|
|
| |
|
|
|
Articles from
April 2007
Fiserv’s ACCEL/Exchange® Shows Explosive Growth in the U.S. and Canada Nearly Doubling in Size
- Read more...
Leading ATM/POS network expects more expansion in 2007
The ACCEL/Exchange Network, owned and operated by Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), has experienced an “unprecedented growth spurt” in the U.S. and Canada over the last two years, according to Mike Williams, senior vice president of the ACCEL/Exchange Network. The Network, currently the United States’ third largest based on total transaction volume, signed 272 new members in 2006 and has grown its in-network transaction volume by 89% over the last two years to 455 million transactions. ACCEL/Exchange transactions are currently enabled at more than 180,000 ATMs in North America and most major merchant locations throughout the United States.
“More people are using their debit card more frequently, and it’s driving the ACCEL/Exchange Network’s growth to unprecedented levels. We expect the trend to continue in 2007. Also we debuted several new services, including DEPOSIT HERE!, our deposit sharing program that enables cardholders to make deposits at participating member ATMs, and NO SUR!, our no-surcharge program that gives cardholders access to surcharge-free ATMs,” said Williams. “By continuing to deliver outstanding network performance and value in 2007, we anticipate our rapid growth will continue.”
Membership among Canadian financial institutions has been particularly robust, increasing 228% from 2004 to 2006, Williams reports. The 246 Canadian financial institutions that participate in ACCEL/Exchange are part of FICANEX®, the exclusive licensor in Canada of all intellectual property associated with the operation of the ACCEL/Exchange Network. “The members of FICANEX, with whom we have enjoyed a successful partnership dating back two decades, are responding to our network’s value-added services. These include accessibility of THE EXCHANGE® ATMs¾of which there are more than 2,100 throughout Canada¾as well as the ability for customers to use their ACCEL/Exchange debit card to make purchases and get cash back from hundreds of thousands of merchants in the U.S.”
“Canadian cardholders also enjoy the convenience of being able to cross the border and use their debit cards in the U.S.,” said Barbara Ciarniello, board chair of FICANEX. “For example, our cross-border point-of-sale transaction volume has increased more than 500% since 2004. We are finding that cardholders are very satisfied with the convenience, and financial institutions are enthusiastically signing on to our network.”
About ACCEL/Exchange
ACCEL/Exchange is one of North America’s premier ATM/POS networks, providing financial institutions with the infrastructure for cardholder access to their funds anytime, anywhere. The network is owned and operated by Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV) through its Fiserv EFT business unit. In addition to managing ACCEL/Exchange, Fiserv EFT provides ATM and debit services to more than 2,700 financial institutions across the United States. Fiserv EFT operates more than 17,000 ATMs and currently processes approximately 450 million ATM and debit transactions per month, making it one of the largest electronic funds transfer (EFT) processors in the nation.
About Fiserv
Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), a Fortune 500 company, provides information management systems and services to the financial and insurance industries. Leading services include transaction processing, outsourcing, business process outsourcing (BPO), software and systems solutions. The company serves more than 18,000 clients worldwide and is the leading provider of core processing solutions for U.S. banks, credit unions and thrifts. Fiserv was ranked the largest provider of information technology services to the financial services industry worldwide in the 2004, 2005 and 2006 FinTech 100 surveys. Headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., Fiserv reported more than $4.5 billion in total revenue for 2006. For more information, please visit http://www.fiserv.com/.
Read Full Article
VACORP Federal Credit Union Selects Open Solutions’ Enterprise-Wide Data Processing Platform
- Read more...
Corporate credit union seeks flexible system capable of delivering specialized services
Lynchburg, Va. – based VACORP Federal Credit Union (VACORP) recently selected Open Solutions Inc.’sÒThe Complete Credit Union SolutionÒ, a relational core data processing platform for credit unions and banks, to address its enterprise-wide data processing needs. Open Solutions Inc. is a leading provider of integrated enabling technologies for financial institutions in the United States, Canada and other international markets.
As a corporate credit union, VACORP serves more than 200 credit unions and has over $1.5 billion in assets.
“Our core processing is applied differently than traditional credit unions, which serve individuals, while we serve credit unions exclusively. We needed technology that used 21st century technology to carry us into the future,” said Jim Hansen, president and CEO of VACORP. “We are moving from a one-size-fits-all approach to providing individually tailored solutions to our member credit unions. We know that Open Solutions’ core processing system can adapt to a variety of specialized service offerings.”
Open Solutions’ previous experience working with a wide variety of financial institutions was another critical deciding factor. “We already have partner financial institutions running the Open Solutions’ system,” explained Hansen. “We are expecting to gain more efficiency and cost savings by leveraging our partner relationships that are using the same system.”
Built on a powerful OracleÒ relational database, The Complete Credit Union Solution’s open architecture and customer-centric platform is designed to help financial institutions streamline both the front and back office applications with a focus on customer service. The Open Solutions core platform offers credit unions and banks a centralized view of its specific relationships with customers, employees and business partners.
“In addition to the specialized offerings we can create, we also anticipate that our member credit unions will be able to do almost all of their business with us via online connectivity,” said Hansen. “We plan to accomplish this by using Open Solutions’ e-Commerce Banker™ product. This product suite is a comprehensive package of web-enabled Internet banking and cash management tools.”
In addition to The Complete Credit Union Solution data processing platform, VACORP will be implementing Open Solutions’ Financial Accounting Suite and the deposit module to further streamline operations and improve the quality of its financial management.
Louis Hernandez, Jr., Open Solutions chairman and CEO, said, “Open Solutions’ main objective is to offer a comprehensive, enterprise-wide data processing solution that allows service institutions like VACORP to offer customizable products and services, deliver outstanding customer service and be competitive in their market. The open architecture of our platform makes it possible to support financial institutions of all sizes, including corporate credit unions. We look forward to helping them meet their goal of providing specialized banking solutions for their institutional members.”
About Open Solutions Inc. Open Solutions Inc. offers a fully featured strategic product platform that integrates core data processing applications built on a single centralized Oracle relational database, with Internet banking, cash management, CRM/business intelligence, financial accounting tools, imaging, digital documents, Check 21, interactive voice response, network services, Web hosting and design, payments and loan origination solutions. Open Solutions’ full suite of products and services allows banks, thrifts, credit unions and financial services providers in the United States, Canada and internationally to better compete in today’s aggressive financial services marketplace, and expand and tap their trusted financial relationships, client affinity, community presence and personalized service.
For more information about Open Solutions or its financial product line, contact Mickey Goldwasser by email at mgoldwasser@opensolutions.com by phone at 860.652.3153 or via fax at 860.652.3156. Visit Open Solutions’ Internet site at www.opensolutions.com.
Read Full Article
Wienerberger appoints Broadridge to aid its Shareholder Communications
- Read more...
Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR), which was officially spun off from Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (NYSE:ADP) on March 30th, has announced that Wienerberger AG, Vienna, is the latest member of its International Shareholder Communications Programme.
Wienerberger was founded in 1819 in Vienna and has traded on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1869. Since 1986 it has transformed from a local Austrian brick-maker to become the world’s largest producer of bricks and a leading supplier of clay roof tiles & paving in Europe.
As with many growth-oriented corporations Wienerberger is constantly striving to increase its level of corporate governance and shareholder participation at its general meetings. Broadridge’s International Shareholder Communications Programme has been selected by Wienerberger to service its 2007 Annual General Meeting. The Programme will facilitate the vote collection process, accurately and electronically.
“We are pleased to have selected Broadridge to service our AGM, as we take very seriously the first-class treatment of our investors and are committed to increasing meeting participation”, said Thomas Melzer, Head of Corporate Communications at Wienerberger.
About Broadridge
Broadridge is a leading global provider of technology-based outsourcing solutions to the financial services industry. Our integrated systems and services include investor communication, securities processing, and clearing and outsourcing solutions. Broadridge offers a broad, integrated suite of innovative global solutions across the investment lifecycle and provides a wide range of cost-effective and scalable solutions to the financial industry. Our systems help reduce the need for clients to make significant capital investments in operations infrastructure, thereby allowing them to increase their focus on core business activities. For more information about Broadridge, please visit www.broadridge.com.
Read Full Article
BOK Financial Selects Corillian for Next-Generation Online Banking Services
- Read more...
Corillian Corp. (NASDAQ: CORI), the top provider of online banking, payment and security solutions for the financial services industry, announced that BOK Financial has selected Corillian as its partner to enhance its consumer online banking services.
