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FIRE Solutions is recognized as the industry-leader in eLearning and eCompliance training solutions. For a more in depth understanding of our company, we invite you to read the following feature articles:

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PRESS RELEASE - December 17, 2002
NASD Chooses FIRE Solutions For its First-Ever Online Arbitration Training Program

BANK SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY - November 2002
Class Act: E-learning eclipses other technologies in delivering bottom-line results

BD WEEK - November 25, 2002
Anti-Money-Laundering Course Available

PRESS RELEASE - November 22, 2002
FIRE Solutions Reports a 96% Pass Rate with its Series 7 Online Securities Exam Prep Training

PRESS RELEASE - November 12, 2002
FIRE Solutions Delivers Comprehensive Anti-Money Laundering Training to Over 4,000 Industry Professionals

PRESS RELEASE - November 5, 2002
NASD To Provide Arbitration Training Online

BUSINESS WIRE - April 16, 2002
FIRE Online Training Becomes FIRE Solutions

PR Web - March 26, 2002
FIRE Solutions Launches Anti-Money Laundering CE Courses to Address USA PATRIOT Act

FUND MARKETING ALERT - March 24, 2002
Online Training Firm Nabs Multex.com Marketer

BUSINESS WIRE - March 26, 2002
FIRE Solutions Names Karen Walshe Executive Vice President of Sales to the Finance and Insurance Industries for E-Learning and E-Compliance Solutions

Broker/Dealer Week - February 18, 2002
CE Courses Cover Variable Annuities

BUSINESS WIRE - February 5, 2002
FIRE Solutions Adds VA Continuing Ed. Course in Response to NASD Regulation Enforcement

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BD WEEK - November 25, 2002

Anti-Money-Laundering Course Available

PRESS RELEASE - November 22, 2002

FIRE Solutions Reports a 96% Pass Rate with its Series 7 Online Securities Exam Prep Training

San Francisco, CA. - FIRE Solutions, provider of e-learning and e-compliance solutions for the financial services industry, reports a 96% pass rate for industry professionals who use the company's online Series 7 licensing training program.

"The Securities Exam Prep courses from FIRE Solutions provide our members with access to convenient, accuarate online training, " said Michael Meakem of Center of Financial Training, an organization that provides training programs for the banking, credit union, and financial industries. "With FIRE, our member organizations are able to increase pass rates and reduce training costs".

FIRE Solutions Series 7 online program helps students prepare for and successfully pass their licensing exam within a shorter time frame. Typically, a FIRE Solutions students passes his or her exam after studying for it in 90 hours as opposed to 180 hours with traditional books and seminars. Additionally, FIRE Solutions Series 7 course is modularly designed offering students greater flexibility. Students can study online or offline. All modules are available in an interactive format and can be printed to study offline.

"FIRE's pass rate is among the highest in the industry because we provide a unique combination of superior content, dedicated student mentors, and qualified expert trainers," said Juliana Lutzi, CEO of FIRE Solutions.

FIRE Solutions provides online NASD, NYSE, NASAA exam preparations for the Series 7 licencing exam as well as Series 6, 9/10, 24, 55, 63, 65, 66. Training program for new Series 51 will be available in early 2003. FIRE Solutions clients include many leading financial services firms, including two of the five largest brokerage firms in the country.

About FIRE Solutions
FIRE Solutions, Inc., (for Finance, Insurance, Regulation, and Education), is the leader in e-Learning and e-Compliance solutions for the financial services industries. A pioneer in online NASD exam preparation and continuing education training, FIRE Solutions is the first company to offer web-casting for compliance meetings. With over 20 years of NASD training experience, FIRE Solutions delivers unmatched compliance and educational solutions through its engaging, interactive courses, state- of-the-art Internet technology and unparalleled customer support. To learn more about FIRE Solutions, visit www.FIRESolutions.com, or call (415) 247-1830.

