Tag: Finance

AUSTIN, Texas /Massachusetts Newswire: -- FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, announced today the promotion of Andria Lightfoot to vice president of client success. In her new role, Lightfoot will join the sales and revenue organization and be responsible for implementation and customer success strategy.

SEATTLE, Wash. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Friday Harbor, an AI-powered platform that helps loan officers assemble complete and compliant loan files in real time, today announced its new integration with the Encompass® loan origination system (LOS) from ICE Mortgage Technology, part of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE), a leading global provider of data, technology and market infrastructure. Built using ICE's latest Developer Connect API framework for mortgage technology, the integration enables seamless use of Friday Harbor within the Encompass environment.

ADDISON, Texas /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Click n' Close, a multi-state mortgage lender, today announced the launch of its SmartBuy 5/1 ARM Down Payment Assistance (DPA) product, designed specifically to help home builders address affordability concerns and support new home sales.

ATLANTA, Ga. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry's leading technology for connecting homebuyers with homebuyer assistance programs, today announced that founder and CEO Rob Chrane has been named a 2025 HousingWire Vanguard. The prestigious award recognizes C-level executives whose leadership reshapes the housing economy and drives meaningful progress in mortgage and real estate.

TORRANCE, Calif. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- DocMagic, Inc. today announced that CEO and Co-Founder Pat Theodora has been named a recipient of the 2025 HousingWire Vanguard Award. This recognition honors C-level professionals and business leaders who are making a significant impact on the housing economy through bold vision, enduring leadership and forward-thinking innovation.

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Informative Research (IR), a leading technology provider of data-driven credit and verification solutions for the lending industry, today announced that Chief Experience Officer Matt Orlando has been named a 2025 HousingWire Vanguard.

BUFFALO, N.Y. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- LenderLogix, a leading provider of mortgage point-of-sale and automation software for banks, credit unions, independent mortgage banks and brokers, today announced its founder and CEO Patrick O'Brien has been recognized as a 2025 HousingWire Vanguard. The award honors C-suite professionals and business leaders whose vision and leadership are driving the housing industry forward across lending, servicing, investments, and real estate.

ADDISON, Texas /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Click n' Close, a multi-state mortgage lender, today announced that its Chief Operations Officer, Kara Lamphere, has been named a 2025 HousingWire Vanguard. The award recognizes C-suite professionals and business leaders whose vision and leadership are driving the housing industry forward across lending, servicing, investments and real estate.

AUSTIN, Texas /Massachusetts Newswire: -- FirstClose™, Inc., a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, announced today that co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Tedd Smith has been named a 2025 HousingWire Vanguard.

TROY, Mich. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), announced today that Chief Operations Officer Andrew Bough has been named a 2025 HousingWire Vanguard, a prestigious recognition honoring C-level executives whose leadership is advancing the housing and mortgage finance industry.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, announced today that Chief Product Officer Stephanie Durflinger has been named a 2025 HousingWire Vanguard. This prestigious recognition honors C-level executives whose leadership drives meaningful innovation and growth in the housing and mortgage finance industry.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Lutheran Home, part of Lutheran Life Communities, has begun construction on a new state-of-the-art DaVita Dialysis Den on its Arlington Heights campus. The new six-chair facility, built in partnership with DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA), will bring life-sustaining kidney care directly to Lutheran Home residents and, later, to the surrounding community.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation's leading independent cooperative network for mortgage lenders, announced today that its Mortgage Tech Day will take place September 14 at the historic Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston as part of its Fall conference, "CHEERS! Where Everyone Knows Your Name."

CLEVELAND, Ohio /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Top mortgage industry webcast The Big Picture, broadcast live every Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, announced its September guest lineup featuring four expert voices centered on best practices in loan administration, regulatory trends shaping the mortgage industry, the role of mortgage tech in secondary markets and innovation within the appraisal space.

HOUSTON, Texas /Massachusetts Newswire: -- 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 the continued expansion of its fraud prevention use cases within the credit card industry.

DENVER, Colo. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, today announced the release of its quarterly ACES Mortgage QC Industry Trends Report covering the first quarter (Q1) of 2025. The latest report analyzes post-closing quality control data derived from ACES Quality Management & Control® software.

IRVINE, Calif. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Cloudvirga, a Stewart-owned provider of digital point-of-sale platforms for lenders, today announced the general availability of an admin portal for its Tropos borrower platform, giving lenders greater control over how it works for their business and borrowers. With the new functionality, lenders can adjust organizational settings, manage their brand experience across the business structure, customize loan applications and adapt operational workflows-all without developer assistance.

HOUSTON, Texas /Massachusetts Newswire: -- NotaryCam®, a Stewart-owned company and leading remote online notarization (RON) provider for real estate and legal transactions, its certification to perform RON services in the state of Vermont. This development follows Vermont's enactment of legislation supporting remote notarizations, allowing notaries with a Special Endorsement to perform digital notarizations in the state.

