Scottsdale-based Solugenix acquires SEI
Solugenix Corporation, a 50-year leader of IT implementation and support services and SEI, LLC, a leading provider of support solutions for multi-location environments, announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement under which Solugenix will acquire SEI. The companies will combine business operations and integrate service offerings.
“Over the course of the last two decades SEI has perfected the use of US-based remote workforce to provide high-quality support for demanding business users,” said Shashi Jasthi, CEO of Solugenix. “This forms a perfect complement to Solugenix’s focus on implementing and supporting complex technology solutions for high-value, high-risk business processes. The combined team will have the skills and the scale to take on bigger engagements in what we are already good at: Complex IT applications, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Robotic Process Automation and Data Science.”
Together, Solugenix and SEI will offer the most comprehensive portfolio for technology implementations and services for enterprise clients. The combined company will be privately held and operate under the Solugenix brand. Christine Antonelli, who served as president at SEI, will take on the role as Vice President, Customer Experience and Support Services.
“We celebrate an important milestone today as we formally join the Solugenix family and begin to fully integrate our service offerings,” said Antonelli. “Combined under the Solugenix umbrella, we will draw on our decades of experience to push the boundaries of technology innovation and remain focused on delivering outstanding services.”
FirstBank closes Q3 with positive growth
FirstBank, one of the nation’s largest privately held banks with a focus on “banking for good,” announced strong third quarter 2019 financial results alongside a new strategic partnership. The bank, which operates 15 branches across the Valley, posted significant growth across key categories, resulting in notable year-over-year gains in Arizona:
• FirstBank’s Phoenix-area branches saw total deposits increase year-over-year from $497.5 million to $559.1 million, a gain of 12.4 percent.
• Loans grew to $878.5 million as compared to $828.7 million in Q3 2018, an increase of 6.0 percent.
• Assets increased 5.5 percent from $879.7 million to $928.4 million.
FirstBank also announced a new multi-year strategic marketing partnership with the Phoenix Suns and Mercury. As the “Official Bank of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury”, FirstBank will collaborate on game days taking place intermittently throughout the 2019/2020 NBA and WNBA seasons.
“Partnering with the Suns and Mercury is the perfect arrangement, as their social responsibility efforts mirror our own commitment to the community and align with our mission of ‘banking for good’,” said Joel Johnson, Market President for FirstBank.
Throughout the third quarter, FirstBank branches across the Valley hosted community events to recognize Hispanic Heritage Month as well as a new campaign called “Fall Into Savings” that promoted healthy savings habits. Additionally, FirstBank was recognized by Arizona Business Magazine as one of the state’s Most Admired Companies for the second year in a row.
Marcia Mintz, CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix; and
Kevin McHolland, Partner, EY & Board Chair for BGCMP.
Arizona Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs honors Wells Fargo
The Arizona Alliance for Boys & Girls Clubs presented their inaugural “Champion for Youth” award to Wells Fargo. Don Pearson, Lead Regional President of the Desert Mountain Region, accepted the award on behalf of their more than 16,000 Arizona team members for their efforts supporting Clubs around Arizona during the school walkout earlier this year. Clubs opened their doors to all students to help parents during the teachers’ strike. This created additional budget stresses on Clubs as they extended hours and increased the number of meals served to students.
“On behalf of our more than 16,000 team members statewide, Wells Fargo is honored to be named as the first Champion for Youth by the Arizona Alliance for Boys & Girls Clubs,” said Wells Fargo’s Don Pearson, Lead Regional President of the Desert Mountain Region. “The Clubs opened their doors to students in a time of crisis and we saw an opportunity to support working families by helping to ensure students had access to hot meals, and parents could rely on the Clubs during the school day and afterschool for care. We came together as a community during a critical time.”
The Champion for Youth award was created this year to recognize a supporter who went above and beyond to support Club kids. Club organizations around the state were invited to nominate companies, and Wells Fargo was selected based on their longtime partnership and their strategic gift this past year. Marcia Mintz, CEO for Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix explained the importance of the donation, “Wells Fargo stepped in at a critical point, in a dynamic situation, to invest $100,000 in the Alliance to help offset some of the added Club costs associated with expanding hours and meals. Boys & Girls Clubs all over Arizona opened their doors in 61 Club sites to help ensure that youth had a safe place to learn, play, and enjoy a healthy lunch and snack during the historic walkout.”
TruWest Credit Union debuts rewards checking accounts
TruWest Credit Union announced two new checking accounts as a way to reward members for their continued commitment to the financial cooperative. New and existing members are now able to select High Yield Checking or Cash Back Checking, depending on the type of account that best fits their needs.
High Yield Checking gives account holders a 3% annual percentage yield on balances up to $10,000. Cash Back Checking returns $0.10 cash back on each debit card purchase made during the month. Both accounts have no monthly service fee, access to nearly 30,000 free ATMs, a mobile card manager for debit and credit card security, and easy-to-use online and mobile banking.
“By providing bigger earnings or more cash back with these new checking accounts, TruWest is now able to give our most loyal members additional means to reach their financial goals,” said Alan Althouse, president and CEO of TruWest Credit Union. “We focus on delivering great rates, great products and exceptional service.”
To qualify for either checking account, members must opt in for eStatements, set up a direct deposit of at least $500 per month to the selected checking account and make 15 or more TruWest debit or credit card transactions per month. New or existing members can apply or upgrade their existing checking account at any TruWest branch, over the phone at (855) 878-9378 or online at truwest.org.
For more information about TruWest Credit Union’s High Yield Checking and Cash Back Checking accounts, visit https://truwest.org/rewardschecking/.
About Ranking Arizona
Ranking Arizona is an annual publication that ranks businesses in more than 300 categories based on public voting in the state’s biggest and most comprehensive business opinion poll. Ranking Arizona is based purely on opinion and ranks companies based on how voters answer this simple question: with whom would you recommend doing business? The magazine is published by AZ Big Media. To learn more about Ranking Arizona, contact Sheri King, director of sales.