BOK Financial will leverage Corillian Consumer Banking for each of its seven bank subsidiaries to enhance the online banking experience for customers in an eight-state region. BOK Financial also will integrate Corillian Intelligent AuthenticationT into its enhanced online offerings to provide its customers with enhanced online security features to provide additional protection for their financial assets while maintaining the ease-of-use of the online banking service.
"We are committed to providing our customers with on-line product capability that is second to none," said BOK Financial Chief Information Officer Don Parker. "To best do that, we must leverage state-of-the-art technology solutions. Corillian Consumer Banking will give us the flexibility we need to provide the types of online services that our customers deserve, as well as providing us with the ability to better manage the online experience and make it more efficient."
As part of its next-generation online banking offering, BOK Financial's bank subsidiaries also will launch new and enhanced features to its customers through Corillian eStatements and Campaign Manager. Corillian eStatements gives consumers on-demand access to their account statements and other traditionally printed documents so they can review statements anytime and anywhere. Corillian Campaign Manager enables financial institutions to build and execute targeted marketing campaigns to its online customers, in real-time, with messages being displayed in predetermined areas of the Web site.
"The increasing adoption rates and evolution of online banking is a catalyst for leading-edge financial institutions like BOK Financial to optimize the online banking experience and deliver next-generation services to its customers," said Alex Hart, president and CEO of Corillian Corporation. "The comprehensive functionality and best practices available in Corillian Consumer Banking are unmatched in our industry and will enable BOK Financial to continue its innovation in the online channel while providing the flexibility, usability and performance it needs to grow with its growing online customer base."
About BOK Financial BOK Financial is a regional financial services company that provides commercial and consumer banking, investment and trust services, mortgage origination and servicing, and an electronic funds transfer network. BOK Financial has assets of $18.1 billion, loans of $11.1 billion and deposit of $12.2 billion. Holdings include Bank of Albuquerque, N.A., Bank of Arizona, N.A., Bank of Arkansas, N.A., Bank of Oklahoma, N.A., Bank of Texas, N.A., Bank of Kansas City, N.A., Colorado State Bank & Trust, N.A., BOSC,Inc., the TransFund electronic funds network, Southwest Trust Company, N.A. and AXIA Investment Management, Inc. Shares of BOK Financial are traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol BOKF. For more information, visit www.bokf.com.
About Corillian Corporation Corillian is the market leader of online banking, payment and security solutions to the financial services industry. With 30 of the top 100 U.S. banks and 21 of the top 100 U.S. credit unions as customers, Corillian serves over 35 million online banking end users. Corillian provides the most flexible, scalable and secure set of online banking applications across multiple lines of business, as well as an extensive set of integration solutions to enable seamless connectivity between legacy systems and Web and database applications. Corillian features integrated applications across Consumer Banking, Small Business Banking, Business and Consumer Payments, Wealth Management, Credit Card Management, and Corporate Cash Management, as well as enterprise wide solutions, including Fraud Detection, Alerts, eStatements, and OFX. Corillian's fraud prevention solutions use Preemptive ForensicsT to protect web sites from phishers, hackers, and fraudsters. Corillian's strong authentication solution provides a low-cost solution for multi-factor authentication while maintaining high user satisfaction. Empowered by Corillian solutions, some of the world's most visionary financial institutions provide their customers with the tools to manage their finances more effectively and securely. For more information about Corillian Corporation, visit the company's web site at http://www.corillian.com.
Read Full Article
Hyland Software Releases OnBase 6.4
- Read more...
New Release Broadens OnBase’s Ability to Connect People With Content-Centric Enterprise Processes
Hyland Software Inc. announced the release of version 6.4 of its OnBase enterprise content management (ECM) software suite. OnBase 6.4 is highlighted by new functionality to help enterprise IT departments make it easier for people to interact with content-driven business processes through their preferred web-based and desktop productivity tools. Highlights of the release include the following:
· Advanced repository services for Microsoft® Office SharePoint® Server 2007.
· Support for specification 1.0 of the Web Services for Remote Portlets (WSRP) standard.
· Support for Java-based, Apple® Macintosh® client interfaces.
· New HTML Public Access Controls to better support online self-service.
“Process improvement starts with people but, too often, information workers fail to fully embrace ECM solutions because the technology is unfamiliar to them,” said Bill Priemer, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Hyland Software. “OnBase 6.4 expands the choices we provide to information workers and other stakeholders in order to help them access content-driven processes through their preferred user experience.”
Archive Services for SharePoint represents a continuation of OnBase’s ability to extend the value of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, a popular platform for basic content services (BCS). The latest integration enables process workers to access OnBase using their familiar Microsoft Office environment. Moreover, Archive Services for SharePoint provides advanced repository services that improve the performance of SharePoint document libraries and provide additional support for compliance, retention and disaster recovery requirements.
Version 6.4 extends OnBase’s ability to support ECM strategies that must run across multiple platforms. Integration for WSRP 1.0 enables OnBase portlets to integrate with leading, Java-based enterprise portals, such as IBM® WebSphere® and BEA® WebLogic®, which support the WSRP 1.0 standard. WSRP 1.0 features a standard set of web service interfaces that allow integrated applications to quickly exploit new web services as they become available. The new Java Client for Macintosh enables information workers in markets such as higher education, where demand for Macintosh-enabled solutions is significant, to access OnBase applications within their preferred user environment.
“Hyland Software is well-known for its commitment to providing Microsoft-centric ECM solutions,” said Miguel Zubizarretta, executive vice president and chief technology officer at Hyland Software. “OnBase 6.4 underscores that we are equally committed to providing enterprise-class content and process management solutions for organizations with heterogeneous IT environments.”
OnBase 6.4 also features new HTML Public Access Controls to provide a way for an institution, such as a government agency, to securely provide online self-service access to public records such as tax documentation, land records and 311 requests. OnBase HTML Public Access Controls support a wide variety of web browsers, enabling constituents to leverage the web-based tools that are readily available to them. By granting this level of secure access to information to the public, government agencies are able to improve a constituent’s service experience.
Enhanced Functionality in OnBase 6.4
The latest version of OnBase provides enhancements to existing functionality including:
· Encrypted CD/DVD Publishing, which adds an additional layer of security to protect OnBase documents and databases published to CD/DVD media. Encryption prevents sensitive information from being viewed by unauthorized users without a correct password. This provides a secure way for organizations, such as healthcare providers and financial institutions, to transfer sensitive personal and financial information via portable media.
· Expanded support for the HL7 (Health Level 7) electronic data interchange (EDI) standard for healthcare providers through new features such as Barcode Face Sheet Generation for HL7. Many hospitals do not have the ability to generate bar code labels during the patient registration process. As a result, the individual medical record documents do not include the barcodes needed to automate the capture of specific patient information as they are being digitally scanned into an ECM repository. Barcode Face Sheet Generation for HL7 captures this information from an HL7 message and uses it to create a unique barcode cover sheet for each patient chart. Utilizing this solution allows hospitals to more accurately capture and retrieve patient documentation in support of the provider’s electronic medical record.
About Hyland Software Inc.
Established in 1991, Hyland Software Inc. is the developer of OnBase, a rapidly deployable suite of enterprise content management (ECM) software applications. OnBase is a modular suite of ECM applications that includes document imaging, workflow, electronic document management, COLD/ERM and records management. OnBase allows organizations to manage all digital content, including scanned paper documents, e-mails, faxes, print streams, application files, e-forms, Web content and multi-media files. OnBase is used by businesses and government agencies around the world to reduce the time and cost of performing important business functions and address the need for regulatory compliance through the management, control and sharing of digital content with employees, business partners, customers and other constituencies. For more information about OnBase, please contact an Authorized OnBase Solution Provider or visit www.onbase.com.
Read Full Article
Podcast interview highlights great service, technology, fun in Best Practices agencies
- Read more...
The best-performing U.S. independent insurance agencies provide great customer service, implement efficient technology, and have fun doing business, according to IIABA Best Practices information highlighted in the newest podcast produced by technology vendor Applied Systems, Inc.
Interviewed in a Leadership Series podcast posted today, Madelyn H. Flannagan, Vice President, Education and Research at IIABA (Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America), lists a number of qualities the Best Practices program found are common among the nation’s top-performing agencies. To hear the complete podcast interview, search ‘Applied Systems’ in iTunes, or visit the Appliedcast Channel at www.appliedsystems.com.
