A Kirchman customer since 1978, Bank Calumet's renewal agreement also includes a migration to a Sun Microsystems Sun Fire V890 computer system. In addition, Bank Calumet will implement Kirchman's Access to Information (A2I) solution.

Kirchman's A2I is a new, integrated web-based management information solution that is easily accessible from a banker's desktop. Built on industry standard technologies, A2I provides a sophisticated data warehouse utilizing built-in customer and account relationship knowledge that empowers bankers to fulfill their business intelligence requirements and ensures they achieve their strategic objectives.

"After a thorough review process, our team is convinced that Kirchman is the right automation partner," said David Cowser, vice president and chief technology officer of Bank Calumet. "Migrating to a Sun Platform was not an easy decision, but ultimately the efficiency and lower cost of operation gained by the conversion were key driving forces. Kirchman's commitment to Sun and the praise of numerous banks that have migrated reassured us we made a wise choice."

The Kirchman Bankway core banking software is a single customer-centric database that allows bank personnel to complete transactions at the point of service. Financial institutions can easily tailor its products and services to meet the unique demands of its market, while reducing the high costs associated with custom programming. Additionally, Kirchman Bankway's open system design allows for seamless connections to third-party surround systems such as Internet banking and voice response systems. Unique to the industry, Kirchman Bankway pricing is available to banks based on asset size. Kirchman Bankway gives financial institutions a predictable cost of ownership since there are no additional charges for support, new features, or regulatory changes.

"With the use of A2I, Bank Calumet can effectively capitalize on all customer and account information contained in the core of Bankway. This tool's capacity for customization will prove instrumental in helping them achieve their strategic business objectives," said Rachel Landrum, president, Kirchman Corporation. "Bank Calumet has been a valued customer for over 27 years and we look forward to continuing a relationship that will maximize their efficiency, expand their product offerings and provide greater return for their shareholders."