Thinking Outside the Safe Deposit Box: Florida Credit Union Members Use Biometric HandReaders
HandKey Units Provide Secure, Attendant-Free Access to Safe Deposit Box Vaults at Branches
February 28, 2005
CAMPBELL, CALIF. – February 28, 2005 – Schlage Recognition Systems, the biometric Access Control component of Ingersoll-Rand’s Security Technologies Electronic Control Systems, announced today that members at South Florida's largest credit union, Eastern Financial Florida Credit Union, are using its biometric technology to access safe deposit boxes at three of its existing branches, with plans to add the HandKey units at several to-be-built branches.
In the same way Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and other credit unions throughout North America have previously reported using HandKeys for entering deposit box vaults, the HandKeys at Eastern Financial Florida Credit Union automatically take a three-dimensional reading of the size and shape of a hand and verify the customer’s identity in less than one second. Schlage Recognition Systems was named recipient of the 2004 Application Market Penetration Leadership Award for access control and time and attendance applications in Frost & Sullivan’s study, World Biometrics Market.
"We wanted to streamline our services and increase security for our safe deposit box areas," explains Mark Holmes, Vice President of Marketing for Eastern Financial Florida Credit Union. "The HandKey units provide easy, safe access to the safe deposit boxes. Now, customers can let themselves in without waiting for someone to assist them."
HandKeys are currently placed in front of the door to the safe deposit area at credit union branches located in Boca Raton, Countryside, and Pembroke Pines in South Florida. Only one customer at a time is allowed in the safe deposit vault.
Eastern Financial officials considered other security measures, including alternative biometric technologies, but ultimately opted for hand geometry. Members need only present their hand and a personal identification number (PIN).
"We contemplated swipe cards, but people lose cards and very often put their PIN on the card, even though they are warned not to do so," reports Alex Pinsky, Vice President of Corporate Services for the credit union. "Biometrics also can’t be comprised, but we felt that iris or retinal scans were too invasive. Hand geometry was comparatively simple and it wasn't intimidating to our members."
So far the credit union has found the HandKey units to be stable and user friendly. Feedback has also been favorable from members of all ages, Pinsky adds.
Eastern Financial Florida Credit Union is using the HandKey units in conjunction with the PassVault biometric-based, self-service safe deposit box system developed by Diebold.
About Eastern Financial Florida Credit Union
Eastern Financial Florida Credit Union is the largest credit union in South Florida and ranks among the top 35 in the nation. A full-service financial institution with over $1.8 billion in assets and more than 183,000 members nationwide, Eastern Financial still acknowledges the common bond and ideals it shares with credit unions worldwide: not for profit, but for service.
About Schlage Recognition Systems
With over 80,000 hand geometry units throughout the world reading millions of hands each day, Schlage Recognition Systems, founded in 1986, is the pioneer of hand recognition technology used in access control, time and attendance and identification applications. The company is the world sales leader of biometric verification devices and serves an international clientele from its headquarters in Campbell, Calif. Its website is www.handreader.com. Phone is 408-341-4100. Schlage Recognition Systems is the biometric Access Control component of Ingersoll-Rand’s Security Technologies Electronic Control Systems. The Ingersoll Rand website is www.irco.com.
-30-
For more information…
Bill Spence Tom Brigham
IR RECOGNITION SYSTEMS BRIGHAM SCULLY
408-341-4100 818-716-9021
bill_spence@irco.com tbrigham@brighamscully.com
In the same way Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and other credit unions throughout North America have previously reported using HandKeys for entering deposit box vaults, the HandKeys at Eastern Financial Florida Credit Union automatically take a three-dimensional reading of the size and shape of a hand and verify the customer’s identity in less than one second. Schlage Recognition Systems was named recipient of the 2004 Application Market Penetration Leadership Award for access control and time and attendance applications in Frost & Sullivan’s study, World Biometrics Market.
"We wanted to streamline our services and increase security for our safe deposit box areas," explains Mark Holmes, Vice President of Marketing for Eastern Financial Florida Credit Union. "The HandKey units provide easy, safe access to the safe deposit boxes. Now, customers can let themselves in without waiting for someone to assist them."
HandKeys are currently placed in front of the door to the safe deposit area at credit union branches located in Boca Raton, Countryside, and Pembroke Pines in South Florida. Only one customer at a time is allowed in the safe deposit vault.
Eastern Financial officials considered other security measures, including alternative biometric technologies, but ultimately opted for hand geometry. Members need only present their hand and a personal identification number (PIN).
"We contemplated swipe cards, but people lose cards and very often put their PIN on the card, even though they are warned not to do so," reports Alex Pinsky, Vice President of Corporate Services for the credit union. "Biometrics also can’t be comprised, but we felt that iris or retinal scans were too invasive. Hand geometry was comparatively simple and it wasn't intimidating to our members."
So far the credit union has found the HandKey units to be stable and user friendly. Feedback has also been favorable from members of all ages, Pinsky adds.
Eastern Financial Florida Credit Union is using the HandKey units in conjunction with the PassVault biometric-based, self-service safe deposit box system developed by Diebold.
About Eastern Financial Florida Credit Union
Eastern Financial Florida Credit Union is the largest credit union in South Florida and ranks among the top 35 in the nation. A full-service financial institution with over $1.8 billion in assets and more than 183,000 members nationwide, Eastern Financial still acknowledges the common bond and ideals it shares with credit unions worldwide: not for profit, but for service.
About Schlage Recognition Systems
With over 80,000 hand geometry units throughout the world reading millions of hands each day, Schlage Recognition Systems, founded in 1986, is the pioneer of hand recognition technology used in access control, time and attendance and identification applications. The company is the world sales leader of biometric verification devices and serves an international clientele from its headquarters in Campbell, Calif. Its website is www.handreader.com. Phone is 408-341-4100. Schlage Recognition Systems is the biometric Access Control component of Ingersoll-Rand’s Security Technologies Electronic Control Systems. The Ingersoll Rand website is www.irco.com.
-30-
For more information…
Bill Spence Tom Brigham
IR RECOGNITION SYSTEMS BRIGHAM SCULLY
408-341-4100 818-716-9021
bill_spence@irco.com tbrigham@brighamscully.com
