Compass Bank Launches Three New Industry-Leading Programs for Business Customers

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Banking for business owners has never been better, thanks to three new industry-leading Compass Bank business banking programs: Compass BusinessClass(sm) Preferred, Compass BusinessClass(sm) Preferred Plus and the Business Personalized Visa(R) Check Card. Launched recently by Compass for today's business owner -- who requires easy-to-use, robust financial products and services -- Compass is the first major financial services institution in the country to provide the levels of service that come with Compass BusinessClass Preferred and Compass BusinessClass Preferred Plus for no annual fee and the first to provide small business owners with the ability to personalize their business check cards.

"Historically, Compass has been ahead of banking trends in providing business owners with leading products and services that fit their specific needs," said Chris Sakaguchi, executive vice president, director of Business Banking for Compass Bank. "We are proud to continue to increase our strong line of business banking tools by adding these unique programs and know that the Business Personalized Visa(R) Check Card is simply the next step in Compass' commitment to remain an industry leader in providing the best tools for our customers."

The Compass BusinessClass Preferred and Compass BusinessClass Preferred Plus programs are available to all business checking account customers with qualifying balances and provide two unique new tiers of savings, benefits and services within the existing Compass BusinessClass program. Key features of the enhanced programs include the following:

    BusinessClass Preferred
    -- All benefits of the existing Compass BusinessClass(sm) program;
    -- Specially trained and dedicated representatives available through a
       toll-free number;
    -- Higher deposit limits with no holds;
    -- Enhanced Merchant Services; and
    -- Platinum Business VISA Check Card with VISA Extras.


    BusinessClass Preferred Plus
    -- All benefits of Compass BusinessClass and Compass BusinessClass
       Preferred programs;
    -- Higher deposit limits with no holds;
    -- Higher cash processing allowance per statement cycle;
    -- Annual fee waiver on Business Line of Credit; and
    -- Free merchant services terminal with new Merchant Services account.

The Business Personalized Visa(R) Check Card is an innovative addition to Compass' line of leading business products. It allows businesses to customize each check card with a company name, a favorite color photo or the company's logo in an edge-to-edge format. The Business Personalized Visa(R) Check Card can be added to any type of Compass business checking account for a $10 fee, or qualifying customers receive the product free as members of the Compass BusinessClass Preferred and Compass BusinessClass Preferred Plus programs.

Detailed information about the Compass BusinessClass Preferred and Compass BusinessClass Preferred Plus programs is available at all banking centers throughout the six states in which Compass Bank operates or online at www.compassbank.com/business/preferred. To learn more or to create a Business Personalized Visa(R) Check Card simply log on to www.compassbank.com/makemybizcard. Compass Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; availability of products and services may be subject to prior approval, including credit approval.

Compass Bancshares, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BBVA NYSE: BBV (MAD: BBVA). BBVA is a financial services group with more than $700 billion in total assets, 42 million clients, 7,900 branches and approximately 111,000 employees in more than 30 countries. BBVA provides its customers around the world with a full range of financial services, including commercial and wholesale banking, retail banking services, consumer loans, mortgages, credit cards, securities brokerage, wealth management, pension plan management and insurance. The BBVA Group maintains a leadership position in Spain, Mexico, Latin America and the Sunbelt Region of the United States as well as operations in China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.