Bluepoint Solutions

Originally appeared in Credit Union Magazine, By Patrick Totty | July 01, 2011

  –Long time industry customer joins executive team to lead technical strategy–

Vista, Calif. July 5, 2011 Bluepoint Solutions, a 2010 CUNA Tech Council Best of Show winner, Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and provider of remote deposit capture, item processing and enterprise content management solutions for financial institutions, named Robert Graham, new chief technology officer (CTO). In this position, Graham oversees Bluepoint’s technology strategy, software development, and product development. He serves as the foremost expert on all ongoing technology initiatives within the company, shaping the complete customer experience while ensuring that the company is developing and deploying the appropriate products for the market.

With more than 25 years experience managing research and development, hardware and software deployment and ongoing technological support, Graham brings a unique perspective to Bluepoint. With a knack for translating technical language into layman’s terms, Graham’s vision will play a key role in Bluepoint’s continual expansion in the bank and credit union market, as well as expanding to new markets.

“We are very pleased to welcome Robert to Bluepoint,” said Hal Tilbury, founder and CEO of Bluepoint Solutions. “His experience in leading successful teams through strategy and execution, coupled with his infrastructure and networks development experience will be a vital asset to our continued growth. Bluepoint is dedicated to maintaining a strong and experienced executive base to accommodate growth, without sacrificing our commitment to quality. Robert’s proven record of efficiency and productivity through technology advancements, and his outstanding customer focused approach makes him a perfect addition to the Bluepoint team.”

Prior to Bluepoint, Graham was senior vice president and chief information officer of Calif.-based, Farmers and Merchants Bank, where his innovative approach to infrastructure and networks development resulted in more than $200,000 in yearly savings for the company. Prior to Farmers and Merchants, Graham was an engagement manager at Unisys Corporation, where he led the turnaround of a 4 million dollar client-server applications software project. As a result of that accomplishment, Graham received Unisys’ highest award, given to the top one percent of employees.

“Bluepoint has consistently delivered innovative technology solutions to the marketplace, which have been supported by industry-leading consulting services,” said Graham. “I’m looking forward to contributing to our ongoing success by translating our customer’s needs into appropriate products for the market. Facilitating clear and effective communication between our customers, support and service staff and developers will ensure timely delivery of sophisticated solutions and excellent value.”

Bluepoint Solutions and its CEO Hal Tilbury Challenge the Community to Match a
$500,000 Donation to Monarch School’s Capital Campaign

SAN DIEGO, June 24, 2011 Continuing nearly a decade of ongoing support, Bluepoint Solutions, a Vista-based company offering item capture and payment processing solutions for credit unions and banks, and its CEO, Hal Tilbury, are challenging the Southern California region to a donation match program in support of Monarch School, the San Diego public K-12 school for children impacted by homelessness. Bluepoint Solutions and the Tilbury family are matching community donations made before Sept. 23, the first day of autumn, up to $500,000. In total, the donation challenge aims to raise a combined $1 million.

The $500,000 match is spearheaded by Tilbury, whose company will match the first $250,000 and is personally matching the remaining $250,000 with his wife, Yolanda. As a constant supporter and former Board member of Monarch School, Tilbury recognized the need for additional funding to help build the new campus, and decided to challenge the community to double the donation.

“Homelessness is on the rise in San Diego and I believe we all have an obligation to help these children who, through no fault of their own, are in this situation,” said Tilbury.  “There is no better gift than education and no better way to break the cycle of homelessness. I truly hope the community will rise to the challenge and help build Monarch’s new campus.”

In addition to this matching challenge, Bluepoint Solutions adopted Monarch School five years ago committing to ongoing support. The company donates five percent of its annual net profits, matches all employee donations throughout the year, and provides paid-time-off for staff to volunteer at the school, many of whom go regularly. Going beyond just financial support, Bluepoint Solutions also sponsors Monarch School’s annual Mother’s Day party, donates dresses for the school’s prom and provide a monthly dinner for both students and parents.

Funds from the Donation Match program will be used to build Monarch School’s new campus that will break ground this fall in the East Village- Barrio Logan area of Downtown San Diego, just south of Petco Park. The new campus will allow Monarch School to serve more than double its current student population.

“Ask any student how they like Monarch, and their response will be that this school is their home,” said Jim McMillan, president of the Monarch School Board of Directors.  “We are providing so much more than an education; we are providing a home and stability. With the generous support of Bluepoint Solutions and Hal Tilbury, we will soon be expanding to the new campus and able to help even more students. For that, we are so grateful.”

For more information about Monarch School or to make a donation, visit http://monarchschools.org/news-events/latest-news-events or call (619) 685-8242.