PRESS RELEASE - November 12, 2002

FIRE Solutions Delivers Comprehensive Anti-Money Laundering Training to Over 4,000 Industry Professionals

San Francisco, CA. - Since early 2002, over 4,000 industry professionals have attended the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) courses offered by FIRE Solutions, Inc to complete their Firm Element Continuing Education compliance requirements. FIRE Solutions' AML courses are designed to help financial institutions comply with the anti-terrorism requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act passed by Congress last year.

FIRE Solutions' flagship AML course provides a solid overview of the anti-terrorism requirements. To further enhance their training, clients can combine this introductory course with any of the following courses in FIRE Solutions' comprehensive Anti-Money Laundering suite:

  • Know Your Customer: Defines requirements under NASD, NYSE rules and latest interpretations of the PATRIOT Act, requiring firms to verify that customers are not using illicit funds to invest in securities markets.
  • Accounts For Foreign Nationals: Explains the specific cautions and concerns that need to be part of firm's policies and procedures when transacting on behalf of foreign customers. Examples of enhanced due diligence review form are included.
  • Suspicious Activities: Teaches broker/dealers and financial institutions to recognize the need to maintain confidentiality with respect to filing suspicious activity reports. Broker/dealers have a specific obligation to identify funds used for any possible suspected terrorist and/or criminal activities. (Available early 2003.)

"We chose FIRE's online AML course because FIRE's content matches the regulatory developments over the previous year and keeps up with rule changes that must be incorporated into Firm Element CE training plans," said Paul Grass of R.F. Lafferty, a New York stock brokerage firm that specializes in fast and accurate order executions.

" The objective of an introductory AML course is to create a baseline of understanding about the employee's ability to understand and apply policies and rules," said Juliana Lutzi, CEO of FIRE Solutions. "Using this knowledge, firms can expand upon their AML offering and provide customized training for specific groups of employees. Consequently, firms can increase employees' job effectiveness and reduce the firm's potential compliance risk."

FIRE Solutions' AML suite is tailored to uniquely address retail, institutional, wholesale, and mutual fund broker/dealers.

About FIRE Solutions
FIRE Solutions, Inc., (for Finance, Insurance, Regulation, and Education), is the leader in e-Learning and e-Compliance solutions for the financial services industries. A pioneer in online NASD exam preparation and continuing education training, FIRE Solutions is the first company to offer web-casting for compliance meetings. With over 20 years of NASD training experience, FIRE Solutions delivers unmatched compliance and educational solutions through its engaging, interactive courses, state-of-the-art Internet technology and unparalleled customer support. To learn more about FIRE Solutions, visit www.FIRESolutions.com, or call (415) 247-1830

 

PRESS RELEASE - November 5, 2002

NASD Chooses FIRE Solutions For its First-Ever Online Arbitration Training Program

San Francisco, CA: FIRE Solutions, provider of e-learning and e-compliance solutions for the financial services industries, has been chosen to develop and implement the first online arbitrator certification training program for the Dispute Resolution division of NASD. FIRE Solutions will work with NASD Dispute Resolution (NASD DR) to create an online version of its Chairperson Training program for a nation-wide rollout.

Individuals appointed by the NASD to become arbitrators will pursue certification online for the first time beginning in the first quarter of 2003. The current classroom-style Chairperson Training program will be phased out in favor of online training, which provides easier access and flexibility to a nationwide audience. NASD DR represents more than 600,000 brokers and handles 90 percent of all securities arbitration claims by investors.

"Working together, NASD Dispute Resolution and FIRE Solutions believe we will provide a high-impact training initiative that will scale nationally in a flexible, efficient, and results-oriented manner," said Juliana Lutzi, CEO of FIRE Solutions. "The result will be an arbitrator training program that benefits the investing public, financial services firms, and continues the effectiveness of the arbitration process."

About NASD:
NASD is the leading private-sector provider of financial regulatory services, dedicated to brining integrity to the markets and confidence to investors through effective and efficient regulation and complementary compliance and technology based services. NASD touches virtually every aspect of the securities business - from registering and educating all industry participants, to examining securities firms, enforcing both NASD rules and federal securities laws, and administrating the largest dispute resolution forum for investors and member firms. For more information, please visit our Web Site at www.nasd.com.