Technology is among the efficient processes implemented by the best agencies, Flannagan says. “We did a subset study last year and really looked at the technology processes of these agencies,” Flannagan says. “They are absolutely taking it to the next level. They are being very consistent in how they implement that technology. They’re doing most of that work internally, and they’re relying on their vendors to help them.”
Flannagan also discusses the IIABA’s gradual approach for agencies that want to improve their performance: “One of the things our carriers have asked us to do is implement bite-sized pieces in an online environment, so an agency can log on and say, ‘This is my particular problem; what do I do?’ Then they walk through the process and use that tool to help them. Over time and over repeated use of that system, they’ll be able to implement a whole series of Best Practices in their agencies and grow.”
Applied Systems, Inc., develops and supports insurance agency management systems and provides services for accounting, customer, policy, claims management, and all related agency functions. More than 126,000 users in 11,000 agencies of every size and complexity level use Applied Systems technology and services. The company leads the industry in agency-carrier real-time and batch communication solutions. Applied Systems automates insurance transactions at every distribution level from consumer through carrier, providing technical support and professional services to maximize customers’ return on investment.
Read Full Article
Fiserv CBS Worldwide Solution Goes Live at Banco Ahorro Famsa
- Read more...
Aggressive roll-out of branches planned at Mexican retailer
Fiserv CBS Worldwide, a business unit of Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), announced it is providing banking core, treasury, anti-money laundering and risk management solutions to BancoAhorro Famsa, Institución de Banca Múltiple, the new banking unit of one of Mexico’s largest furniture and appliance dealers, Grupo Famsa S.A. de C.V. headquartered in Monterrey, Mexico. Banco Ahorro Famsa opened its first seven bank branches in January 2007 in the city of Torreón, located in the northern state of Coahuila in Mexico, with more on the way throughout Mexico.
In August 2006, Banco Ahorro Famsa received authorization from the Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público of Mexico (SHCP) to conduct banking operations with the general public. The bank successfully completed the final certification process conducted by the supervisory government agency Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores (CNBV) in early January 2007 and was authorized to initiate operations.
The bank’s processes and procedures, as well as all Fiserv solutions, were certified as regulatory compliant, including core banking, treasury, anti-money laundering and risk management. Also certified were all the points of integration with the Mexican regulatory agencies, local ATM/POS switches, credit and debit card operations and the document clearing center.
Banco Ahorro Famsa initiated its operations offering a variety of savings, investment and loan products. The bank plans to be open seven days a week, 365 days a year from 9:00 AM until 9:00 PM.
Banco Ahorro Famsa’s chief executive officer Francisco Patiño said, “An aggressive plan is in place to complete the roll-out of bank branches in more than 300 of Grupo Famsa S.A. de C.V. stores in Mexico by year end. Our objective is to open each branch offering excellent service and providing a natural integration between our banking and commercial day-to-day operations. Our focus is to provide personal service to each of our clients and make their banking experience the best possible.”
Dan Alf, managing director of Latin America, Canada and the Caribbean, for Fiserv CBS Worldwide, said, “We congratulate Banco Ahorro Famsa and the entire team that made this project a success. Fiserv is committed to continuing to support the bank in its expansion plans and in its objectives to provide the best banking service to its clients. Fiserv ICBS, our international comprehensive banking solution, has scalability and functionality that will provide powerful support for Banco Ahorro Famsa throughout their growth. ”
About Banco Ahorro Famsa
Banco Ahorro Famsa is the new banking unit of one of Mexico’s largest furniture and appliance retailers Grupo Famsa S.A. de C.V. with operations supported through 333 stores located in 20 Mexican states and the U.S.A. Grupo Famsa S.A. de C.V., headquartered in Monterrey, Mexico, has US$1 billion in assets and is a pioneer in the implementation and administration of credit systems, which has increased their customer base and their clients’ purchasing power resulting in a profitable loan portfolio. For more information please visit http://www.bancoahorrofamsa.com/
About Fiserv CBS Worldwide
Fiserv CBS Worldwide is a unit of Fiserv Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), a Fortune 500 company that serves more than 18,000 clients in 66 countries around the world. Fiserv CBS Worldwide delivers end-to-end business and technology solutions for retail financial organizations, consumer finance institutions and credit unions throughout Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada and the United States. Through its offices in the USA, UK, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Australia, China, Indonesia, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico, Fiserv CBS Worldwide enables financial institutions globally to deliver integrated solutions for managing the entire customer relationship from core banking to multi-channel customer contact and business intelligence. Fiserv CBS Worldwide can be found on the Internet at http://www.fiservcbs.com/.
About Fiserv, Inc.
Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), a Fortune 500 company, provides information management systems and services to the financial and insurance industries. Leading services include transaction processing, outsourcing, business process outsourcing (BPO), software and systems solutions. The company serves more than 18,000 clients worldwide and is the leading provider of core processing solutions for U.S. banks, credit unions and thrifts. Fiserv was ranked the largest provider of information technology services to the financial services industry worldwide in the 2004, 2005 and 2006 FinTech 100 surveys. Headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., Fiserv reported more than $4.5 billion in total revenue for 2006. For more information, please visit www.fiserv.com.
Read Full Article
Harland Financial Solutions' Benchmark Findings Reveal Financial Institutions Struggle to Grow Existing Relationships
- Read more...
Deposit Benchmarking Analysis Uncovers Strategy Weaknesses and Opportunities to Improve Deposit Growth
Amid increased competition for deposit dollars and an uncertain deposit environment, many financial institutions are struggling to execute sound strategies for growing and retaining deposits. To address this need for sufficient funding for financial institutions, Harland Financial Solutions has introduced a new Deposit Benchmarking service. Harland Financial Solutions, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of John H. Harland Company (NYSE:JH).
Unique in the industry, Deposit Benchmarking narrows its focus on three areas: acquisition, organic growth and retention. The service is based on a national proprietary database that is updated quarterly with millions of households from financial institutions. Harland Financial Solutions’ analysis does not concentrate solely on publicly reported account level data, but instead analyzes overall household relationship information which provides insight into a financial institution’s marketing, pricing, positioning and product strategies.
“Deposit Benchmarking reveals the dynamics – the trade-offs – of a deposit strategy in ways that publicly available data cannot,” said Tom Gerry, vice president and practice manager for the Business Intelligence advisory group at Harland Financial Solutions. “It’s a solid baseline for measuring the impact of a deposit gathering strategy.”
Analyzing data at this level enables Harland Financial Solutions to work directly with the institutions to help them better understand their performance compared to their peers’ and the market, as well as make specific recommendations for performance improvement based on its observations. Additionally, Harland Financial Solutions can help identify opportunities and design strategies to improve targeting for organic growth, acquisition and/or retention of deposits based on that institution’s unique profile.
Initial Deposit Benchmarking findings indicate financial institutions continue to focus their deposit growth strategies almost exclusively on new client acquisition rather than existing client relationships. Further research reveals nearly 30 percent of new relationships leave within the first year. Given this attrition risk, these financial institutions have unknowingly implemented a precarious deposit strategy.
“Acquisition is often the preferred approach for deposit growth because it is so familiar,” explained Gerry. “But for every 10,000 households acquired, a third will leave in the first year, taking with them an average of nearly $1.5 million in interest income potential and absorbing $750 thousand in marketing and other acquisition expenses.”
With its Deposit Benchmarking offering, Harland Financial Solutions’ goal is to better educate its customers about where their strengths and weaknesses in deposit growth lie and further support their overall growth objectives.
“Deposit Benchmarking is another way Harland Financial Solutions continues to transcend the traditional client-vendor relationship,” said John O’Malley, president of Harland Financial Solutions. “This offering reinforces our position as a true strategic resource directly involved in the success and well-being of our financial institution partners.”
About Harland Financial Solutions Harland Financial Solutions ( www.harlandfinancialsolutions.com) supplies software and services to thousands of financial institutions of all sizes, offering its solutions in both an in-house and service bureau environment. The company is a leader in core systems, item processing, enterprise content management, branch automation, customer relationship management, business intelligence, origination and document solutions, risk management, compliance training, financial accounting, open documents, mortgage solutions, electronic funds transfer (EFT), self service solutions and performance advisory services.
