With $8 billion in assets, NewAlliance is the sixth-largest bank headquartered in New England and the third-largest bank in Connecticut. Currently, NewAlliance has more than 3,000 merchant customers and processes more than 8 million transactions annually. FIS will provide transaction authorization capture, online debit, and associated services for new and existing merchants.

"We are very pleased with our relationship with FIS," said John Hamby, senior vice president and manager of NewAlliance's Merchant Services Center. "We anticipate accelerating our already strong growth and becoming an even more prominent participant in the expanding electronic payments business. FIS will assist us in reaching our strategic goals by providing us with further processing diversification, improved and faster application boarding, broadened authorization facilities and very competitive pricing for our customers."

A recognized leader in the global payment processing industry, FIS' merchant solution enables institutions to compete for merchant deposits, maintain full control of commercial accounts and generate greater income. FIS' comprehensive merchant platform delivers additional revenue, cross-sell opportunities, improved customer retention tools and expert assistance. From request to resolution, expert support and security services are dedicated to ensuring excellent service.

"We are committed to using our leading-edge technology to help NewAlliance Bank gain more control, improve efficiency and continue to grow their portfolio," said Gary Norcross, president of FIS' Integrated Financial Services division. "We look forward to working with NewAlliance through the spring conversion and beyond."