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Informative Research (IR), a leading technology provider of data-driven credit and verification solutions for the lending industry, announced it has been named a 2025 Lending Tech Titan by PROGRESS in Lending, honoring the company's pioneering work in delivering automation, efficiency and cost savings to mortgage lenders across the U.S.

PLANO, Texas /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Optimal Blue today announced it will host its 2026 Optimal Blue Summit from February 23-25 at the Talking Stick Resort and Conference Center in Scottsdale, Arizona. Building on the success of its inaugural event, the 2026 Summit will bring together the company's clients and integration partners, along with thought leaders and experts from across the mortgage industry, for three days of insights, connection and strategy.

DENVER, Colo. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, today announced that three senior professionals from its team will participate in major industry conferences throughout September and October, showcasing ACES' leadership in regulatory compliance, risk management and loan quality.

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Argyle, the leading provider of direct-source income, employment and asset verifications, has been named Overall Real Estate Data Solution of the Year in the 2025 PropTech Breakthrough Awards. The honor recognizes Argyle's growing impact on the tenant screening industry, where the company is helping property managers and tenant screening platforms combat fraud, improve data quality and speed up leasing decisions.

IRVINE, Calif. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Cloudvirga, a Stewart-owned provider of digital point-of-sale platforms for lenders, announced that Tropos, its next-generation borrower portal, has been named Loan Application Solution of the Year in the 2025 PropTech Breakthrough Awards.

BOULDER, Colo. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Floify, the mortgage industry's leading point-of-sale (POS) solution, today announced it has been named as an NMP Originator Choice Winner for 2025, achieving silver in its category.

ATLANTA, Ga. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry's leading technology for connecting homebuyers with homebuyer assistance programs, today announced it has earned a spot on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest-growing privately owned companies after achieving 130% revenue growth from 2021 to 2024. DPR was also honored on the 2023 Inc. 5000 list.

PLANO, Texas /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Optimal Blue today released its July 2025 Market Advantage mortgage data report, which found a 3% month-over-month (MoM) drop in overall rate lock volume, led by a nearly 5% drop in purchase activity as affordability remained strained.

PLANO, Texas /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Optimal Blue today launched a new brand that emphasizes the company's market leadership in delivering modern innovation backed by decades of proven, trusted performance. "Optimal Blue is operating in an era defined by accuracy, scale, speed and artificial intelligence - and our new brand embodies that," said Joe Tyrrell, CEO of Optimal Blue.

AUSTIN, Texas /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Velocity Credit Union is proud to announce the official groundbreaking of its newest branch, located at the southeast corner of Davis Lane and Brodie Lane in Southwest Austin. This expansion reflects the credit union's continued commitment to serving its growing membership and delivering convenient, modern financial services to communities across Central Texas.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Secured Signing, a global leader in digital signature and online notarization technology, has announced a significant upgrade to its In-Person Electronic Notarization (IPEN) solution. The revamped IPEN experience is now fully integrated into the same intuitive dashboard used for Remote Online Notarization (RON) and Digital Signatures-enabling notaries to manage in-person signings with greater speed, convenience, and consistency.

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Informative Research, a premier technology provider delivering data-driven credit and verification solutions to the lending community, today announced the addition of The Work Number® Report Indicator from Equifax to its integrated suite of mortgage credit and verification tools.

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Argyle, a service provider automating income, employment and asset verifications for some of the largest lenders in the United States, today announced its integration with LenderLogix, a leading provider of mortgage point-of-sale (POS) and automation software for banks, credit unions, independent mortgage banks and brokers.

BUFFALO, N.Y. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- LenderLogix, a leading provider of mortgage point-of-sale and automation software for banks, credit unions, independent mortgage banks, and brokers, today announced the release of the Homebuyer Intelligence Report, a quarterly summary of insights into borrower behavior during the home-buying process based on data collected by the LenderLogix suite of tools.

PLANO, Texas /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Optimal Blue today announced a new capability in its industry-leading product, pricing and eligibility (PPE) engine that fully automates the process for a lock desk user to execute best efforts locks directly with participating investors via API. By eliminating the last remaining manual step in the locking life cycle, Optimal Blue is delivering innovations and enhancements that will help significantly increase a lender's efficiency and profitability.

ATLANTA, Ga. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry authority on homebuyer assistance program data and solutions, today released its Q2 2025 Homeownership Program Index (HPI) report. The report finds 45 new programs launched in Q2, traditionally the busiest homebuying season, bringing the total number of available programs to 2,554 - a new record - and the number of program providers to 1,340.

