Tag: Awards and Honors

NATIONAL NEWS (ONTARIO, Canada) -- Soap Opera Magazine, a digital publication covering American daytime television, has been named the No. 1 soap opera news website of 2026 by entertainment publication High on Films. In its newly published ranking, "The 5 Best Soap Opera News Sites Online in 2026," High on Films placed Soap Opera Magazine first among five major outlets covering the daytime television industry.

NATIONAL NEWS (ONTARIO, Canada) -- Soap Opera Magazine, a leading digital publication covering daytime television, today announced the nominees for the first annual Maggie Awards, a new honors program recognizing outstanding performances and storytelling across all five American daytime dramas. The Maggies celebrate work that aired during the 2025 calendar year, and every winner will be chosen by fan vote. Winners will be announced October 1, 2026.

NATIONAL NEWS (LAS VEGAS, Nev.) -- Southern Nevada's premier electrical contractor, Ampere Electric, has been honored with the Outstanding Advertising Performance Award by RSVP Las Vegas Advertising using a targeted mailer to the top 30% of homeowners in the Las Vegas Valley. This accolade recognizes the company's exceptional results in an 18-month advertising campaign that successfully closed over $4 million in new business matched back to the targeted mailer.

NATIONAL NEWS (AUSTIN, Texas) -- FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for home equity and mortgage lenders nationwide, announced today that John Aslanian, chief revenue officer, has been named a 2026 HousingWire Vanguard. The award recognizes C-level executives across mortgage, real estate and homebuilding for leadership that has driven measurable impact on their organizations and the broader housing economy over the past year.

NATIONAL NEWS (SEATTLE, Wash.) -- Friday Harbor, an AI pre-underwriting platform that helps loan officers assemble complete and compliant loan files in real time, today announced that its Founder and CEO Theo Ellis has been honored with HousingWire's 2026 Vanguard Award.

NATIONAL NEWS (JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced that Vikas Rao, chief executive officer, has been named a 2026 HousingWire Vanguard. Rao recognized for transforming Dark Matter and opening new ways for lenders to build, integrate and deploy AI.

NATIONAL NEWS (TORRANCE, Calif.) -- DocMagic announced today that Chief Operating Officer Lori Johnson has been named a 2026 HousingWire Vanguard. COO recognized for advancing DocMagic's latest innovations in a digital mortgage career spanning more than 30 years.

NATIONAL NEWS (SOUTH HACKENSACK, N.J.) -- CARZ4US, a family-owned independent used car dealership serving New Jersey from locations in South Hackensack (Bergen County) and Pine Brook (Morris County), has been named a 2026 Top Digital Dealer by CarGurus, placing the dealership among only 100 U.S. dealerships nationwide recognized in the category.

NATIONAL NEWS (PEACHTREE CORNERS, Ga.) -- Capstone Logistics, a leading provider of supply chain solutions, has been named a 2026 Top 100 Third-Party Logistics Provider by Inbound Logistics. Each year, Inbound Logistics selects 100 logistics providers that demonstrate the capabilities, scale, and expertise required to navigate increasingly complex supply chain demands.

NATIONAL NEWS (IRVINE, Calif.) -- CDF Labor Law LLP (CDF) is pleased to announce that 30 of its attorneys, more than half of the firm's attorneys, have been recognized in the 2027 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, reflecting the depth of talent across the firm and its continued strength in representing California employers in labor and employment matters.

NATIONAL NEWS (MESA, Ariz.) -- Edupoint® Educational Systems, creator of the unified Synergy® Education Platform for K-12 student data management, today announced that the company has been named one of the Top Companies to Work for in Arizona in 2026. This marks the eighth time Edupoint has received this recognition.

NATIONAL NEWS (LA VERNE, Calif.) -- Hillcrest, a nonprofit continuing care retirement community in La Verne, has been named one of the 2026 Best Places to Work in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal. Hillcrest was recognized for fostering a workplace where employees feel valued, supported and connected to the community's nonprofit mission.

NATIONAL NEWS (CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa.) -- LodeStar Software Solutions (LodeStar), the leading provider of mortgage closing cost and fee data, today announced that it has been ranked No. 3,091 on the 2026 Inc. 5000 list, the annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. Marking its fourth appearance on the list, LodeStar ranks 239th in software, 94th in Pennsylvania, and 87th in the Philly-Camden-Wilmington area.

