Category Archives: Finance

New Energy Risk Announces Milestone as Clients Raise $3B in Capital, Also Announce Senior Promotions

AVON, Conn. /ScoopCloud/ -- New Energy Risk (NER), a wholly-owned division of Paragon Insurance Group, on June 30 surpassed $3 billion in capital raised by clients since inception, a pivotal marker as the company continues to support the deployment of innovative technology solutions to address climate change and other global challenges.

Learn more about this achievement in NER's announcement, https://newenergyrisk.com/clients-surpass-3-billion/, and more about some of NER's clients via its case studies, https://newenergyrisk.com/case-studies/.

"This $3 billion milestone demonstrates the success of our products and underscores our commitment to 'Underwriting a Greener Future,'" NER Chief Executive Officer Tom Dickson said. "We are at the forefront of providing insurance solutions to the innovators who are accelerating the green energy transition. The capital they raise is an indication of rapidly increasing investor demand for positive impact."

Building on this momentum, NER is announcing that Chief Actuary Sherry Huang, a seven-year veteran of the company, is expanding her role to also support transaction approval and execution as chief actuary and managing director of underwriting development. Brad Price is being promoted from principal engineer to managing director of technical due diligence. Brentan Alexander has stepped down as president of NER and will be joining an emerging technology firm in the coming weeks. He has been a key leader in the success of NER since joining in 2012 and will remain involved as a consultant to NER for an extended period of time.

"Congratulations to the NER team and to Brad and Sherry on their additional responsibilities and to Brentan on his new endeavor," said Andy Borst, Paragon's president of E&S and International. "The $3 billion in capital raised is a major achievement that confirms NER as a leader in providing innovative solutions and underscores Paragon's commitment to investing in and supporting businesses that help address climate change and other global challenges."

About New Energy Risk:

New Energy Risk is a pioneer of large-scale, breakthrough technology performance insurance solutions. The company provides complex risk assessment and serves as a bridge between technology innovators, financiers, and insurers. Insurance policies are administered through New Energy Risk affiliate Complex Risk and Insurance Associates, LLC, CA License #0I24307. Visit: https://newenergyrisk.com/.

About Paragon:

Paragon Insurance Holdings, LLC, formed in 2014, writes all commercial lines of insurance across more than 20 programs. Paragon's industry-specific and general underwriting facilities offer insureds, retail agents, carriers, reinsurers and service providers unique product, service, capability, and results. Visit: https://www.paragoninsgroup.com/.

New Energy Risk (NER), a wholly-owned division of Paragon Insurance Group, on June 30 surpassed $3 billion in capital raised by clients since inception, a pivotal marker as the company continues to support the deployment of innovative technology solutions to address climate change and other global challenges.

Related link: https://www.paragoninsgroup.com/

MCTlive! Capital Markets Platform Becomes First to Integrate with Freddie Mac’s Whole Loan Purchase Advice Seller API

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- MCT's award-winning capital markets platform, MCTlive!, is the first to integrate with Freddie Mac's Whole Loan Purchase Advice Seller API. This API connection allows MCT Mark-to-Market and Hedge Accounting Reports to be updated with Freddie Mac purchase data directly, instead of waiting to run reports through a Loan Origination System (LOS).

By removing manual data entry into the LOS the connection to this API will provide more accurate and timelier 'Held For Sale' reporting. The integration also allows MCTlive's Loan Commitment Tracker to automatically draw down outstanding commitments as loans are purchased by Freddie Mac.

"We really appreciate Freddie Mac on their continued drive to improve the efficiency in which data is communicated back to lenders," said Paul Yarbrough, Senior Director of MCT's Client Success Group. "With Freddie's new Cash Settlement Purchase Statement API, MCT clients are now able to automatically pull in any purchase advice statements posted by Freddie Mac. Subsequently, MCT clients can utilize our state-of-the-art data writeback to update the LOS quicker and more accurately saving the valuable time of critical staff at the lender."

As a top purchaser of whole loans from the MCT lender client base, integrating with the Freddie Mac Whole Loan Purchase Advice Seller API completes a large step in MCT's roadmap for automating and independently verifying performance reporting. MCT is in the process of working with many whole loan buyers to automate the delivery of their purchase advices into MCTlive! Please contact MCT today to start the process of automating the delivery of purchase advices for whole loan buyers and sellers.

About MCT:

Founded in 2001, Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT) has grown from a boutique mortgage pipeline hedging firm into the industry's leading provider of fully integrated capital markets services and technology. MCT offers an array of best-in-class services and software covering mortgage pipeline hedging, best execution loan sales, outsourced lock desk solutions, MSR portfolio valuations, business intelligence analytics, mark-to-market services, and an award-winning comprehensive capital markets software platform called MCTlive!

MCT supports independent mortgage bankers, depositories, credit unions, warehouse lenders, and correspondent investors of all sizes. Headquartered in San Diego, California, MCT also has offices in Philadelphia, Healdsburg, and San Antonio. MCT is well known for its team of capital markets experts and senior traders who continue to provide the boutique-style hands-on engagement clients love.

For more information, visit https://mct-trading.com/ or call (619) 543-5111.

MCT's award-winning capital markets platform, MCTlive!, is the first to integrate with Freddie Mac's Whole Loan Purchase Advice Seller API. This API connection allows MCT Mark-to-Market and Hedge Accounting Reports to be updated with Freddie Mac purchase data directly, instead of waiting to run reports through a Loan Origination System (LOS).

Related link: https://mct-trading.com/

DaVinci Capital Partners Crafts Customized Financial Solutions for Clients Throughout Ventura County

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- DaVinci Capital Partners offers a different approach to financial planning. Rather than directing clients towards some complicated phone tree via a 1-800 number, the firm consistently applies a personal touch. It offers financial services to clients throughout Ventura County.

Specifically, founder Kushal Shah, CRPC(r) offers:
* Financial planning
* Retirement planning
* Estate planning
* Investment management
* Tax planning

With experience in all of these areas, he helps his clients:
* Preserve their wealth
* Eliminate debt
* Lower their taxes
* Optimize their income

Ultimately, DaVinci Capital Partners believes that if you fail to plan, you essentially plan to fail. That's especially true in the complex financial environment facing individuals and families today. Modern wealth management and savvy investment strategy require regular rebalancing, broad diversification, tax-efficient tactics, and more. Fortunately, by providing clients with a personal advisor, the firm can not only help them develop a plan - but also act on it.

In fact, DaVinci Capital Partners limits its client base so it can offer the highest possible level of customization and care.

From the very beginning, clients can expect individualized service from their personal financial advisor. It all starts with a discovery meeting, during which the advisor both gathers up the necessary information and gets to know the client's unique goals. From there, the advisor analyzes the client's current financial situation and where they want to go. This allows DaVinci Capital to tailor a customized plan.

A bespoke financial plan isn't where DaVinci Capital Partners' services stop, though. The consultant continues to actively work with the client to implement that plan. Through goal setting and progress monitoring, the advisor helps the client move in the desired direction. Consistent monitoring and regular updates are standard components of DaVinci Capital Partners' service.

Typical DaVinci Capital Partners clients have $500,000 or more in assets. The firm is actively seeking new clientele and any interested parties should inquire.

About DaVinci Capital Partners:

Inspired by Da Vinci's mathematical drawing of a person's ideal body proportions, the firm's logo represents the same concept: perfect balance. As it relates to finances, DaVinci Capital Partners believes balance requires a strategy-driven approach to create a strong portfolio and wealth plan. However, they also think experiencing this balance is an essential part of the equation. The firm strives to help clients establish a sense of balance and peace of mind around their finances by serving as their own personal CFO - managing their financial details as they live their life.

Learn more at https://davincicap.com/

DaVinci Capital Partners can be contacted at (805) 341-7104 or online via the website contact form.

Kushal A. Shah is an Investment Advisor Representative of Dynamic Wealth Advisors dba DaVinci Capital Partners. All investment advisory services are offered through Dynamic Wealth Advisors.

DaVinci Capital Partners offers a different approach to financial planning. Rather than directing clients towards some complicated phone tree via a 1-800 number, the firm consistently applies a personal touch. It offers financial services to clients throughout Ventura County.

Related link: https://davincicap.com/

PitBullTax Software Named to the 2022 Inc. 5000 List of the Fastest Growing Private Companies in America

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- PitBullTax Software, the Nation's Leading Tax Resolution Software for CPAs, EAs and Tax Attorneys has revealed it has won a spot on the 2022 Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in America.

The list represents a one-of-a-kind look at the most successful companies within the economy's most dynamic segment-its independent businesses. Facebook, Chobani, Under Amour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

The companies on the 2022 Inc. 5000 have not only been successful, but also demonstrated resilience amid supply chain woes, labor shortages and the ongoing impact of COVID-19.

"We are extremely proud of this honor and have worked very hard to grow this company into what it is today," stated Jaime S. Buchwald, CPA, Co-Founder and CEO. "The timing of this award couldn't have come at a better time. With the Inflation Reduction Act giving the IRS $80 billion and the agency looking to hire 87,000 new personnel, IRS enforcement over the next decade will be at all-time high, and the amount of new resolution cases are going to increase astronomically."

Buchwald adds, "With this prestigious award, our licensees and potential licensees will now have even greater confidence in PitBullTax to handle this avalanche of new cases, not only as the nation's leader in IRS tax resolution software, but also as a verified national business leader."

"The accomplishment of building one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S., in light of recent economic roadblocks, cannot be overstated," says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. "Inc. is thrilled to honor these companies that have established themselves through innovation, hard work, and rising to the challenges of today."

Jose Alfaro, Co-Founder and CTO of PitBullTax, said "What a year! Just last month we released Version 7.0, a quantum leap in automation that seamlessly integrates with major tech companies such as Zoom meetings, and synchronizes with Dropbox, Google Drive, One Drive, Outlook and Google Calendar and SMS communication. On top of that, we now join the ranks of the fastest growing companies in America thanks to the dedication of our employees and the loyal support of our licensees, the top IRS tax resolution professionals in the country."

ABOUT PITBULLTAX SOFTWARE:

PitBullTax Software has licensees in all 50 states that rely on the company's software to prepare their clients' IRS resolution cases and automate their IRS tax resolution practices. Innovation, efficiency and making its licensees more profitable are the cornerstones of the company's philosophy.

Learn more at: https://www.pitbulltax.com/

PitBullTax Software, the Nation's Leading Tax Resolution Software for CPAs, EAs and Tax Attorneys has revealed it has won a spot on the 2022 Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in America.

Related link: https://www.pitbulltax.com/

Sales Boomerang named to Inc. 5000 list for second consecutive year

OWINGS MILLS, Md. /ScoopCloud/ -- Sales Boomerang, the mortgage industry's top-rated automated borrower intelligence and retention system, and Mortgage Coach, a platform empowering mortgage lenders to educate borrowers with interactive home loan presentations, today announced that the Sales Boomerang borrower intelligence solution made its second consecutive appearance on Inc.'s annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America.

Sales Boomerang ranked #708 overall, placing the company among the top 15% of all private companies in America based on three-year revenue growth of 906%. Sales Boomerang was also recognized as the nation's No. 54 fastest-growing financial services company and as the No. 18 fastest-growing company based in Maryland.

In June of this year, Sales Boomerang merged with Mortgage Coach to form the mortgage industry's first automated borrower intelligence, retention and conversion platform. The partnership offers lenders a cohesive system for reaching high-intent loan prospects at the best possible time and empowers borrowers to make financial decisions confidently with lender-branded, interactive loan scenario comparisons.

"At Sales Boomerang, we have always attributed our success to our dedicated team, without whom our platform never would have achieved such momentous growth," said Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach Chief Innovation Officer Alex Kutsishin. "Making it onto the Inc. 5000 for the second year in a row speaks to the immense value that our actionable borrower intelligence offers today's mortgage lenders. As Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach, we look forward to helping even more lenders take their borrower experience to the next level."

The companies on the 2022 Inc. 5000 have not only been successful, but have also demonstrated resilience amid supply chain woes, labor shortages, and the ongoing impact of Covid-19. Among the top 500, the average median three-year revenue growth rate soared to 2,144%. Together, those companies added more than 68,394 jobs over the past three years.

"The accomplishment of building one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S., in light of recent economic roadblocks, cannot be overstated," says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. "Inc. is thrilled to honor the companies that have established themselves through innovation, hard work, and rising to the challenges of today."

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc. magazine, which will be available on August 23.

About Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach:

Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach are trusted by more than 300 lenders, including brokers, independent mortgage companies, credit unions and banks to connect borrowers with the right loan at the right time.

Sales Boomerang transformed the relationship between mortgage lenders and borrowers with the introduction of the first automated borrower intelligence system in 2017. The company's intelligent alerts notify lenders as soon as a past customer or prospect is ready and credit-qualified for a loan. As the mortgage industry's #1 borrower retention tool, Sales Boomerang helps lenders build lasting borrower relationships that maximize lifetime customer value. To learn more, visit https://www.salesboomerang.com.

Mortgage Coach is an award-winning platform that empowers mortgage lenders to educate borrowers with interactive presentations that model home loan performance over time. The company's side-by-side loan comparisons allow borrowers to make faster, more informed mortgage decisions while enabling lenders to consistently deliver an on-brand, consultative home financing experience that increases borrower pull-through, repeat business and referrals. To learn more, visit https://www.mortgagecoach.com.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2022 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2018 to 2021. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2018. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent-not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies-as of December 31, 2021. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2018 is $100,000; the minimum for 2021 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to four decimal places. The top 500 companies on the Inc. 5000 are featured in Inc. magazine's September issue. The entire Inc. 5000 can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc.