About Harland Atlanta-based John H. Harland Company (NYSE: JH) ( www.harland.net) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “JH.” Harland is a leading provider of software and printed products to the financial institution market. Harland’s software solutions include deposit & loan origination, platform, teller, call-center, mortgage, business intelligence, core systems and customer relationship management systems. Harland’s printed products offerings include checks, direct marketing and financial forms. Scantron Corporation ( www.scantron.com), a wholly owned subsidiary, is a leading provider of software services and systems for the collection, management and interpretation of data to the financial, commercial and educational markets.
Read Full Article
Assurity Chooses COSS(R) For Worksite Enrollment System
- Read more...
The Assurity Life Insurance Company has chosen COSS Development to supply an integrated web based Worksite Enrollment system, including quoting capabilities for critical illness, cancer, hospital indemnity, disability, UL, and term life. Headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, Assurity offers a wide variety of insurance products and services designed to solve complex financial problems for individuals, families, and businesses.
“We are excited about continuing our relationship with COSS,” states Susan Keisler-Munro, Senior Vice President, Chief of Operations at Assurity. “Having worked with COSS in the past, we know what kind of expertise they bring to the table. Their technology and commitment to our long-term success made them a logical choice for this initiative.”
COSS is an employee-owned technology company serving the financial services industry with point-of-sale solutions. Founded in 1987, COSS offers a complete suite of solutions, including product illustrations, electronic forms, worksite marketing, needs analysis, advanced marketing, and interactive agent training.
“We’re delighted to be working with Assurity again on this important project,” says Jay Stevens, Sr. VP of Sales and Chief Marketing Officer at COSS. “We recognized long ago that the Worksite Marketing space was important to many insurance carriers and we dedicated significant resources to building a collaborative web/desktop environment that meets the needs of the producer, home office, and field manager.”
For more information about COSS, contact:
David J. Ruggerio Phone: 800-776-7087
Director of Marketing Fax: 704-987-1228
9820 NorthCross Center Court E-Mail: daver@coss.com
Huntersville, NC 28078 Web: www.coss.com
Read Full Article
Fiserv SourceOne Announces Next Generation Branch Automation Solution
- Read more...
Fiserv SourceOne, a business unit of Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV) announced its next generation automated deposit account module using the Fiserv Aperio solution. Developed by Fiserv CBS Worldwide, Fiserv Aperio is available to clients of SourceOne, Fiserv CBS Worldwide, and banks using non-Fiserv core processing systems.
Fiserv Aperio supports the SourceOne strategy, which is to build best-practice workflows for key banking processes so that client banks can receive immediate value upon deployment of the solution. Fiserv Aperio offers financial institutions a business process automation framework that provides an ideal environment for efficiency gains through business process management. Developed by SourceOne and CBS USA in collaboration with clients, the Fiserv Aperio new account system delivers unprecedented efficiencies to the retail branch automation space.
Dave Santi, president, Fiserv CBS USA and SourceOne, said, “The new account process automates routine decisions, streamlines account opening steps, and provides prompts and guidance that enable financial institutions to sell and service end customers more effectively.”
“Retail banking trends show a need for next generation branch automation solutions that deliver business process optimization. By developing Fiserv Aperio, Fiserv is able to deliver an innovative financial services solution that benefits our clients and their customers and enables all financial institutions to improve customer service, generate operational efficiencies and better manage risk,” said Tony Catalfano, president, Fiserv CBS Worldwide. Through a single customer view, Fiserv Aperio helps financial institutions enhance the customer experience by combining consistency of process and data for more customized service.
The Fiserv Aperio new account system resulted from collaboration between several Fiserv business units in the renewed focus and commitment to meeting clients’ needs, described as Fiserv 2.0. Santi explained, “This is a good example of Fiserv 2.0 and a major success for SourceOne. Fiserv CBS Worldwide and SourceOne joined resources and invested in the development of Fiserv Aperio, an enterprise-wide, thin client solution that encompasses process-based customer interaction management, automated engagement history, and role-based workflow automation.”
SourceOne is working with early adopters and anticipates deployment in the third quarter of 2007. First implementations will include new deposit accounts, stop payment processing, check orders, ATM debit card maintenance, customer maintenance and customer interaction management workflows.
About Fiserv SourceOne
Fiserv SourceOne helps banks grow by partnering with clients to deliver customized technology outsourcing solutions. SourceOne delivers competitive advantage by combining industry leadership and a client-centric, consultative approach. The comprehensive SourceOne solution is delivered via a browser, enhanced with advanced architecture and includes a full suite of deposit, loan, financial management, data warehouse and contact management products. SourceOne can be found on the Internet at www.fiservsourceone.com.
About Fiserv CBS Worldwide
Fiserv CBS Worldwide is a unit of Fiserv Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), a Fortune 500 company that serves more than 18,000 clients in 66 countries around the world. Fiserv CBS Worldwide delivers end-to-end business and technology solutions for retail financial organizations, consumer finance institutions and credit unions throughout Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada and the United States. Through its offices in the USA, UK, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Australia, China, Indonesia, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico, Fiserv CBS Worldwide enables financial institutions globally to deliver integrated solutions for managing the entire customer relationship from core banking to multi-channel customer contact and business intelligence. Fiserv CBS Worldwide can be found on the Internet at www.fiservcbs.com.
Read Full Article
LendingTools.com Announces New ACH Risk Management Product
- Read more...
LendingTools.com, a leading application service provider (ASP) for correspondent institutions and community financial institutions, announced at NACHA Payments 2007 the availability of ExtraNet FP ACH Risk Management. The new product is delivered as an integrated module of the company’s successful ExtraNet Financial Portal in use by over 2,000 community financial institutions for internal and corporate cash management services.
ACH transactions and dollar volumes continue to grow at double-digit rates. The ACH Risk Management module provides a comprehensive, integrated platform to monitor the growing and increasingly complex business of ACH origination. With the new OCC guidelines for monitoring ACH risk, it is more important than ever for community financial institutions, as well as their correspondent institutions, to implement tools that help monitor the risks associated with ACH activities. LendingTools.com’s ExtraNet FP ACH Risk Management solution will help community financial institutions comply with ACH risk management guidelines with one simple, integrated platform.
“Designed specifically for community financial institutions, ExtraNet FP ACH Risk Management is a new component of our transactional portal platform offering,” explained Eric Goering, president and CEO of LendingTools.com. “With our ACH Risk Management system, community financial institutions will have more visibility and control over their ACH origination activities than ever before. With improved risk management, they will be able to increase their fee income by pursuing new ACH origination customers.”
LendingTools.com is an exhibitor at NACHA Payments 2007. The conference is taking place at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. During the conference, attendees may receive additional information about ExtraNet FP ACH Risk Management at the LendingTools.com exhibit booth.
About LendingTools.com
LendingTools.com, Inc. specializes in the design and delivery of web-based applications for the financial services industry and delivers them through correspondent processing organizations. Its OnWe Network provides a low cost option for community bank image exchange through a series of OnWe Network Community Hosts. Over 2,000 financial institutions utilize one or more LendingTools.com services daily to originate and process ACH, wire, and imaged check transactions valued in excess of one billion dollars. LendingTools.com, Inc. is a privately-held Kansas corporation, and was founded by and is operated by bankers. LendingTools.com maintains two offices and data centers in Kansas and an office in Dallas, Texas. Please visit www.LendingTools.com and www.OnWe.com for more information.
Read Full Article
Broadridge receives two industry awards in its first week of trading
- Read more...
Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR), which was officially spun off from Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (NYSE:ADP) on March 30th, has received two awards at the annual Systems in the City Awards ceremony at the House of Lords in London.
For the second year in succession, the Gloss international securities transaction processing solution has won the award for Best Institutional Settlement System.
Also, Mark Dunstan, Senior Director, Sales, won the award for Sales Executive of the Year.
The award winners were selected by an independent panel of judges representing senior management from the UK Securities industry.
Stephen Pinner, Managing Director of Summerson Goodacre said: “We have again seen a substantial increase in the number of nominations for these Awards which are highly respected within the securities industry. Systems companies are under constant pressure to ensure that their products and services are kept in line with the changing needs of users and significant regulatory changes. It is fitting that firms are recognised in this way for their contributions and support for the financial services industry”.
About Broadridge
Broadridge is a leading global provider of technology-based outsourcing solutions to the financial services industry. Our integrated systems and services include investor communication, securities processing, and clearing and outsourcing solutions. Broadridge offers a broad, integrated suite of innovative global solutions across the investment lifecycle and provides a wide range of cost-effective and scalable solutions to the financial industry. Our systems help reduce the need for clients to make significant capital investments in operations infrastructure, thereby allowing them to increase their focus on core business activities. For more information about Broadridge, please visit www.broadridge.com.
