Archive for the ‘Spotlight’ Category

The following article was written prior to the devastating earthquake in Haiti. To contact The Children Heritage Foundation or inquire about aiding their efforts in Haiti, email jose@childrenheritage.com or call 732-642-1389. When Jose Pierre, founder and CEO of Marketware International Inc., travelled to Haiti in 2007 he was struck by the enduring beauty of ... Full story

At Microsoft Gold Certified Partner SunGard, cloud computing is not just strategy, but a reality that is continually being improved upon, according to James Gibbs, SunGard's senior vice president of .NET architecture. "We have really managed to recognize some of that vision and make it a reality," he says. "Going forward we will be continuing to ... Full story

A Microsoft-sponsored survey of 500 18 to 29-year-olds (or "millennials") finds that banks can use blogs and other social networking technology to improve their image. Nearly 60 percent of survey respondents said their level of trust in financial services has decreased in the last year and only half of the group felt that the industry was ... Full story

Allianz Global Investors Distributors LLC (AGID) is further empowering the cell phones of its agents. The company, which is the exclusive distributor of PIMCO funds and Allianz funds, is bringing its SharePoint-based document management and team collaboration portal to the cell phone screen. The project, called the Apollo Initiative, was implemented using a Pyxis Mobile enterprise application platform to extend Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 to ... Full story

The fortitude of the Microsoft capital markets team was on display in the English Channel on July 13, when Craig Saint-Amour, director of U.S. Capital Markets swam across the channel as part of a relay team with his daughters Melissa Saint-Amour and Roberta Saint-Amour, both of whom also have careers in the financial industry. The trio ... Full story

Merrill's Kumar Vadaparty Sets Laser Focus on Post-Development First it was his data service framework, then it was his application lifecycle management framework. This year it is his Silverlight Framework. Kumar Vadaparty, third time winner of the Windows in Financial Services Developer Awards, is quickly earning a reputation as the innovative developer to beat. What makes Vadaparty stand out is perhaps his eagerness to ... Full story

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont is already seeing the results of a strategic IT investment: so far, its compensation management system has helped it to streamline operations and has lead to half a million in savings. Another $2 million in savings is expected over the course of the implementation.  Developed to overhaul ... Full story

While Utica First Insurance Company already had a Web site that its agents considered user-friendly and fast, it decided it needed to better position itself for the years to come and make its agent experience a clear competitive advantage. “The .NET platform in Agency Link offered the ability to make this product smarter, increase the accuracy and speed of entering quotes, and ... Full story

  The London Stock Exchange has selected Rapid Addition for the provision of a FIX engine to its TradElect platform. The vendor’s RA-Professional engine will be used by the exchange in the development of an optional FIX 5.0 interface to TradElect. The interface is scheduled to go live this summer. “Offering FIX access is an important strategic ... Full story

Microsoft has chosen Jeff Jinnett as the new industry market development manager for Governance, Risk Management & Compliance for its U.S. Financial Services Group.  In his new role Jinnett will serve as an industry subject matter expert for Microsoft for the financial services industry, with a focus on corporate governance, risk management and compliance.  Jinnett is a ... Full story