After more than 60 years of helping Alabama Baptists plan for the future, The Baptist Foundation of Alabama (TBFA) recently transformed its offices and services to better assist its clients.
The advancements include upgraded computer and office equipment, a new trust accounting system and Web page and the implementation of an academically sound institutional investment program.
“Our goal is to be as technologically sound as anyone in the secular world providing similar services and to be as academically sound from an investment management standpoint,” said Barry Bledsoe, who came to the Foundation in July 2001, succeeding Warren Trussell as president. Trussell, who died Oct. 10, 2002, retired June 30, 2001, after almost 20 years service with TBFA.
Bledsoe, who spent 15 years in the trust banking industry, said, “Every change we have made this past year has been directed toward these goals.”
On the cutting edge
“We wanted to bring modern technology and institutional investment management services to Alabama Baptists,” he said.
The first additions to the Foundation were eight brand-new computers, a server and a state-of-the-art trust accounting system that allows employees to be more efficient in handling assets.
Through this system, Foundation employees can perform fast and accurate reporting, receive up-to-the-minute market reports and direct links with investment consultants and managers, according to the Foundation’s Web site located at www.tbfa.org.
“We have more than 1,800 accounts and $150 million that we are accountable for,” added Bledsoe, a member of First Baptist Church, Montgomery. “It [the system] allows us to keep up with that in a much more efficient manner freeing up time to focus on service and ministry.”
Web presence
After the major technology upgrade, the Foundation was able to utilize e-mail and establish a Web site and intranet site.
Later, Bledsoe headed the implementation of an institutional investments management service that centralizes the Foundation’s assets.
This service permits easier record keeping, better accountability and greater efficiency by having assets located in one place.
In addition to the computer upgrades, the Foundation also added a voice mail system, although Bledsoe stressed that clients will still be able to talk to a “live” voice during business hours.
Bledsoe attributes the Foundation’s success over the past year to the technological advancements made during that time. “Collectively all of these things gave rise to us having the largest growth in any calendar year since the Foundation was begun in 1940,” he noted.
“The Foundation grew by $16 million last year,” Bledsoe said. “I think the fact that we’re focused on being technically sound and putting together an institutional investment management process have freed us up to ministry and development.”
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