NATIONAL NEWS (TORRANCE, Calif.) -- DocMagic®, a leading provider of digital mortgage solutions, has been named one of the 2026 Best Places to Work in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal. The annual program, now in its 20th year, recognizes companies that demonstrate a strong commitment to employee engagement.

NATIONAL NEWS (ATLANTA, Ga.) -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry's leading affordability intelligence platform, today announced it has earned a spot on the 2026 Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest-growing privately owned companies after achieving significant revenue growth from 2022 to 2025. DPR was also honored on the 2023 and 2025 Inc. 5000 lists.

NATIONAL NEWS (VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.) -- Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group LLC (Atlantic Bay) is proud to announce it has been recognized among Hampton Roads' Top Workplaces by the Virginian-Pilot. The annual recognition honors employers that create exceptional workplace experiences, with recipients determined through confidential employee survey feedback.

NATIONAL NEWS (FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.) -- Natural Transplants, Hair Restoration Clinic, is proud to announce that Dr. Matt Huebner and Natural Transplants have been recognized as the Best Hair Implant Specialist in Fort Lauderdale Magazine's Best of Fort Lauderdale 2026 awards.

NATIONAL NEWS (DENVER, Colo.) -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, today announced that Garry Manley, assistant vice president of client success, has been named a 2026 HousingWire Insider. The award recognizes operational leaders across the mortgage, real estate and homebuilding industries whose behind-the-scenes work drives measurable impact within their organizations.

NATIONAL NEWS (BOULDER, Colo.) -- Floify, the mortgage industry's leading point-of-sale (POS) solution, today announced that Sol Klein, head of customer experience and business operations, has been named to HousingWire's 2026 Insiders list. The annual program recognizes the operational leaders who are vital to their organizations' success and making a measurable difference in the housing industry.

NATIONAL NEWS (GARDEN GROVE, Calif.) -- Informative Research (IR), a leading technology provider of data-driven credit and verification solutions for the lending industry, today announced that Shana Garrie, senior marketing specialist, has been name among the 2026 HousingWire Insiders. The award honors the leaders working behind-the-scenes to drive innovation and efficiency in the mortgage and real estate industry.

NATIONAL NEWS (AUSTIN, Texas) -- FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, announced today that Adam Nicholson, director of professional services, has been named a 2026 HousingWire Insider. The award recognizes operational leaders across the mortgage, real estate and homebuilding industries whose behind-the-scenes work drives measurable impact within their organizations.

NATIONAL NEWS (HOUSTON, Texas) -- NotaryCam®, a Stewart-owned company and a pioneering provider of remote online notarization (RON) and identity verification / authentication technology for real estate and legal transactions, today announced that Quality Assurance (QA) Manager Olen Dalton has been recognized as a HousingWire Insider. The award honors operational leaders working behind the scenes to drive innovation, efficiency and growth in mortgage and real estate.

NATIONAL NEWS (LOS ALTOS, Calif.) -- JazzX AI, an enterprise AI company purpose-built for the mortgage industry, today announced that Kunal Patel, head of AI platform and products, has been named to HousingWire's Insiders list for 2026. The annual Insiders award recognizes the behind-the-scenes operational leaders who are vital to their organizations' success and driving innovation across mortgage and real estate.

NATIONAL NEWS (TORRANCE, Calif.) -- DocMagic® announced today that David Garrett, director of integration and technical services, has been named a 2026 HousingWire Insider. Garrett first received the honor in 2023, making this his second HousingWire Insider recognition.

NATIONAL NEWS (SEATTLE, Wash.) -- Friday Harbor, an AI pre-underwriting platform that helps loan officers assemble complete and compliant loan files in real time, today announced that Lisa Casner, its head of engineering, has been named a 2026 HousingWire Insider. Now in its 11th year, the Insiders Award recognizes operational all-stars working behind the scenes to drive innovation and support growth across the mortgage and real estate industries.

NATIONAL NEWS (VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.) -- Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group LLC (Atlantic Bay) is proud to announce that Vice President of Operations Strategy Julie Watson has been named a 2026 HousingWire Insider. Now in its 11th year, the Insiders Award recognizes operational all-stars working behind the scenes in companies across the housing industry to drive innovation and underpin business growth.

NATIONAL NEWS (NEW YORK CITY, N.Y.) -- Argyle, the leading consumer-permissioned verification platform, and The BIG Point of Sale today announced they have been named winners of the 2026 Connections Award by PROGRESS in Lending. The award honors the most impactful partnerships, integrations and acquisitions advancing the mortgage industry, recognizing the companies for an integration that embeds verification of income and employment (VOIE) directly into the loan origination process through ICE Mortgage Technology's Encompass Partner Connect® framework.

NATIONAL NEWS (ADDISON, Texas) -- Click n' Close, a multi-state mortgage lender, received a USDA 2026 Top Wholesale Lender award. The award was presented today at USDA Rural Development's National Lender of the Year Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C.

NATIONAL NEWS (HOUSTON, Texas) -- NotaryCam®, a Stewart-owned company and a pioneering provider of remote online notarization (RON) and identity verification/authentication technology for real estate and legal transactions, today announced that President Brian Webster has been recognized as a 2026 Inman Best in Finance award winner.

NATIONAL NEWS (SAN DIEGO, Calif.) -- Pet Friendly Paw Life Pomeranian Finley has won the title of Best in California in the Pet Lovers Choice Awards and is now competing for Best in Nation. Vote for California dog Finley to win the national title, the voting round lasts from July 14th through July 22nd. The event benefits rescue Best Friends Animal Society with official media partner USA Today Pets.

NATIONAL NEWS (LAKE ZURICH, Ill.) -- Dovenmuehle Mortgage, Inc. (DMI), a leading mortgage subservicing company, announced today that Amber Cowan, first vice president of Default Operations, has been named a Mortgage Stars honoree by Mortgage Women Magazine. The program recognizes women making significant contributions to the mortgage industry through innovation, leadership and impact on colleagues and clients.

NATIONAL NEWS (BETHESDA, Md.) -- The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) today announced the recipients of its inaugural Institutional Policy Awards, recognizing twelve institutions that have demonstrated outstanding commitment to advancing the postdoctoral experience, along with its 2026 Institutional Policy Report, tracking national trends affecting the postdoc community.

NATIONAL NEWS (SEATTLE, Wash.) -- The National Pygmy Goat Association (NPGA) is proud to announce the National Champion Buck, Doe and Wether for 2026. Hosted by the Ohio Pygmy Goat Association, the Golden Jubilee National Convention held in Owensville, Ohio June 19-21, not only celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the NPGA, it also brought together the best animals from across the country to compete in the Champion Challenge.

NATIONAL NEWS (SEATTLE, Wash.) -- Friday Harbor, an AI pre-underwriting platform that helps loan officers assemble complete and compliant loan files in real time, has been named a recipient of PROGRESS in Lending's 2026 Connections Award alongside NewFed Mortgage Corp. (NewFed), a full-service residential mortgage lender operating in more than 20 states. The recognition honors a partnership that allowed NewFed to grow production without the hiring cycles and overhead that typically accompany scale.

NATIONAL NEWS (TORRANCE, Calif.) -- DocMagic® was honored today with PROGRESS in Lending's 2026 Connections Award alongside Truliant Federal Credit Union, a North Carolina-based credit union serving more than 300,000 members. The recognition honors a five-year partnership that culminated in the mortgage industry's first electronic home equity line of credit (eHELOC) registered with the MERS® eRegistry.

NATIONAL NEWS (LAS VEGAS, Nev.) -- Nevada Real Estate Group, led by founder Chris Nevada, has been recognized across multiple industry honors in 2025, including placement on The Wall Street Journal's RealTrends The Thousand list, USA TODAY's America's Best Real Estate Professionals ranking, and the Top 50 Nevada Real Producers list.

NATIONAL NEWS (GARDEN GROVE, Calif.) -- Informative Research (IR), a leading technology provider of data-driven credit and verification solutions for the lending industry, today announced it has been named a recipient of the MortgagePoint Excellence Award for Top Technology Providers. The recognition highlights IR's innovative, unified platform.

NATIONAL NEWS (TORRANCE, Calif.) -- DocMagic® announced today it has again been named a recipient of the MortgagePoint Tech Excellence Award. The annual award recognizes the most innovative technology providers in the mortgage industry. According to MortgagePoint, the Tech Excellence Award "highlights companies that deliver cutting-edge solutions, improve operational efficiency and enhance the mortgage process through technology."

NATIONAL NEWS (AUSTIN, Texas) -- FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, announced today that Tedd Smith, chief executive officer, has been named to the 2026 National Mortgage Professional Legends of Lending. The honor recognizes mortgage professionals who have made enduring contributions to the industry through innovation, leadership and long-term impact.

NATIONAL NEWS (MESA, Ariz.) -- Edupoint® Educational Systems today announced that Synergy® Education Platform has been selected as winner of the "Next-Gen School Solution of the Year" award in the 8th annual EdTech Breakthrough Awards program conducted by EdTech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes top companies and solutions in the global educational technology market.

NATIONAL NEWS (GARDEN GROVE, Calif.) -- Informative Research (IR), a leading technology provider of data-driven credit and verification solutions for the lending industry, today announced that Craig Leabig, Senior Vice President of Marketing, has been named a 2026 Marketing Leader by HousingWire. The award recognizes influential marketing executives who have transformed brands and driven measurable business results across the housing economy.

NATIONAL NEWS (BOULDER, Colo.) -- Floify, the mortgage industry's leading point-of-sale (POS) solution, today announced that Courtney Dodd, head of marketing, has been named a 2026 HW Marketing Leader by HousingWire. The HW Marketing Leaders award recognizes the people behind the strategies, campaigns and brand decisions shaping housing finance. Dodd is one of 70 honorees named to the 2026 class.

NATIONAL NEWS (ATLANTA, Ga.) -- Down Payment Resource (DPR),the housing industry's leading technology for connecting homebuyers with homeownership programs, today announced that Melinda Harris, vice president of marketing and communications, has been named a 2026 HW Marketing Leader by HousingWire. Each year, HousingWire's HW Marketing Leaders program recognizes the executives shaping how housing finance companies communicate, compete and grow. Harris is among 70 honorees selected.

NATIONAL NEWS (TROY, Mich.) -- Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), announced today that Holly Shipley, head of marketing, has been named a 2026 HW Marketing Leader by HousingWire. The HW Marketing Leaders award recognizes the people behind the strategies, campaigns and brand decisions shaping housing finance. Shipley is one of 70 honorees named to the 2026 class.

NATIONAL NEWS (AUSTIN, Texas) -- FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, announced today that David Bolin, vice president of marketing, has been named a 2026 HousingWire Marketing Leader, recognizing his strategic vision, measurable business impact and ability to translate complex lending technology into compelling market narratives.

NATIONAL NEWS (JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced that Wes Horbatuck, senior vice president of marketing, has been named a 2026 HW Marketing Leader by HousingWire. The award recognizes marketing executives across the housing finance industry who have demonstrated measurable impact, strategic leadership and excellence in execution over the past 12 months.

NATIONAL NEWS (SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., and KARNATAKA, India) -- GeekyAnts, an AI-Powered Digital Product Engineering and Consulting Company, earned a nomination at the ET Now Business Conclave & Awards 2026 under the "Excellence in AI & Digital Transformation" category. The nomination recognizes the company's work in AI-led product engineering, enterprise modernization, cloud-native systems, and digital customer experience.

NATIONAL NEWS (DELRAY BEACH, Fla.) -- Spodak Dental Group is proud to announce its recognition as a 2026 Sun Sentinel Top Workplace, marking the 10th time the organization has received the prestigious honor. The organization was the only dental office to be recognized in the Small Business category.

NATIONAL NEWS (BOULDER, Colo.) -- Floify, the mortgage industry's leading point-of-sale (POS) solution, today announced that its Head of Marketing Courtney Dodd has been named a Women of Mortgage Tech award winner by Mortgage Women Magazine. The Women of Tech award recognizes individuals who are shaping the future of technology through innovation, leadership and community impact.

NATIONAL NEWS (JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced that Leslie Cheshier, its chief client officer, has been named a 2026 Women of Mortgage Tech award winner by Mortgage Women Magazine. The award recognizes individuals who are shaping the future of mortgage technology through innovation, leadership and meaningful industry impact.

NATIONAL NEWS (TROY, Mich.) -- Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), announced today that Audrey Clearwater, Senior Vice President of Sales Operations, has been named a Women of Mortgage Tech award winner by Mortgage Women Magazine. The award recognizes individuals who are shaping the future of mortgage technology through innovation, leadership and meaningful industry impact.

NATIONAL NEWS (ATLANTA, Ga.) -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry's leading technology for connecting homebuyers with homeownership programs, today announced that Kathy Gault, DPA Program Specialist, has been named a 2026 Women of Tech award winner by Mortgage Women Magazine, recognizing her impact on advancing mortgage technology and expanding access to affordable housing.