Read Full Article
Xactware Donates ILX Construction Training to 100 Homes in 100 Days
- Read more...
Xactware recently announced that it has provided access to their ILX Construction Training program free of charge to 100 Homes in 100 Days, a nonprofit organization that will rebuild or renovate 100 homes in Mississippi that were damaged as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
Hundreds of volunteers from across the country have gathered to help rebuild and renovate 100 homes in a five-block radius of Pascagoula, Mississippi. These volunteers range from college students on spring break to skilled professionals. ILX Construction Training will be of particular benefit to volunteers with little or no construction experience. They will learn the construction methods that will enable them to contribute immediately to the progress of the project.
“ILX Construction Training has been implemented as a required course of training for my own company,” says Construction Coordinator Christopher Fossett of GreenLeaf Consulting, LLC. “Having seen the benefits it has provided to my own organization, I am confident it will be of even greater benefit for this worthy cause.”
Xactware’s ILX Construction Training is the award-winning pioneer in multimedia construction training for the residential and light-construction industries. Volunteers will have access to the online version of the program, which allows them to learn all aspects of residential construction at their own pace, for the duration of the event.
“The hurricanes along the Gulf Coast destroyed the homes and lives of many,” says Jim Loveland, CEO of Xactware. “Xactware is excited to support the rebuilding efforts by providing our ILX Construction Training program to 100 Homes in 100 Days and their volunteers who are working tirelessly to reach this goal.”
About Xactware Solutions, Inc.
Xactware Solutions, Inc., (Xactware) is a wholly owned subsidiary of ISO specializing in the property insurance, remodeling, and restoration industries. Xactware’s technology tools include software estimating programs for PCs and tablet PCs, as well as powerful online systems for replacement-cost calculations, estimate tracking, and data trending in real time.
For more information about ILX Construction Training or Xactware’s other products and services, contact Xactware at 1-800-424-9228 or send e-mail to xsales@xactware.com.
About ISO
ISO is a leading provider of products and services that help measure, manage, and reduce risk. ISO provides data, analytics, and decision-support solutions to professionals in many fields, including insurance, finance, real estate, health services, government, and human resources. Clients use ISO’s databases and services to classify and evaluate a variety of risks and detect potential fraud. In the United States and around the world, ISO’s services help customers protect people, property, and financial assets.
About 100 Homes in 100 Days
The 100 Homes in 100 Days project consists of a group of five hurricane-relief organizations leading an effort to rebuild 100 homes in 100 calendar days, addressing the biggest issue remaining in Katrina recovery — lack of affordable housing. The new homes will be LEED Certified green, hurricane-proof, and have better indoor air quality than typical homes. The project will take place in Pascagoula, Mississippi, beginning March 26, with completion expected on the 4th of July. More than 120 volunteers from across the country will lend their skills and expertise.
Volunteer organizations active in the Gulf Coast recovery can join the effort by providing labor, coordinating assistance, and/or sharing resources. Please contact volunteers@100homes100days.com for more information.
Be sure to visit our interactive website at www.iso.com.
Read Full Article
KULABYTE AND AMD TO DEMONSTRATE WORLD'S FASTEST VIDEO ENCODING SOLUTION AT NAB 2007
- Read more...
Kulabyte Professional Encoding Suite running AMD OpteronT processor-based servers outperforms competitor's best multi-core offering by 60%
KulabyteT, a leading provider of advanced audio and video processing technologies, and AMD, Inc. (NYSE: AMD) announced that the Kulabyte Professional Encoding Suite powered by Dual-Core AMD OpteronT processors in an 8-socket server configuration is the industry's fastest video encoder solution utilizing standard codec engines like On2 Flash, VC-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4.
Kulabyte's TimeSliceT technology delivers faster than real-time encoding, noticeably improved picture quality and significant bandwidth savings, while utilizing industry standard codec engines. When deployed with dual-core AMD Opteron processors, tests show that 16-core encoding servers deliver a 60% increase in speed and efficiency over competitive multi-core processing platforms, which are currently limited to a maximum of 8-cores in a single server. Digital media creators can encode, and distribute digital content at speeds more than 12 times faster than industry-standard codec times at comparable prices.
"AMD has engineered multi-core processors with the performance advantages of their Direct Connect Architecture. They are ideally suited to the multi-platform production environment, and the Kulabyte solution represents a key catalyst for the rapid increase in digital video encoding productivity, speed and quality," said Rick Doherty, president of industry analyst firm Envisioneering. "A truly open-standards approach to video encoding, with a PC-based architecture, enables a very broad spectrum of content-holders and producers to cost-effectively encode and distribute video over multiple networks. This is the right approach to the expanding digital video universe."
Whether uploading to user-generated Web sites, transporting over broadcast, cable, or satellite networks, or encoding for file storage, professional DVD authoring houses, post-production facilities, television studios, film archives, user-generated Web sites, and mobile video producers can benefit from the Kulabyte solution powered by AMD Opteron processors. The advantages of faster encoding are particularly desirable for time-sensitive content such as news, sports and live broadcasting as well as the explosion of consumer generated video content on the Web and mobile platforms.
These AMD advantages scale and become greater as more AMD processor cores are added to the encode pipeline resulting in greater customer benefit. With Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors, code-named "Barcelona," on the horizon, Kulabyte plans to scale a single video encode solution from a current industry-leading 16 cores to 32 cores. The Kulabyte solution powered by AMD Opteron processors consistently outperforms the competition in SD and HD video compression by as much as 10% in similarly configured comparisons, when tested against the same number of cores.
"The professional video industry is at a crossroads as high-definition video, mobile video, and Internet video formats create tremendous demands for rapid workflow," said Chris Gottschalk, president and chief technology officer at Kulabyte. "Kulabyte and AMD can jointly address these issues with standards-based, off-the-shelf solutions that are affordable and here today." Said Charlie Boswell, director of Digital Media and Entertainment for AMD, "Kulabyte's innovative approach to video encoding takes advantage of the superior scalability of AMD Direct Connect Architecture and together these customer-centric technologies solve one of the biggest problems faced by content owners both large and small in the digital media age."
Kulabyte Professional Encoding Suite is a patent-pending multi-core encoding system that can operate using most OEM standards-based video codecs and will be demonstrated at NAB 2007 using AMD Opteron processors. Please visit the Kulabyte Booth SL13713 in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention center during the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) 2007 convention, April 16-19.
For further information about Kulabyte, please visit the company Web site at www.kulabyte.com.
About Kulabyte Kulabyte LLC. is a leading developer of advanced video processing technologies. Based in San Marcos, Texas, Kula Media Group's engineering and management team is focused on delivering the fastest video encoding solution in the industry, while also achieving the highest video quality available. For further information, please visit the company Web site at www.kulabyte.com.
About AMD Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) is a leading global provider of innovative processing solutions in the computing, graphics and consumer electronics markets. AMD is dedicated to driving open innovation, choice and industry growth by delivering superior customer-centric solutions that empower consumers and businesses worldwide. For more information, visit www.amd.com.
Read Full Article
Open Solutions Inc. Announces Plans To Acquire Fincentric Corporation
- Read more...
Financial Services Provider to Further Expand Its Global Market Presence
Open Solutions Inc.®, a leading provider of integrated data processing technologies for banks, credit unions and other financial service providers across the United States, Canada and other international markets, announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Canadian-based Fincentric Corporation, a leading provider of core retail banking and customer value management software to the global financial services industry. This acquisition, which is subject to final approval by Fincentric’s shareholders, is expected to close within the next 30 – 45 days. Open Solutions believes this transaction will further enable it to expand its product offerings and market presence in the Canadian and global marketplaces. Fincentric will become part of Open Solutions Canada -- which is headed by its President, Blair Goulet. Fincentric will continue to operate from its location just outside of Vancouver in Richmond, British Columbia.
Open Solutions and Fincentric both serve the financial services marketplace with an emphasis on providing financial institutions with a distinct technological, service and competitive advantage.
“We believe that becoming part of Open Solutions will provide Fincentric with an excellent opportunity to continue our success in providing innovative solutions to the financial services marketplace,” said Robert Nygren, Fincentric Corporation’s President and CEO. “Open Solutions is highly recognized in the financial services arena. They have garnered an excellent reputation in the industry and have demonstrated focused leadership in proactively meeting the technological and service needs of the industry and their clients. We are looking forward to joining and working with Open Solutions as we continue to serve the needs of the financial services industry.”
