Staff/Wire reports

Fifth Third Bank Processing Solutions has signed a five-year contract to provide credit card and debt-card processing services to Bon-Ton Stores Inc., operator of 142 department stores under the Bon-Ton and Elder-Beerman names in the Northeast and the Midwest.

Elder-Beerman has stores in Hamilton and Middletown. The deal will boost the annual transaction volume by 7.5 million for Fifth Third Bank Processing Solutions, the data-processing unit of Cincinnati-based Fifth Third Bancorp.

Parkway Products buys plastic plant

Parkway Products Inc., Erlanger-based molder of plastic and metal parts, has acquired Solvay Advanced Polymers' high-performance plastic molding plant in Atlanta. The purchase price wasn't disclosed, but Parkway, which has eight plants including one in New Burlington, said the acquisition would add about $7 million in annual revenues increasing its total sales to between $60 million and $70 million. The Atlanta plant, which employs 35, molds high-performance plastics for Tier 1 auto suppliers. Parkway's Erlanger plant now molds the same resin for the aerospace market.

Developer named to bank board

Joseph W. Schwarz, a land developer and homebuilder in Butler County, has been named to a three-year term on the board at LCNB Corp., parent of Lebanon Citizens National Bank. Schwarz runs J-II Enterprises LLC, a developer and builder of Fairfield's Village Green, a key part of that city's new downtown. Schwarz also will be a director at the bank.

Convergys wins magazine honor

Cincinnati's Convergys Corp. was named the top provider of inbound global teleservices by Customer Interaction Solutions, a monthly magazine for customer contact center managers. Convergys was also ranked as the top provider of international teleservices, second among U.S. inbound providers and third among interactive inbound providers. Companies picking high-capacity provider of telemarketing services use the magazine's rankings, based on minutes billed over 12 months, as a benchmark.

Chiquita appoints Asian-produce leader

Chiquita Brands International Inc. has appointed Chris Augustijns as president of its Asian fresh produce operations. Augustijns, 49, most recently was senior vice president of strategy and planning for Coca-Cola Japan. He will be based in Asia, the first time the company's Asia leader has been based in the region in more than a decade, Chiquita said.

Markets closed

The nation's financial markets were Monday in observance of Independence Day. Stock, commodity and mutual fund tables will resume in Wednesday's Enquirer.