Category Archives: Finance

SBA commemorates 20 years of serving large and mid-sized employers’ benefits consulting needs

ATLANTA, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- Independent, full-service employee benefits consulting firm Strategic Benefits Advisors, Inc. (SBA) announced the firm is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Since opening its doors in April 2002, SBA has helped organizations in every sector of the North American economy navigate their toughest employee benefits challenges while reducing plan expenses and improving efficiency, compliance and the participant experience.

SBA was founded by industry veterans Mindy Zatto and Andy Adams, whose big-firm experience as benefits consultants and plan administrators for some of the world's largest companies earned them a reputation for innovative thinking and exceptional service. Their work also revealed a market need for a new model of employee benefits consulting that could bridge the all-too-common gap between how benefits plans are designed and how they are administered. With this objective in mind, Zatto and Adams started SBA operating out of their homes.

"From day one, SBA set out to do things differently," said Adams. "Plan sponsors need an advocate in their corner - someone who will help close the gaps in their employee benefits. Having experience with both traditional benefits consulting issues and outsourced plan administration gave us a unique perspective on how to deliver the best and most cost-effective services possible. Twenty years in, it's a calling that still energizes us."

Over the last two decades, SBA has grown from its humble beginnings into an award-winning employer whose team of nearly 30 full-time consultants - including seven credentialed actuaries - is among the industry's most experienced. The firm's clients, which range in size from 1,000 to 300,000 employees and span publicly-traded, private and government organizations, turn to SBA to address complex plan issues with practical solutions and expert support.

In the early days, SBA focused on helping plan sponsors optimize their retirement and retiree health plans through plan design, actuarial services, plan de-risking and third-party administrator management. Today, the firm supports every category of employee benefits, from health and welfare to financial wellness and from rewards and recognition to tuition assistance. SBA's more than two dozen service lines now include defined contribution (DC) compliance; vendor search, implementation, management and recovery; plan governance; outsourced pension administration; specialty call center support; and much more.

"SBA's focus on doing right by our clients and our colleagues has rewarded us with the opportunity to create lifelong relationships, not just business partnerships," said Zatto. "This commitment has been our guidepost for 20 years and will continue to define our business for the next 20 years to come."

About Strategic Benefits Advisors:

Strategic Benefits Advisors, Inc. (SBA) is an independent, full-service employee benefits consulting firm focused on creatively and effectively solving complex benefits issues for clients ranging from 1,000 to over 300,000 employees. Founded in 2002 by veteran consultants Mindy Zatto and Andy Adams, SBA provides practical consulting recommendations and expert implementation of solutions for all types of employee benefits programs, including retirement, health and welfare, financial wellness and employee recognition. With an average of over 25 years in the field, SBA's team of actuaries, consultants and systems specialists is among the most experienced in the industry. For more information, visit https://www.sba-inc.com/.

Independent, full-service employee benefits consulting firm Strategic Benefits Advisors, Inc. (SBA) announced the firm is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Since opening its doors in April 2002, SBA has helped organizations in every sector of the North American economy navigate their toughest employee benefits challenges while reducing plan expenses and improving efficiency, compliance and the participant experience.

Related link: https://www.sba-inc.com/

2022 HousingWire Tech100 Mortgage Award Announces MCT As Leader In Innovation

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Capital Trading (MCT®), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, was announced as a 2022 HousingWire Tech100 Mortgage Winner. The Tech100 Mortgage Award spotlights innovators that are making the housing sector better and more sustainable by increasing efficiency, improving borrower experience and bringing elasticity to mortgage origination and servicing processes. MCT achieved several company milestones throughout the past year by launching and enhancing several technology solutions and services which helped the company earn a spot on the latest Tech100 list.

MCT was measured on the company's key technology, quantifiable metrics and client impact. It's increasingly clear that the winners in today's housing economy have latched onto the concept of sustaining innovation. MCT is listed as one of the companies and solutions demonstrating a new era of innovators that understand the dynamics of the housing industry.

MCT continues to facilitate whole loan liquidity between sellers and buyers of mortgage loans with a new program released in 2020 called BAM Marketplace, a platform within MCTlive!®. It is a truly open loan exchange where buyers can bid regardless of approval status, and sellers receive automated live pricing from every buyer on the platform. Leveraging MCT's patent-pending Security Spread Commitment, BAM Marketplace facilitates bids between unapproved counterparties, which ensures sellers receive more bids and better execution for their loans than anywhere else in the industry. This functionality is providing sellers unique access to a larger group of buyers and resulting in average pickups of almost 23 BPS over cover bids. This technology is resulting in a revolutionary new era of maximized liquidity, eliminated barriers and optimized execution.

