After First Interstate Bancorp.'s chief technologist, Webb Edwards, left in April for Norwest Corp., the bank quickly responded by naming executive vice president Daniel Eitingon as head of the new technology banking group.
Eitingon had been in charge of the bank's California retail operations, and one of his tasks will be the installation of a new teller automation system. First Interstate has already installed the system in its branches in California, Texas and Utah.
In addition, the bank will begin installing a new platform automation system called RSA, for Retail Sales Automation, from Hogan Systems Inc. of Dallas. A First Interstate spokeswoman said the bank is helping Hogan test and develop the system and is the first depository institution to install the software, beginning with its Washington State branches in April. The bank hopes to have it deployed in all of its more than 1,100 branches by the middle of next year.
Besides technology, Eitingon will also be responsible for marketing and telephone banking. He will report directly to First Interstate chief executive William Siart, rather than Richard Tappey, the executive vice president who had supervised Edwards.
