Information Technology
Group
Current Major Business/Technology
Initiatives
(3:30pm – 5:00pm)
Church Benefits Association - 2004 Annual Meeting
San Antonio, TX
December 1, 2004
Our Goal Today
* To provide an overview of some
current major business and technology
initiatives/projects underway within
our organizations.
Technology as Enabler
* Note that Information Technology is merely an
enabler to successfully achieve the business goals.
A CHEF can turn basic ingredients into a great meal! An ORGANIZATION
can turn basic technological components into a benefits-producing system!
The Lightning Round
• 5-7 minutes per person
• Same order as matrix
• Q&A afterwards
Assemblies of God
Ministers Benefit Association
(Jim La Vallee)
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New master database
Website redesign with more daily content changes
On-line Enrollments
On-line Contributions & Receipting System
Assemblies of God
Ministers Benefit Association
(Jim La Vallee)
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Expand Contact Center to rest of A/G Financial
Security Audit
Next generation of statements
Simplified Voice Response Unit
Board of Pensions of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
(Ed Driscoll)
Strategic Initiatives
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Web Strategy Implementation / Internet-based Member Service
Major MemberNet Enhancements (Workflow, CRM)
Replace Imaging System and Media
Update Disaster Recovery Plans and Evaluate Site Alternatives
Tactical Initiatives
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Ensure HIPAA Security Compliance
Implement New Telephony Services
Upgrade Network.and Office Automation Capabilities
Evaluate Alternative Anti-virus / SPAM Filtering Services
The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Christian Brothers Services
(Tom Drez)
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Improve Customer Services
* Improve Operational Efficiency &
Effectiveness
* Invest, Extract Value, Repeat
Christian Brothers Services
(Tom Drez)
 CBSportal
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simplify information & services access and delivery for all stake holders
– “anything, anywhere, anyone, anytime!”
Employee Education & Proficiency
Business Continuity Planning
Customer Relationship Management/Communication
Online/Centralized Storage of Unstructured Information
Infrastructure Improvements:
upgrade data network, replace telephone system with VoIP
system, fully implement blade center and storage area
network (SAN)
KPI Dashboards
Laundry List: Anti-spam/virus, single signon, HIPAA, Secure msg
center, EBP&P, Treo PDAs
Church of the Brethren Benefit Trust
(Eric Thompson)
Upgrade
pension reporting system
Develop additional and online credit union services
Review of health and credit union systems
Hosting www.churchofthebrethrenanniversary.org
Infrastructure
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Moving to Gigabit on all systems
Upgrading to a new tape library system
Church Pension Group –
Episcopal Church USA
(Clayton Crawley)
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Infrastructure Retrofit and Replacement
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Migration from Windows to Linux Servers
VoIP to Field Offices and Off-Site Employees
Retiring Mainframe Computer
Re-Wiring Telecom and Server Rooms and Closets
Company-Owned Hotsite Creation
Church Pension Group –
Episcopal Church USA
(Clayton Crawley)
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Enterprise and Business Unit Projects
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Enterprise Content Management System Installation
Completion of Common Reference Database (CRDB) for all
Enterprise-wide Indicative Data
New Transactional Systems Installation: Publishing
Customer Relationship Management Software Implementation
BCP/DR Review and Updating across Enterprise
Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
(Bob Cushman)
2004 in Review
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Provided “Choice” of Health Plans
 Employer and Employee Level Choice
Completed Lawson ERP System for Administration &
Financials
Finished Internally Developed Pension & Disability
Administration System
Implemented a Quoting Tool to Provide Rates
Successfully tested Disaster Recovery plan
Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
(Bob Cushman)
Looking Ahead to 2005
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Support New Business Initiatives in our Benefit Programs
Install New Telephony Solution (call center)
Convert Pension System to Towers Perrin
Begin Developing Self-Service Capabilities
Continue Security Efforts (HIPAA, Audit, etc.)
