ALBANY, N.Y. – Empire Corporate is opening a new check processing facility in Linthicum, Maryland. This will be Empire's fifth facility, scheduled to open in the first quarter next year. The new 5,280 square-feet facility will be 100% image enabled, as is the corporate's other four processing sites. A search is underway to fill positions for the new facility. “With the scheduled closing of the Richmond (Va.) Federal Reserve facility in early April, our facility will offer credit unions in the Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. areas that currently process through the Fed a competitive choice,” said Kevin A. Brauer, Empire's COO. “It's a `win-win' for credit unions and for their members who demand convenient Internet access to their checks,” said Brauer. Empire will sponsor several informative meetings throughout the region in early 2004 about Check 21, item processing and other Empire services.