TROY, Mich. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), announced today that its Elite Appraiser Panel, a groundbreaking program, has doubled in size during the past 12 months and is setting new standards for professional excellence. Class Valuation's exclusive, invitation-only Elite Panel now comprises hundreds of high-performing appraisers nationwide.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Amid one of the mortgage industry's most prolonged stretches of cost pressure and market uncertainty, the latest Pulse of the Network survey from The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC) reports that lenders are responding with creativity and nimble thinking, anchored by a clear commitment to long-term resilience.

SEATTLE, Wash. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Friday Harbor, an AI-powered platform that helps loan officers assemble complete and compliant loan files in real time, announced two strategic hires today: Chris Simms has joined as head of strategic partnerships, and Gregory Buehler has joined as founding product manager. They bring over 35 years of combined experience in mortgage lending, product strategy and technology innovation.

WASHINGTON, D.C. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Arsha Jones, founder and CEO of Capital City, announced today the launch of the Capital City Micro-Grant, a $5,000 grant aimed at helping local, retail-ready entrepreneurs scale their consumer product businesses. The grant will be awarded during the Shop Made Makers Summit, a multi-day entrepreneurship experience taking place August 19-21 in Washington, D.C.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Mobility Market Intelligence (MMI), the original pioneer in mortgage market intelligence, today announced the launch of ChatMMI™ - the industry's first conversational AI interface built specifically for lenders, recruiters, and mortgage professionals.

NEW YORK, N.Y. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Klingenstein Fields Advisors (KF Advisors) is proud to announce its recognition as one of the top Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) in Financial Advisor Magazine's 2025 Survey & Ranking, released on July 11, 2025, for firms managing $1.0 billion or more in assets.

MONTREAL, Quebec /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Chief Investment Officer of COTE 100 and respected financial columnist Philippe Le Blanc has officially released "Advantage Equities: Invest Between the Lines and Win" (ISBN: 978-0228818939; released June 2025 by Tellwell Publishing), an insightful new book offering investors a fresh, accessible perspective on the world of stock market investing.

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Informative Research Data Solutions, a division of Informative Research and a leading provider of data-powered borrower intelligence and analytics tools for the financial services industry, announced today that its executive vice president, Shannon Santos, has been named a 2025 Mortgage Professional America (MPA) Elite Woman Award recipient.

ATLANTA, Ga. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Strategic Benefits Advisors, Inc. (SBA) today released a practical summary of the employee benefits provisions contained in the newly enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025. While the legislation spans a wide range of tax and policy changes, SBA's summary highlights the bill's most significant impacts on employer-sponsored retirement plans, health and welfare benefits and payroll operations.

LAKE ZURICH, Ill. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Dovenmuehle Mortgage, Inc., a leading mortgage subservicer, today announced the successful completion of its 2024 Service Organization Control (SOC) 1® Type 2 and SOC 2® Type 2 audits. These independent audits, conducted by the public accounting and business advisory firm Plante Moran, PLLC, affirm Dovenmuehle's adherence to the highest standards for internal controls, data security, and operational effectiveness. {UPDATED]

KOKOMO, Ind. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- CFD Companies' efforts to support adviser marketing were validated recently when CFD affiliated financial adviser Rachael Camp was a featured panelist at the 2025 Jolt! Conference. Social media marketing remains prohibited at many financial services firms, but CFD has calculated that the extra regulatory burdens are a part of providing exceptional service to CFD affiliated financial professionals.

SEATTLE, Wash. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Friday Harbor, an AI-powered platform that helps loan officers assemble complete and compliant loan files in real time, today announced the availability of open APIs, giving lenders and vendors a new level of flexibility in how they integrate Friday Harbor into their mortgage tech stack.

ATLANTA, Ga. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry's leading technology for connecting homebuyers with homebuyer assistance programs, today announced a strategic partnership with FirstHome IQ, a nonprofit empowering the next generation of homeowners through modern, accessible financial education and tools for industry partners.

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Informative Research (IR), a premier technology provider delivering data-driven credit and verification solutions to the lending community, today announced the availability of Halcyon's IRS tax transcript service within the IR Verification Platform. This enhancement expands Informative Research's suite of verification of income and employment (VOI/E) options.

SEATTLE, Wash. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- How would you like to take home 100% of your paycheck and never pay income tax again? To learn more, get a free copy of the new book by Rich Germaine, "Tax Revolution 2.0, Let's Get Rid of the Income Tax."

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Mobility Market Intelligence (MMI), the industry's sole provider of a unified mortgage technology solution, today announced a series of major platform enhancements and strategic product upgrades delivered in Q2 2025. These developments reinforce MMI's leadership as the only cohesive system delivering market intelligence, predictive borrower alerts, conversation-driven CRM, and a homeowner engagement platform in one high-impact solution.