The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference & Gala is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Conference & Gala, visit http://conference.inc.com/.

@SalesBoomerang @MortgageCoach @inc5000

Sales Boomerang, the mortgage industry's top-rated automated borrower intelligence and retention system, and Mortgage Coach, a platform empowering mortgage lenders to educate borrowers with interactive home loan presentations, today announced that the Sales Boomerang borrower intelligence solution made its second consecutive appearance on Inc.'s annual Inc. 5000 list.

Related link: https://www.salesboomerang.com/

Promontory MortgagePath adds John Gust as Director of Product Management

DANBURY, Conn. /ScoopCloud/ -- Promontory MortgagePath LLC, a leading provider of comprehensive digital mortgage and fulfillment solutions, announced industry veteran John Gust has joined the organization as the director of product management. In this role, Gust leads the product management and user experience teams and is responsible for product strategy, planning, execution, and rollout of Promontory MortgagePath's mortgage fulfillment services and end-to-end technology solution.

"Since Promontory MortgagePath's founding, our mission has been to fundamentally change the way lenders approach their businesses and simplify mortgage fulfillment outsourcing for community banks and financial institutions, particularly those in underserved communities," said Kevin Wheeler, managing director of product and engineering at Promontory MortgagePath. "John's depth of industry experience will be a tremendous asset to us as we continuously refine our tech offerings to align with market demands and enhance the mortgage operational support we provide our community banking clients."

Gust possesses more than 18 years of experience leading product management and digital transformation projects within the defense and mortgage industries. Prior to joining Promontory MortgagePath, he was the chief product owner of multifamily underwriting for Freddie Mac, where he was responsible for the product strategy, development, and delivery of all digital multifamily underwriting products. Gust also spent six years working at Fannie Mae, most recently as a senior product manager on the enterprise innovation team leading a public data exchange platform designed to drive new insights for the future of housing.

About Promontory MortgagePath LLC | NMLS ID 1532373

Promontory MortgagePath is a fast-growing team of passionate problem solvers on a mission to fundamentally change the way lenders approach their mortgage business. The company combines an intuitive, collaborative digital mortgage platform with modern, comprehensive fulfillment services, giving lenders the progressive technology and scalability required to profitably compete in today's rapidly changing residential mortgage market. Promontory MortgagePath's founder, former U.S. Comptroller of the Currency Gene Ludwig, is widely recognized as a visionary thinker on the critical issues confronting financial services, and his companies are renowned for helping community lenders resolve their most pressing challenges. To learn more, visit https://www.mortgagepath.com.

Promontory MortgagePath LLC, a leading provider of comprehensive digital mortgage and fulfillment solutions, announced industry veteran John Gust has joined the organization as the director of product management. In this role, Gust leads the product management and user experience teams and is responsible for product strategy, planning, execution, and rollout of Promontory MortgagePath's mortgage fulfillment services and end-to-end technology solution.

Related link: https://www.mortgagepath.com/

How A Mortgage Focused Agency Launched to Make Impact

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. /ScoopCloud/ -- In the heart of Indianapolis, Indiana is a marketing agency focused on helping mortgage lenders and technology overcome obstacles, develop marketing strategies, and grow their business. That agency is Art Vs. Math. In 2019, Steven Cooley started Art Vs. Math to help improve marketing in the mortgage industry.

"The mortgage industry continues to struggle developing creative, relevant marketing content, and strategies to set themselves apart from each other," stated Steven Cooley, Art Vs. Math founder.

Cooley, a former marketing executive at Finance of America Holdings, got his start in mortgage as a call center loan officer in their reverse mortgage division. Upon awaiting his mortgage license, he noticed some marketing improvements and was allowed an opportunity to utilize his unique acumen to grow their marketing division. He was promptly promoted to AVP of Digital Marketing and experienced much success, which enabled him to be promoted again to Director of Digital Marketing at Finance of America Holdings.

In April 2019, Cooley fired up Art Vs. Math, and immediately started working with top ten lenders and some of the most notable technology companies in the industry. In conjunction with running the agency, Mortgage Advisor Tools was developed to help mortgage loan officers discover new technology. This effort continues to thrive, and dozens of technology companies are leveraging the platform to expand their marketing reach. Due to their considerable growth came new hire, Marketing Manager Cheyenne Pauley, hailing from Charleston, West Virginia. Cheyenne was a part of the horrific Sprout closure that displaced hundreds of mortgage professionals.

With this new growth, Art Vs. Math developed a new website to help mortgage lenders and technology companies better understand the product offerings. "We had to take a dose of our own medicine and provide a more concise way to define our products and how we can help our industry overcome their challenges.

"2022 has proven that our services and areas of expertise will be essential, and we are excited about the new opportunities," says Cooley. "The new website separates Lenders and Technology, providing nuanced agency/consultancy products that break down their service offerings for each audience. The Core Values product is a workshop that lenders or technology companies can experience to help them define who they are, why they are who they are, and an action plan to reinforce those principles."

He adds, "The company also offers a marketing audit to determine how well a company's marketing works. Lenders of all sizes need a marketing resource that fits their budget and will appreciate taking advantage of the Shared Services product. Shared Services allows Lenders to customize their marketing services to meet their business objectives."

About Art Vs. Math:

Art Vs. Math wants to help the mortgage industry solve its problems. Whether through strategy building, creativity, or one of its product lines, the mortgage industry would be well served to find industry experts to help them accomplish their goals. 2022 has been one of those years; we've seen massive layoffs, closures, and a significant drop in loan volume. There is considerable opportunity to grow your business. "This year is all about market share, says Cooley; whoever stays top of mind the longest will sustain this year and be positioned for hyper-growth." The other way to say it, check out the website header and - Be The Obvious Choice.

If you would like to learn more about Art Vs. Math - go to https://www.artvsmath.com/.

In the heart of Indianapolis, Indiana is a marketing agency focused on helping mortgage lenders and technology overcome obstacles, develop marketing strategies, and grow their business. That agency is Art Vs. Math. In 2019, Steven Cooley started Art Vs. Math to help improve marketing in the mortgage industry.

Related link: https://www.artvsmath.com/

MMI debuts in top 1500 on the 2022 Inc. 5000 Annual List

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Mobility Market Intelligence (MMI), a leader in data intelligence and market insight tools for the mortgage and real estate industries, today announced it ranks No. 1499 on the 2022 Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. The list represents a one-of-a-kind look at the most successful companies within the economy's most dynamic segment-its independent businesses.

MMI debuts on the list among the top 30% of all private companies in America based on three-year revenue growth of 427%. Earlier this year, MMI also ranked No. 29 on the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Rocky Mountains list.

"The Inc. 5000 list represents some of the most influential businesses in the country and it is an honor to be named among them," said MMI founder and CEO Ben Teerlink. "The team at MMI works tirelessly to turn comprehensive real estate and mortgage production data into actionable insights for our clients and it's clear from our growth that those efforts are paying dividends for our customers and for MMI."

The companies on the 2022 Inc. 5000 have not only been successful, but have also demonstrated resilience amid supply chain woes, labor shortages, and the ongoing impact of Covid-19. Among the top 500, the average median three-year revenue growth rate soared to 2,144 percent. Together, those companies added more than 68,394 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc. magazine, which will be available on August 23.

"The accomplishment of building one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S., in light of recent economic roadblocks, cannot be overstated," says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. "Inc. is thrilled to honor the companies that have established themselves through innovation, hard work, and rising to the challenges of today."

About Inc.

The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference & Gala is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

About MMI

Mobility Market Intelligence (MMI) is a market leader in data intelligence and market insight tools for the mortgage and real estate industries. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, the company's signature product, MMI, provides actionable intelligence for lenders, real estate agents, real estate brokerages, title companies and others in the real estate industry. MMI is currently used by more than 350 enterprise customers, including 20 of the top 25 lenders in the country. To learn more, visit https://mmi.io or contact sales@mmi.io.

Mobility Market Intelligence (MMI), a leader in data intelligence and market insight tools for the mortgage and real estate industries, today announced it ranks No. 1499 on the 2022 Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. The list represents a one-of-a-kind look at the most successful companies within the economy's most dynamic segment-its independent businesses.

Related link: https://mmi.io

Mortgage Women Magazine Names Natalie Arshakian as a 2022 Mortgage Star

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Capital Trading (MCT®), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced today that National Mortgage Professional's Mortgage Women Magazine selected Natalie Arshakian, Senior Director and Head of Lock Desk Operations at MCT, to its annual 2022 Mortgage Star Awards.

This year's award recognizes 31 women who rise above the rest to do more for their clients, serve as better mentors, and are committed to making the industry more welcoming through both traditional and creative ways. Mortgage Women Magazine selected this year's Mortgage Stars by analyzing each individual's accomplishments, their philosophies, the way they support those around them, and how they inspire others to better themselves.

The class of women listed as 2022's Mortgage Stars shared their personal stories of their successes, experiences, advice, and solutions via the July 2022 Issue of Mortgage Women. Many of them started in entry-level positions and rose to prominent leadership roles, including Natalie Arshakian.

In a conversation with Mortgage Women Magazine, Arshakian shared that she hopes to lead by example, "so that women know that there is a spot for them at the table." Arshakian believes female mentors are critical to success, as they are "living proof that being a successful woman is achievable and that those who are driven should aim high."

Arshakian believes that initiative and self-motivation are the two most significant contributors to her success and encouraged women starting their careers in the mortgage industry to "find someone successful that you admire and ask how they got their start and what they did to become successful." Arshakian further emphasized that the significant change she'd like to see in the mortgage industry is more collaboration among secondary mortgage market leaders, investors, and technology platforms to enhance the user experience and offer more efficient processes industrywide.

Arshakian has over ten years of experience working in financial services and holds a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA. Arshakian's expertise lies in the areas of locking, pricing, data analysis, team leadership, mentoring, pipeline building, internal process creation, risk management, and auditing. Currently, she leads and mentors a team of over 40 analysts who provide services to over 65 clients that lock over $7 billion a month.

About MCT:

Founded in 2001, Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT) has grown from a boutique mortgage pipeline hedging firm into the industry's leading provider of fully integrated capital markets services and technology. MCT offers an array of best-in-class services and software covering mortgage pipeline hedging, best execution loan sales, outsourced lock desk solutions, MSR portfolio valuations, business intelligence analytics, mark to market services, and an award-winning comprehensive capital markets software platform called MCTlive!

MCT supports independent mortgage bankers, depositories, credit unions, warehouse lenders, and correspondent investors of all sizes. Headquartered in San Diego, California, MCT also has offices in Philadelphia, Healdsburg, and San Antonio. MCT is well known for its team of capital markets experts and senior traders who continue to provide the boutique-style hands-on engagement clients love. For more information, visit https://mct-trading.com/ or call (619) 543-5111.

About National Mortgage Professional:

National Mortgage Professional focuses exclusively on the mortgage industry. From daily news feeds to specialty newsletters, from magazines to webinars, from in-person events to Facebook Live interactions, National Mortgage Professional dominates the market for mortgage insight. Their publications - NMP, Mortgage Banker and Mortgage Women - have been must-read magazines for decades.

Mortgage Capital Trading (MCT®), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced today that National Mortgage Professional's Mortgage Women Magazine selected Natalie Arshakian, Senior Director and Head of Lock Desk Operations at MCT, to its annual 2022 Mortgage Star Awards.

Related link: https://mct-trading.com/

ACES Quality Management Executives selected to speak at Mortgage Bankers Association’s 2022 RMQA Conference

DENVER, Colo. /ScoopCloud/ -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, announced Executive Vice President of Compliance Amanda Phillips and Executive Vice President of Operations Sharon Reichhardt have been selected to speak at the upcoming Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Risk Management, Quality Assurance and Fraud Prevention Forum (RMQA) taking place September 11-13 in Nashville, Tenn.

Phillips will moderate "Examining Trends in Fair Housing, Fair Lending and Fair Servicing Compliance" on Tuesday, Sept. 13, from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. CT, which will focus on trends related to regulations across the industry to help lenders make the necessary adjustments and ensure compliance.

Reichhardt will also present on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to noon CT as part of the panel discussing "Using Data to Stop Today's Fraud Schemes." This session will focus on the data lenders should be examining, collection methods for obtaining that data and how to analyze the data to determine the best means of stopping today's fraud schemes.

"The ACES team is extremely proud to have two of our best and brightest internal experts speak at this year's RMQA," said ACES CEO Trevor Gauthier. "Amanda and Sharon are both highly regarded members of the ACES team and outstanding thought leaders, each possessing a wealth of knowledge in their respective fields. I look forward to hearing them share their insights and expertise with the mortgage industry's compliance and quality control professionals."

ACES is a Platinum sponsor for this year's RMQA conference. To learn more about ACES' suite of mortgage quality control and risk management tools, visit them at tabletop No. 5 during the conference or schedule time to meet with the team at sales@acesquality.com.

About ACES Quality Management:

ACES Quality Management is the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry. The nation's most prominent lenders, servicers and financial institutions rely on ACES Quality Management & Control® Software to improve audit throughput and quality while controlling costs, including:

* 4 of the top 5 and more than 50% of the top 50 independent mortgage lenders;

* 8 of the top 10 loan servicers;

* 11 of the top 30 banks; and

* 1 of the top 3 credit unions in the USA.