About Monarch School:

Founded in 1988, Monarch School, located in downtown San Diego, is a public K-12 school exclusively for students who are at-risk and impacted by homelessness. Monarch School represents a unique public-private partnership between the San Diego County Office of Education and the Monarch School Project, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Today, more than 175 students between the ages of four and 19 are enrolled. Monarch School’s committed team of educators, support staff and volunteers is dedicated to providing homeless and at-risk children with an accredited education while caring for their basic needs. Monarch School will break ground on its new campus in downtown San Diego in fall 2011. For more information, visit http://monarchschools.org or call (619) 685-8242, ext. 227.

WHO: Andrew Tilbury, chief marketing officer, Bluepoint Solutions

Lee Butke, CEO, Corporate One Federal Credit Union

Robert Coyan, senior vice president, Corporate One Federal Credit Union

WHAT: In this informational presentation, Bluepoint Solutions, the developer of the software that powers the IMAGEin branch capture solution, and its newest partner, Corporate One Federal Credit Union, will explain how current IMAGEin users can continue to leverage industry-leading software support, check processing and clearing services with no disruption to operations or member service.

This live session will provide specific and timely information about following topics:

1. How will existing IMAGEin users transfer product support directly to Bluepoint, with NO additional costs or license transfer fees?
2. What support options are available from Bluepoint and what are the benefits of working directly with Bluepoint’s team?
3. Why is Corporate One FCU the leading wholesale financial services provider?
4. How will the strength of Corporate One’s financial position benefit member natural person credit unions?
5. What membership options are available with Corporate One?
6. What processing and settlement services are offered by Corporate One?
7. What is the next step to take advantage of this offer?

WHEN: Thursday, June 30 at 11:00 a.m.  12:00 p.m. PT/ 2:00,  3:00 p.m. ET

Live Q&A roundtable with entire panel at conclusion of presentation

– Partnership allows credit unions to benefit from continued use of IMAGEin and the stability of strongest corporate in nation.

Vista, Calif. June 15, 2011. Bluepoint Solutions, provider of Check 21, remote deposit capture, item processing and enterprise content management solutions, and Corporate One Federal Credit Union, today announced a partnership designed to assist natural person credit unions currently using IMAGEin through their current corporate credit union to establish a relationship with Corporate One FCU for check processing and clearing services without any disruption to operations or product support.  Bluepoint developed the software that powers the IMAGEin branch capture solution specifically for corporate credit unions to deploy to their members.

“For credit unions using IMAGEin that are exploring alternative corporate relationships, this partnership allows them to protect their financial investment in IMAGEin, and prevent disruption of service to their operations and, most importantly, their members,” said Hal Tilbury, CEO of Bluepoint Solutions.

Credit unions that previously purchased licenses for IMAGEin through a corporate will be able to transfer existing licenses with no additional cost by switching product support directly to Bluepoint. Checks images will then be sent to Corporate One for processing and clearing. Credit unions will not incur additional licensing fees or software costs, other than support. Day-to-day operations of the credit unions will be unaffected, ensuring a smooth transition that is completely invisible to members and requires no additional costs or staff training.

As one of the few corporates not to lose any of its members’ capital investment during the recent economic crisis, Corporate One remains in a strong financial position with an existing business model that is both effective and efficient. Additionally, Corporate One already exceeds all capital ratios at the “well capitalized” levels, as outlined in the recently updated regulations governing corporate credit unions, as well as meeting all NEV ratios in both base- and stressed-case scenarios.

“We are extremely pleased to announce this partnership with Bluepoint Solutions,” said Robert Coyan, senior vice president of marketing and operations at Corporate One. “This new relationship builds on our philosophy of providing best-in-class services to credit unions, while making it as convenient and affordable as possible. We’re proud to offer credit unions a seamless alternative to looking outside of the credit union network for the processing and settlement of their items,” he added.

About Corporate One

Corporate One Federal Credit Union is a leading wholesale financial services provider to more than 775 of America’s credit unions. With more than $4.9 billion in assets under management, Corporate One offers correspondent services including ATM/debit and credit cards, share draft imaging, depository and electronic payment services and investments to credit unions across the United States. Corporate One also developed and manages Alliance One, one of the nation’s largest non-network-specific ATM selective-surcharging groups. For more information, visit www.corporateone.coop.

By Andrew Tilbury

Originally published by Credit Union Journal | Monday, June 13, 2011

2011 marks the first year that more people will buy smart phones instead of traditional mobile phones.

Widespread usage of smart phones is causing a fundamental shift in how credit unions communicate to, connect with, and engage members.

