May 09, 2008 | Press Release

ECI PARTNERS WITH PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM RATIONAL EQUITY TO EXPAND FOOTPRINT IN THE LENDING MARKET

GLENWOOD, IA -- ECI announced today a strategic partnership with St. Paul, MN-based private equity firm Rational Equity. With the capital and proven management support of Rational Equity, ECI has fortified their position as a leading provider of 100% On-Demand/SaaS enterprise lending solutions.

"We had another exceptional year in 2007, increasing our business by 75 percent," said ECI Chairman, Gary Kruse. "The driver for that growth has been the maturity of Web Equity Manager®, specifically, the enhancements of workflow and commercial lending features. Web Equity Manager® is the only 100% On-Demand/SaaS enterprise lending solution in the marketplace today. As a result of our growth, we have made an important strategic decision to expand our footprint in the lending marketplace. After an intensive search, we have chosen to partner with Rational Equity to help us achieve our ambitious growth plans and expanded R&D.

Rational Equity brings 27+ years of software industry experience in helping companies like ECI reach the next level of growth. They focus on profitable companies with proven systems and strong recurring revenue. They partner with businesses to provide experienced management and capital to help create exceptional businesses.

Doug McGregor, Managing Partner of Rational Equity, has assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer at ECI. "We add value by partnering with successful businesses like ECI to provide capital and proven management to create long-term value,” said McGregor. “Our active roles illustrate our high level of commitment and dedication to building successful companies. ECI has done everything right to date. They are at that inflection point of growth that all good companies encounter. It is an exciting time for ECI customers and employees and I look forward to serving the needs of the lending marketplace.”

About Rational Equity

Rational Equity is a private equity firm which operates and increases the value of middle market software companies. Rational Equity is sponsored by funds with over $1 Billion of capital under management and led by highly-experienced management teams. Rational Equity is unique compared to other private equity firms, bringing management and expertise to each of their investments. Rational Equity is committed to a business environment that emphasizes integrity, teamwork and making a difference for customers, employees and investors.

About ECI

ECI is a market leading provider of enterprise level lending solutions supporting over 10,000 lending professionals throughout North America, Canada and Australia. The lending solution, Web Equity Manager®, goes beyond financial analysis and decisioning. It is the only 100% On-Demand/SaaS enterprise lending solution in the marketplace today. It provides a single system of record for processing credit in all lending disciplines. Web Equity Manager® delivers exceptional workflow capabilities allowing for exception tracking, tickler functions and enhanced communications. Additional features include portfolio risk management, data mining, centralized electronic document storage and contact management.

ECI supports financial institutions with assets ranging from $10 Million to over $500 Billion. ECI software is used daily by over 3,300 United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency personnel across 800 service centers across the country. Our footprint extends into the largest Credit Unions in Canada to $50 billion asset lenders like Australia-based Suncorp. These lending institutions use ECI software to service hundreds of thousands of credit requests annually.

Interested lending organizations can schedule a demonstration of Web Equity Manager® by calling ECI at 1-800-264-0787 ext. 200. Click here to view a brief description of the product features and benefits.

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