Unlike other quality control platforms, only ACES delivers Flexible Audit Technology®, which gives independent mortgage lenders and financial institutions the ability to easily manage and customize ACES to meet their business needs without having to rely on IT or other outside resources. Using a customer-centric approach, ACES clients get responsive support and access to our experts to maximize their investment. For more information, visit https://www.acesquality.com/ or call 1-800-858-1598.

ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, announced Executive Vice President of Compliance Amanda Phillips and Executive Vice President of Operations Sharon Reichhardt have been selected to speak at the upcoming Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Risk Management, Quality Assurance and Fraud Prevention Forum (RMQA) taking place September 11-13 in Nashville, Tenn.

Related link: https://www.acesquality.com/

EPIC Welcomes Kerry Connor – Joins as National Voluntary Benefits Practice Leader

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Kerry Connor has joined EPIC to lead its National Voluntary Benefits Practice. With over 20 years of experience in the voluntary benefits space, Connor will utilize her subject matter expertise to support EPIC account teams and clients with the design, funding, and delivery of the full spectrum of voluntary benefit offerings. She will be based in the Philadelphia area.

Early in her career, Connor's aspirations focused on the voluntary benefits area. Her first step was the ownership of an enrollment firm, which served the brokerage community and companies directly in the mid and large markets. The firm was sold after 15 years to a top 100 bank. Next, her expertise in this unique space was sought out by two leading cyber security companies where she served as top national director of sales at both. Most recently, while at Genomic Life, Connor partnered closely with consultants, enrollment firms, benefits administration providers and employers across all markets on the development and delivery of new and innovative genomic benefit programs.

"Kerry brings a great balance of direct sales experience as well as working collaboratively with the brokerage community. I have no doubt that her leadership will bring incredible value to our clients either directly or through their current EPIC advisors. Workforce changes have made customization of family benefits on an individual basis an essential service," commented Craig Hasday, President, National Employee Benefits Practice.

Connor holds a B.S. in Marketing from Drexel University.

About EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants:

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail insurance brokerage, has more than 2,800 team members operating from more than 80 offices across the U.S., providing Property and Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs, and Private Client solutions to clients. EPIC ranks among the top 15 retail insurance brokers in the U.S.

Learn more: https://www.epicbrokers.com/

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Kerry Connor has joined EPIC to lead its National Voluntary Benefits Practice.

Related link: https://www.epicbrokers.com/

After, Inc. Announces the Launch of QuickInsight® – Its Powerful Post-Sale Customer Data Enrichment Platform

NORWALK, Conn. /ScoopCloud/ -- After, Inc., a global leader in post-sale technology and services, just announced the launch of its QuickInsight® customer data enrichment platform. QuickInsight® is one of five post-sale customer experience platforms that After, Inc. calls its QuickSuite®, which just won The SAMMY Award from Business Intelligence Group for "Product of the Year."

Designed to work together at each stage of the post-sale lifecycle, the QuickSuite® platforms help clients build meaningful relationships with their customers. The five platforms include: QuickReg® (registration), QuickCover® (product protection), QuickClaim® (product return, replacement and repair management), QuickInsight® (customer data enrichment and analytics), and QuickRenew® (renewals and consumable subscriptions), launching next month.

QuickInsight® allows businesses of any size to add demographic variables to their customer records at the neighborhood level (Basic) or household level (Premium), helping them better segment their customer databases, make more personalized offers, drive higher ROI on their paid ad spend, and increase brand loyalty. Buyers' expectations have risen in the pandemic. They expect personalized and relevant interactions with the brands they purchase from, and QuickInsight® can help make that happen.

"We are really excited about our QuickInsight launch," says Nate Baldwin, CEO of After, Inc. "QuickInsight allows our clients to append data variables like age, gender, income, education, marital status, presence of children, and even Experian's Mosaic segments (for example, Power Elite, Young City Solos, Blue Sky Boomers, etc.) to their customer records. For example, if you are a brand that sells a variety of products, QuickInsight can tell you that one customer is single, highly educated, and lives in the city, and another is married, has children and lives in the suburbs. That is powerful information. And if you also purchase our QuickReg® smart registration platform, you can receive the QuickInsight data in real-time at the beginning of the customer lifecycle. The ROI on this platform is huge, and the demand so far has been overwhelming."

ABOUT AFTER, INC.

After, Inc. (afterinc.com) is a pioneer in the Warranty Services industry. Since 2005, After, Inc. has been partnering with some of the world's top brands to help transform their post-sale customer experiences. After, Inc. launched QuickSuite in 2020, a modular set of platforms, designed to help manufacturers, retailers, and e-commerce sellers of any size build deeper relationships with their customers and increase loyalty and lifetime value. In 2022, After acquired Accentf(x), adding vertically integrated capabilities to our post-sale marketing solutions.

Headquartered in Norwalk, Conn. and with offices in New York City, After, Inc. is part of Galway Holdings, a financial services distribution company with a focus towards data analytics, technology transformation, and innovative risk sharing solutions.

Learn more: https://www.afterinc.com/

After, Inc., a global leader in post-sale technology and services, just announced the launch of its QuickInsight® customer data enrichment platform. QuickInsight is one of five post-sale customer experience platforms that After, Inc. calls its QuickSuite®, which just won The SAMMY Award from Business Intelligence Group for "Product of the Year."

Related link: https://afterinc.com/

Southwestern Investment Group’s Lucas Swatzell Named to Forbes’ List of Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors

FRANKLIN, Tenn. /ScoopCloud/ -- Southwestern Investment Group, an independent wealth management company, is pleased to announce that Lucas Swatzell, Senior Vice President and head of the Swatzell Wealth team, has been named to Forbes' list of Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors. The list recognizes a select group of individuals who are 40 years of age or younger, have a minimum of four years of industry experience, and lead - or are viewed as potential leaders of - their teams.

Lucas specializes in long-term planning, has received his Series 7 and Series 66 licenses, and is an independent, registered representative with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. The Swatzell Wealth Team, with offices in Franklin and Columbia, TN, focuses on helping its clients meet their unique goals and objectives and in building lasting relationships with them.

"On behalf of Southwestern Investment Group, I want to congratulate Lucas on this outstanding and well-deserved honor," said Jeff Dobyns, President of Southwestern Investment Group. "His expertise has added significant value to our firm. Lucas has also been a tremendous role model to his team, and we are very proud of the impact he continues to make in the lives of his clients and colleagues."

The ranking, developed by Forbes' partner, SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative and quantitative data, weighing factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience, and best practices learned through telephone and in-person interviews.

Since its beginning in 2002, Southwestern Investment Group's family of advisors has come together to provide clients with a service level that is both personal and intimate, while offering the products of a large-scale organization, thanks to its relationship with broker/dealer Raymond James Financial Services. To learn more, visit the company's website at swinvestmentgroup.com.

About Southwestern Investment Group:

As of 3/31/2022. Southwestern Investment Group was established in 2002 as an independent practice and manages more than $5.8 billion in client assets. The advisors at Southwestern Investment Group are registered representatives with Raymond James Financial Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Raymond James Financial, which allows them to have the support of a large company while offering the personalized services of a small organization. Southwestern Investment Group uses sensible, sound, and conservative investment strategies and holistic services to enhance and help preserve your wealth. For more information, visit https://www.swinvestmentgroup.com/.

About Raymond James Financial Services:

As of 3/31/2022. Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. is a financial services firm supporting independent financial advisors nationwide. Since 1974, Raymond James Financial Services Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, has provided a wide range of investment and wealth planning related services through its affiliate, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC. Both broker/dealers are wholly owned subsidiaries of Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE-RJF), a leading diversified financial services company with approximately 8,500 financial advisors throughout the United States, Canada, and overseas. Total client assets are $1.26 trillion. Additional information is available at https://www.raymondjames.com/ .

Legal Disclaimer:

Investment advisory services offered through Southwestern Investment Advisory Services, Inc., an independent registered investment adviser. Southwestern Investment Group and Swatzell Wealth Team are not registered broker/dealers and are independent of Raymond James Financial Services. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Representatives may not be registered to offer securities and advisory services in all states.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP(r), CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(tm), CFP(r) (with plaque design) and CFP(r) (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

The Forbes Next-Gen Wealth Advisors - Portfolio performance is not a criterion due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK receive a fee in exchange for rankings. The Research Summary (as of August 2022) included: 35,465 nominations for all rankings, based on thresholds, 19,986 invited to complete online survey, 14,892 telephone interviews, 3,038 in-person interviews at advisors' location, 1,357 virtual interviews and 3,513 individuals considered and 1,000 individuals won the Next-Gen ranking. This ranking is not indicative of an advisor's future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of individual clients' experience. For more information and complete details on methodology, go to https://www.shookresearch.com/

Southwestern Investment Group, an independent wealth management company, is pleased to announce that Lucas Swatzell, Senior Vice President and head of the Swatzell Wealth team, has been named to Forbes' list of Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors. The list recognizes a select group of individuals who are 40 years of age or younger, have a minimum of four years of industry experience, and lead - or are viewed as potential leaders of - their teams.

Related link: https://www.swinvestmentgroup.com/

FormFree and HomeScout partner to help lenders identify mortgage-ready borrowers earlier in the home buying journey

ATHENS, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- FormFree® has partnered with HomeScout, a wholly owned subsidiary of FirstClose®, to launch HomeScout Qualified Borrower, a tool that helps lenders generate leads and concentrate borrower conversion efforts on mortgage-ready home buyers.

HomeScout offers mortgage professionals a suite of tools built to capture more purchase business and close more loans by engaging with in-market home buyers early in their home buying journeys. With the introduction of HomeScout Qualified Borrower, FormFree and HomeScout helps prospective homebuyers - including those with thin credit files or no credit score at all - understand their buying power and share it with lenders before completing a detailed loan application or receiving an initial loan estimate.

FormFree is a leading provider of ability to pay (ATP®) analytics for the lending industry, including verification of assets (VOA), verification of income and employment (VOI/E) and rent payment history. FormFree's patent-pending Residual Income Knowledge Index™ (RIKI™) supplements traditional credit evaluation models with analysis of a consumer's cash flow and residual income, creating a more complete picture of a borrower's creditworthiness and potentially allowing more borrowers to qualify for a home loan.

"The systemic bias in today's lending model, however unintentional, has created a homeownership gap that has persisted for decades. The FHFA is calling upon the entire industry to make housing equity a priority, and FormFree is answering that call," said FormFree Chief Strategy Officer Eric Lapin. "Our Qualified Borrower™ token provides the top-of-funnel intelligence lenders need to responsibly extend credit to more borrowers while curbing sky-high loan origination costs."

"Our partnership with HomeScout redefines the way lenders engage with past customers and prospects by combining clear signals of home buying intent with a complete understanding of each consumer's ability to finance a home," said FormFree Founder and CEO Brent Chandler. "These are the highest-quality leads the industry has ever seen."

"Every day, hundreds of thousands of Americans start their home buying journeys online. With so many potential leads, the challenge for lenders is figuring out which buyers have both the intent to buy a home and the ability to repay a mortgage loan," said David Camp, President of HomeScout. "By combining our consumer marketing suite with FormFree's Qualified Borrower token, HomeScout Qualified Borrower helps lenders more efficiently connect with mortgage-ready home buyers before they are scooped up by competitors."

About FormFree:

FormFree® is a market-leading fintech company whose revolutionary products AccountChek® and Passport® make for a more inclusive credit decisioning landscape by enabling lenders to understand people's true ability to pay (ATP®). Our vision is to leverage source data and data-driven intelligence to usher in a new era of transparent, fair and liquid credit markets. To date, thousands of U.S. lenders and brokers have ordered millions of FormFree's patented verification reports representing trillions of dollars in loan verifications. FormFree delights borrowers and lenders with a paperless experience, dramatically reduces origination timelines and offers automated analysis and standardized delivery to lenders and investors using a secure ReIssueKey®. For more information, visit https://www.formfree.com/ or follow FormFree on LinkedIn.

About HomeScout:

HomeScout is a lender-centric platform dedicated to growing conversions and retention rates for the mortgage industry. HomeScout, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of FirstClose®, a highly respected financial technology provider. This strategic partnership provides mortgage industry professionals with access to an extraordinary suite of solutions to best serve in-market home buyers and sellers, while also providing the necessary tools to amplify business growth.

With HomeScout, consumers will find all the tools they need to help them through the home buying and selling journey, including a branded and secure search portal.

HomeScout is committed to the retention and growth of database clients while providing commission security and consistency for mortgage professionals and organizations.

For more information on HomeScout visit https://homescout.realty.com/.

FormFree® has partnered with HomeScout, a wholly owned subsidiary of FirstClose®, to launch HomeScout Qualified Borrower, a tool that helps lenders generate leads and concentrate borrower conversion efforts on mortgage-ready home buyers.

Related link: https://www.formfree.com/

Mortgage Professional America Magazine Names Natalie Arshakian to List of Elite Women For 2022

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Capital Trading (MCT®), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced today that Natalie Arshakian has been selected to Mortgage Professional America (MPA) magazine's list of Elite Women in Mortgage for 2022. The annual awards, now in their sixth year, celebrate 67 successful women who are taking on gender inequality in leadership by continuously challenging societal expectations. These women don't let unconscious biases prevent them from breaking the mold as they rewrite the rules and work to make the mortgage industry more inclusive for all people, no matter their gender identity.