Open Solutions intends to leverage each company’s strengths and experience to develop additional product offerings, new technologies and applications.
“Open Solutions and Fincentric share a common commitment to providing the financial services marketplace with open, relational and innovative products and services,” said Blair Goulet, president, Open Solutions Canada. “Fincentric also shares Open Solutions’ outlook on the importance of client service. They bring a financial industry knowledgeable and highly-skilled employee base that will fully complement our own efforts within the industry.”
“We are very pleased to announce, today, our agreement to acquire Fincentric Corporation,” said Open Solutions Chairman and CEO, Louis Hernandez, Jr. “. Our two organizations are dedicated to serving the ongoing needs of the financial services industry and the addition of Fincentric to our team will further enable our company to expand our market presence and reach within the financial services sector. With all our acquisitions, we seek to add key strategic organizations that allow us to meet our long-term strategic goals, complement our own organic growth, culturally fit into our organization and enable us to better serve the financial services industry. Fincentric, with a similar business and technology oriented philosophy and a desire to continually serve the needs of its clients and the marketplace, is clearly such an organization. All of us at Open Solutions are looking forward to welcoming Fincentric’s employees and clients to the Open Solutions family.”
About Fincentric Corporation
Fincentric Corporation provides technology and services solutions that help financial institutions automate key business processes to drive operational efficiencies, increase revenues and improve customer satisfaction. Our teams and our high-performance technologies have been supporting well over 160 financial institutions on 5 continents for more than 23 years. For more information about Fincentric, please visit www.fincentric.com.
About Open Solutions Inc.
Open Solutions Inc. offers a fully featured strategic product platform that integrates core data processing applications built on a single centralized Oracle relational database, with Internet banking, cash management, CRM/business intelligence, financial accounting tools, imaging, digital documents, Check 21, interactive voice response, network services, Web hosting and design, and payment and loan origination solutions. Open Solutions’ full suite of products and services allows banks, thrifts, credit unions and financial services providers in the United States, Canada and internationally to better compete in today’s aggressive financial services marketplace, and expand and tap their trusted financial relationships, client affinity, community presence and personalized service.
For more information about Open Solutions or its financial product line, contact Mickey Goldwasser by email at by phone at 860.652.3153 or via fax at 860.652.3156. Visit Open Solutions’ Internet site at www.opensolutions.com.
Read Full Article
First Celero Solutions Client Successfully Implements Open Solutions’ Core Technology
- Read more...
During the weekend of March 17, 2007, Alberta, Canada-based Chinook Credit Union became the first Celero® Solutions client to migrate to the eroWORKS® Retail Banking platform powered by Open Solutions Inc.’s® The Complete Credit Union Solution®. Open Solutions Inc. is a leading provider of integrated enabling technologies for financial service providers in the United States, North America and international markets. Celero Solutions is a licensed reseller of Open Solutions’ technology solutions under its private-labelled brand name eroWORKS Retail Banking System.
“The implementation of the eroWORKS Retail Banking System at Chinook Credit Union was the culmination of months of preparation by the dedicated teams from the credit union, Open Solutions and Celero,” said Dan Delaloye, CEO, Celero Solutions. “The migration process to the new core banking system was executed seamlessly thanks to the hard work, co-operation and dedication demonstrated by everyone involved in the project.”
Chinook Credit Union is a full-service financial institution serving more than 18,000 members in seven communities located southeast of Calgary, Alberta. Tom Mossing, Chinook Credit Union’s CEO, described the atmosphere during the migration weekend as one of excitement and anticipation.
“The migration was truly a team effort between Chinook Credit Union, Celero and Open Solutions,” said Mossing, adding that planning was key to the credit union’s smooth transition from its legacy system to the eroWORKS platform. “With the successful conversion complete, Chinook Credit Union is positioned to leverage the eroWORKS Retail Banking System to further build on our proud history of excellent customer service to our members.”
Blair Goulet, president of Open Solutions Canada, commended both Celero Solutions and Chinook Credit Union on achieving this very important milestone in a project that will see the eroWORKS Retail Banking platform rolled out to more than 120 credit unions in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. “The migration of Chinook Credit Union is a significant first step in a journey that in the coming months will transform the technology landscape in the Canadian credit union industry. Congratulations to Chinook Credit Union on its diligent work, unwavering focus and enthusiasm in its role as the pilot institution. Congratulations also to Celero on its leadership of this project and for demonstrating why it is a service and technology leader in the Canadian credit union system. Open Solutions is proud to have been a part of this implementation.”
Open Solutions Chairman and CEO, Louis Hernandez, Jr., said, “Congratulations to all those involved in the successful implementation at Chinook Credit Union. It was a team effort among Chinook, Open Solutions and Celero to roll out this relational banking suite and we look forward to continuing to support Celero Solutions’ initiative to offer the eroWORKS Retail Banking System to its clients. Open Solutions is committed to leading the move toward open, relational and flexible technologies in Canadian financial institutions and it is exciting to watch as our momentum grows across Canada. We are proud to have Celero as a key reseller of our technology in Canada and we value our relationship with this progressive, innovative organization and the credit unions it serves.”
About Open Solutions Inc.
Open Solutions Inc. offers a fully featured strategic product platform that integrates core data processing applications built on a single centralized Oracle® relational database with Internet banking, cash management, CRM/business intelligence, financial accounting tools, imaging, Check 21, digital document, interactive voice response, network services, Web hosting and design, payments and loan origination solutions. Open Solutions’ full suite of products and services allows banks, thrifts, credit unions and financial service providers in the United States and Canada to better compete in today’s aggressive financial services marketplace, and expand and tap their trusted financial relationships, client affinity, community presence and personalized service.
For more information about Open Solutions or its financial product lines, contact Mickey Goldwasser by email at mgoldwasser@opensolutions.com by phone at 860.652.3153 or via fax at 860.652.3156. Visit Open Solutions’ Internet site at http://www.opensolutions.com/.
About Celero Solutions Celero® Solutions is committed to finding “fresh” approaches to information technology for the Canadian credit union system. Serving primarily its parent organizations and credit unions in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Celero has over 300 information technology professionals who offer expertise in technology solutions that advance and support the operations of over 200 clients. Celero Solutions was formed in 2003 by Credit Union Central of Alberta, Credit Union Central of Saskatchewan, Credit Union Central of Manitoba, CU Electronic Transaction Services (CUETS) and Concentra Financial, and has offices in Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.
About Chinook Credit Union The Chinook Credit Union Ltd is a dynamic, full-service financial institution serving the communities located southeast of Calgary. It meets the banking needs of more than 18,000 members, employs more than 120 people, and provides the best of community support to the surrounding areas. It is secure and well capitalized to meet the challenges of the future including its commitment to provide exceptional service to its member-owners.
Read Full Article
Hyland Software Surpasses 200th Insurance Client
- Read more...
More insurers using OnBase® enterprise content management to gain efficiencies
Hyland Software, rapidly becoming the top content management choice among insurance carriers, brokers and agencies in both Life and Property & Casualty industries, recently passed the 200th customer mark as it continues to attract insurance clients with its OnBase® enterprise content management (ECM) software solution.
ECM solutions benefit insurers by reducing costly and inefficient processes. The OnBase ECM solution allows insurance companies to control, manage and improve their internal business processes by addressing content management needs in each business area including new business, underwriting, claims and customer service. Insurers that have recently chosen OnBase include Accident Fund Insurance Company, Lansing, Mich; Gulfshore Insurance, Naples, Fla.; and Aioi Insurance Co, Toyko, Japan. OnBase solutions have been deployed to more than 6,000 organizations worldwide to help these businesses operate more effectively and efficiently.
“We understand an insurance company’s need to streamline business processes and reduce paper handling in order to provide excellent customer service. Our growing insurer client base underscores the impact OnBase is making in delivering process improvements to insurer operations,” said Tim Tallaksen, Director of Insurance Solutions for Hyland Software. “We know insurers need to maintain or exceed the strict service level agreements they have in place. Our goal is to help them satisfy their agreements, improve the customer service experience and control cost using fewer resources. After all, it’s not about controlling the paper, it’s about managing the process.”