About FIRE Solutions:
FIRE Solutions, Inc. (FIRE for Finance, Insurance, Regulation and Education), is the leader in e-learning and e-compliance solutions for the financial services industries. A pioneer in online NASD exam preparation and continuing education training, FIRE Solutions is the first company to offer web-casting for annual and required compliance meetings. With over 20 years of NASD training experience, FIRE Solutions delivers unmatched compliance and educational solutions through its engaging, interactive courses, state-of-the art Internet technology and unparalleled customer support. To learn more about FIRE Solutions, visit www.FIRESolutions.com or call (415) 247-1830.

 

PR Web - July 22, 2002

FIRE Solutions Expands Its Anti-Money Laundering Course Suite to Include Know Your Customer and Suspicious Activities

San Francisco, CA - FIRE Solutions Inc. is the leader in elearning and ecompliance solutions for the financial services and insurance industries. FIRE (for Finance, Insurance, Regulation, and Education), is announcing an expansion of its suite of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) continuing education (CE) courses to include Know Your Customer and Suspicious Activities. FIRE's AML suite is designed for financial firms to adhere to the anti-terrorism requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act passed by Congress last year. FIRE's AML suite is tailored to separately address retail, institutional, wholesale, and mutual fund broker/dealers.

Under the new anti-terrorism law, employee education is essential in teaching employees to recognize the need to maintain confidentiality with respect to filing suspicious activity reports. "FIRE recognizes that broker/dealers need more in-depth information than a general Anti-Money Laundering continuing education course. Know Your Customer and Suspicious Activities address specific aspects of preventing money laundering in more detail than the general AML course," stated Bill Tanem, FIRE's leading compliance official.

FIRE's Anti-Money Laundering course defines the "know your customer" requirements under NASD, NYSE rules, and the latest interpretations of the USA PATRIOT Act, which requires firms to verify that customers are not using illicit funds to invest in the securities markets.

FIRE's Know Your Customer CE course emphasized the importance of the simple procedure of verifying customers' identities when accepting instructions and providing account information about a customer's brokerage account. Knowing your customer includes determining suitability as well as determining your customer's intentions. Representatives must understand their customers' financial means and ability to tolerate risk in addition to verifying their customer's identity.

FIRE's Suspicious Activities CE course teaches that when negotiating monetary transactions for customers, broker/dealers and other financial institutions must be attentive to any signs that a customer could be involved in illicit activities. With the recent passage of the USA PATRIOT Act, the NASD has updated its requirements for reporting suspicious activities that could be tied to money laundering. Broker/dealers now have a specific obligation to identify any money that could possibly be used by suspected terrorists or criminal organizations.

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Business Wire - April 16, 2002

FIRE Online Training Becomes FIRE Solutions. New name reflects FIRE Solutions as a complete financial solutions provider meeting increased customer demands

San Francisco, CA - FIRE Solutions, formerly FIRE Online Training, is the leader in elearning and ecompliance solutions for the financial services and insurance industries. FIRE (for Finance, Insurance, Regulation, and Education), is announcing a new corporate identity. FIRE's new identity reflects FIRE's evolution from an online securities training company to a complete finance and insurance solutions provider. FIRE's new identity includes a new company name, new product offerings, and a new company Web site.

"FIRE Solutions' new name represents our increased client growth and retention, additional product portfolio, and first class customer service, which distinguishes FIRE as complete solutions provider," stated Juliana Lutzi, FIRE's CEO. "Between September of 2000 and December of 2001, our client base has increased 365%. FIRE's reputation for top-quality content and customer service has placed FIRE at the forefront of the elearning and ecompliance market space."

As FIRE Solutions, Inc., the company is an increasingly diverse organization, delivering eLearning and eCompliance solutions including NASD, NYSE, and NASAA online exam preparation; firm element continuing education; continuing education needs analysis; online compliance meetings; and FIRE's latest solution product, proprietary training. "We saw a need for financial companies to deliver their own proprietary content and we created a solution for teaching employees internal processes at a lesser cost than in-house training," stated Lutzi.