Natalie Arshakian, Senior Director of LockCentral at MCT, is an exceptional female leader working in a role that beneficially impacts the mortgage industry. Arshakian started as an entry-level analyst at MCT, and within five years, she was promoted six times to her current position. She has over seven years of experience working in financial services and holds a foundational B.A in Political Science from UCLA. Arshakian's expertise lies in the areas of locking, pricing, data analysis, team leadership, mentoring, pipeline building, internal process creation, risk management and auditing.

Arshakian leads and mentors a team of 35 analysts who provide services to over 65 clients that lock over $7 billion a month. Arshakian's Lock Desk employee training program, commonly called Secondary Boot Camp, has provided a foundation of knowledge that has led to numerous growth opportunities within the secondary mortgage market. Her training and mentorship have enabled dozens of analysts to move from the Lock Desk into Trading, MSR, Programming, and Sales divisions at MCT. She has been instrumental in building the largest outsourced lock desk service provider in the nation.

MPA's Elite Women program is now in its sixth year. Nominators were asked to describe the nominee's standout professional achievements over the past 12 months, along with their contributions to diversity and inclusion in the industry and how they've given back through volunteer roles and charity work. After a thorough review of all the nominations, the MPA team narrowed down the list to the final 67 Elite Women who have made their mark on the industry.

About MCT:

Founded in 2001, Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT) has grown from a boutique mortgage pipeline hedging firm into the industry's leading provider of fully integrated capital markets services and technology. MCT offers an array of best-in-class services and software covering mortgage pipeline hedging, best execution loan sales, outsourced lock desk solutions, MSR portfolio valuations, business intelligence analytics, mark to market services, and an award-winning comprehensive capital markets software platform called MCTlive! MCT supports independent mortgage bankers, depositories, credit unions, warehouse lenders, and correspondent investors of all sizes.

Headquartered in San Diego, California, MCT also has offices in Philadelphia, Healdsburg, and San Antonio. MCT is well known for its team of capital markets experts and senior traders who continue to provide the boutique-style hands-on engagement clients love.

For more information, visit https://mct-trading.com/ or call (619) 543-5111.

About Mortgage Professional America:

Mortgage Professional America (MPA) is the mortgage & finance industry's trusted source of news, opinion and analysis. MPA provides a real-time web service that keeps time-poor mortgage & finance professionals up to date with the latest breaking news, cutting-edge opinion, and expert analysis affecting both their business, and their industry as a whole.

RELATED LINKS:

https://mct-trading.com/solutions/mortgage-hedging/

https://www.mpamag.com/us/best-in-mortgage/elite-women-2022/411498

Mortgage Capital Trading (MCT®), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced today that Natalie Arshakian has been selected to Mortgage Professional America (MPA) magazine's list of Elite Women in Mortgage for 2022. The annual awards, now in their sixth year, celebrate 67 successful women who are taking on gender inequality in leadership by continuously challenging societal expectations.

Related link: https://mct-trading.com/

MCTlive! Lock Volume Indices: July 2022 Data

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- MCT®, the leader in capital markets software and services supporting more lenders with hedging and pipeline management solutions than any other single provider, is pleased to present the MCTlive! Lock Volume Indices for July 2022. MCT Data represents a balanced cross section of several hundred lenders among retail, correspondent, wholesale, and consumer direct channels.

A broad-based view of the entire market provides a more accurate picture of mortgage originations versus indices that are influenced by mega lenders. The July MCTlive! Lock Volume Indices is broken out by transaction type: purchase, rate/term refinance, and cash out refinance.

July MCTlive! Lock Volume Indices show that year-over-year total lock volume (-46.5 percent) continues to drop, as expected, when compared to the white-hot summer of 2021. However, the month-over-month rate/term refinance lock figure is up 11 percent versus June 2022 due to the recent bond market rally. Total mortgage rate locks by dollar volume decreased 1.5 percent in July, with purchase locks also declining 1.5 percent month-over-month and 8.9 percent from a year ago. Rate/term refinances are down 11.4 percent and cash out refinances are down 5.3 percent month-over-month. From one year ago, cash out refinance volume is down 77.9 percent, while rate/term refinance volume has dropped 94.2 percent. Given rate/term refinance volume was already down 90 percent year-over-year in the June MCTlive! Lock Volume Indices, this month's drop does not change the total much. Please note that loan sizes were up 8.3 percent over the past year, with the average loan amount increasing from $291k to $315k.

It is important to note that MCT's rate lock activity indices are based on actual dollar volume of locked loans, not number of applications. Especially in a tight purchase market, MCT believes its methodology (using actual loans locked vs. applications) is a more reliable metric. There is a higher likelihood of having multiple applications per funded loan, and prequals do not convert at as high of a rate in the current market as has historically been the case - especially when applications are counted at the early stage of entering a property address.

INDEX VALUES TO END JULY AS A PERCENTAGE BENCHMARKED TO THE START OF THE MONTH

Category | Month-Over-Month Index Value Change

Total: -1.50%

Purchase: -1.50%

Rate/Term Refinance: 11.36%

Cash Out Refinance: -5.28%

INDEX VALUE CHANGE YEAR-OVER-YEAR

Category | Year-Over-Year Index Value Change

Total: -46.53%

Purchase: -8.94%

Rate/Term Refinance: -94.17%

Cash Out Refinance: -77.87%

MCT will be publishing the MCTlive! Mortgage Lock Volume Indices monthly, intending the data to serve as an enduring informational tool for industry participants, analysts, and watchers.

About MCT:

Founded in 2001, Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT) ® has grown from a boutique mortgage pipeline hedging firm into the industry's leading provider of fully integrated capital markets services and technology. MCT's offerings include mortgage pipeline hedging, best execution loan sales, business intelligence and analytics, outsourced lock desk solutions, MSR valuation, hedging, and bulk sales, and the world's first, truly open marketplace for loan sales. MCT supports independent mortgage bankers, depositories, credit unions, warehouse lenders, and correspondent investors of all sizes within its award-winning digital platform, MCTlive! ®. Headquartered in sunny San Diego, MCT also has offices in Healdsburg, CA, Philadelphia, PA and Texas.

For more information, visit https://mct-trading.com/ or call (619) 543-5111.

MCT®, the leader in capital markets software and services supporting more lenders with hedging and pipeline management solutions than any other single provider, is pleased to present the MCTlive! Lock Volume Indices for July 2022. MCT Data represents a balanced cross section of several hundred lenders among retail, correspondent, wholesale, and consumer direct channels.

Related link: https://mct-trading.com/

COVERGENCE – the research institution tech and startup gap fund and startup accelerator summit

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- COVERGENCE, co-hosted by innovosource and the University of Utah's PIVOT Center, is in its fifth annual year. This year it will be held from Oct. 20-21 at the University of Utah Rice-Eccles Stadium Club. With more than 60 university gap fund/accelerator programs (GAP) and potential commercial and investment partners, this dynamic event will serve as the platform for best practice discussions, GAP program and portfolio reviews, and commercial and investment partnering.

For more than 17 years, Jacob Johnson, innovosource founder, has worked to bridge the gap between researchers, investors and corporations. He's launched initiatives and supported programs like gap funds and accelerator programs (GAP), that advance promising research institution technology and startups from the lab to corporate collaboration and outside investment.

Seventy percent of COVERGENCE participants represent leaders of research institution-managed proof of concept, startup accelerator, and venture gap fund programs with the remainder of representatives coming from corporate innovation and venture firms.

"COVERGENCE brings all these important entities together in one place," Johnson says. "There are multiple opportunities to learn from and share with fellow GAP program leaders, and showcase your portfolio and opportunities to potential commercial and investment partners."

Research institutions will get to experience direct relationship building with other executive GAP program leaders and portfolio managers, leveraging $88 B+ in research funding per year. They'll also get to meet with corporate innovation teams and investors who can help to bridge university gap funding (proof of concept, startup, venture), or what is often to referred to as the "valley of death."

What exactly is the valley of death? It's the gap between the lab research and the marketplace where early-stage capital and technology/startup development support is lacking. This "gap" extends from where funding of basic research ends to where existing technology-driven companies or investors are willing to accept the risk to commercialize or invest in the technology or startup. The negative result is that a large portion of economic creation and commercial potential is left unrealized.

This shortage of early-stage development capital and support is a serious threat to future innovation and associated societal benefits. So, to address this challenge, research institutions and partners have led in the creation of technology and startup gap funding and accelerator support programs as a capital and innovation support mechanism. These programs are uniquely positioned to address critical elements of technology development and startup formation from research institutions.

innovosource's most recent landscape report reveals that 176 gap-fund and accelerator programs from 97 universities included in our GAP community have:

* invested $665MM of their internal funds into more than 1,500 startups and 1,000 corporate-licensed technologies;

* realized $8B+ in direct follow-on investment from corporations, investors, and public funds

* originated 90 percent of opportunities from institutions outside of Boston, New York, and Silicon Valley; and

* supported a diverse portfolio of applications in biopharma and medical devices, software and apps and food, agriculture and energy.

From partner panels and investor focus groups to happy hour mixers and fund/accelerator program and portfolio briefs this event is designed to be exclusively intimate, capping registrants at 150.

COVERGENCE is designed to be an intimate event that helps to maximize relationship building and knowledge exchange. Attendees will have ample time to meet each other and provide a basis to carry those relationships forward long after the Summit ends. There's a huge opportunity for collaboration and partnership to help university-founded startups scale their programs and tech/startup assets.

Some past participants said:

* "COVERGENCE was a great conference to learn more about the complexities of gap funding at universities, from grants to venture. Great topics, networking, and even a little bit of fun thrown in."

* "This was a great opportunity for a small program like ours to compare notes with more established, larger programs to compare best practices."

* "COVERGENCE was worth the intercontinental travel. With a high concentration of experts, entrepreneurs and investors, it really was an eye-opening experience."

And, the benefits to COVERGENCE research institutions can actually start before the Summit begins. How? Research Institutions can apply to provide a GAP program/portfolio brief at the Summit and more broadly submit to COVERGENCE GAP opportunity platform for review and feedback from corporate/investor participants before, during, and after event.

At the event, university participants will receive core GAP best practice discussions, as well as corporate/investor/and innovation ecosystem panels. Limited opportunity also exists for institutions to join a side-track to provide GAP program and portfolio reviews to participating corporations and investors.

Cost for research institutions to attend COVERGENCE 2022 is $399 and that includes registration and access to the pre-event partnering site and submission to the opportunity database. For more information and to register, visit: https://www.innovosource.com/covergence-2022.

About innovosource:

Over the past 15 years, innovosource (https://www.innovosource.com/) has worked with and supported hundreds of gap funding programs around the world. By partnering with research institutions and affiliates, innovosource informs, connects, and advocates for technology and startup gap funding and accelerator support programs.

COVERGENCE, co-hosted by innovosource and the University of Utah's PIVOT Center, is in its fifth annual year. This year it will be held from Oct. 20-21 at the University of Utah Rice-Eccles Stadium Club. With more than 60 university gap fund/accelerator programs (GAP) and potential commercial and investment partners, this dynamic event will serve as the platform for best practice discussions, GAP program and portfolio reviews, and commercial and investment partnering.

Related link: https://www.innovosource.com/

Housing Finance Strategies Names Industry Leader Jeff Jaffee as Senior Advisor

WASHINGTON, D.C. /ScoopCloud/ -- Housing Finance Strategies Founder & CEO Faith Schwartz today announced she has recruited industry veteran Jeff Jaffee to join her firm as a Senior Advisor focusing on fair lending and consumer protection compliance.

In naming Jaffee to this critical role, Schwartz said, "Our clients are committed to addressing the structural issues that have caused disparities in access to housing finance over many decades. Jeff's experience in Fair Lending, Community Reinvestment Act Compliance and Special Purpose Credit Programs offer transformative opportunities for our clients seeking to build compliant programs to reach all members of a lender's community."

Jeff brings more than 30 years' experience in fair lending, consumer protection, compliance and mortgage to Housing Finance Strategies. Most recently, Jeff led Consumer Protection and Fair Lending Compliance at Freddie Mac.

Prior to his role at Freddie Mac, Jeff served at Bank of the West where he headed CRA and Fair Lending. Previously, Jaffee was at Saxon Mortgage where he built an early fair servicing model. And Jeff spent 27 years at Citi where he had multiple roles including head of CRA and Fair Lending.

Of the new position, Jaffee said "I am very excited to be joining Faith's team and sharing my knowledge and skills with key mortgage industry participants seeking to build access to housing finance for all communities. As regulators focus on new tools such as Special Purpose Credit Programs, there are opportunities to leverage technology and expertise to develop programs to serve new homebuyers in diverse communities across the country."

Housing Finance Strategies was established by Faith Schwartz in 2016 as a professional services and advisory firm specializing in mortgage modernization, housing policy, compliance and legislative and regulatory affairs. Schwartz serves on a number of bank and fintech boards and has a lengthy record of hosting and moderating housing industry events. Schwartz has created and delivered national housing policy conferences with #HousingDC22 registration now open with the virtual event being streamed on September 27-28, 2022.

Media may contact:

Faith Schwartz, President,

https://www.housingfinancestrategies.com/

(202) 384-5887

RELATED LINKS:

https://housingfinancestrategies.com/housingdc22/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/faithschwartz/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffjaffee/

Housing Finance Strategies Founder & CEO Faith Schwartz today announced she has recruited industry veteran Jeff Jaffee to join her firm as a Senior Advisor focusing on fair lending and consumer protection compliance.

