SAGE TAPS SIMMONS AS VP OF ABRA HRMS UNIT
Sage Software has appointed Jessica Simmons to the post of vice president and general manager of its Sage Abra HRMS business.
In her new role, she will report to Karl Grass, senior vice president and general manager for the company's Specialized Business Solutions arm. She most recently served as vice president in the HR outsourcing unit of Aon Corp. She will be based in Sage Software's St. Petersburg, Fla., office.
ACCUFUND LAUNCHES VERSION 3.05
AccuFund, a provider of financial software for nonprofit and municipal organizations, has launched Version 3.05 of its flagship AccuFund Accounting Suite.
The upgraded version includes enhancements to the suite's purchasing and requisition modules, including the ability to define purchasing demographics, optional tracking of client expenses, greater accounting options for distribution and receiving, and a rule-based approval structure.
The company said that new features are also included in other core modules in the accounting suite, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash receipts, court fines, payroll, property billing and utility billing. (For more details, see review above.)
D&B ACQUIRES FIRST RESEARCH
Business-information provider D&B Corp. has acquired First Research for $22.5 million in cash. Raleigh, N.C.-based First Research provides Internet-based content, such as marketing research and industry trends, that is tailored for use by sales professionals. D&B said that it plans to enhance its Hoover's Inc. database with deeper, industry-specific content through the acquisition.
D&B chairman and chief executive Steve Alesio said that the acquisition is part of the company's strategic growth plan for two key reasons. First, the deal supports D&B's plans for growing its Hoover's online presence, and second, the deal supports D&B's goal of delivering profitable revenue growth over time.
First Research generated 2006 revenues of $6.5 million, nearly 30 percent growth over its 2005 numbers.
D&B's global commercial database contains more than 110 million business records, and its products are aimed at helping companies maximize cash flow and profits, convert prospects into clients, and protect businesses from supply chain disruption and serious risk.
NET@WORK PICKS UP SAGE RESELLER
New York - Integrated solutions provider Net@Work has acquired Westchester, N.Y.-based Spitz Consulting Systems, an Act! by Sage Software reseller and consultant. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Previously, Net@Work did not offer Act!, which offers small companies contact management services such as needs analysis, data discovery, database design, software installation, data importing, training and follow-up support, through its customer relationship management practice.
"We felt it was time to bring it in-house and develop a team and a full soup-to-nuts CRM solution for both small and large companies," said Net@Work co-president Edward Solomon about Act! "[Spitz] has the experience and we thought it would be great synergy."
Rich Spitz, founder of Spitz Consulting, will continue with Net@Work as a team leader and senior business analyst. Act! specialist and consultant Stan Hsu will also serve as a business analyst.
Solomon said that Net@Work, which has approximately 1,600 customers, is looking to make more acquisitions and is eyeing both Philadelphia and southern New Jersey.
Last summer, Net@Work purchased Eagle Consulting Group, a top Sage Software MAS 90 and MAS 500 reseller in the tri-state area.
