November 27, 2007 by Steve.

In this age of e-mail, handwritten notes can make a big impact. Think about it: when was the last time you received a handwritten note? vLetter is a company that will reproduce your own handwriting as a font that you can use on your computer. This allows you to use the speed of typing to create a handwritten look.

The company offers several products. For $150, vLetter Pro will create your own handwriting and signature into a font that allows for completely connected cursive writing. vLetter Print ($70) is a simple printed font that is made from your own handwriting. And vLetter Sig ($30) creates your signature as a font. With your signature as a font, you can sign documents and checks by simply typing your name and choosing the font to display it. This allows you to choose any font size and color for your signature.

The company also offers handwriting fonts as Ready-Made Styles. “Declare” is a font made from the handwriting in the final copy of the Declaration of Independence. This font is a formal calligraphic style that includes an old-fashioned tall “s” character. “GWashing” is a font made from George Washington’s handwriting, taken from archives of his actual correspondence. This less formal style also includes the old-fashioned tall “s” character in combination with a small “s.”

Complete details are available at www.vletter.com.

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November 27, 2007 by Steve.

ImageRight, recently acquired by Vertafore, Inc. (the AMS Services holding company), has announced the acquisition of Computers by Design (CBD), Inc. of Tampa, Fla. CBD provides imaging and document management solutions, such as its popular CBDDoc for insurance agents and brokers. CBD will function as the retail agency division of ImageRight. ImageRight will focus on the insurance company sector of the insurance industry.

“This acquisition will allow us to extend our document management solutions into the agency sector,” said Don Elias, co-founder and principal of ImageRight. “CBD has a strong agency base and a solution that is highly complementary with the document management products we already offer. Our combined capabilities will enable ImageRight to deliver leading solutions to all segments of the insurance distribution chain — agencies, wholesale brokers, MGAs, and carriers. Additionally, our combined solutions will enable us to improve the management and flow of documents across the insurance industry.”

The CBD document management solution, CBDDoc, was specifically designed to meet the needs of insurance agencies and brokerages. CBDDoc allows agencies to attach any type of document to a customer’s file regardless of its originating location, application, or mail system. Documents are indexed and saved using CBDDoc document-saving technology. Examples of managed documents include scanned images, received faxes, Microsoft Word documents, and e-mail. CBD currently has more than 100 retail customers across the country. Steven Finch and Hani Esoo of CBD will continue in key leadership roles for CBD and will be spearheading the expansion of CBD’s presence in the retail agency and broker market segment.

“CBD has been providing document management and submission solutions to retail agents for more than a decade,” said Steven Finch, executive vice president of CBD. “This expertise and existing product line, combined with ImageRight’s leadership in the carrier and MGA market, will allow for the development of innovative document distribution and presentation solutions.”
Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

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