Related link: https://housingfinancestrategies.com/

EPIC Welcomes Jay Yarid – Adds to EPIC’s Employee Benefits Practice

DALLAS, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Jay Yarid has joined the firm as Principal within its Employee Benefits Practice.

In his new position with EPIC, Yarid will focus on business development and client management by providing employee benefits consulting and strategy, including plan design and implementation, cost analysis and helping clients fulfill long-term goals for their employees and businesses. He will be based in Dallas.

Yarid is a seasoned producer with consultant and carrier experience that includes working with Aetna, a CVS Health Company, as vice president of national accounts. Prior to this role, he served as a principal within Mercer's North America Growth Practice. Yarid has worked with clients ranging from Fortune 500 to middle market companies across a wide range of industries. His background includes expertise in health and welfare products with a focus on medical, pharmacy, international, and behavioral health in addition to other benefit solutions.

"We are thrilled to have Jay join our Texas Employee Benefits Team," commented Nancy Webster, Executive Managing Principal, Texas Employee Benefits Practice Leader. "He brings enthusiasm and energy into every opportunity while delivering strategic health and welfare solutions to his clients."

"Continuing our expansion in Texas, across the West Region and throughout all of EPIC is exciting and we are pleased to have someone with Jay's talents and expertise join our team," said JoBeth Wells, President, Texas Territory.

Yarid earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Southern Methodist University, and a ThM and PhD from Dallas Theological Seminary. He currently serves on the board for the Texas Business Hall of Fame, and the Associate Board for the SMU Cox School of Business. He formerly served on the DallasHR Board, the second largest Society for Human Resource Management chapter in the U.S.

Jay Yarid

jay.yarid@epicbrokers.com

Phone: 214.395.3544

About EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants:

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail insurance brokerage, has more than 2,800 team members operating from more than eighty offices across the U.S., providing Property and Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs, and Private Client solutions to clients. EPIC ranks among the top 15 retail insurance brokers in the U.S.

Learn more about EPIC at: https://www.epicbrokers.com/ .

Media Contact:

Betsy Van Alstyne | Betsy.vanalstyne@epicbrokers.com

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Jay Yarid has joined the firm as Principal within its Employee Benefits Practice.

Related link: https://www.epicbrokers.com/

KROST Announces Paren Knadjian as Principal of M&A and Capital Markets and Brad Pauley as Principal of Tax

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Los Angeles-based CPA Firm, KROST CPAs and Consultants announced Paren Knadjian as Principal of M&A and Capital Markets and Brad Pauley as Principal of Tax. Knadjian has successfully completed over 200 M&A and Capital Markets transactions worth over $1 billion.

Having been at the firm since 2017, Paren's work has made a great impact on the firm. He has over 20 years of experience in mergers and acquisitions along with equity and debt financings. Paren and his team at KROST have assisted over 350 entities in procuring, managing, and obtaining forgiveness for more than half a billion dollars of PPP, EIDL, and Main Street Loans. He also acts as an outsourced CFO. Paren's talent at understanding client needs and his industry resulted in rapid professional growth at our firm.

"Paren has been instrumental at KROST, especially in developing the M&A practice at KROST into one of the most successful and respected in the industry. In addition, as the leader of the firm's technology industry niche, he has leveraged that expertise to help to make a significant impact in the growth of KROST clients. He is a talented speaker and frequently shares his knowledge through educational webinars relating to mergers and acquisitions and other aspects of capital markets," said Jason Melillo, CEO of KROST.

Brad Pauley has been with KROST since 2019 after merging in from Gaynor & Umanoff. He brings over 20 years of experience providing tax advice, projections, and compliance services to clients. His areas of expertise include high-net-worth individuals and their closely held businesses in the sports and entertainment space. Working with clients such as athletes, entertainers, professionals, and owners/operators of real estate including like-kind exchanges. Brad has been a tremendous contributor to the firm and helps his clients maintain their financial success.

"Brad spearheaded the sports and entertainment industry, working with current and former MLB, NBA, and NFL players. He handles everything from tax planning and preparation to multi-state/residence issues and has extensive real estate industry experience. Brad is truly a visionary in his industry. His attention to detail is immaculate and he is committed to providing the best client service," said Richard Umanoff, Principal.

Learn more about our new services " https://www.krostcpas.com/services

For more information about KROST, please visit https://www.krostcpas.com/

About KROST:

Established in 1939 in Pasadena, California, KROST, is a full-service Certified Public Accounting and Consulting firm serving clients across various industries. Their focus is recognizing opportunities and creating value for clients by equipping them with the tools to make better business and financial decisions for the future. As trusted advisors, clients depend on KROST to provide timely information, innovative solutions, and result-driven teamwork to ensure success.

Along with providing traditional services as Tax, Accounting, Assurance & Advisory, KROST provides special services including Client Accounting, Mergers & Acquisitions, Wealth Management, Tax Specialty Services and KROST Business Intelligence/Data Analytics.

Los Angeles-based CPA Firm, KROST CPAs and Consultants announced Paren Knadjian as Principal of M&A and Capital Markets and Brad Pauley as Principal of Tax. Knadjian has successfully completed over 200 M&A and Capital Markets transactions worth over $1 billion.

Related link: https://www.krostcpas.com/

EPIC Welcomes Natalia Greene, Esq.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a national insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Natalia Greene, Esq., has joined the firm's Lemme division as Senior Vice President, Risk Management.

In her new role, Natalia will be responsible for risk management services and thought leadership; claims management and advocacy; as well as client service. She will be based in the Los Angeles area and will report to John Wynn, Managing Principal, Lemme, a division of EPIC.

Natalia joins Lemme from a California-based law firm where she was a litigation partner. For over 20 years she has represented national and regional firms, as well as small professional firms and sole practitioners. In her practice, Natalia concentrated on business litigation with an emphasis in accountants' liability cases, including matters involving the SEC, the PCAOB and other administrative agencies.

In addition to being a member of the State Bar of California, Natalia is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and currently is a board member of the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel (ASCDC). She has been an active professional presenter, including as a panelist for the AICPA and ASCDC, a presenter at regional accounting firm trainings, and a guest speaker at USC's Gould School of Law.

"We are thrilled for Natalia to join the Lemme division of EPIC. Her experience as a trusted advisor to sophisticated accounting firms and professionals will deliver immediate and direct value to our clients. Her commitment to client service and professional counsel aligns perfectly with our historic practices," said Wynn.

Learn more about Lemme, a division of EPIC, at: https://lemme.com/

About EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants:

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants has more than 2,800 team members operating from more than 80 offices across the U.S., providing Property and Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs, and Private Client solutions to EPIC clients. For more information on EPIC, visit: https://www.epicbrokers.com/.

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a national insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Natalia Greene, Esq., has joined the firm's Lemme division as Senior Vice President, Risk Management.

Related link: https://www.epicbrokers.com/

Mortgage Banker Magazine Names Curtis Richins on Legends of Lending List

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Capital Trading (MCT®), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced that Curtis Richins, President of MCT, has been selected to Mortgage Banker Magazine's inaugural "Legends of Lending" list. The magazine's inaugural class was compiled to highlight the most talented, ambitious, and legendary individuals who are achieving excellence and making a difference in the mortgage industry.

As part of the selection, Mr. Richins was asked to share what he views as his most "legendary" value, which he described as being a "learn-it-all" rather than a know-it-all. "I am constantly seeking input and advice from the people around me to gather all the facts before coming to a decision," he continued. "I value a team-oriented approach rather than an individual one when it comes to matters both at work and in my personal life," stated Richins. This approach is what inspires him to continually seek out new ideas that will push MCT forward.

Mr. Richins was also asked to offer his thoughts on the main problems facing the mortgage industry today and how he hopes to address them, which he identified as bouts of illiquidity and price dislocation that can have a dramatic and negative impact on market participants.

"In response to this market dislocation, MCT created a digital whole loan marketplace to connect buyer and seller regardless of approval status, creating an important new pool of liquidity for sellers," he explained. "Out of the crisis, BAM Marketplace was born and has now become the largest digital whole loan marketplace with more than $1 billion in whole loans auctioned on the platform."

"The mortgage industry continues to make huge strides in automating and digitizing all aspects of the mortgage value change," explained Richins. When asked for his thoughts on the future of the industry, he hopes the same innovation will translate to the secondary market in the coming years. Those interested in learning more about the features and benefits of MCT's award-winning technology, services, and leadership team are encouraged to contact MCT for more information.

About MCT:

Founded in 2001, Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT) has grown from a boutique mortgage pipeline hedging firm into the industry's leading provider of fully integrated capital markets services and technology. MCT offers an array of best-in-class services and software covering mortgage pipeline hedging, best execution loan sales, outsourced lock desk solutions, MSR portfolio valuations, business intelligence analytics, mark to market services, and an award-winning comprehensive capital markets software platform called MCTlive! MCT supports independent mortgage bankers, depositories, credit unions, warehouse lenders, and correspondent investors of all sizes.

Headquartered in San Diego, California, MCT also has offices in Philadelphia, Healdsburg, and San Antonio. MCT is well known for its team of capital markets experts and senior traders who continue to provide the boutique-style hands-on engagement clients love.

For more information, visit https://mct-trading.com/ or call (619) 543-5111.

RELATED LINKS:

https://mct-trading.com/bam-marketplace-loan-exchange/

https://nationalmortgageprofessional.com/magazine/mortgage-banker-magazine/legends-lending/digital-edition

Mortgage Capital Trading (MCT®), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced that Curtis Richins, President of MCT, has been selected to Mortgage Banker Magazine's inaugural "Legends of Lending" list. The magazine's inaugural class was compiled to highlight the most talented, ambitious, and legendary individuals who are achieving excellence and making a difference in the mortgage industry.

Related link: https://mct-trading.com/

After, Inc.’s QuickSuite® Named ‘Product of the Year’ in the 2022 Sales and Marketing Technology Awards

NORWALK, Conn. /ScoopCloud/ -- After, Inc. announced today that it received "Product of the Year" in the 2022 Sales and Marketing Technology Awards program (The Sammys) for its QuickSuite® post-sale customer experience technology. The Sammys honors organizations and products helping to solve the challenges businesses have connecting and collaborating with prospects and customers.

QuickSuite is a modular set of SaaS technologies designed to work together at all stages of the post-sale lifecycle to help manufacturers, retailers, and e-commerce sellers build deeper relationships with their customers and increase loyalty and lifetime value. The suite includes: QuickReg®, QuickCover®, QuickClaim®, QuickInsight®, and QuickRenew® (official launch in Q3 2022).

"Having QuickSuite® chosen as 'Product of the Year 2022' by BIG's panel of technology heavyweights is an incredible honor," says Nate Baldwin, After, Inc.'s CEO. "For the past 17 years, we have partnered with the biggest brands in the world to help them deliver best-in-class aftermarket programs and personalized customer experiences. Now, with QuickSuite®, we can help OEMs, retailers and online e-commerce merchants of all sizes deliver those same experiences. Thank you to our incredible team for their hard work in bringing QuickSuite® to life."

"We are proud to reward and recognize After, Inc. for its innovation and dedication to helping both the organizations using their technology and the ultimate consumer," said Maria Jimenez, Chief Nominations Officer, Business Intelligence Group. "It was clear to our judges that their efforts will improve how we all connect with the brands we love for years to come."

About Business Intelligence Group

The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry award programs, business executives-those with experience and knowledge-judge the programs. The organization's proprietary and unique scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and then rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers.

About After, Inc.:

After, Inc. (www.afterinc.com) is a pioneer in the post-sale services industry. Since 2005, we have helped some of the world's top brands transform their businesses after the point of sale. In 2021, we launched QuickSuite, a modular set of SaaS technologies to help manufacturers, retailers, and e-commerce sellers build deeper relationships with their customers and increase loyalty and lifetime value. The suite covers the entire post-sale lifecycle, and includes: QuickReg®, QuickCover®, QuickClaim®, QuickInsight®, and QuickRenew®. Headquartered in Norwalk, CT, After, Inc. is part of Galway Holdings, a diversified financial services distribution company with a focus on data analytics, technology transformation, and innovative risk sharing solutions.

Learn more at: https://www.afterinc.com/

After, Inc. announced today that it received "Product of the Year" in the 2022 Sales and Marketing Technology Awards program (The Sammys) for its QuickSuite® post-sale customer experience technology. The Sammys honors organizations and products helping to solve the challenges businesses have connecting and collaborating with prospects and customers.

Related link: https://afterinc.com/

IRS Releases Updated Practice Unit for Auditing the 179D Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction

EGAN, Minn. /ScoopCloud/ -- The IRS Large Business and International (LB&I) Division released an updated Practice Unit for its agents to audit the 179D Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction (179D Deduction), ICS Tax, LLC announced today. It confirms that taxpayers can use the ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 rather than newer, more strict standards but also could be an indication that the IRS will have added scrutiny on 179D projects.

179D DEDUCTION BACKGROUND

The 179D Deduction was enacted to encourage taxpayers to make buildings more energy efficient. Installation of energy-efficient commercial building property (EECBP) occurs when constructing a new, or improving an existing, commercial or government-owned building.

179D allows a taxpayer who owns or leases a commercial building to deduct the cost or a portion of the cost to install EECBP. Additionally, if the EECBP is installed in a government-owned building, the deduction can be allocated to the person(s) primarily responsible for designing the EECBP ("the Designer" or "the Designers").

EECBP must be part of at least one of three systems:

1 -- Interior lighting systems;

2 -- Heating, cooling, ventilation, and hot-water systems; or

3 -- The building's envelope.

