BROOKFIELD, Wis., Mar 07, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Fiserv Lending Solutions, a business unit of Fiserv, Inc. (Nasdaq:FISV), announced that ABN AMRO Mortgage Group, Inc., one of the nation's top 10 residential loan originators according to National Mortgage News, has selected UniFi(R) PRO Mortgage eX to be its enterprise-wide loan origination solution. An indirect subsidiary of the Netherlands-based ABN AMRO Bank, the U.S.-based ABN AMRO Mortgage Group is a multi-channel lender headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich.

ABN AMRO Mortgage Group's market presence includes mortgage loans generated through the retail branch network and Web site of the Chicago-based LaSalle Bank, the mortgage.com retail Web site and its wholesale/correspondent division, InterFirst Wholesale Mortgage Lending. In 2005, among all its production sources, ABN AMRO Mortgage Group originated more than $53 billion in loans.

Currently, ABN AMRO Mortgage Group uses several disparate technology systems to manage loan production. As part of a strategic initiative, the lender will not only reduce the number of systems it supports but also eliminate procedural inconsistency. The highly scalable and flexible UniFi PRO loan origination system has been selected to replace several loan origination systems. The end result will be a common loan origination platform across all channels that will enable standardized practices and straight-through-processing for ABN AMRO Mortgage Group affiliates in the U.S.

"ABN AMRO Mortgage Group has built a significant presence in the U.S. mortgage market as the company established new divisions and Web sites," said Randall Conte, executive vice president and chief operations officer, ABN AMRO Mortgage Group. "Over time, ABN AMRO Mortgage Group developed proprietary solutions as well as acquired businesses that have resulted in processing silos for its business channels. It is the company's vision to eliminate those silos and create standard business processes and workflows across the enterprise. UniFi PRO is the loan origination technology engine that will help make that happen. ABN AMRO Mortgage Group will reengineer local methods and make best practice business processes its enterprise standard as the company systematically moves its divisions onto UniFi PRO."

The fully functional UniFi PRO provides ABN AMRO Mortgage Group with the option to deploy with the supplied screens and functionality, or to customize screens and workflows using the system's PowerTools(R). Most immediately, the system will be deployed "out-of-the-box" at ABN AMRO Mortgage Group's Sunrise, Fla. facility that originates Internet-based loans referred by its mortgage.com Web site.

"Because Fiserv Lending Solutions has built UniFi PRO to be a comprehensive solution, ABN AMRO Mortgage Group is able to accelerate implementation and begin to benefit from streamlined workflow and information exchange," said Raymond Oral, group senior vice president, information technology, ABN AMRO Mortgage Group, Inc. "Fiserv allows a more rapid deployment than developing a system in-house or by utilizing a tool kit approach. There is significant out-of-box functionality that, when coupled with PowerTools, will provide ABN AMRO Mortgage Group with the flexibility required to adapt UniFi PRO to meet its needs."

Fiserv Lending Solutions' consultants will be working in partnership with ABN AMRO Mortgage Group to roll out the UniFi PRO platform. As the system is implemented facility by facility, a combined team of ABN AMRO Mortgage Group and Fiserv Lending Solutions personnel will manage the migration to the more streamlined processes of UniFi PRO. The enterprise-wide implementation will involve deploying over 5,000 UniFi PRO workstations and training several thousand ABN AMRO Mortgage Group associates.

"ABN AMRO Mortgage Group's selection of UniFi PRO is a great validation of Fiserv Lending Solutions' technology direction," said John Tenuta, division president of Fiserv Lending Solutions. "We've built UniFi PRO so that lenders can chart their own course. ABN AMRO Mortgage Group is able to leverage the system to standardize processes company-wide. Once ABN AMRO Mortgage Group establishes a single platform enterprise, they will customize processes for global deployment to maintain ongoing consistency and business rule adherence."

UniFi PRO Mortgage eX is a "next-generation" loan origination system that blends innovative, Web-centric technology with proven business logic. With its open architecture, highly configurable decision-making and workflow capabilities, and complete integration to a wide range of services and business systems, UniFi PRO Mortgage eX offers lenders the tools to achieve a fully automated, "end-to-end" mortgage-processing environment. UniFi PRO Mortgage eX automates every phase of mortgage and home-equity loan origination, electronic processing, traditional processing, and closing. UniFi PRO Mortgage eX offers integrated access to Web-based transaction management tools for the delivery, presentment and tracking of application documents and disclosures, collaborative closings and document storage. The system enables real-time transactions, document status and signature options for traditional as well as electronic closings.

ABN AMRO Mortgage Group is one of the largest loan originators and loan servicers in the United States. It produces mortgage loans and provides related services through its various divisions, including InterFirst Wholesale Mortgage Lending, mortgage.com and AMCAP. ABN AMRO Mortgage Group also originates mortgage loans generated through its LaSalle Bank and LaSalle Bank Midwest bank branches. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., ABN AMRO Mortgage Group has approximately 3,000 employees located throughout the United States.

UniFi PRO Mortgage eX is part of the Fiserv Lending Solutions suite of products and services for mortgage, consumer and commercial lenders. The comprehensive lending solutions set from Fiserv includes loan origination and servicing software; lead management and customer loyalty services; document management solutions; automated lending services such as credit, flood, and valuations; field services such as appraisals, inspections, and broker price opinions; closing services; and default management solutions. Additional information can be found on the Web at www.fiservlendingsolutions.com.

Fiserv, Inc. provides information management systems and services to the financial and health benefits industries, including transaction processing, business process outsourcing and software and systems solutions. The company serves more than 17,000 clients worldwide, including banks, credit unions, financial planners and investment advisers, insurance companies and agents, self-funded employers, lenders and savings institutions. Headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., Fiserv reported $3.7 billion in processing and services revenues for 2005. Fiserv was ranked the largest provider of information technology services to the U.S. financial services industry in the 2004 and 2005 FinTech 100 surveys by the American Banker newspaper and the Financial Insights research firm. Fiserv can be found on the Internet at www.fiserv.com.

SOURCE: Fiserv, Inc.

Fiserv Lending Solutions
Kathleen Mikula (UniFi PRO Product Information), 
574-245-1562                                             
or
Eiler Communications for ABN AMRO     
Jennifer Cornell, 734-761-3399 
or
Fiserv Inc.
Mike Muckian, 262-879-5667

Copyright Business Wire 2006

News Provided by COMTEX