"We are thrilled and delighted to be recognized once again by HousingWire for our contributions to the technological advancement of the mortgage industry," said Curtis Richins, President and CEO of MCT. "It wouldn't have been possible without the dedication and intelligence of our outstanding team members, who are committed to supporting clients in the best ways possible, always striving to push the ball of what a trusted capital markets partner can offer. This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all our employees."

This feature has 200+ sellers transacting in the marketplace and $7 billion transacted between marketplace buyers and sellers to date. Sellers on BAM Marketplace are experiencing an average pickup of 36 bps on government production, 26 bps on conventional production, 52 bps on government with FICO under 660, 41 bps with a low loan amount (under $200k) and 59 bps on MFG.

Those interested in learning more about the features and benefits of MCT's award-winning technology and services 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'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.

Mortgage Capital Trading (MCT®), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, was announced as a 2022 HousingWire Tech100 Mortgage Winner. The Tech100 Mortgage Award spotlights innovators that are making the housing sector better and more sustainable by increasing efficiency, improving borrower experience and bringing elasticity to mortgage origination and servicing processes.

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

MMI adds mortgage industry vets Jake Belter and Gerald Dorman to enterprise sales team as regional directors

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 has hired mortgage industry veterans Jake Belter, CMB(R), and Gerald Dorman to its enterprise sales team. As regional directors, Belter and Dorman will be tasked with expanding MMI's growing roster of mortgage enterprise clients, which now includes 20 of the top 25 lenders in the nation, while also driving brand awareness and adoption in mortgage-related verticals, such as title and insurance.

"In today's highly competitive, purchase-driven market, having the right referral partners and sales staff can be the determining factor between success and failure," said MMI founder and CEO Ben Teerlink. "Because MMI delivers the tools and intelligence lenders need to succeed in today's market, demand for our products is at an all-time high, requiring us to expand our enterprise sales team. We are incredibly lucky to welcome such top-notch sales professionals as Jake and Gerald, and they will undoubtedly play a significant role in our growth and success as we help lenders identify the partners and loan officers poised to deliver the maximum return on investment for their organization."

Both Belter and Dorman bring decades of experience in the mortgage and fintech sectors to MMI. Having previously served as associate vice president of strategic accounts at Arch MI, Belter has also held various sales-related roles with United Guaranty Corporation, Legacy Community Federal Credit Union, Synovus and GreenPoint Mortgage. Dorman most recently served as regional vice president of sales at Nomis Solutions and held similar roles at Informative Research and LoanLogics after getting his start in mortgage sales as an account executive with First National Bank of Arizona.

"MMI is fortunate not only to attract some of the largest lenders in the nation, but also top-tier sales talent in Jake and Gerald," said Melissa Sike, vice president of enterprise sales. "Both of these gentlemen possess roughly two decades of experience and are highly regarded within the industry. That experience has equipped them to understand the challenges lenders face in 2022, and they are eager to help lenders employ effective, data-driven solutions to drive profitable and sustainable growth."

By accessing an unrivaled database of comprehensive real estate and mortgage production data, MMI's enterprise customers can identify partner networks that best support their business objectives, with granular insight into lenders, loan officers and real estate agents by region or individual transactions. To learn more, visit https://mmi.io.

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 has hired mortgage industry veterans Jake Belter, CMB(r), and Gerald Dorman to its enterprise sales team. As regional directors, Belter and Dorman will be tasked with expanding MMI's growing roster of mortgage enterprise clients.

Related link: https://mmi.io

America’s ‘Queen of Crowdfunding’ Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary of Helping Pass The Jobs Act of 2012 Into Law

LAS VEGAS, Nev. /ScoopCloud/ -- This April marks the 10-year anniversary of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, or JOBS Act which is a law intended to encourage funding of small businesses in the United States by easing many of the country's securities regulations, said Ruth E. Hedges, CEO of Rise Up Crowdfunding. It passed with bipartisan support and was signed into law by President Barack Obama on April 5, 2012.

Back then, the country was filled with hope and change. But has anything really changed for small businesses 10 years later? Ruth E. Hedges certainly thinks it has but she also knows there's still a long way to go.

Ms. Hedges was an integral team member that lobbied for and helped get the JOBS Act passed into law in 2012 ensuring that diverse entrepreneurs get greater access to capital to help them scale, grow and compete for contracts. The JOBS Act of 2012 also helped usher in Regulation Crowdfunding (also known as crowd-investing or investment crowdfunding). It's a method of raising capital used by Startups and early-stage companies.

Essentially, regulation crowdfunding offers the company's stock to the general public in exchange for capital. Each investor is entitled to a stake in the company proportional to their investment.

Hedges is a long-time champion for small businesses, diversity, equity, inclusion and wealth building. Her decades long work in these areas along with her tireless efforts to increase the power of diverse business owners and entrepreneurs across the world, have earned her the nickname: The "Queen of Crowdfunding."