Despite overwhelming data demonstrating the increased reliance and adoption of mobile technology, a large portion of the credit union industry is slow, in some cases even wary, to embrace this new reality. In 2007, 5% of consumers used their mobile device for banking. That has now increased to 19% according to Javelin Research. By 2015, it is expected to reach 41%. The early adopters in financial services have made their move and proven the viability of mobile banking. It is time for the rest of the credit unions to follow suit. If they don’t, they risk losing relevance, and losing members.

The newest generation of mobile banking applications has given credit unions the ability to extend their reach by creating a mobile branch network. What is a mobile branch? A smart phone or tablet banking application packed with so much functionality that the end-user almost has no need to walk into a brick and mortar location.

Where does mobile RDC fit into the mobile branch? At the heart of it.

Mobile RDC gives credit unions the ability to capture a greater amount of deposits and reduce branch traffic, while improving member service. The addition of mobile check deposit functionality to a robust mobile banking solution is a crucial aspect of the mobile branch.

Click here to read the full article.

–Collaboration results in proven, affordable product offering–

Vista, Calif.  June 1 , 2011 Bluepoint Solutions and Panini today launched a joint initiative to provide credit unions with an all-inclusive teller capture solution, including software, hardware and support for a cost effective and consolidated price. Bluepoint, the premier provider of branch and remote deposit capture technology solutions for credit unions, has integrated its popular ImagePoint Teller with the Panini Vision X, the market-leading check scanner recommended by CUNA for distributed check capture. Panini is a manufacturer of global payments processing technology and a CUNA Strategic Services Authorized Service Provider.

“We are pleased to partner with Panini to offer credit unions a unique opportunity to implement teller capture,” said Andrew Tilbury, Director of Marketing and Communications of Bluepoint Solutions. “Together, our teams have streamlined ordering, implementation, and support enabling credit unions of any size to take advantage of the proven benefits of front-line teller capture.”

Bluepoint’s teller capture solution is currently installed at over 5000 teller stations.  The integration with Panini will further support the adoption of teller capture within the credit union market.

The Panini Vision X leads the Financial Services Industry with over half a million scanners deployed worldwide, over 100,000 deployed specifically for teller capture, and is the only check scanner exclusively promoted by CUNA.

“Bluepoint is a leading provider of Check 21 solutions to the credit union marketplace, and they’ve been a valued Panini partner for many years,” adds Michael Pratt, Chief Marketing Officer, Panini. “They have an impressive roster of credit union clients nationwide, and we are excited to combine forces to deliver a comprehensive teller capture solution to credit unions.”

The right mobile deposit solution directly influences adoption rates. Boost your chances of success by delivering the best user experience.

By Andrew Tilbury

Thanks to the combined marketing efforts of USAA, Chase, and PayPal, consumers are aware of mobile deposit. They see the value in the technology and intuitively understand its benefits. But with the exception of a few select financial institutions, mobile deposit is not yet widely available to most consumers. Mobile deposit has created a new, strategic opportunity for credit unions to protect current member relationships and attract new ones.

Financial institutions have reached a crossroads with mobile capture. They must respond to consumer demand, but with so much conflicting information about this game-changing technology coming from vendors, technology providers, journalists, members, and other institutions, there are a lot of questions to answer and key decisions to make.

What You Need to Know
There are several critical questions to answer when evaluating vendors. How secure is the service? How are the checks processed and cleared? What are the success rates? How are duplicates detected and handled? Where does mobile fit in with other Check 21 and remote deposit capture (RDC) points? What is the best way to handle the check archive and images? How much work does the service require from credit union staff? Which is better, an outsourced or an in-house solution?

But the most important question to consider when surveying the vendor landscape and comparing the merits of their solutions is: Which is better, mobile deposit that is integrated with a mobile banking application or a standalone application? How a credit union deploys mobile deposit directly impacts its members’ reactions and the solution’s adoption rate.

The Importance of User Experience
Because the success (or failure) of a credit union’s mobile channel depends on its member user experience, credit unions need to examine the issue from the perspective of their members. Do users want to make a deposit in one application, exit that application, and then open a primary mobile banking application to verify the deposit posted or check the available balance? Do users want to wait until they can consult their credit union’s banking website? If users have to switch applications to transfer funds or make a payment on a loan or credit card, can they do so with a single set of login credentials or do they need to remember two different logins and passwords? Can users look up a check image from that deposit in their credit union’s online banking or mobile banking?

Members are aware of the technology available to them. And they won’t hesitate to find another institution if their credit union’s offering doesn’t live up to their expectations. With that in mind, do you still want to consider a standalone application, even as a stopgap measure?