The OnBase ECM solution is a scalable, open application that works across the enterprise and is easily integrated into existing insurance systems such as policy administration and claims handling. Using OnBase, insurers can make informed decisions about work distribution as well as setting authorization rules and producing management productivity reports. Insurers can manage workflows securely without requiring costly and inflexible custom programming for their existing systems.
According to recent U.S. AM Best reports, the insurance market is estimated at 5,520 carriers. Hyland’s expansion in this vertical demonstrates the growing interest insurers are taking in leveraging ECM solutions to improve their business processes.
About Hyland Software Inc.
Established in 1991, Hyland Software Inc. is the developer of OnBase, a rapidly deployable suite of enterprise content management (ECM) software applications. OnBase is a modular suite of ECM applications that includes document imaging, workflow, electronic document management, COLD/ERM and records management. OnBase allows insurance carriers, managed general agents, and third party administrators to streamline processes and improve service levels across the enterprise, including strategic areas such as new business, underwriting, claims, regulatory compliance support and customer service. For more information about OnBase, please contact an OnBase Authorized Solution Provider or visit www.onbase.com.
Read Full Article
Chittenden Corporation Selects WAUSAU for Wholesale Lockbox Solution
- Read more...
Leading Financial Institution Seeks to Increase Customer Base through Enhanced Offerings
WAUSAU, the industry leader in distributed payment and document processing, announced that Vermont-based Chittenden Corporation has selected WAUSAU as its end-to-end remittance solutions provider. Chittenden, one of the largest financial services companies in Northern New England, will utilize WAUSAU’s industry-leading ImageRPS application for its wholesale lockbox processing operation. ImageRPS will allow Chittenden to perform ARC and Image Exchange, reduce manual keying, enhance its accounts receivable functions, provide additional customer-required billing features, and increase revenue in new markets.
In addition to selecting WAUSAU’s ImageRPS application for wholesale lockbox, Chittenden Corporation is also working with WAUSAU to add additional features and functionality to its existing retail lockbox operations running on WAUSAU’s ImageRPS application.
The ImageRPS solution offers advanced transaction technology that is flexible and scalable for the customer, whether an organization receives reoccurring business or personal checks, partial or full remittance payments, or single-check or full-page transactions.
With the goal of securing ARC and Image Exchange capabilities for both retail and wholesale lockbox, Chittenden selected WAUSAU as a business partner, based on WAUSAU’s reputation and significant experience in the remittance industry. Chittenden plans to take advantage of the Web Exceptions module in its retail lockbox solution, allowing for the posting of exception items on a secure Web-based browser for review both internally and at client sites.
With more corporate customers seeking additional account information from invoices and stubs at the point-of-receipt, Chittenden Corporation will now be able to offer its customers the additional benefits of full-page optical character recognition and reduced key strokes with the ImageRPS Wholesale Lockbox solution.
“Because we are currently processing retail remittance payments on the ImageRPS application, we already knew that WAUSAU is the premier remittance provider, and, when you have the best provider in the industry, it would have been very difficult to change our remittance processing application,” said Janet Vita, Vice President - Lockbox Manager for Chittenden Services Group. “With the addition of wholesale lockbox, we will be able to tailor our lockbox services on an individual customer basis, while continuing to process retail payments in a more automated environment.”
“We are very excited to enhance our relationship with Chittenden Corporation by providing a flexible and scalable remittance processing system that offers Chittenden advanced features and functionality for retail lockbox,” said Patrick Brezezinski, Vice President - Remittance Solutions for WAUSAU. “The addition of wholesale lockbox is positioning Chittenden for increased customer growth, while providing the ability to increase its annual revenue through additional billing modules that are customizable to each customer.”
About Chittenden Corporation Chittenden Corporation, a $6.4 billion multi-bank holding company, is one of the largest financial services companies in northern New England. With more than 120 offices and 2,000 employees throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and Connecticut, Chittenden serves the banking, insurance and investment needs of a quarter million households, businesses, municipalities and non-profit organizations.
About WAUSAU
WAUSAU is a premier provider of payment and remittance processing solutions, serving businesses of all types to develop strategies that move money faster. With its products, services and consulting, WAUSAU works with customers to speed check processing, electronic presentment, ACH payments, transaction processing, distributed capture and enterprise content management. WAUSAU’s innovative solutions provide results for a wide range of organizations including financial institutions, insurance companies, utilities, retail businesses and governmental agencies. Find more information about WAUSAU at http://www.wausaufs.com/
Read Full Article
Yates, Polansky first voices in new podcast Leadership Series from Applied Systems
- Read more...
Jeffrey M. Yates and Brady Polansky are the first two industry experts featured in The Leadership Series, a podcast forum that highlights timely topics for the independent insurance agent and broker community.
The new series is produced by Applied Systems, Inc., developer of insurance agency and broker management systems. Series host is Peter van Aartrijk, Jr., managing director of The van Aartrijk Group, a communications firm specializing in the insurance and financial sectors.
Yates, executive director of the Agents Council for Technology (ACT), discusses how ACT has identified current industry trends and related must-do activities that will affect the independent agent and broker channel. Polansky, agency operations director, Westfield Insurance Group, discusses how major bottom-line impact can result from even small improvements in communications efficiencies between agents/brokers and their carriers.
Leadership Series podcasts are available for free download from iTunes® and as audio files at www.appliedsystems.com. Each podcast features an insurance professional being interviewed about news and issues relevant to agents, brokers, carriers, and others. The series is the first of its kind produced by an agency management technology company.
Upcoming podcasts include interviews with:
- Madelyn Flannagan, vice president of Education and Research, Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (IIABA)
- Alvito Vaz, IT director, The Progressive Group
- Doug Johnston, executive vice president, Applied Systems Interface Services
- Donna Barr, assistant vice president, Marsh Private Client Services
- Robert G. Slocum, president, The Slocum Agency, Inc., Warwick, RI, and ACT chair
“Applied Systems is happy to make these podcast interviews accessible not only for our customers, but for everyone in the independent agent and broker universe,” said Rick Morgan, Applied Systems senior vice president of Marketing and Strategic Services. “We look forward to The Leadership Series becoming a dependable resource for insurance practitioners to hear the voices of insurance leaders who can have significant influence on the business and success of independent agents and brokers.”
Applied Systems, Inc., develops and supports insurance agency management systems and provides services for accounting, customer, policy, claims management, and all related agency functions. More than 126,000 users in 11,000 agencies of every size and complexity level use Applied Systems technology and services. The company leads the industry in agency-carrier real-time and batch communication solutions. Applied Systems automates insurance transactions at every distribution level from consumer through carrier, providing technical support and professional services to maximize customers’ return on investment. www.appliedsystems.com
Read Full Article
REUTERS TRADE AND RISK MANAGEMENT TARGETS ASIA PACIFIC WITH FIVE NEW KONDOR DEALS IN Q1
- Read more...
Reuters Trade and Risk Management has signed five major trade deals in the Asia Pacific region for Kondor systems in the first quarter of 2007. This adds to the 140 existing customers serviced by Reuters in thirteen countries across the region. Following on from the sale announced recently at New South Wales Treasury Corporation (TCorp), four more banks are now planning installations of Reuters Kondor systems.
Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company (Metrobank) The largest commercial bank in the Philippines, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company (Metrobank) is implementing a centralised market risk system to effectively manage risk exposure and meet requirements set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the central bank of the Philippines.
Bernardito M. Lapuz, Head of Risk Management of Metrobank, said, "We are enhancing our capabilities in analysing market and counterparty risks to meet the demands of our growing business. We welcome this opportunity to work with Reuters who come with many references in the Philippines, in Asia and worldwide."
Korea Exchange Bank
Korea Exchange Bank, the largest foreign exchange bank in Korea, is upgrading to the latest version of Kondor+ 3.0 for its front office, including a number of new modules for derivatives trading, structured products and risk management. Korea Exchange Bank reviewed a number of other systems before selecting Reuters to take advantage of the enhanced derivatives functionalities added through the acquisition of Application Networks with JRisk in 2006.
Mr. Kim Hee Dong, Head of Financial Products & Engineering Team, Korea Exchange Bank, said: "We decided to select Kondor+ for derivatives trading from amongst various other competitors because we felt that the combination of superior functionality and excellence in project delivery would guarantee a successful outcome for our project."
Bank of East Asia (Shanghai)
Establishing a new trading room in Shanghai, Bank of East Asia has signed a contract with Reuters to leverage on their existing Kondor front, middle and back office system in Hong Kong while building up a strategic move into mainland China.
