Alliance Data Makes $400,000 Gift to Nationwide Children’s Hospital to Support Development of “Big Data” Architecture

DALLAS, June 24, 2015 /3BL Media/ – Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), a leading global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions, and its Columbus, Ohio-based card services business, a premier provider of branded private label, co-brand and commercial credit programs, announced a $400,000 gift to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The hospital is ranked in all 10 specialties and as an Honor Roll hospital on the U.S. News & World Report’s 2015-2016 “America’s Best Children’s Hospitals” list. Alliance Data’s decision to invest in the Columbus-based hospital was not only fueled by its superior service to the community, but by the company’s more than 3,500 associates who work in the Columbus area, many of whom have benefitted from the hospital’s services, whether it be through a family member or friend.

A large portion of the gift will help Nationwide Children’s Hospital build, and make accessible, data architecture that links all pediatric and research data sources. The ability to integrate large amounts of data in this way bolsters the hospital’s ability to deliver more effective patient care, improve research outcomes and create data-sharing collaboration opportunities with other community partners and programs. Additionally, providers and researchers will be able to lead public health initiatives and enable collaborations through data sharing more effectively and efficiently – ultimately to ensure every patient gets the right diagnosis and the right treatment at the right time.

“We are very appreciative of the support from Alliance Data,” says John Barnard, MD, president, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.  “We are expanding our computational architecture to seamlessly integrate large amounts of clinical and research data. Harnessing this computational power to store, access and analyze thousands of data points will benefit our patients and the overall field of pediatric research. Thanks in part to the Alliance Data funding, we will have the first data system of this kind in Ohio dedicated to pediatric research and care.”

The gift will also support the hospital’s family and volunteer services programs, such as the Sibling Clubhouse, designed to support the unique needs of children whose siblings are receiving short or long-term healthcare. Nationwide’s Art Cart and Music Therapy programs will also benefit from the gift. The Music Therapy program in particular, is especially valued in the hospital environment as the program’s therapists use music to enhance coping, legacy building/memory making, normalization, academic and physical skill development, and collaboration with other health care team members to meet treatment goals.

“The department of Family and Volunteer Services is deeply grateful for the wonderful gift that Alliance Data is giving to Nationwide Children's Hospital to support the work and programs that are facilitated through our department,” said Donna Trentel, director of Family and Volunteer Services at Nationwide Children’s. “This generous gift will make a direct impact on the experiences that patients and families have through services such as the Sibling Clubhouse, expressive arts programming, and will provide support for resources that promote comfort and coping.  Gifts such as these truly impact the quality of care that is provided and demonstrate that it takes more than medicine to help patients and families heal.” 

Alliance Data associates are getting involved too, volunteering for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon and Half Marathon and assembling patients’ family “care kits.” The kits provide support to adult family members during unexpected visits and include personal care items and healthy snacks.

“Our business is built upon the positive impact data-driven insights can bring to an organization and we are thrilled to support Nationwide Children’s Hospital with  a gift that will have such a significant impact on the lives of children and their families,” said Melisa Miller, president of Alliance Data’s card services business. “Our associates across Central Ohio are passionate about our ability to make a difference for the children of our communities and we look forward to doing our part to contribute.”

Alliance Data is committed to making a difference in the communities where its associates live, work and play. Through partnerships like the one with Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the company is given an opportunity to not only strengthen needed care and services for a community, but also demonstrate a commitment to its associates and their families.

About Alliance Data's card services business
Alliance Data's card services business is a leading provider of tailored marketing and loyalty solutions, delivered through branded credit programs that drive more profitable relationships between our brand partners and their cardmembers. We offer private label, co-brand, and commercial products to many of the world's most recognizable brands across a multitude of channels.

We uphold our Know more. Sell more.^® promise by leveraging unmatched customer insights, advanced analytics, and broad-reaching innovative capabilities. It's how we deliver increased sales to our partners, build enduring loyalty to their brands, and provide more value to our cardmembers. Alliance Data's card services business is a proud part of the Alliance Data enterprise. To learn more, visit www.alliancedataretail.com or follow us on Twitter @ADRetail.

About Alliance Data

Alliance Data^® (NYSE: ADS) is a leading global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions serving large, consumer-based industries. The Company creates and deploys customized solutions, enhancing the critical customer marketing experience; the result is measurably changing consumer behavior while driving business growth and profitability for some of today's most recognizable brands. Alliance Data helps its clients create and increase customer loyalty through solutions that engage millions of customers each day across multiple touch points using traditional, digital, mobile and emerging technologies. An S&P 500 and Fortune 500 company headquartered in Plano, Texas, Alliance Data consists of three businesses that together employ more than 15,000 associates at approximately 100 locations worldwide.

Alliance Data’s card services business is a leading provider of marketing-driven branded credit card programs. Epsilon^® is a leading provider of multichannel, data-driven technologies and marketing services, and also includes Conversant^®, the leader in personalized digital marketing. LoyaltyOne^® owns and operates the AIR MILES^® Reward Program, Canada's premier coalition loyalty program, and holds a majority interest in Netherlands-based BrandLoyalty, a global provider of tailor-made loyalty programs for grocers.

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