Zywave Inks Deal with EISI

Enterprise software solutions provider Zywave Inc. continues to jettison its broker technology enterprise forward, most recently with its announced plans to acquire Emerging Information Systems Inc. (EISI). The firm says the transaction is expected to close in the next 30 days. Since 2003, Zywave’s revenue has increased more than fourfold, and as of August, notes the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, annual revenue is pegged at more than $35 million. Zywave employs approximately 180 people, including about 150 at its headquarters in Wauwatosa, Wis.

EISI, which provides needs-assessment and financial planning software tools out of Winnipeg, Canada, is best known for its flagship products, NaviPlan and Profiles, currently in use by more than 250,000 financial professionals. Founded in 1990, privately held EISI employs 300.

The Zywave deal will net the company EISI’s customers, including 11 of the top 25 banks in North America, 17 of the top 25 brokers, three of the top five Canadian insurance companies and seven of the 10 largest U.S. life insurance companies, notes the company.

Zywave focuses its SaaS-enabled business management applications, including customer relationship management, business analytics and technology-enabled content tools, to the employee benefits and P&C insurance distribution industry. Those products are already in use by 90 percent of the top 100 U.S. insurance agencies.

Zywave was born of insurance brokerage, Frank Haack & Associates. Bill Haack, who served as chairman and CEO of Frank F. Haack & Associates, acknowledged the desire to fill a gap in technology that would help brokers drive business, setting up Zywave as an independent company in 1995. Frank Haack & Associates was sold in 2004 to Hilb Rogal & Hobbs Co., now part of Willis Group Holdings.

"We admire EISI's expertise and demonstrated ability to deliver and support tailored solutions that have made them the technology partner of choice in the financial advisory industry. We look forward to combining our capabilities to support our clients' ever-evolving business needs," said Haack.