A major Hong Kong based bank
Reuters has signed an agreement with a long-term client in Hong Kong to provide consultancy services to create a hot backup disaster recovery service for its Kondor applications. An important part of business contingency planning, this project enables the bank’s treasury and risk management team to switch to the disaster recovery site within a short time frame and continue trading and real-time limit management without any interruption, thus reducing operation risks.
New South Wales Treasury Corporation (TCorp)
Following an extensive selection process New South Wales Treasury Corporation (TCorp) recently chose Reuters Kondor+ and its integrated Middle and Back Office modules to support its requirements for trade and risk management. TCorp is the central financing authority for the New South Wales public sector and a leading issuer of semi-government securities in the Australian market. TCorp is replacing their existing systems with Kondor+ to provide deal capture, risk management and straight through processing across all asset classes, integrated with Reuters Kondor Global Risk for pre-trade credit limit management.
About the Reuters Kondor Suite
The Kondor suite of products consolidates the full range of trade and risk management tools from front to back office, real-time across all asset classes and instrument types onto one single platform. It provides industry-leading tools such as pre-trade counterparty credit limit control management and extremely flexible and configurable workflow management for the Back Office, which can easily handle even complex derivatives and structured products.
Combined with Reuters’ industry leading real time market data services and information management tools and applications, Reuters provides the complete range of information and technology solutions required throughout the trade cycle.
Read Full Article
ASSET CONTROL ANNOUNCES INVESTMENT FROM FIDELITY VENTURES, INSTALLS PHIL LYNCH AS CEO, AND CONCURRENTLY ACQUIRES TAP SOLUTIONS
- Read more...
Company Positioned for Next Stage of Growth to Extend International Leadership in Delivering Data Access and Management Solutions to Financial Institutions of All Sizes
Asset Control, the leading provider of Centralized Data ManagementT (CDM) solutions to the financial services industry, announced that Fidelity Ventures has taken a majority investment in the company.
The company also said that Phil Lynch, former CEO of Reuters Americas and a Venture Partner with Fidelity Ventures, will succeed Ger Rosenkamp as CEO and President. Lynch will focus on leading the company's next phase of growth. Rosenkamp, who founded the company in 1991 and has led the firm to its current leadership position, will continue to serve Asset Control as Chairman of the Board. Additionally, in a concurrent move, Asset Control has acquired Vancouver-based TAP Solutions Inc., a company specializing in data accessibility software for financial services firms leveraging the Microsoft® technology suite, to extend its market solutions to firms of all sizes.
"The timing for this investment with Fidelity Ventures is right, given the rapidly growing importance of data management," said Ger Rosenkamp. "I'm proud of the Asset Control team and their accomplishments. This is an important step for our impressive client base, our employees, and the company. We didn't need to raise equity capital, but believe Fidelity Ventures is the ideal investment partner to accelerate Asset Control's market leadership and enable us to scale the business to the next level. I'm delighted to find an industry veteran as qualified as Phil Lynch to succeed me as CEO."
Anne Mitchell, Partner with Fidelity Ventures, who will join the Asset Control Board of Directors added, "Asset Control has a tremendous and near-term opportunity for growth and we will leverage our global go-to-market resources to help make this a reality. Building on our existing relationship with Phil, and working in partnership with him, Ger, and the management team, we believe Asset Control is well-positioned to extend its leadership within financial services clients worldwide." Simon Clark, Partner with Fidelity Ventures, will also join the Asset Control Board of Directors.
NEW LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE Phil Lynch is an accomplished chief executive with significant experience within the financial services sector. As CEO of Reuters Americas Inc. from 2001 to 2005, Lynch helped build a firm with an expansive base of customer-focused financial services information and transaction services. As a Venture Partner with Fidelity Ventures, he identified Asset Control as the most promising emerging financial technology company.
According to Lynch, "The global marketplace for data management systems is growing quickly and Asset Control is uniquely positioned to take advantage of this opportunity. When it comes to customer satisfaction, Asset Control is a company that stands out and it has developed a solid reputation as a company that delivers. It's very important to me to build on that."
ACQUISITION STRENGTHENS MARKET POSITION Through a concurrent move to build out its leadership position, Asset Control acquired Vancouver-based TAP Solutions, a Microsoft® Gold Certified partner. This will enhance Asset Control's comprehensive product line with a very appealing option for financial services firms of all sizes. TAP's flagship solution, TAPMasterT, offers a modular product built on state-of-the art Microsoft® technology to provide plug-and-play accessibility to a broad array of data vendors and business application providers.
According to Rosenkamp, "The acquisition brings together the industry's best data management solutions and greatly strengthens our position as the leading provider of Centralized Data Management solutions to buy and sell-side firms, large and small, as well as market infrastructure companies around the globe. With the addition of TAPMasterT to Asset Control's existing enterprise-wide data integration approach featuring flexible and reliable software solutions, we now offer a complete product suite that spans the requirements of all market segments."
About Fidelity Ventures Fidelity Ventures invests in technology companies at the "Go-To-Market" stage. Its 40-year track record includes hundreds of successful investments in the consumer, communications, systems and software markets. Fidelity Ventures is distinguished by the ability to accelerate market adoption for its portfolio companies' offerings, and by a global network of senior technology and business executives. Fidelity Ventures actively manages over $800 million from offices in Boston and London. Sister fund Fidelity Asia Ventures manages over $220 million from Shanghai and Hong Kong. For more information, visit www.fidelityventures.com
TAP Solutions TAP Solutions Inc. provides turnkey high performance software tools for the acquisition, management and deployment of market and reference data in capital markets. TAPMasterT is a complete data management platform that helps financial services clients reduce operating costs, meet regulatory requirements, and generate new sources of revenue. Customers include Abel/Noser, Mizuho Securities, Olayan Investment Management and Solera Group, amongst other clients, including global investment banks. For more information, visit www.tapsolutions.com
About Asset Control Asset Control is the world's leading provider of Centralized Data Management (CDM) to financial industry firms. With a complete range of in-house and outsourced options, Asset Control delivers Total Data ManagementT (TDM), a hybrid approach to data management. The selection of developer tools, turnkey software solutions and outsourced services enables users to optimize their investment data for efficiency, cost control, reduced operational risk and increased value from their data.
Derived from the robust and reliable AC Plus® modular framework, the Asset Control product set includes data solutions addressing market risk, counterparty credit risk, security master, research and corporate actions, as well as global data networking and administration. Handling data from vendors and in-house systems, these solutions collect, validate, normalize, and consolidate data into cleansed composite "Golden Copy®" sets for business use.
Customers include Abbey National, ABN AMRO, Allied Irish Banks PLC, Barclays Capital, Barclays Global Investors, Bayerische Landesbank, BBVA, Commerzbank, Convexity Capital Management, E*TRADE Securities, LLC, IBM (Dresdner Bank), Grupo Santander, Harvard Management Company, HSH Nordbank, HypoVereinsbank, ING, LCH.Clearnet, Robeco Groep, Société Générale, Standard Bank, Standard Chartered, Union Investment and Wachovia Corporation as well as a super-major global energy group. Established in 1991, Asset Control is a privately held firm with operations in London, New York and the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.asset-control.com.
Read Full Article
Fiserv Achieves Milestones in Image-Based Clearing – 600 Clients for Fiserv Clearing Network and 30 Million Electronic Transactions Monthly
- Read more...
Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV) continues to drive the industry in the development of image-based clearing systems – surpassing 600 clients for its Fiserv Clearing Network (FCN) and more than 30 million monthly electronic transactions for its Virtual Item Exchange solution.
Fiserv, the nation’s largest third-party check processor, was at the forefront of development in systems related to Check 21 when it created the Fiserv Clearing Network as an alternative to check clearing organizations such as the Federal Reserve System. In addition, Virtual Item Exchange from Fiserv ITI, with a current client base of more than 350 financial institutions using both in-house and outsourced processing, enables banks to reap all the benefits of image exchange by easily sending image files to the Fiserv Clearing Network or other clearing organizations.
The Fiserv Clearing Network leverages the efficiencies created by image-based check clearing and drives down costs by aggregating the volume of its member institutions primarily sold from within the company’s existing 7,000 clients for either core or check processing.
Tom Warsop, Fiserv group president for financial institutions, acknowledged it’s rare to find a product that can provide such significant cost benefits for clients. In many cases, financial institutions are reducing their clearing bills by | | |