Learn from the Early Adopters
Mountain America Federal Credit Union ($2.9B, West Jordan, UT) recently launched a fully integrated mobile deposit service within its mobile banking platform. Click here to watch an On-Demand webinar that examines how Mountain America deployed its mobile deposit application as part of its overall mobile strategy and what it means to its membership.

– Company responds to rising demand for tablet-ready apps–

Vista, Calif. May 11, 2011 Bluepoint Solutions, winner of the 2010 CUNA Tech Council Best of Show award, and provider of Check 21, remote deposit capture, item processing and enterprise content management solutions for financial institutions, today announced it has configured its increasingly popular mobile remote deposit application, QwikDeposit ToGo, for integration with tablet banking apps.

The popularity of the tablet market is growing at levels that will soon surpass demand for PC-like devices. According to Deloitte’s recent 2011 Top Technology Trends Report, more than 50 percent of computing devices sold globally in 2011 will be on devices such as smartphones and tablets. With more than 20 options in tablet technology currently available, this shift is representative of a tipping point in consumer demand for tablet banking applications.

Bluepoint has partnered with Access Softek to integrate QwikDeposit ToGo with Mobile Finance Manger (MFM), Access Softek’s tablet banking application. “The combination of increasing consumer demand for expanded banking solutions and the exponential growth of the tablet market has made it critical for financial institutions to recognize the importance of fully-featured tablet banking applications,” said Chris Doner, CEO of Access Softek.  “We are pleased to partner with Bluepoint Solutions to provide remote deposit capture functionality for the tablet market.”

Bluepoint’s QwikDeposit ToGo enables consumers to securely deposit checks using a smartphone or tablet equipped with a two mega pixel or higher camera, providing the convenience of 24/7 deposits and faster availability of funds. Account holders initiate mobile-banking sessions, key in their deposit amount and snap photos of both the front and back of the check with their tablet’s camera. Any image distortions are automatically corrected using Mitek Systems patented IMagePROVE technology to conform with Check 21 and mobile image-quality standards. All transactions are transmitted with multiple layers of security. QwikDeposit ToGo is fully integrated with all capture points providing the benefits of enterprise-wide duplicate detection, while enabling checks from all capture points to be aggregated into a single cash letter for processing.

Adds Bluepoint CEO, Hal Tilbury, “Tablet banking is quickly gaining traction as a must-have app for many consumers.  By adding mobile RDC to tablet banking applications, financial institutions gain the ability to capture a greater amount of deposits. The addition of mobile check deposit functionality to a robust mobile banking solution is vital to building a mobile branch network.”

-CUs looking to lower operating costs via automation; member demand for mobile drive growth-

Vista, Calif. April 28, 2011 Bluepoint Solutions, a 2010 CUNA Tech Council Best of Show winner, Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and provider of remote deposit capture, item processing and enterprise content management solutions for financial institutions, today announced first quarter 2011 as the best first quarter in company history.  Aside from signing eight new financial institutions to its growing roster of clients, Bluepoint expanded nine current relationships.

“Q1 is historically slow in our market, but this quarter puts us on pace for the most successful year in company history,” said Hal Tilbury, CEO and founder of Bluepoint Solutions. “Credit unions are back in the market to buy technology. To compete with larger financial institutions entering their markets, many credit unions are looking to leverage state-of-the art content management and item processing solutions to lower operating costs and enhance member service levels. Products like mobile capture answer member demand, but also counterbalance the potential loss of non-interest income from merchant fees and the changes in tax-exempt status being discussed in Washington.”

During the first quarter, Bluepoint signed eight new ImagePoint contracts for check capture and item processing. Bluepoint’s ImagePoint solution captures and aggregates check images from all capture points, including branch, teller, ATM, merchant, home and mobile and creates electronic cash-letters for transmission to any endpoint.  It also automates much of the previously time-intensive Day 2 work on inclearings and returned items. The adoption of image-based processing has minimized the costs and labor required to manage image processing in-house, making the need to outsource the operation obsolete.

Bluepoint has also seen significant demand for its mobile deposit offering, adding new clients to its growing roster. QwikDeposit ToGo enables account holders to securely deposit checks with a camera-equipped smartphone, providing the convenience of anytime, anywhere deposits. This application is compatible with the majority of smartphones available in the U.S. market including the Android, iPhone and Blackberry operating systems.

Tilbury added, “The fact that credit unions are vigorously investing in new, member-facing technologies clearly demonstrates the improving health of the industry and the credit union movement’s ongoing commitment to innovation and member service.  We are pleased to continue to provide the preferred solutions that help them achieve these goals.”