FirstBest Systems, a developer of underwriting managementsystems, has announced the formation of an Underwriting KnowledgeCenter. Led by insurance industry experts with insurance expertise,the new group will offer customers industry knowledge and bestpractices to enhance the core business process of underwriting.

FirstBest Systems is a new software company formed to addressthe need in the commercial insurance industry for a Web-basedsolution designed to tackle underwriting challenges. With theformation of the Underwriting Knowledge Center, FirstBest nowprovides a business solution combining software and industry bestpractices to help carriers achieve profitable growth and greatercustomer intimacy with agents.

The FirstBest Underwriting Knowledge Center will be led byRobert R. Lukas, vice president, underwriting sciences. With morethan 30 years of insurance industry and IT experience, Lukas is anexpert on establishing effective IT governance models forproperty/casualty enterprises and exploiting technology to createrevenue-generating opportunities. Lukas is the former CIO of TheHartford's property/casualty company. He founded and directed theHartford Technology Services Company, a Hartford subsidiary thatdelivers technology services to the Hartford and othercorporations. He also served as president of CLA Corp., a Hartfordsubsidiary that marketed insurance software and technology servicesto other insurance carriers.

"Carriers today are looking for a way to unlock the richknowledge and best practices they have in their best underwritersto improve the consistency of underwriting," says John Belizaire,CEO of FirstBest Systems. "We have created a solution that includesa next-generation product and deep industry expertise to help solvethat problem."