ASSET INC. AWARDED ISO 9001:2000 CERTIFICATION |  | | Toronto, CANADA (February 2, 2005) ASSET Inc., a global collection transaction processing company announced that it has been awarded certification to the ISO 9001:2000 quality assurance model by Quality Management Institute (QMI), a division of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). QMI is North Americas leading Certification body. ASSETs ISO certification is recognized throughout North America by such highly respected organizations as the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), American National Standards Institute and Registrar Accreditation Board of the USA (ANSI-RAB), Entidada Mexicana de Accreditacion a.c. (EMA) and globally through the International Certification Network (IQNet). Almost 30 years of process design at ASSET Inc. has resulted in industry-leading solutions. Conformance to ISO 9001:2000 quality assurance standards required the rigorous documenting of procedures, implementation of procedural changes, training and adjustments to operating systems on every level of the business processes, throughout the organization. QMI awarded this certification for ASSETs demonstrated excellence in the design and development of integrated web-based software modules and the provision of business processing and file administration services in the debt collections industry. The prestigious ISO 9001:2000 certification is based on the implementation of a specific quality management system that covers all business aspects from design concept to marketing, manufacturing and quality. The system includes all processes from contract acceptance through to service delivery. This certification independently confirms ASSETs leadership position in the debt collections industry in terms of quality of its business processes. We embarked on this quality mission voluntarily, over two years ago. It required significant investment and a commitment to our Clients and our quality of service. The adoption of a world-class quality management system will not only provide a higher level of confidence in our ability to serve our Clients needs, but also to make an important contribution to managing costs and risks and to improve the overall organizational performance and capabilities said William Meany, President of ASSET Inc. ASSET is proud of this achievement and of the hard work and energy put into this effort by our employees over the last couple of years, said Meany. Not only do these certifications demonstrate the quality of our processes, but of the quality of the people who work at ASSET - who care about providing only the very best to our Clients. Because we have Clients in many locations around the world, achieving and maintaining the highest worldwide standards of quality and consistency in our work is of paramount importance. ISO certification is a universally accepted, tangible expression of our commitment to meet and exceed our Clients expectations, added William Meany. In their audit report, ISO auditors commented positive aspects of the ASSET management system as "a well structured system where processes are fully mapped, detailed and supported by a well-designed system and software and backed by a high level of quality awareness throughout the organization. About ISO ISO, the International Organization for Standardization (http://www.iso.org) was established in 1947 and promotes the development of standardization and related activities to facilitate the international exchange of goods and services. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, ISO is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies from more than 146 countries working in partnership with international organizations, governments, industries, businesses and consumer representatives. Its work results in international technical agreements that are published as international standards and which provide the framework for compatible technology worldwide. The ISO family of standards represents an international consensus on good management practices with the aim of ensuring that organizations can consistently deliver products or services that meet clients' crucial quality requirements. These standards are widely adopted by hundreds of industries, including the aerospace, automotive, medical devices, mining, telecommunications and transportation industries, and increasingly in the financial services and health care sectors. About Asset Inc. Asset Inc. was founded in 1978. The company's services range from collection-processing and supply chain management, to e-business engineering and consulting. he company currently supplies various collection-processing technology and infrastructure services to all of Canadas 10 largest banks and financial institutions as well as to over 200 financial institutions worldwide. The company has established relationships and real-time connectivity to hundreds of companies and thousands of users worldwide, including numerous types of creditors and other institutions, law firms, property management firms, recovery agents, transporters, collection agencies, skip tracers, private investigators, document agents, government and regulatory bodies, police, Customs, and law enforcement agencies, insurers and real and moveable property appraisers. ASSET was named one of Canadas 50 Best Managed Companies in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004. More information available online at www.asset.net - 30 - For more information, please contact: Ananthi Mahadevan ISO Management Representative (416) 977-7771 ananthi.mahadevan@asset.net James Meany, B.A., M.Ed., M.B.A. Director, Communications (416) 977-7771 james.meany@asset.net William Meany President, Asset Inc. (416) 977-7771 x254 william.meany@asset.net |