Lynk Systems

About Lynk Systems

Lynk Systems, Inc. was a significant player in the electronic payment processing industry, established in 1991 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The company was founded by Edward Uzialko, who served as its Chief Executive Officer. Another key figure in the company's inception was David W. Howe, a founding employee who had a background in small company finance and venture capital.

Under Uzialko's leadership, Lynk Systems grew to become one of the top ten merchant credit and debit card processors in the United States. The company provided a comprehensive suite of services for small and medium-sized retail businesses, including credit, debit, EBT, check, and gift card processing. Additionally, their offerings extended to e-commerce solutions, customer loyalty cards, and ATM processing. By 2003, the company had processed 282 million transactions, a volume that had increased by over 50% since 2001, and served 74,000 merchants.

A pivotal moment in Lynk Systems' history occurred in 2004 when it was acquired by The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) for a total consideration of $525 million. This acquisition was a strategic move for RBS to establish a merchant acquiring capability in the expansive U.S. payments market. Following the acquisition, Lynk Systems was rebranded as RBS Lynk to leverage the brand strength of its new parent company. The acquisition was seen as an opportunity for Lynk to accelerate its growth, expand its services to larger corporate clients, and potentially enter international markets.