HighMark Funds executives believe their decision to turn to partners for their new Web site paid off. The fund arm of Union Bank of California turned to both SEI and Blattner Brunner for help with the site that recently won the Web Marketing Association's 2004 Best of Industry award in the mutual fund category.

"Our new site is substantially more cost-effective, both in getting our messages across and in allowing us to update many site components in-house," said Peggy Marco, vice president and marketing manager at HighMark Capital Management. "Most important, it's a major advance in creating the kind of client and intermediary experience we want HighMark to be known for."

Blattner Brunner is a Internet marketing firm and helped with development of the site. Wayne, Pennsylvania-based SEI already provided mutual fund operating services, strategic consulting, technology, and infrastructure services to HighMark.

"In taking a fresh look at HighMark's overall marketing and distribution strategy, we saw ways their Website could do more to enhance the client experience and segment communications for various types of investment professionals and clients," said Ross Ellis, SEI's Global Fund Services product manager.

SEI used the findings from an audit covering twenty strategic and functional areas as a guide for the development of the site. The audit covered everything from branding to ease of use, according to SEI officials. To assist with that development process, SEI drew on its Maxweb Fullsite suite of tools to coordinate all the elements of electronic and offline communication.

At the end of the process, SEI provided a full legal and compliance review of the site before filing it with the NASD. Going forward it will provide ongoing monitoring of all communication channels and continued site development based on user feedback.  

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