TransUnion - History

History

1960s - In 1968, the Union Tank Car Company, a railcar leasing operation, created TransUnion as its parent holding company. In 1969, the company acquired the Credit Bureau of Cook County (CBCC), which manually maintained 3.6 million card files in 400 seven-drawer cabinets. Soon after the acquisition of CBCC, it became the first company in the credit reporting industry to replace accounts receivable data with automated tape-to-disc transfer, drastically cutting the time and cost to update consumer files. Early in its history, the company recognized the enormous benefit that a national, online information system would bring to clients and responded with the first online information storage and retrieval data processing system. This system provided credit grantors across the country with one source for fast and valuable consumer credit information.

Over the next 40 years and more, TransUnion grew to become one of the world's leading business intelligence providers, maintaining one of the largest collections of consumer information.

1970s and 1980s - Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, TransUnion continued to expand our facilities and capabilities through investments in technology, strategic growth and acquisitions. In 1988, it achieved full coverage in the United States, maintaining and updating information on virtually every market-active consumer in the country.

1990s - Throughout the 1990s and the turn of the millennium, TransUnion extended operations beyond the credit reporting industry and business-to-business offerings. It strengthened its analytics and decisioning capabilities by acquiring one of the most powerful technologies for high-volume, individual-level decisions.

2000s - TransUnion entered the direct-to-consumer market with the acquisition of TrueCredit.com in 2002. TransUnion now help millions of consumers protect and improve their credit through easy-to-use online services.

Today, its operations extend to 32 countries worldwide.

Company Structure:

U.S. INFORMATION SERVICES

With enterprise decisioning technologies, advanced analytics and specialized market expertise, TransUnion leverages data and capabilities to help clients meet their objectives and make better decisions.

Data needs it supplies: Credit Reporting • Portfolio Management • Acquisition and Retention • Collections and Location Services • Fraud and Identity Management • Background Data Reselling • Compliance • Small Business Lending • Income and Debt Analysis • Risk-Based Pricing Solutions • Auto Lending • Fraud Response Activities

Industries its serves: Collections • Financial Services • Healthcare • Insurance • Property Management

INTERNATIONAL SERVICES

Whether it's a domestic company expanding overseas or an international company in need of a proven partner, TransUnion helps businesses and consumers around the globe meet their needs. It combines powerful information resources and extensive global expertise with regional insights and local relationships.

TransUnion capabilities: Credit Reporting • Automotive Information Services • Analytic and Decisioning Services • Commercial Services • Consumer Services

CONSUMER SERVICES

TransUnion Interactive empowers consumers with the tools, resources and education to become effective managers of their own credit health.

TransUnion capabilities: Credit Reporting and Scores • Credit Monitoring Services • FACT Act and Other Free Credit Report Disclosures • Fraud and Identity Theft Services • Consumer Credit Education

Timeline:

In 1981, TransUnion was acquired as a subsidiary of Marmon Group, a holding company formed by Jay Pritzker and Robert Pritzker. It was spun off as a separate company under Pritzker control in 2005. The wealthy Pritzker family, most famous for owning the Hyatt hotel chain, began divesting the family's assets in late 2001 following the death of Jay Pritzker. Notable major divestitures include Hyatt Hotels Corp. public in 2009 and selling majority stake in TransUnion in 2010.

In April 2010, the Pritzker family, with Penny Pritzker as TransUnion Chair, sold controlling interest of TransUnion to a new majority owner, the Chicago-based private-equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners. Madison Dearborn Partners acquired 51 percent stake in TransUnion, and the Pritzker family maintained 49 percent ownership.

It is based in Chicago, Illinois.

On February 17, 2012, Madison Dearborn Partners and the Pritzker family sold the company to Advent International and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners.