Policy adminstration

New York — James Schiro, CEO of Zurich Financial Services, was honored as the 2007 Insurance Leader of the Year at St. John’s University’s School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Sciences. The award, which was presented at the school’s 13th Annual Insurance Leader of the Year Award Dinner at the Marriott Marquis in New York City, raised more than $2.4 million for students and programs at the School of Risk Management

Brookfield, Wisc. — Fiserv Inc., a provider of information management systems and services, announced that Richard Jones will join the company as executive VP and CIO. The new position, which will report to the CEO, will have oversight responsibility for global infrastructure, technology governance, and spearheading programs to increase efficiency and effectiveness of the company’s dispersed technology resources.

New York — Two New York-based companies are partnering in their support of FUTURITY FIRST, a life insurance distribution organization that will be headquartered in Hartford, Conn.

Paris — Computer Sciences Corp. (CSC), a Columbia, S.C., provider of insurance technology solutions, will work in collaboration with SUADEO, a French company that provides business intelligence (BI) solutions for health, and risk and protection insurance businesses, to integrate CSC’s health, risk and protection software, GraphTalk A.I.A., with SUADEO’s BI solution, SUADEO Plateforme.

Columbia, S.C. — In business less than one year, EagleEye Analytics, an insurance technology company that concentrates on predictive analytics and data information services, has chosen Columbia, S.C. for its new corporate headquarters.

Presenters at Insurance Networking News’ 1st annual Web Services and SOA summit stressed an incremental approach, and an emphasis on communication when undertaking SOA initiatives.

Margin compression and continued pricing erosion is pressuring the insurance industry to achieve top-line objectives in 2008, according to Ernst & Young's Global Insurance Center.

Alexandria, Va. — When 10 Generation X independent agents attending the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big I) Young Agents Leadership Conference in San Diego this past September discussed their future, technology was at the forefront of their success strategies.

A new Web site marketplace offers insurers and brokers a chance to market their voluntary benefits packages to employers and their employees.

Cambridge, Mass. — Is business rules technology finally hitting its stride? That's the question posed by Forrester Research Inc., a Cambridge, Mass.-based research firm, which says business rules are now a key enabling technology for dynamic business applications.

Charlotte, N.C. — Patrick Vaughn recently joined LMC Capital LLC, an investment banking firm focused exclusively on the insurance industry, as managing director, and will lead LMC’s M&A practice for insurance technology and services companies.

Pearl River, N.Y. — John Leonard, The MEMIC Group's president and CEO, has been designated the 2008 chairman of ACORD's Board of Directors. This is Leonard's second time chairing the ACORD Board, having previously served in 2001. The announcement was made by ACORD's President and CEO Gregory Maciag.

Redwood Shores, Calif. — Oracle Corp. and San Jose, Calif.-based BEA Systems Inc. entered into a definitive agreement under which Oracle will acquire all outstanding shares of BEA for $19.375 per share in cash. The offer is valued at approximately $8.5 billion, or $7.2 billion net of BEA's cash on hand of $1.3 billion. "We expect this deal to be accretive to Oracle's earnings by at least 1-2 cents on a non-GAAP basis in its first full year after closing," says Oracle president and CFO Safra Catz.

New York — MetLife announced the appointments of Ruth Fattori as executive VP and chief administrative officer, and Maria Morris as executive VP and head of technology and operations. Both Fattori and Morris will join MetLife’s executive group, and report directly to C. Robert Henrikson, chairman of the board, president and CEO. The appointments are effective January 14, 2008.

Los Angeles — Farmers Group Inc. announced Kevin Kelso, EVP, was named vice chairman of the board for the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), the property loss reduction trade association of the property/casualty insurance industry. Kelso also was named chair of the executive committee for IBHS.

Cleveland — In the ever-increasing competitive personal lines car insurance market, it appears that Progressive is serious about obtaining “home field advantage.” The story begins with some unlikely neighbors: In March of 1937, Steve O’Neill was managing the Cleveland Indians, the team was at Spring Training in New Orleans and preparing for another season at League Park at Lexington and East 66th Street in Cleveland. At the same time, just a few blocks away on Euclid Avenue, two young Clevelanders, Jack Lewis and Joe Green, were starting a car insurance company known as Progressive.

Meeting business demands with technology requires knowledge from both sides of the house, a clear understanding of how to execute on well-developed strategies, and a certain amount of finesse. Such was the overarching theme communicated by three distinct-yet-seasoned technology executives at the Celent U.S. CIO/CTO Roundtable, held January 10 in New York.

Springfield, Mass. — MassMutual Financial Group is featured in "America's Greatest Brands," a large-format book that annually recognizes the strongest and most trusted brand icons.

Hopkinton, Mass. and Carlsbad, Calif., - EMC Corp., a Hopkinton, Mass.-based information infrastructure solutions provider, and Carlsbad, Calif.-based Document Sciences Corp. signed a definitive agreement whereby EMC will acquire publicly-held Document Sciences in a cash transaction valued at approximately $85,000,000. Document Sciences is a provider of document output management (DOM) software that facilitates highly personalized, multi-channel communications to customers, partners and suppliers. The acquisition complements and extends EMC's position in the transactional content management marketplace, the fastest-growing segment of enterprise content management, according to the company.

Core systems, front office and data mastery top the list of IT initiatives for 2008.