Establish Key Metrics for I/T
Ministers and Missionaries
Benefit Board of the ABC
(Bill Siener)
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Flexible Billing Module, including Direct Payments
processing
BICC System: Redesign of Distribution/Retirement Module
Call Center: Retirement Process Improvement Module
Implement Nortel PBX Voice System
Implement Nortel Wireless (WI-FI) System
Implement ACT 2005 server to support ACT client software
Seventh-day Adventist
Retirement Plans
(Nancy Lamoreaux)
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2004:
Replaced all processing desktops with DELL hardware
and XP operating systems
Start document imaging
2005:
Continue Document Imaging Project of all documents
Replace Legacy DB Software with Web-based System for
Update and Retrieval
Seventh-day Adventist
Retirement Plans-cont
(Nancy Lamoreaux)
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Provide Choice of Health Care Coverage (SHARP)
Improve Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity
Plans-company owned hot sites
Increase Website Self-Service for Retirees
Improve management of DC plan by participants
United Methodist Church
General Board of Pension and
Health Benefits
(Sharon Maggi)
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Update Technology Strategy using external resources
Continue to standardize WEB applications to .NET
Implemented 24 x 7 Web availability
Consolidation of Web servers, moving from 10 to 3
Review platforms to lower cost of ownership
United Methodist Church
General Board of Pension and
Health Benefits
(Sharon Maggi)
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Replace Legacy Benefit Payment System with OMNI
ANNUITY
Implement additional functionality for Plan Sponsors on the
Web
Implementing new products and services that require
technology solutions such as:
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New pension plans with DC and DB components
Redesigned voluntary DC plan
Financial planning
New health and welfare offerings
YMCA Retirement Fund
(Elliott Buchholz)
2003-04 In Review
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Completion of transition from legacy VAX environment to Windows
platform
Transition of all YMCAs to web-based two-way data sharing
application
Installation of Document Management System
Installation of Workflow software and process
Installation and cutover to new VoIP telephone system
Implementation of Call Center software and reporting system
Creation of a remote data center for improved Business Continuity
capabilities
Enhanced anti-virus/anti-spam capabilities
YMCA Retirement Fund
(Elliott Buchholz)
Looking Ahead: 2004-05
With all of planned major technology initiatives completed, the
IT focus for the current year will be:
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Measurement and improvement of Customer Service performance
and efficiency through use of new technology
Conversion of all paper files into the new Document Management
System
Identification and development of enhancements to Production
system and Workflow product
Optimization of Business Continuity plans through increased use of
Remote Data Center
Implementation of enhanced customer capabilities on web site
Thank You!
•Resources:
This PowerPoint Presentation – MORE AFTER THIS
Copies and CBA Website Members’ Section)
Annual CBA IT Group Business & Technology Survey
(Paper Copies and CBA Website Members’ Section)
Church Benefits Association Website
www.churchbenefitsassociation.org
(Paper
Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America Board of Pensions
(Steve Willems)
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3 Year Infrastructure Plan (including disaster recovery site)
Replacement of Legacy Benefits Administration System
 Record Keeping- Live – Outsourced to Mellon
 Enrollment & Eligibility - Live – Custom Developed – Next Release in
March 2005
 Billing & Receipting – Gathering Business Requirements and Examining
Business Processes, Implementation in 2006
 Retirement – Not Started
.Net Framework
Enterprise Reporting
Electronic Document Management
IS / Business Alignment
GuideStone Financial Services
of the SBC
(Rick Hart)
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Insurance Application Replacement
General Ledger Upgrade and Migration
Investment Guidance/Advice
Excessive Trading/Market Timing
Name Change – Phase 2 (Implementation)
Web Strategy and Design
Web Implementation
Marketing Prospect Function – Conceptual Design
Health Savings/Reimbursement Account Implementation
Medicare Part D – Implementation
Qualified Plan Service Gaps
Pension Boards United Church
of Christ
(Tom O’Neill)
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Migration of Health Claim Processing to Highmark
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Consolidate Annuity Choices With the Rollout of a LowVolatility Annuity Choice
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Introduce Document Imaging Workflow System Into the
Accounts Payable Department
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Further Enhancements to Disaster Recovery Plan and
Business Continuity Plan