To claim the 179D Deduction, a taxpayer generally hires a third-party Professional Engineer to perform energy modeling using IRS-approved software to confirm that the building meets the 179D requirements. The engineer then prepares a Certificate of Compliance to support the 179D Deduction.

THE ASHRAE STANDARD

The Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Relief Act of 2020 updated the energy efficiency standard for the 179D Deduction by providing that for EECBP placed in service after December 31, 2020. EECBP means property that is within the scope of "Reference Standard 90.1." Amended 179D(c)(2) provides that "Reference Standard 90.1" means "the most recent Standard 90.1 published by [ASHRAE] which has been affirmed by the Secretary [of the Treasury], after consultation with the Secretary of Energy, for purposes of this section not later than the date that is 2 years before the date that construction of such property begins."

The LB&I revised Practice Unit states "The Secretary of the Treasury has not yet affirmed a new version of Reference Standard 90.1 for use with the IRC 179D deduction.... The ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 is the most current affirmed version as of the publication date of this Practice Unit." This means that taxpayers looking to benefit from the 179D Deduction can still qualify under the older ASHRAE standard.

INCREASED 179D SCRUTINY

The IRS recently announced it is looking to hire more than 4,000 representatives. A notable division within the IRS is the Criminal Investigation division. It is the investigative and law enforcement arm of the IRS with expertise in tax fraud, investment fraud, corruption, and much more. Earlier this year, a national tax consulting firm heavily involved with the 179D Deduction was raided by the IRS Criminal Investigation division. While the reason for the raid is not yet publicly known, the raid, the revised Practice Unit and the additional hiring could indicate that the IRS will have higher scrutiny on the 179D Deduction.

About ICS Tax, LLC:

ICS Tax, LLC has the expertise to properly obtain 179D Deductions. We have Professional Engineers licensed in all states to perform energy modeling, building inspections, and preparing certificates of compliance. For designers of public buildings, we also have government relations experts to complete and obtain allocations from government agencies.

For more information, please visit us at https://ics-tax.com/.

RELATED LINKS:

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/irc-179d-energy-efficient.pdf

https://ics-tax.com/services/179d/

https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/qualified-software-calculating-commercial-building-tax-deductions

The IRS Large Business and International (LB&I) Division released an updated Practice Unit for its agents to audit the 179D Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction (179D Deduction), ICS Tax, LLC announced today. It confirms that taxpayers can use the ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 rather than newer, more strict standards but also could be an indication that the IRS will have added scrutiny on 179D projects.

Related link: https://ics-tax.com/

ACES Quality Management Updates Reporting Library to Incorporate Recent Guidance by Fannie Mae

DENVER, Colo. /ScoopCloud/ -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, announced that it has enhanced its reporting library within its flagship audit platform ACES Quality Management & Control® Software to help align with recent mortgage quality control (QC) reporting recommendations issued by Fannie Mae.

"ACES has utilized Fannie Mae's loan defect taxonomy for years to help lenders better understand the quality of their production," said ACES CEO Trevor Gauthier. "With the addition of these new reports, our clients can now align both their defect categorization and defect reporting with Fannie Mae's expectations, demonstrating an additional commitment to meeting Fannie Mae's QC directives."

These recommendations, which were outlined during the Nov. 10, 2021, Fannie Mae Boot Camp webcast, advised lenders to utilize the following three levels of reporting to ensure the effective management of their QC programs:

* Senior management;

* Middle management; and

* Front-line staff.

Fannie Mae also recommended that lenders tailor these reports to reflect the needs and concerns of each audience and the frequency of publication. General areas that all reports should include are as follows:

* Summarized and trending results;

* Compliance- versus credit-related defects; and

* Action plan reporting.

In addition to adding these reporting capabilities to the ACES platform, the ACES reporting team is working on additional reporting functionality to support the Fannie Mae QC Calibrations. To learn more about Fannie Mae's QC reporting recommendations, access the Boot Camp recordings at https://fanniemae.qumucloud.com/portals/bootcamp2021/home or visit https://singlefamily.fanniemae.com/media/31646/display to read the June 2022 edition of the Fannie Mae Quality Insider on "Strengthening Your QC program: QC Reporting."

ACES featured some of these news reports in the recent HousingWire webinar, "QC Trends and How to Prepare for Next Generation GSE Reporting."

About ACES Quality Management:

ACES Quality Management is the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry. The nation's most prominent lenders, servicers and financial institutions rely on ACES Quality Management & Control® Software to improve audit throughput and quality while controlling costs, including:

* 4 of the top 5 and more than 50% of the top 50 independent mortgage lenders;

* 7 of the top 10 loan servicers;

* 11 of the top 30 banks; and

* 1 of the top 3 credit unions in the USA.

Unlike other quality control platforms, only ACES delivers Flexible Audit Technology®, which gives independent mortgage lenders and financial institutions the ability to easily manage and customize ACES to meet their business needs without having to rely on IT or other outside resources. Using a customer-centric approach, ACES clients get responsive support and access to our experts to maximize their investment. For more information, visit www.acesquality.com or call 1-800-858-1598.

ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, announced that it has enhanced its reporting library within its flagship audit platform ACES Quality Management & Control® Software to help align with recent mortgage quality control (QC) reporting recommendations issued by Fannie Mae.

Related link: https://www.acesquality.com/

Sales Boomerang named Organization of the Year in the 2022 Sales and Marketing Technology Awards

OWINGS MILLS, Md. /ScoopCloud/ -- Sales Boomerang, the mortgage industry's top-rated automated borrower intelligence and retention system, today announced that it was selected Organization of the Year in the Business Intelligence Group's 2022 Sales and Marketing Technology Awards program, also known as The Sammys. The Sammys honor organizations and products helping to solve the challenges organizations have connecting and collaborating with prospects and customers. This year, Business Intelligence Group named 96 Sammy honorees across nine award categories.

Recognized for its industry-first, fully-automated database monitoring, Sales Boomerang was named a 2022 Organization of the Year in the Very Small Company division for organizations with fewer than 100 employees. For the past five years, Sales Boomerang has transformed the way lenders build relationships with past and prospective homebuyers by triangulating multiple borrower and market intelligence points to identify exactly when a consumer is ready for a loan.

Sales Boomerang offers lenders more than a dozen automated loan alert types, like its newest alert offering, Life Event Alerts, which notify mortgage advisors when a borrower or a prospect in their customer database experiences a major life change that could alter their financial situation and/or goals. These alerts can be customized to trigger based on a lender's unique underwriting preferences and integrations with the industry's top customer relationship management (CRM) solutions allow lenders to start receiving alerts in their CRM dashboard immediately - no separate login required.

"The mortgage industry has some of the worst turnover rates of any industry, with fewer than 20% of borrowers returning to their last lender for their next loan. We built the Sales Boomerang platform to help lenders beat these odds by identifying mortgage-ready customers and prospects in their own databases," said Sales Boomerang Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer Alex Kutsishin. "This recognition from global experts at the Business Intelligence Group further strengthens our resolve to tackle costly customer turnover by helping lenders be there with the right loan for every borrower, every time."

"We are proud to reward and recognize Sales Boomerang for their innovation and dedication to helping both the organization using their technology and the ultimate consumer," said Maria Jimenez, Chief Nominations Officer, Business Intelligence Group. "It was clear to our judges that their efforts will improve how we all connect with the brands we love for years to come."

About Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach:

Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach are trusted by more than 300 lenders, including brokers, independent mortgage companies, credit unions and banks to connect borrowers with the right loan at the right time.

Sales Boomerang transformed the relationship between mortgage lenders and borrowers with the introduction of the first automated borrower intelligence system in 2017. The company's intelligent alerts notify lenders as soon as a past customer or prospect is ready and credit-qualified for a loan. As the mortgage industry's #1 borrower retention tool, Sales Boomerang helps lenders build lasting borrower relationships that maximize lifetime customer value. To learn more, visit https://www.salesboomerang.com.

Mortgage Coach is an award-winning platform that empowers mortgage lenders to educate borrowers with interactive presentations that model home loan performance over time. The company's side-by-side loan comparisons allow borrowers to make faster, more informed mortgage decisions while enabling lenders to consistently deliver an on-brand, consultative home financing experience that increases borrower pull-through, repeat business and referrals. To learn more, visit https://www.mortgagecoach.com.

About Business Intelligence Group:

The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry award programs, business executives-those with experience and knowledge-judge the programs. The organization's proprietary and unique scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and then rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers.

Sales Boomerang, the mortgage industry's top-rated automated borrower intelligence and retention system, today announced that it was selected Organization of the Year in the Business Intelligence Group's 2022 Sales and Marketing Technology Awards program, also known as The Sammys.

Related link: https://www.salesboomerang.com/

Keller Mortgage deploys Mortgage Coach enterprise-wide to support borrowers with modern mortgage advice and education

OWINGS MILLS, Md. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Coach, a platform empowering mortgage lenders to educate borrowers with interactive presentations that model home loan performance over time, announced today that Keller Mortgage has made Mortgage Coach available to loan officers enterprise-wide.

Mortgage Coach was implemented to provide Keller Mortgage borrowers with personalized mortgage advice supported by digital home loan presentations that educate them about their home financing options.

Keller Mortgage is the mortgage lending arm of Keller Williams Realty, the world's largest real estate franchise by agent count. The lender prides itself on offering a purchase-focused lending experience that supports fast pre-approvals and positions borrowers and all agents to make strong offers on homes.

Currently, Keller Mortgage offers conventional, FHA, VA, USDA and jumbo lending programs in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Colombia and continues to grow programs and products.

"Keller Mortgage is dedicated to providing borrowers with the world-class service and results for which the Keller Williams brand is internationally renowned," said Dave Smith, president, Keller Home Financial Services. "With Mortgage Coach, our loan officers will be able to better build and communicate mortgage strategies that help borrowers get into the home of their dreams."

"We are proud that Keller Mortgage has selected Mortgage Coach to support its top-tier technology infrastructure, modern lending experience and growth in the mortgage market," said Mortgage Coach President Joe Puthur. "Mortgage Coach's customizable, digital loan presentations change the conversation between a borrower and a loan originator from price to advice, which builds trust and enables lenders to win business in any mortgage market."

About Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach:

Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach are trusted by more than 300 lenders, including brokers, independent mortgage companies, credit unions and banks to connect borrowers with the right loan at the right time.

Mortgage Coach is an award-winning platform that empowers mortgage lenders to educate borrowers with interactive presentations that model home loan performance over time. The company's side-by-side loan comparisons allow borrowers to make faster, more informed mortgage decisions while enabling lenders to consistently deliver an on-brand, consultative home financing experience that increases borrower pull-through, repeat business and referrals. To learn more, visit https://www.mortgagecoach.com.

Sales Boomerang transformed the relationship between mortgage lenders and borrowers with the introduction of the first automated borrower intelligence system in 2017. The company's intelligent alerts notify lenders as soon as a past customer or prospect is ready and credit-qualified for a loan. As the mortgage industry's #1 borrower retention tool, Sales Boomerang helps lenders build lasting borrower relationships that maximize lifetime customer value. To learn more, visit https://www.salesboomerang.com.

Mortgage Coach, a platform empowering mortgage lenders to educate borrowers with interactive presentations that model home loan performance over time, announced today that Keller Mortgage has made Mortgage Coach available to loan officers enterprise-wide.

Related link: https://mortgagecoach.com/

NMP Selects DocMagic Chief eServices Executive Brian D. Pannell for 2022 Most Connected Mortgage Professionals Award

TORRANCE, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- DocMagic, Inc., the premier provider of fully-compliant loan document generation, regulatory compliance, and comprehensive eMortgage services, announced that Brian D. Pannell, the company's chief eServices executive, has been recognized by National Mortgage Professional (NMP) magazine as one of the most connected mortgage professionals within the industry for 2022.

NMP states that people named to the annual list are successful, well-connected, and powerful networkers and influencers who are completely dedicated to the mortgage industry. The award assesses the degree of connectivity winners have within the mortgage industry. Specifically, nominees are evaluated based on the extent to which they have leveraged social media platforms to successfully collaborate with industry colleagues, share ideas, promote positive news and events, and evangelize for the good of the industry.

"I am honored that the judges at NMP have selected me for this award," stated Pannell. "Being recognized as 'connected' is a reflection of how industry peers perceive the value of our insights and the contributions we make in our respective areas to consistently serve as trusted sources of guidance, information and leadership. At DocMagic, our clients rely on our deep subject-matter expertise and I'm proud to be able to share my experience and insights to help advance the lending process."

Amid an ever-evolving mortgage market and technology landscape, NMP's Most Connected winners stand out from their peers as thought leaders and influencers providing analysis, assessment and guidance to help mortgage industry participants better understand how to adapt and change to successfully compete in today's market.

Pannell was applauded by his peers and NMP's judges as a subject matter expert and leader on eSignings, eNotarizations, eClosings, eNotes, eVaults, eWarehouses, and more. He has helped countless lenders, banks, servicers, technology providers, GSEs and others understand the immense value of going "e." He is passionate about sharing the benefits of eMortgage adoption through his industry contacts, affiliations with industry associations and conferences, the mortgage industry media, and through the personal connectivity that social media provides.

