilitate and improve the collection of checks, which also gives the bank lower clearing fees and significantly reduced float expenses. Processing through the Helena Processing Center enables Heritage Bank, which interfaces with the processing center directly through its core processing system provided by Information Technology, Inc, (ITI), a Fiserv business unit, to benefit from accessing a myriad of additional solutions and resources offered through Fiserv.

"Prior to using the Fiserv processing center, we, along with three other banks, owned and operated our own data processing center," said Kevin Clark, president and CEO of Heritage Bank. "However, we had reached a point where it would be too costly to continue to fund the technology and the personnel to maintain the center. We decided to work with Fiserv because of its willingness to establish a presence in Montana, which allows us to maintain a local presence for item processing and networking services and support, while benefiting from outsourcing the services. Having the breadth and strength of Fiserv behind our operations enables us to implement additional features and resources that were not previously available to us, such as the Patriot Officer, deposit automation and merchant capture, making the bank a more competitive financial institution as a whole."

"Establishing the Helena Processing Center enables us to better serve the financial institutions in the area as well as expand into new markets to provide more cost-effective and efficient item processing and account processing solutions," said Sam Langham, president of the Western Region, Fiserv ITI Outsourcing. "Working with the financial institutions to meet their needs for a processing center enables the banks to continue using familiar and effective software, while freeing their intellectual capital to implement new products and services in a timely manner. Having a local presence for item processing support, a local presence for networking services, combined with Fiserv software support and upkeep, focusing on the implementation of new products and satisfaction of regulatory and data processing demands is an ideal situation for financial institutions."