About Us

GKST's emergency response plans are designed to ensure the safety of its employees; the continuity of client service, data and systems; and to protect client assets and assets of the company. GKST performs continuing risk assessments to mitigate all reasonable risks to GKST facilities and systems. For example:

• GKST has created back-up functionality in essential service and technological areas to mitigate the risk of site failure, system failure and the failure of vendor provided mission critical systems. GKST has developed business continuity plans for scenarios of varying severity including business interruption of mission critical vendors, the loss of systems and/or facilities for short-term and longterm periods. The GKST plans include the restoration of systems within 12 hours to complete processing of transactions pending settlement. GKST plans include trading procedures designed to minimize financial risk. Regardless of the scope of potential disruption, GKST intends to continue to provide service to its clients.
• GKST stores its essential data in an independent facility, equipped with an uninterrupted power supply and generator capability that can power the facilities and computing equipment indefinitely.
• Critical data are dynamically copied to the secondary site throughout the day and backed up each night.
• GKST has the ability to reroute phone traffic from our main facility at the Sears Tower to an alternative stand-by facility. We are prepared to occupy these stand-by facilities, which are wired and computerized, in the event of a significant business interruption.
• GKST tests its documented business resumption plans regularly – either annually or as designated by regulatory requirements.

GKST's current business interruption plans are designed to adequately protect our clients’ assets and service requirements, as well as GKST's business interests. GKST's emergency response plans and strategies are continually revisited to adjust to the dynamic nature of our business and our clients’ needs.

In the event GKST experiences a business interruption information regarding the status of the recovery process can be found on our web site www.gkst.com or by calling 1-800-GKST 111 for voicemail updates.