By Wailin Wong | Next
Step Technology Inc., a Lisle-based company that provides information
technology to community banks, has been acquired by its competitor,
California-based Compushare Inc. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“There’s still a lot of challenges” for community banks, and the large number of troubled or closed banks has been difficult for companies such as Compushare, said chief executive Romir Bosu. But he also said that “as far as the general economic outlook, it seems like there’s a little bit more confidence, and certainly this transaction is a show of confidence.”

Compushare already had a small number of employees working out of Warrenville. They will move to Next Step’s Lisle office, which will be integrated into Compushare’s operations. The newly combined office will have about 20 employees. Next Step President Gregg Wright, who will now be Compushare’s regional director in the area, said a very small number of Next Step employees were let go in the transition.

Wright said Bosu contacted him in the spring of 2009 and more meaningful discussions began in the fall. Next Step had been looking for ways to expand, either through a partnership or a merger, Wright said.

“I felt that to take the next step – no pun intended – we needed a more national presence and to take our capabilities to the next level,” Wright said.

Bosu said Next Step was his company’s fourth acquisition and he plans to make another one in about a month.