The complete list of 2022 Most Connected award winners can be found in the July edition of NMP's digital magazine. https://nationalmortgageprofessional.com/magazine/nmp-magazine/40-year-old-virgin-mortgage/digital-edition

About DocMagic:

DocMagic, Inc. is the leading provider of fully compliant document generation, automated compliance, eSignature and comprehensive eMortgage solutions for the mortgage industry. Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Torrance, Calif., DocMagic, Inc. develops award-winning software, mobile apps, and web-based systems for the production and delivery of compliant loan document packages. The company's solutions connect industry participants, promote collaboration, and ensure data integrity to execute precision-based digital lending transactions. The company's compliance experts and in-house legal staff consistently monitor legal and regulatory changes at both the federal and state levels to ensure accuracy. For more information on DocMagic, visit https://www.docmagic.com/.

DocMagic, Inc., the premier provider of fully-compliant loan document generation, regulatory compliance, and comprehensive eMortgage services, announced that Brian D. Pannell, the company's chief eServices executive, has been recognized by National Mortgage Professional (NMP) magazine as one of the most connected mortgage professionals within the industry for 2022.

Related link: https://www.docmagic.com/

innovosource summit to connect early-stage investors with university-managed tech and startup funds and accelerator programs

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. /ScoopCloud/ -- innovosource will host its fifth annual COVERGENCE Summit from Oct. 20-21, 2022, at the University of Utah Rice-Eccles Stadium Club. The event gathers more than 60 university gap fund/accelerator programs (GAP) and potential commercial and investment partners to discuss best practices and review portfolios and investable projects and startups.

Jacob Johnson, innovosource founder, works to bridge the gap between researchers, investors and corporations and says that there is a real opportunity to address the lack of early-stage capital and innovation development support through strong university GAP fund and investor partnerships

"These summits serve as the meeting place to introduce investors to GAP program leaders and their pipelines of promising technologies and startups. By aligning with these programs, investors will see high-potential opportunities that have already gone through significant de-risking and validation. They are at the place where they are seeking investment and commercial partners to take the technologies and startups to market," he says.

Interested investors will benefit in multiple ways. They'll gain inside access to a wide array of investable tech/startups coming out of these gap-fund and accelerator programs and will get to experience direct relationship building with executive program leaders and portfolio managers, leveraging $88 B+ in research funding per year. Investors will also gain insights into emerging technology advances and themes while learning how to finesse early-stage investment strategies for programs that produce a high-rate of investable and ready-to-commercialize technologies and startups.

Universities and hospitals are leading through the implementation of university gap funding (proof of concept, startup, venture) and accelerator programs to bridge this "valley of death." Over the past 15 years, these programs have evolved into sophisticated investment, evaluation, development, and commercialization support mechanisms to nurture the most promising opportunities in emerging, high-growth technology areas.

Smart companies and investors are taking notice and making it a strategic, external innovation priority to partner with these gap fund and accelerator programs through applied research, proof of concept projects, seed and venture investments, and advisory/mentorship in return for insights, competitive positioning, and access to future technology and startups.

innovource's most recent landscape report reveals that 176 gap-fund and accelerator programs from 97 universities have:

* invested $665MM of their internal funds into more than 1,500 startups and 1,000 corporate-licensed technologies;

* realized $8B+ in direct follow-on investment from PE, family offices, and angels

* originated 90 percent of opportunities from institutions outside of Boston, New York, and Silicon Valley; and

* supported a diverse portfolio of applications in biopharma and medical devices, software and apps and food, agriculture and energy.

From partner panels and investor focus groups to happy hour mixers and fund/accelerator program and portfolio briefs this event is designed to be exclusively intimate, capping registrants at 150.

"We keep events intimate to maximize relationship building and knowledge exchange. Attendees will have ample time to meet each other and provide a basis to carry those relationships forward long after COVERGENCE," Johnson says.

A former attendee said, "COVERGENCE offers insight into a niche industry that the corporate and investment worlds are neglecting. There is a huge opportunity for collaboration and partnership to help university-founded startups scale their businesses."

Cost for investors to attend COVERGENCE 2022 is $499 that includes registration and access to the pre-event partnering site and opportunity database.

For more information and to register, visit: https://www.innovosource.com/covergence-2022 .

About innovosource:

Over the past 15 years, innovosource (https://www.innovosource.com/) has worked with and supported hundreds of gap funding programs around the world. By partnering with research institutions and affiliates, innovosource informs, connects, and advocates for technology and startup gap funding and accelerator support programs.

innovosource will host its fifth annual COVERGENCE Summit from Oct. 20-21, 2022, at the University of Utah Rice-Eccles Stadium Club. The event gathers more than 60 university gap fund/accelerator programs (GAP) and potential commercial and investment partners to discuss best practices and review portfolios and investable projects and startups.

Related link: https://www.innovosource.com/

Sales Boomerang Q2 2022 Mortgage Market Opportunities Report

OWINGS MILLS, Md. /ScoopCloud/ -- Sales Boomerang, the mortgage industry's top-rated automated borrower intelligence and retention system, today released its latest Mortgage Market Opportunities Report. Sharp quarter-over-quarter increases in equity, credit-improvement and new-listing alerts in Q2 2022 point to areas of opportunity for lenders in a contracting mortgage market.

Methodology

The Mortgage Market Opportunities Report draws on Sales Boomerang system data to identify market opportunities of relevance to today's borrowers and lenders. To generate the report, Sales Boomerang reviewed data from more than 170 residential mortgage lenders that use its borrower intelligence and retention tools to monitor millions of customer and prospect records. Sales Boomerang then calculated and compared the aggregate frequency with which those contact records triggered loan-opportunity, prescriptive-scenario and risk-and-retention alerts during the first and second quarters of 2022.

Key Findings*

Sales Boomerang's loan-opportunity alerts identify the contacts inside a lender's database who are actively shopping for a mortgage loan or who may be able to benefit from a new mortgage loan. Across the sample group, the frequency of each alert type in Q2 2022 was as follows:

* Mortgage Inquiry Alert: 3.24% of monitored contacts (down 28.58% from Q1)

A customer or prospect has shopped with a competitor in the last 24 hours.

* EPO Alert: 2.31% of monitored contacts (down 8.93% from Q1)

A customer or prospect whose loan closed ≤ 6 months ago has shopped with a competitor in the last 24 hours.

* Credit Improvement Alert: 4.10% of monitored contacts (up 131.64% from Q1)

A customer or prospect has improved their FICO score.

* New Listing Alert: 1.44% of monitored contacts (up 69.02% from Q1)

A customer or prospect has listed their home for sale.

* Equity Alert: 7.93% of monitored contacts (down 13.14% from Q1)

A customer or prospect's home equity has increased.

* Rate Alert: 2.57% of monitored contacts (down 40.63% from Q1)

The interest rate of a customer or prospect's existing mortgage is significantly higher than current prevailing rates.

Sales Boomerang's prescriptive-scenario alerts analyze not only whether a consumer could benefit from a given loan type, but also whether the consumer is credit-qualified to apply for financing. This additional layer of intelligence makes prescriptive-scenario alerts among the highest-converting available to mortgage lenders today. The frequency of each alert during Q2 2022 was as follows:

* Cash-Out Alert: 6.87% of monitored contacts (up 30.94% from Q1)

A borrower is credit qualified and has built sufficient equity to tap into the cash in their home.

* Rate-and-Term Alert: 2.53% of monitored contacts (down 48.70% from Q1)

A borrower is credit qualified and can benefit from the current interest rates for a refinance.

* FHA MI Removal Alert: 7.93% of monitored contacts (down 24.36% from Q1)

An FHA borrower has exceeded 20% equity and can remove mortgage insurance (MI).

For a subset of lenders that maintain servicing portfolios, the frequency of risk-and-retention alerts was as follows:

* Risk & Retention Alert: 21.56% of monitored contacts (down 34.41% from Q1)

A customer is engaging in one or more of 15 credit activities that may put their serviced loan at risk

Analysis*

* With New Listing Alerts on the rise for a second consecutive quarter and Realtor.com reporting that new home listings are growing at a pace not seen since 2017, purchase origination opportunities continue to dominate the market, underscoring the importance of strong referral partner relationships.

* Cash-Out Alerts increased significantly from Q1 to Q2 as tappable home equity continued to grow in many markets nationwide. Lenders that don't currently offer home-equity products (e.g., cash-out refis, HELOCs) may be leaving money on the table.

* Credit Improvement Alerts saw a significant quarter-over-quarter increase, echoing widely publicized reports that Americans' overall financial well-being has improved thanks to pandemic-related fiscal measures including government stimulus payments, tax credits and student loan moratoriums. Since FICO scores are a lagging indicator, the impact of more recent COVID variants and consumer inflation have yet to be seen in credit scores. Regardless, now is a great time for lenders to revisit loan applicants they previously turned down due to a history of poor debt repayment.

* Rising interest rates have slowed the speed at which borrowers are paying off their mortgages, as evidenced by a precipitous drop in Risk & Retention Alerts. As a result, the value of mortgage servicing rights continues to grow. Lenders must carefully weigh the pros and cons - and potential balance sheet impacts - of retaining versus selling MSRs.

* This quarter saw a decline in Mortgage Inquiry Alerts, Rate Alerts, and Rate-and-Term Alerts, a predictable result at a time when interest rates are discouraging rate shopping and refinances.

"New home listings and cash-out alerts both trended upward in Q2, making purchase and home-equity products smart areas of investment for lenders as they prioritize assignment of limited resources," said Sales Boomerang Executive Vice President of Product Mike Spotten. "Another trend we are monitoring with interest is a massive upswing in credit-improvement alerts. Mortgage advisors are going to want to revisit prospects previously denied loans for credit-related reasons before they take their business to a competitor."

*Key findings and analysis provided for informational purposes only. The data represented in the Mortgage Market Opportunities report is historical. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Sales Boomerang accepts no responsibility or liability for readers' use of the key findings or analysis included in this report.

About Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach:

Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach are trusted by more than 300 lenders, including brokers, independent mortgage companies, credit unions and banks to connect borrowers with the right loan at the right time.

Sales Boomerang transformed the relationship between mortgage lenders and borrowers with the introduction of the first automated borrower intelligence system in 2017. The company's intelligent alerts notify lenders as soon as a past customer or prospect is ready and credit-qualified for a loan. As the mortgage industry's #1 borrower retention tool, Sales Boomerang helps lenders build lasting borrower relationships that maximize lifetime customer value. To learn more, visit https://www.salesboomerang.com.

Mortgage Coach is an award-winning platform that empowers mortgage lenders to educate borrowers with interactive presentations that model home loan performance over time. The company's side-by-side loan comparisons allow borrowers to make faster, more informed mortgage decisions while enabling lenders to consistently deliver an on-brand, consultative home financing experience that increases borrower pull-through, repeat business and referrals. To learn more, visit https://www.mortgagecoach.com.

Sales Boomerang, the mortgage industry's top-rated automated borrower intelligence and retention system, today released its latest Mortgage Market Opportunities Report. Sharp quarter-over-quarter increases in equity, credit-improvement and new-listing alerts in Q2 2022 point to areas of opportunity for lenders in a contracting mortgage market

Related link: https://www.salesboomerang.com/

Down Payment Resource releases Q2 2022 Homeownership Program Index

ATLANTA, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the nationwide database for U.S. homebuyer assistance programs, today announced findings from its latest Homeownership Program Index (HPI). The firm's analysis of 2,273 homebuyer assistance programs in its DOWN PAYMENT RESOURCE® database revealed that the net number of homebuyer assistance programs increased by 1.6% from Q1 to Q2 2022. This marks the third consecutive quarter the number of homebuyer assistance programs has grown.

Methodology

Published quarterly, DPR's HPI surveys the funding status, eligibility rules and benefits of U.S. homebuyer assistance programs administered by state and local housing finance agencies, municipalities, nonprofits and other housing organizations. DPR communicates with over 1,200 program providers throughout the year to track and update the country's wide range of homeownership programs, including down payment and closing cost programs, Mortgage Credit Certificates and affordable first mortgages, in the DOWN PAYMENT RESOURCE® database.

Key Findings

The Q2 2022 HPI examined a total of 2,273 homebuyer assistance programs that were active as of July 5, 2022. Key findings are as follows:

* The net number of homebuyer assistance programs increased. The number of programs increased by 35 Q2 2022. Among them were five nationwide or multi-state programs and 12 statewide programs. Assistance for first mortgages, combined down payment and closing cost support, community second mortgages and deed restriction programs were also added.

* Support for manufactured homes increased again. For the third consecutive quarter the number of programs that support manufactured home purchases have increased. 625 programs now support manufactured home loans, up from 594 in Q1 2022.

* Programs offering veteran exemptions grew. The number of programs that waive first-time homebuyer requirements for veterans increased from 176 to 184 (4.5%) this quarter.

"Despite a slight increase in the number of inactive and suspended programs, our analysis indicates that opportunities for homebuyer assistance are continuing to grow," said DPR CEO Rob Chrane. "With inflation reaching 40-year highs, aggressive interest rate hikes and limited housing inventory, connecting consumers with financial support for down payment and closing costs is more important than ever. In this especially challenging housing market, program providers are finding creative ways to help qualified homebuyers overcome economic obstacles and achieve the long-term financial benefits of homeownership."

Further analysis of the Q2 2022 HPI findings, including infographics and examples of many of the programs described in this release, can be found on DPR's website at https://downpaymentresource.com/professional-resource/more-homebuyer-assistance-programs-are-introduced-as-mortgage-rates-and-home-prices-swell/.

For a complete, state-by-state list of homebuyer assistance programs, visit https://downpaymentresource.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/HPI-state-by-state-data.Q22022.pdf.