These changes have paid off in revenue growth, increased profitability, and new products that prove clear market share leadership in the elearning and ecompliance market space. Over the past year, FIRE was the first to market online compliance meetings. Many companies have realized the time, money, and travel savings associated with the online format and have web-enabled their compliance meetings. FIRE Solutions customers include five of the top 15 financial companies.

To accompany FIRE Solutions' new name, FIRE has launched its new Web site. FIRE's Web site reflects FIRE's two main divisions: eLearning and eCompliance. eLearning comprises online securities exam prep, firm element continuing education, proprietary training, and continuing education needs analysis. eCompliance includes online compliance meetings.

FIRE Solutions' image as a solutions provider reflects a company that is dedicated to innovative products and to technology that delivers complete solutions to customers in less time, for less cost, and with higher results. "Our top-quality content combined with world-class customer service are prime drivers of our customer growth and client retention," stated Drew Noone, Chief Operations Officer.

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PR Web - March 26, 2002

FIRE Solutions Launches Anti-Money Laundering CE Courses to Address USA PATRIOT Act

FIRE Solutions, San Francisco CA - FIRE Solutions is the leader in elearning and ecompliance solutions for the financial services and insurance industries. FIRE (for Finance, Insurance, Regulation, and Education) launched a suite of Anti-Money Laundering continuing education (CE) courses in response to the recently enacted USA PATRIOT Act, which requires all financial services firms to have established an anti-money laundering program by April 24, 2002.

FIRE Solutions recognizes that, through Firm Element Continuing Education, registered representatives can learn how to thwart international money laundering and terrorist financing. FIRE's Anti-Money Laundering continuing education courses teach both the Bank Secrecy Act and USA PATRIOT Act by elaborating on both the new obligations faced by financial institutions and existing requirements.

"FIRE's continuing education courses are timely, cost effective, and content relevant, " stated Juliana Lutzi, FIRE's CEO. Web-enabled CE allows employees to fulfill their firm element CE requirement at the convenience of their own desktop, on their own time. Courses are constantly updated to incorporate current changes in the law. FIRE's anti-money laundering CE content mitigates risk for financial firms at a lesser cost to the employer.

FIRE Solutions is a specialist in anti-money laundering training and recommends that financial services training programs contain the following elements of our program to ensure that firms are compliant with the law:

  • Training: Train employees on general anti-money laundering regulations and incorporate your firm's anti-money laundering policies and procedures to have a complete customized course.
  • Testing: Test your registered representatives' knowledge to confirm their comprehension and understanding of general anti-money laundering rules and your firm's policies and procedures.
  • Tracking and Reporting: Track progress to verify that your registered representatives have received and completed their anti-money laundering training. Receive weekly Web-based reports to keep you up to date on course completion.

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Fund Marketing Alert - March 24, 2002

Online Training Firm Nabs Multex.com Marketer

Fire Online Training has hired Karen Walshe as Executive Vice President in charge of Sales and Marketing, a newly created position charged with supervising a nascent New York sales and marketing office. Walshe, a former Vice President of Sales at Multex.com, reports directly to FIRE's CEO Juliana Lutzi. FIRE Online Training, a San Francisco-based provider of online training and compliance meeting services for financial giants such as Charles Schwab & Co. and Salomon Smith Barney, is in the midst of a corporate makeover aimed at highlighting new technology and client services.

Fire is re-launching its Website (www.FIREOnlineTraining.com) as (www.FIRESolutions.com) in support of a name change to Fire Solutions Inc., scheduled to launch in the upcoming quarter. Marketing efforts involving Walshe are the beginning of FIRE's plans to grow from an e-learning service provider for a small number of flagship institutional customers to dominate the industry niche it helped create three years ago. FIRE launched with a skeleton staff catering to fewer than 500 end-user customers. The firm has quickly grown, expanding its base of individual users at institutional clients to more than 36,000.

A FIRE spokeswoman added that the company intends to gradually build a marketing staff that falls under Walshe's supervision after the New York offices are opened next quarter. FIRE also plans to incorporate interactive technology designed to proctor online compliance sessions into the version of its Web Site scheduled to launch next quarter.