NATIONAL NEWS (HAMMONTON, N.J.) -- Service First Information Solutions, LLC (Service 1st), a leading provider of credit reporting and verification solutions for the mortgage industry, announced today that Lisa Binkley, Chief Operations Officer, has been named a Women of Mortgage Tech award winner by Mortgage Women Magazine for 2026. The award recognizes individuals shaping the future of mortgage technology through innovation, leadership and meaningful industry impact.

NATIONAL NEWS (GARDEN GROVE, Calif.) -- Informative Research (IR), a leading technology provider of data-driven credit and verification solutions for the lending industry, today announced that Corey Hampton, Vice President of Product Management, has been named among the 2026 Women of Tech by Mortgage Women Magazine (MWM). The award honors influential women who are driving innovation, advancing technology and shaping the future of the mortgage industry.

NATIONAL NEWS (AUSTIN, Texas) -- FirstClose, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, announced today that Andria Lightfoot, vice president of client success, has been named a 2026 Mortgage Women Magazine (MWM) Women of Tech Award winner, recognizing her leadership, innovation and impact advancing mortgage technology and supporting women in the industry.

NATIONAL NEWS (DENVER, Colo.) -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, today announced that it has been named one of the 2026 Best Places to Work in Financial Technology. The awards program was created in 2017 and is a project of Arizent and Best Companies Group.

NATIONAL NEWS (AUGUSTA, Ga.) -- Pillar To Post® Home Inspectors has named Jeremiah Adell Jr., owner of Pillar To Post of Greater Augusta, its 2025 Rookie of the Year, an award presented recently in 2026 to recognize outstanding overall performance based on sales, market growth and contribution to the brand.

DENVER, Colo. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), a leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, announced today that Romina Cusenza, vice president of marketing, has been named a 2026 Trailblazers in Sales, Marketing and PR award winner by Progress in Lending. The award recognizes mortgage industry professionals who have made a meaningful positive impact on their company and the broader industry through sales, marketing and public relations initiatives.

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Doherty Enterprises-owned Applebee's® Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants in New York City and Westchester County, NY are proud to announce the winners of the 10th annual Above and 'BEE'yond Teacher Essay Contest, recognizing outstanding educators nominated by their students.

LONG ISLAND, N.Y. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Doherty Enterprises-owned Applebee's® Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants on Long Island are proud to announce the winners of the 10th annual Above and 'BEE'yond Teacher Essay Contest, recognizing outstanding educators nominated by their students.

ALLENDALE, N.J. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Doherty Enterprises-owned Applebee's® Neighborhood Grill + Bar restaurants in New Jersey are proud to announce the winners of the 10th annual Above and 'BEE'yond Teacher Essay Contest, recognizing outstanding educators nominated by their students.

SISTERS, Ore. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Larrea Press today announced its book "Miscalculated Risks: Attacked, Crippled, Paralyzed, Drowning, Unconscious and Freezing in The Wild (Just Not All At Once)" (ISBN: 979-8998909504), by Michael Cooper has been selected as a finalist for Adventure, Sports & Recreation Book of the Year by Foreword INDIES - one of the most respected international literary award panels.

NAPA, Calif. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Earlier this year, Domaine Carneros Winery received the Sustainable Business of the Year award from the Napa Chamber of Commerce, presented by MCE Clean Energy, a not-for-profit public agency that has set the standard for clean energy in California since 2010. Domaine Carneros was founded by the Taittinger family nearly four decades ago with the conviction that the finest méthode traditionnelle sparkling wines begin with the healthiest land.

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Argyle, the leading provider of direct-source income, employment and asset verifications, today announced that its Director of Sales Thomas Rasmuson has been named a 2026 Rising Star by HousingWire. The annual HousingWire Rising Stars award recognizes standout professionals under 40 who are making a significant impact on the housing industry through leadership, innovation and measurable business results.

TROY, Mich. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), today announced that Amanda Standley, vice president of business development for Bluebird Valuation, a Class Valuation company, has been named a 2026 HousingWire Rising Star. The HousingWire Rising Stars award recognizes emerging leaders under 40 in mortgage and real estate who are leading change and making a meaningful impact on their organizations. This year, 75 young professionals were named to the list.