Chicago firm acquires Crystal Lake-based National Gift Card Corp.

A Chicago-based private equity firm has acquired National Gift Card, one of the world’s largest and most automated business-to-business gift and prepaid card companies.

LaSalle Capital bought the company, based at 300 Millennium Drive in Crystal Lake, this summer, according to a news release on National Gift Card's website.

National Gift Card offers more than 500 physical and digital loyalty and reward gift card brands across the U.S., Canada and Europe.

“We’re excited about the growth and strategic opportunities ahead of us with our new LaSalle partners,” National Gift Card CEO Adam Van Witzenburg said in a statement. “We have established the highest levels in quality, security and capacity serving as the gift card engine for the world’s largest rewards and loyalty programs, and there’s even more we will do with LaSalle as we plan for our expansion.”

LaSalle announced that there are no planned changes with National Gift Card’s core leadership team, or the core offerings of services and products it provides to its clients and retail partners.

“In fact, we’re looking to enhance and accelerate our offering and service capabilities,” National Gift Card President Eric Thiegs said in a statement, “especially as it relates to our gift card [application programming interface] solution; we’re seeing more clients integrate with our API when needing eGift card rewards in real time for their incentive and loyalty programs.”

The company said the acquisition opens the incentive market to LaSalle and its portfolio of companies.

“Adding National Gift Card to the LaSalle family of businesses will allow us to provide additional services to National Gift Card’s clients and merchants. The National Gift Card team has built an impressive business, and we look forward to working with them to accelerate growth,” LaSalle Capital partner Ryan Anthony said in a statement.

National Gift Card was the largest independently owned gift card company exclusively serving the business community, according to the company’s website.

Among the major brands associated with the company are American Express, Visa, Amazon, Starbucks, iTunes, Best Buy, Bass Pro Shop and Nike.