Bankers Training Press Releases

BAI Inks Strategic Alliance with NewGround to Add
New High-Tech Distribution Channel for Training

CHICAGO (JULY 2006) - BAI, the leading provider of education and training solutions to the financial services industry, announced an agreement with NewGround that will enable its top training courses to be delivered to banking organizations via on-demand technology.

"Staff development in the branch is critical to the success of financial organizations, but delivering it can be challenging," said Deborah L. Bianucci, President and CEO of BAI. "In partnering with NewGround, we can offer yet another option to our customers to access our training when and where they want it. Its flexibility is a tremendous advantage for training supervisors, who can now customize which modules and courses are needed for any particular location."

NewGround uses digital signage systems to deliver targeted marketing messages to screens installed at more than 1,000 branches and locations nationwide. The Training Channel is an on-demand feature available to system subscribers. BAI's most-requested training courses will be offered as part of a year-long subscription to customers of the Training Channel service. Banking executives can coordinate training at multiple branches with just a phone call to NewGround. The requested courses are then scheduled for viewing by local branch employees at the given location(s).

"Digital signage systems have been a powerful tool for distributing effective marketing messages to branch networks. Adding the Training Channel to these systems gives banks the opportunity to leverage their investment in display screens for staff development," says Jim Kueneke, Senior Vice President, NewGround.

BAI training courses are developed by industry experts and are updated as regulations change for up-to-the-minute accuracy and relevance. More than 19 state banking associations endorse BAI training courses, and many courses qualify for Continuing Education Credits.

BAI also provides Credit Union training courses. All courses are AICC/SCORM compliant. BAI courses now available through NewGround's Training Channel cover a range of industry-specific topics, including:

The service is effective immediately.

BAI is the financial services industry's leading professional organization focused on enhancing employee and organizational performance. Through ground-breaking research and an award-winning magazine, Banking Strategies, BAI provides the latest insights on complex, strategic issues in financial services. Through seminars, graduate schools and conferences - including the industry's premier event, BAI Retail Delivery Conference & Expo - BAI reaches thousands of financial services professionals each year to deliver content designed around critical business needs and to facilitate vital connections between financial services professionals, industry experts and solutions providers. Focusing on business issues and performance drivers, BAI applies its extensive line of training, metrics and employee assessments to help clients leverage their most important asset - their employees.

NewGround is a leading international design/build and retail services firm serving the financial services industry. The company's offering includes architectural design, construction management, branding strategies, print and multimedia merchandising, retail rollout campaigns and employee development programs. NewGround provides and implements completely integrated strategic solutions to help clients develop and deliver a more powerful experience. The company is headquartered in Chicago, IL with principal offices in St. Louis, MO; San Francisco, CA; Portsmouth, NH and Toronto, Canada. To learn more, call 888.613.0001, or visit www.newground.com.