Carolina Trust Bank Signs with Alphanumeric Systems for TotalCare Managed Services

Out-tasking certain technology functions to Alphanumeric allows community bank to focus on delivering individual attention to its customers

February 21, 2006, Raleigh, NC—Alphanumeric Systems announced today that Carolina Trust Bank, a full service state chartered bank headquartered in Lincolnton, North Carolina, has joined a growing list of small-to-medium-sized organizations that have signed contracts with the technology firm to provide its TotalCare managed services offering. Formally praised by a number of those clients, TotalCare is a low-cost suite of offerings designed specifically to meet the business needs of small to medium organizations, providing flexible and secure IT management for servers, applications, networks, and desktops.

Of the various TotalCare packages available, Carolina Trust has chosen Alphanumeric to provide 24x7 remote diagnostics, monitoring, and support of business-critical servers and network security devices.

Says Tim Finnegan, Director of Alphanumeric’s TotalCare program, “Our customers in the financial services marketplace require their business systems and customer service capabilities to function at peak performance 24x7. The always-vigilant, proactive nature of our TotalCare offering gives our customers the most cost-effective approach to deal with the increasing complexity of managing their business systems – improving the ROI on those business systems while allowing them to focus on what they do best.”

Facing a growing level of IT sophistication and complexity, organizations nationwide are trending toward allowing trusted providers of IT services to proactively address their technology needs. Building on its 26 years of industry expertise and client relationships, Alphanumeric is well positioned to provide this simple, affordable technology solution to small and medium-sized organizations that need to remain focused on achieving their own business goals instead of worrying about their information technology systems.

Feedback from existing small to medium-sized TotalCare customers indicates the solution has hit the mark in allowing Alphanumeric’s IT experts to address impending IT problems before the client’s business is disrupted. Says Donald Boyer, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Carolina Trust, "We serve individuals and small to mid-sized businesses in our community with a full range of banking products. Our commitment to true community banking with individual attention to our customers and their needs is reflected in our choice of TotalCare. TotalCare ensures that we have the stable, secure, and efficient technology required to deliver the service and the products that our customers expect.”

In addition to the 24x7 remote monitoring and management service, additional options that fall under the TotalCare umbrella include an end-user help desk, scheduled preventive maintenance, monthly analysis and planning meetings, and technology strategy services. More information on Alphanumeric’s portfolio of TotalCare services and free on-site consultations can be accessed at www.alphanumeric.com/totalcare, or by contacting the Program Director, Tim Finnegan, at 919.376.4518 or tfinnegan@alphanumeric.com.

Alphanumeric Systems, Inc. Recognized by the Triangle Business Journal for the third consecutive year as the area's “#1 IT Networking Company,” Alphanumeric Systems is the region's leading provider of technology and staffing solutions for public and commercial clients. In addition to its TotalCare line of IT management services, the company is the Southeast's only integrator operating as both a Microsoft Managed Gold Partner for Advanced Infrastructure and a Novell Platinum Partner. The company’s unique position in the industry is further defined by its identity management focus, which includes solutions from Microsoft, Novell, and Sun. With 250 employees and 26 years of expertise, Alphanumeric Systems maintains its corporate headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina, and provides its full range of services out of offices in Charlotte, Greenville, and Greensboro, North Carolina; Columbia, Greenville, and Charleston, South Carolina; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For more information on Alphanumeric or its offerings, please visit our corporate web site at www.alphanumeric.com.

Press Contact:

Wendy Burgess
Alphanumeric Systems
wburgess@alphanumeric.com
(p) 919-376-4457, (f) 919-872-1440