ADDISON, Texas /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Click n' Close, a multi-state mortgage lender, today announced it has been honored for the second year in a row as a 2025 Top Wholesale Lender Champion by the United States Department of Agriculture. This recognition underscores Click n' Close's continued commitment to fostering homeownership and supporting community development through innovative lending programs.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Twenty-five executive leaders from The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC) have been identified as holding current leadership positions in their respective state Mortgage Bankers Associations (MBAs), showcasing a growing alignment between grassroots industry advocacy and national operational collaboration.

BOULDER, Colo. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Floify, the mortgage industry's leading point-of-sale (POS) solution, today announced that Sydney Barber, head of product, has received a 2025 Mortgage Star Award. The Mortgage Star awards honor exceptional women in the mortgage and housing finance industry who demonstrate leadership, innovation and a commitment to advancing the profession.

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Argyle, a service provider automating income, employment and asset verifications for some of the largest lenders in the United States, has been honored with PROGRESS in Lending's inaugural Game Changer award. The recognition celebrates technology providers whose products solve real industry challenges and improve the mortgage lending process.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah and ATLANTA, Ga. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Arcasa, a provider of solar-integrated mortgage solutions, and Down Payment Resource, the housing industry's leading technology for connecting homebuyers with homebuyer assistance programs, today announced that Arcasa's Energy-Smart DPA program is now listed nationwide in Down Payment Resource's DPA Directory. Energy-Smart DPA combines a market-rate home loan with energy-efficient upgrades, giving homebuyers a single, streamlined path to both homeownership and long-term utility savings.

BOULDER, Colo. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Floify, the mortgage industry's leading point-of-sale (POS) solution, announced today that its no-code Dynamic Apps engine has been selected as the first-ever Game Changer Award recipient by PROGRESS in Lending. The technology tailors every loan application to a borrower's exact purpose while ensuring airtight compliance.

DENVER, Colo. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, today announced the promotion of two internal compliance leaders: Amanda Phillips to general counsel and executive vice president of compliance, and Savannah Prout to associate vice president of compliance.

PLANO, Texas /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Optimal Blue today released its June 2025 Market Advantage mortgage data report showing total lock volume rose 1.95% month-over-month (MoM), driven by increased refinance activity. Refinance share climbed from 16% to 18% of all locks as rate-and-term refinances jumped 17.4% MoM and 18.4% year-over-year (YoY). Cash-out refinances rose 8.1% from May and nearly 28% YoY.

SEATTLE, Wash. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- It's been 250 years since the first tax revolution. Media Arts Institute, a Seattle-based media company, has just released a new book, "Tax Revolution 2.0, Let's Get Rid of the Income Tax" (ISBN: 979-8288643385; paper) by media consultant and researcher Rich Germaine.

CLEVELAND, Ohio /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Top mortgage industry webcast The Big Picture, broadcast live every Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, has unveiled its July guest lineup featuring five impressive leaders who will explore the power of analytics, interpret public policy signals, unpack the barriers to home ownership and deliver pragmatic capital markets perspective. Co-hosted by mortgage business consultant and executive coach Rich Swerbinsky and capital markets authority Rob Chrisman, author of the widely read Chrisman Commentary newsletter, the webcast delivers timely, thought-provoking conversations with mortgage professionals, innovators and thought leaders.

TROY, Mich. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), announced today that Executive Vice President, Head of Operations Melinda (Mindy) Lesinski has been named to HousingWire's 2025 Women of Influence list. HousingWire's Women of Influence program was launched in 2010 to recognize women making notable contributions to both their businesses and the industry at large, with a specific focus on contributions during the most recent 12 months.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced it has established an integration with Uniform Collateral Data Portal® (UCDP®), a single portal jointly maintained by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the GSEs). This expansion positions Dark Matter as an early adopter of the technology needed to support the Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) 3.6 and Forms Redesign initiative.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced its CEO, Sean Dugan, has been named to Inman's 2025 Best of Finance list. Now in its third year, the award is a prestigious industry recognition honoring professionals in the mortgage and financial services sectors who demonstrate exceptional innovation, influence and impact on the residential real estate ecosystem.

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Argyle, a service provider automating income, employment and asset verifications for some of the largest lenders in the United States, today announced that its founder and CEO Shmulik Fishman has been named one of Inman's 2025 Best of Finance, his second consecutive appearance on the list. Inman's editorial team hand-selects distinguished professionals for their role in driving the mortgage and financial services industries forward through leadership, exceptional service and commitment to innovation.

IRVINE, Calif. /Massachusetts Newswire: -- Cloudvirga, a leading provider of digital mortgage point-of-sale platforms, today announced that CEO Maria Moskver has been named to Inman's 2025 Best of Finance list. Moskver has earned a place on the list every year since its creation in 2023, making this her third consecutive recognition.