About Down Payment Resource:

Down Payment Resource (DPR) is a nationwide database of down payment assistance and affordable lending programs. The company tracks funding status, eligibility rules, benefits and more for approximately 2,200 programs in 11 categories. Its award winning technology helps the housing industry connect more homebuyers to the down payment help they need. DPR has been recognized by Inman News as "Most Innovative New Technology" and the HousingWire Tech100™. DPR is licensed to Multiple Listing Services, Realtor Associations, lenders and housing counselors across the country. DPR's subscription based service, Down Payment Connect, helps agents and loan officers match buyers to available programs. For more information, please visit DownPaymentResource.com and on Twitter at @DwnPmtResource.

Down Payment Resource (DPR), the nationwide database for U.S. homebuyer assistance programs, today announced findings from its latest Homeownership Program Index (HPI). The firm's analysis of 2,273 homebuyer assistance programs in its DOWN PAYMENT RESOURCE® database revealed that the net number of homebuyer assistance programs increased by 1.6% from Q1 to Q2 2022.

Related link: https://www.downpaymentresource.com/

NotaryCam Announces eClose360 Product Updates

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- NotaryCam®, the pioneering leader in online notarization and original provider of mortgage eClosing solutions, announced today that it has made updates to its eClose360® platform to expand its capabilities and deliver a better user experience for both notaries and document signers.

The system updates include integrations with industry-leading escrow software vendors, allowing managers to view every transaction in their system to allow for increased internal visibility and transparency surrounding the document and transaction. The updates also enable enterprise clients to use the eClose360 platform autonomously while maintaining access to NotaryCam's industry-leading customer service team.

"In this latest update, we built in some hierarchy control permissions and privileges that will benefit all our clients but especially for our large enterprise clients that want more internal control over the platform," said NotaryCam division president Rick Triola. "With that understanding in mind, we set out to build a product that would meet their needs, and the expanded capabilities and options available in eClose360 will have a significant impact for those larger enterprise clients."

NotaryCam's enhanced dashboard allows all parties to view the transaction progress and access the video recording, and its publicly-available application programming interface (API) integration has also simplified the client onboarding process.

With expanded browser options, NotaryCam users can now access the platform on the browser of their choice, such as Firefox, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Safari and more. Additionally, the platform is mobile-friendly, allowing users to easily participate in a remote online notarization (RON) transaction using a mobile phone or tablet. Additional features include an autosave function and the hassle-free ability to make last-minute document updates, such as fixing a typo or adding a document to the transaction.

"With the ability to make changes to documents, notaries can attain the necessary permissions and update documents on the fly rather than requiring the signers to reschedule the transaction for a later date," stated Triola. "Giving notaries the capability to fix a typo or add a last-minute document without bringing the transaction to a halt is just one of the reasons NotaryCam successfully completes 99.8% of its real estate closings."

About NotaryCam, a Stewart Company:

NotaryCam, a Stewart-owned company, is the leader in online notarization and mortgage eClosing solutions, having notarized documents worldwide for more than a million customers in all 50 states and more than 146 countries. The company's eClose360® platform delivers the "perfect" online mortgage closing in every jurisdiction and supports all eClosing scenarios - RON, IPEN or Hybrids - with a flexible workflow for document recording and unparalleled identity verification, security and customer convenience. In addition to real estate transactions, NotaryCam provides RON services to many Fortune 500 companies as well as small and midsize businesses and includes the execution of electronic wills (eWills), legal docs (i.e. power of attorneys) and Apostilles. The company also proudly maintains an industry-leading 99.8 percent customer satisfaction rating and the highest Net Promoter Score (NPS) amongst the best global tech brands.

Visit https://www.notarycam.com for additional information or to get a document notarized today.

NotaryCam®, the pioneering leader in online notarization and original provider of mortgage eClosing solutions, announced today that it has made updates to its eClose360® platform to expand its capabilities and deliver a better user experience for both notaries and document signers.

Related link: https://www.notarycam.com/

Mortgage Banker Magazine Honors DocMagic’s Dominic Iannitti with Inaugural Legends of Lending Award

TORRANCE, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- DocMagic, Inc., the premier provider of fully-compliant loan document generation, regulatory compliance, and comprehensive eMortgage services, announced that its president and CEO, Dominic Iannitti, has been selected by Mortgage Banker magazine as a 2022 Legends of Lending award recipient.

The Legends of Lending award evaluates the most talented, ambitious and legendary individuals in the mortgage industry. The inaugural class is comprised of executives who have made an extraordinary impact on the mortgage industry over the course of their careers and highlights each winner on a personal level.

Mortgage Banker magazine stated that all nominations were reviewed carefully by a panel of judges, arriving at an elite list of 29 winners for the first-time accolade. Nominees were evaluated based on the significant contributions they have made to the mortgage industry along with their accomplishments and leadership characteristics that define them as legends.

"I am truly honored to win an award that acknowledges the achievements of industry leaders throughout their careers, and I thank the judges at Mortgage Banker magazine for the time they took to review the many nominations received," stated Iannitti. "There is something truly special about being recognized for making a difference across an entire industry. I humbly accept this distinguished award and congratulate each of this year's winners."

Mr. Iannitti founded DocMagic in 1987 and has since grown the company into one of the industry's most dominant fintech providers. Under Iannitti's leadership, the award-winning software firm has developed high-impact digital mortgage solutions that lead the industry in innovation and early adoption. He is committed to digitizing critical areas of the mortgage process, and has created many of the solutions required to facilitate an end-to-end paperless eMortgage.

DocMagic's ongoing success is, in part, attributed to Dominic's long-term vision, passion for innovation, and nimble leadership style. He has helped tackle some of the industry's most pressing problems, bringing all of the necessary members of the supply chain together to collaborate on issues and arrive at solutions.

Iannitti has earned over 100 awards and accolades over the course of his mortgage career. He is a well-known figure in the industry and has a reputation for his unwavering dedication and energy to always move the industry forward through creativity and digitization.

The complete list of Mortgage Banker magazine's inaugural Legends of Lending class can be found by accessing the digital edition, which includes a one-on-one Q&A interview with each winner: https://nationalmortgageprofessional.com/magazine/mortgage-banker-magazine/legends-lending/digital-edition

About DocMagic:

DocMagic, Inc. is the leading provider of fully compliant document generation, automated compliance, eSignature and comprehensive eMortgage solutions for the mortgage industry. Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Torrance, Calif., DocMagic, Inc. develops award-winning software, mobile apps, and web-based systems for the production and delivery of compliant loan document packages. The company's solutions connect industry participants, promote collaboration, and ensure data integrity to execute precision-based digital lending transactions. The company's compliance experts and in-house legal staff consistently monitor legal and regulatory changes at both the federal and state levels to ensure accuracy. For more information on DocMagic, visit https://www.docmagic.com/.

DocMagic, Inc., the premier provider of fully-compliant loan document generation, regulatory compliance, and comprehensive eMortgage services, announced that its president and CEO, Dominic Iannitti, has been selected by Mortgage Banker magazine as a 2022 Legends of Lending award recipient.

Related link: https://www.docmagic.com/

Sales Boomerang’s New Life Event Alerts Help Lenders Grow Pipelines While Fostering Strong Financial Friendships

OWINGS MILLS, Md. /ScoopCloud/ -- Sales Boomerang, the mortgage industry's top-rated automated borrower intelligence and retention system, today announced the launch of its newest automated alert offering, Life Event Alerts, which notify mortgage advisors when a borrower or a prospect in their customer database experiences a major life change that could alter their financial situation and/or goals.

A more actionable delivery for data previously available in Sales Boomerang's Life Events Notification System (LENS™) report, Life Event Alerts mine public records for common life events affecting individuals and households, such as marriage, divorce, childbirth, high school graduation or a death in the family. Like other Sales Boomerang alerts, Live Event Alerts integrate with the industry's top customer relationship management (CRM) solutions, so lenders can swiftly reach out to congratulate or console a consumer about their recent life change and offer personalized advice for achieving their next homeownership goal.

The release of Life Event Alerts follows the recent announcement of the merger of Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach, a platform that empowers mortgage lenders to educate borrowers with interactive home loan presentations. The partnership enables lenders to offer Mortgage Coach's award-winning financial guidance to borrowers or prospects who trigger a Sales Boomerang alert. For example, when a Life Event Alert is triggered, perhaps after a divorce or high school graduation, a time when many homeowners opt to downsize, mortgage advisors can provide customers with Total Cost Analysis (TCA) comparing purchase loan options.

"When a customer or prospect experiences a life-changing event, their homeownership needs or goals will often change as well. Lenders using Life Events Alerts can be the first to advise these connections on how to make their best financial move," said Sales Boomerang Executive Vice President of Product, Mike Spotten. "With data-driven insight into borrowers' unique personal journeys, mortgage advisors are empowered to reach out with personalized wealth-building advice right away, driving repeat and referral business, but more importantly creating strong financial friendships with their borrowers."

To learn best practices and hear real results from early adopters of Life Event Alerts, tune into the product launch webinar on Wednesday, August 10 at 1 p.m. ET. Register here: https://salesboomerang.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0JPKgKVqRICQOHBw0PkuTg

About Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach:

Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach are trusted by more than 300 lenders, including brokers, independent mortgage companies, credit unions and banks to connect borrowers with the right loan at the right time.

Sales Boomerang transformed the relationship between mortgage lenders and borrowers with the introduction of the first automated borrower intelligence system in 2017. The company's intelligent alerts notify lenders as soon as a past customer or prospect is ready and credit-qualified for a loan. As the mortgage industry's #1 borrower retention tool, Sales Boomerang helps lenders build lasting borrower relationships that maximize lifetime customer value. To learn more, visit https://www.salesboomerang.com.

Mortgage Coach is an award-winning platform that empowers mortgage lenders to educate borrowers with interactive presentations that model home loan performance over time. The company's side-by-side loan comparisons allow borrowers to make faster, more informed mortgage decisions while enabling lenders to consistently deliver an on-brand, consultative home financing experience that increases borrower pull-through, repeat business and referrals. To learn more, visit https://www.mortgagecoach.com.

Twitter: @SalesBoomerang @MortgageCoach

RELATED LINKS:

https://www.salesboomerang.com/life-events

https://blog.salesboomerang.com/news/sales-boomerang-and-mortgage-coach-merge-appoint-richard-harris-as-ceo

Sales Boomerang, the mortgage industry's top-rated automated borrower intelligence and retention system, today announced the launch of its newest automated alert offering, Life Event Alerts, which notify mortgage advisors when a borrower or a prospect in their customer database experiences a major life change that could alter their financial situation and/or goals.

Related link: https://www.salesboomerang.com/

Promontory MortgagePath’s Louann Bernstone Named to Elite Women’s List by Mortgage Professional America

DANBURY, Conn. /ScoopCloud/ -- Leading digital mortgage and fulfillment solutions provider Promontory MortgagePath LLC announced Louann Bernstone, managing director of vendor management, has been named to Mortgage Professional America's (MPA) sixth annual Elite Women list. This award recognizes successful women making waves and pushing boundaries in the traditionally male-dominated mortgage industry.

"Louann's breadth of mortgage compliance and risk experience has been integral to our operations and growth," said Gene Ludwig, Promontory MortgagePath founder and CEO. "Her leadership as a manager of multiple teams and involvement in our culture, including her role as co-chair of our diversity and inclusion committee, has been important to our mission. She is a star in our industry and is well deserving of this esteemed award."

An industry veteran, Bernstone holds nearly 20 years of mortgage risk and compliance experience. She oversees a vendor management framework compliant with lending regulatory standards, minimizes vendor risk by interacting and managing suppliers daily, leads due-diligence efforts and ensures all third parties are performing at optimal levels. Thanks to Bernstone's due diligence, community lenders utilizing Promontory MortgagePath's Borrower Wallet(r) point-of-sale technology in conjunction with their mortgage fulfillment services average a 75% increase in the average number of loan applications per month, with month-over-month increases reaching as high as 255%.

"Louann's contributions to our overall business and culture are significant. From our team members to our clients, Louann plays a large part in ensuring quality operations at Promontory MortgagePath," Ludwig added.

To view the full list of MPA Elite Women, visit https://www.mpamag.com/us

About Promontory MortgagePath LLC | NMLS ID 1532373:

Promontory MortgagePath is a fast-growing team of passionate problem solvers on a mission to fundamentally change the way lenders approach their mortgage business. The company combines an intuitive, collaborative digital mortgage platform with modern, comprehensive fulfillment services, giving lenders the progressive technology and scalability required to profitably compete in today's rapidly changing residential mortgage market. Promontory MortgagePath's founder, former U.S. Comptroller of the Currency Gene Ludwig, is widely recognized as a visionary thinker on the critical issues confronting financial services, and his companies are renowned for helping community lenders resolve their most pressing challenges. To learn more, visit https://www.mortgagepath.com/.

About Mortgage Professional America:

We are the world's leading independent mortgage publisher (https://www.mpamag.com/us), reaching over 140,000 mortgage and finance professionals daily in four markets. We publish magazines, daily news, opinion and analysis in addition to a growing series of special reports - industry surveys and rankings showcasing the best individuals, companies and products in the market.

Leading digital mortgage and fulfillment solutions provider Promontory MortgagePath LLC announced Louann Bernstone, managing director of vendor management, has been named to Mortgage Professional America's (MPA) sixth annual Elite Women list. This award recognizes successful women making waves and pushing boundaries in the traditionally male-dominated mortgage industry.

Related link: https://www.mortgagepath.com/