PARSIPPANY, NJ, - Immersant, Inc., a leading Internet consultant and developer for complex businesses, announced today the appointment of Denise Garth as vice president, insurance industry marketing. With this appointment, Immersant also announces the creation of its Life Insurance Industry vertical. Research clearly illustrates a great need for the type of complex Web development and consulting services Immersant provides in the life insurance space. For example, a 2000 Life Insurance Management and Research Association (LIMRA) Internet Marketing Practices study found that of 78 leading life insurance companies polled, only 14% currently have private customer sites. A 1999 Booz Allen & Hamilton study found that 60% of carriers have no plans to sell directly over the internet, even term life insurance, 58% of carriers websites could not respond to basic customer e-mail and that carriers in-general have invested very little in creating any kind of online functionality for their core business. Additionally, a 1999Morgan Stanley Dean Witter equity research document found that companies could save 10-15% annually per policy by integrating the Internet into their sales and administrative processes. Ms. Garth brings over 20 years of experience to Immersant, with a strong history in the financial services industry, including insurance, credit unions/banking, broker/dealer, and investments. Prior to her joining Immersant, Garth served as the Vice President of Information Services for Mutual of Omaha Companies where she developed and implemented a systems application strategy that addressed e-business and customer relationship managem ent. She was also employed as first vice president for enterprise systems. "Denise Garth's background in the financial services industry fits in perfectly with Immersant's goal to provide technology consultation and Web development to the world's most complex industries. We are extremely excited that she is joining our management team to lead our new insurance industry vertical," said Carl Glaeser, CEO of Immersant and senior vice president of Bowne & Co. "Garth will work to build the new vertical and to strengthen Immersant's position as the leading Web developer for financial services companies." "I'm anxious to spearhead the new Insurance Industry Vertical at Immersant," Garth said. "I was most attracted to Immersant because of their credibility and depth of the organization, the high-level and depth of experience of the employees, and the seasoned management team." Immersant and ACORD see a tremendous opportunity to move forward in implementing ACORD XML standards across Web sites. By 2004, Gartner predicts 50% of e-business transactions will use XML.