First Data 2007 Annual Report Download - page 16

but not individually material, is the VisionPLUS trademark and software mostly utilized in the First Data International segment. VisionPLUS is recognized
internationally as a quality software product and card processing system. The software is important to the Company's international expansion.
Most of the segments' services and products utilize proprietary software that is updated to meet customer needs and remain competitive. The Company
has programs to protect its proprietary software and patents as it seeks to offer distinctive services and products to customers which differentiate it from
competitors. The patent protection associated with the Company's systems and software expires at different times over the next one to 20 years.
Employees and Labor
At December 31, 2007, the Company employed approximately 27,000 employees, approximately 96% of which were full-time employees. One of the
Company's wholly owned subsidiaries has approximately 2,200 employees in the United Kingdom, about 20% of whom are members of Unite trade union
(formerly Amicus trade union). Employees of the Company's subsidiaries in Vienna, Austria; Frankfurt, Germany; Nürnberg, Germany; and Stüttgart,
Germany are also represented by local works councils and a portion of the Frankfurt workforce is covered by a union contract. Employees in certain other
countries are also covered by the terms of industry-specific national collective agreements. The majority of the Company's employees are not otherwise
represented by any labor organization in the United States. The Company believes that its relations with its employees and the labor organizations identified
above are in good standing.
Available Information
FDC's principal executive offices are located at 6200 S. Quebec Street, Greenwood Village, CO 80111, telephone [phone]. The Company's
annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports are available free of charge to
shareholders and other interested parties through the "About" portion of the Company's web site, www.firstdata.com, as soon as reasonably practical after they
are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The SEC maintains a web site, www.sec.gov, which contains reports and other information
filed electronically with the SEC by the Company. The Company's Audit Committee Charter, Compensation and Benefits Committee Charter,
Nominating and Governance Committee Charter, and Code of Conduct for Senior Financial Officers are available without charge through the "About",
"Governance" portion of the Company's web site, listed above, or by writing to the attention of Investor Relations at the address listed above.
Executive Officers of the Company
See Item 10 of this Form 10-K.
Government Regulations
Various aspects of our service areas are subject to U.S. federal, state and local regulation, as well as regulation outside the United States. Failure to
comply with regulations may result in the suspension or revocation of licenses or registrations, the limitation, suspension or termination of service, and/or the
imposition of civil and criminal penalties, including fines. Certain of our services also are subject to rules promulgated by various payment networks, such as
Visa, MasterCard and Discover, as more fully described below.
Banking Regulation
First Data Loan Company, Canada ("FDLCC"), through which we conduct some of our merchant acquiring activities in Canada, is a Canadian loan
company subject to regulation, examination and oversight by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions and to various provincial registration
and licensing requirements. First Data Trust Company, LLC ("FDTC"), engages in trust activities previously conducted by the trust department of a former
banking subsidiary of the Company. FDTC is subject to regulation, examination and oversight by the Division of Banking of the Colorado Department of
Regulatory Agencies. These financial institution subsidiaries are also subject to various national and local banking and consumer protection laws and
regulations that apply to the activities they conduct. Since FDTC is not a "bank" under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended ("BHCA"), and
FDLCC does not operate any banking offices in the United States or do business in the United States, except such business as may be incidental to its
activities outside the United States, our affiliation with FDTC and FDLCC does not cause us to be regulated as a bank holding company or financial holding
company under the BHCA.
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