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Business Wire - March 26, 2002

FIRE Solutions, Inc. Names Karen Walshe Executive Vice President of Sales to the Finance and Insurance Industries for eLearning and eCompliance Solutions

San Francisco, Calif - FIRE Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of e-learning and e-compliance solutions to the finance and insurance industries announced Karen Walshe as the Executive Vice President of Sales.

Under Ms. Walshe's direction, FIRE Solutions will establish a significant sales presence in New York and San Francisco. "Ms. Walshe brings to this position a sharp focus and deep understanding of the finance industry and the clients we serve," said Juliana Lutzi, CEO of FIRE Solutions. "She will play an important role in growing FIRE Solutions and will be instrumental in directing the expansion and continued success of FIRE."

Karen Walshe brings eight years of financial industry sales and management experience to FIRE Solutions. As a key member of a growing sales organization, in addition to her management responsibilities, Ms. Walshe will have direct responsibility for revenue generation and client retention.

Most recently, Ms. Walshe was VP of Sales for Multex.com (MLTX). Multex.com is a global provider of investment information and technology solutions for the financial services industry. In this role, Ms. Walshe established and managed their West Coast sales office. Prior to joining Multex, Ms. Walshe worked at Primark Financial, a subsidiary of Thomson Financial (TOC.TO), a global provider of data analysis and information tools. At Primark, Ms. Walshe managed all sales efforts for the Mid West and Western regions.

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Broker/Dealer Week - February 18, 2002

CE Courses Cover Variable Annuities

Increased supervisory attention to the sale of variable annuities (BD Week, January 28, 2002) should prompt firms to make sure the products are covered by their Firm Element plans, according to Bill Tanem, director of product development at FIRE Solutions, San Francisco (www.firesolutions.com).

Fire recently introduced a line of courses that focus on variable annuity sales practices. Tanem, a former NASD examiner, noted the courses "teach the proper disclosures for use in the sale of variable annuities." The modules include case studies, and warnings about improper 1035 Exchanges, regulatory concerns and potential customer complaints.

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Business Wire - February 5, 2002

FIRE Solutions Adds VA Continuing Ed. Course in Response to NASD Regulation Enforcement

FIRE Solutions (www.firesolutions.com), an Internet-based provider of licensing, compliance and continuing education courses for financial services reps, has added a new curriculum addressing variable annuity compliance and sales regulation. Spokeswoman Sara Raven said FIRE rolled out the course for variable annuity distributors to counteract an increase in the number of intermediaries fined between 2000 and 2001 by the National Association of Securities Dealers for improper VA sales tactics. "While variable annuities are sensible investments for many types of investors, NASD Regulation has recently increased its enforcement actions regarding VA supervision and sales activities, leaving many investment professionals hesitant to sell these products. The recent 15% downturn in variable annuity sales may well be affected by regulatory actions," said Juliana Lutzi, FIRE ceo.

FIRE's VA compliance course is only valid for individual broker/dealer continuing education credits, but company officials maintain that the added training may indirectly help offset sagging industry VA sales figures. "We're hoping more companies will choose the variable annuity course to teach broker/dealers about variable annuity sales." Raven said. FIRE's clients include Franklin Templeton Investments, OppenheimerFunds, and Charles Schwab & Co.
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About FIRE Solutions
FIRE Solutions, Inc. is pioneering online NASD exam preparation, eCompliance solutions, and continuing education in the finance and insurance industries. FIRE delivers an extensive financial services hub and eLearning solution for industry professionals, including customized internal training. In addition to having one of the highest pass rates for exam preparation in the NASD securities market space; FIRE is the first company to offer web-casting for compliance services. With over 20 years of NASD training experience and state-of-the-art Internet compliance solutions, FIRE delivers unmatched communications and learning solutions through its web-based engaging, interactive courses and services. To learn how FIRE streamlines compliance processes, visit www.FIRESolutions.com, or call (415) 247-1830.

 

 

 

 

   
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