After the JOBS Act passed, Hedges went on to start and run the world's first ever Crowdfunding Conference for seven years drawing attendees from all over the world to learn more about leveraging crowdfunding to help scale their businesses. Now, as the CEO of Rise Up Crowdfunding, she uses her passion and energy to continue manifesting her purpose - increasing the power of diverse business owners and entrepreneurs while simultaneously providing diverse populations a turnkey way to invest in companies that are a part of the New Majority in America.

"We are heading into a world where underrepresented groups are a more significant percentage of the American population, and as this number grows, the need to generate wealth within these communities has become necessary for the country's future," said Hodges.

"We are eternally grateful to President Obama for helping pass the JOBS Act of 2012 in order to help to level the playing field for access to capital for everyone and now, 10 years later, we unequivocally know that if small businesses had more access to capital, more could be done to grow the current batch of small and diverse companies eligible to apply for supplier diversity contracts thereby uplifting communities where those businesses are located through job creation, increased wages, tax revenue, and generational wealth," added Hedges.

Rise Up Crowdfunding is the first funding portal focused on these key issue areas. Created by Ruth E. Hedges in collaboration with the Coca-Cola Company, Rise Up Crowdfunding is a coalition of leaders across industries and organizations committed to ensuring that diverse entrepreneurs get access to capital to help them scale and drive growth within the supplier diversity network. Other key collaborative partners are the National Veteran Business Development Council and the IWEC foundation for women.

April is also national financial literacy month. And, on Tuesday April 26, Ms. Hedges will be speaking on Capitol Hill about the integral role that crowdfunding can play to help small diverse businesses, specifically, Black businesses, scale and grow. Congress is launching the Congressional Caucus on Black Innovation and, given her tremendous expertise in the field of crowdfunding, Ms. Hedges has been asked to present and speak at the launch event. Her speaking engagement will provide an opportunity to contribute to the future policy solutions impacting Black people, with the ultimate goal of the Caucus being to produce an omnibus bill on how to foster Black innovation in America and beyond.

All throughout the month of April, Ruth E. Hedges and Rise Up Crowdfunding will continue manifesting the mission of the JOBS Act of 2012 and bringing to fruition the hope and change that was lobbied for a decade ago in order to help level the playing field for small businesses and diverse entrepreneurs in an unprecedented way.

"Now, more than ever, we should be teaching individuals about the value of financial literacy, economic empowerment and entrepreneurship instead of simply teaching them how to be good at consumption," stated Ruth E. Hedges. "And the Rise Up Crowdfunding platform will accomplish all that and so much more," she added.

Individuals interested in learning more about Rise Up Crowdfunding, Ruth E. Hedges or how they can support diverse businesses, can visit the website at: https://riseupcrowdfunding.com/.

Rise Up Crowdfunding can also be found on the following social media channels: https://www.linkedin.com/company/riseupcrowdfunding/

https://twitter.com/riseupcf

https://www.facebook.com/RiseUpCrowdfunding/

https://www.instagram.com/riseupcrowdfunding/

ABOUT RISE UP CROWDFUNDING:

Rise Up Crowdfunding is a new impactful collaborative equity crowdfunding process to help more Women, Black, and Brown, LGBTQ, Veterans, and all underrepresented minority founders and small businesses gain access to capital from the millions of people who (since the passing of the JOBS Act in 2012) can now invest a small amount of money in a private company online. Rise Up Crowdfunding leverages regulation crowdfunding to quickly reach people all over America that are looking for the capital they need to grow and scale bring their business in order to better compete for supplier diversity contracts or those individuals seeking to become an investor.

This April marks the 10-year anniversary of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, or JOBS Act which is a law intended to encourage funding of small businesses in the United States by easing many of the country's securities regulations, said Ruth E. Hedges, CEO of Rise Up Crowdfunding.

Related link: https://riseupcrowdfunding.com/

Mortgage Hedge Advisory Firm Vice Capital Markets promotes Shawn Ansley to CIO

NOVI, Mich. /ScoopCloud/ -- Vice Capital Markets, a leading mortgage hedge advisory firm for independent lenders, banks and credit unions, announced today that it has promoted Shawn Ansley to chief information officer (CIO). As CIO, Ansley will be tasked with the continued development of information technologies and deepening integrations with the agencies and major loan origination systems and leading the development of new tools to enhance the client experience.

"Since joining our firm, Shawn has relentlessly driven Vice Capital to continually evolve and stay current with the ever-changing market and execution environments. This promotion is really more of a formal acknowledgement of the overreaching leadership and guidance that he had already been demonstrating for the last several years," said Vice Capital founder and principal Chris Bennett.

Having joined Vice Capital in 2005 after receiving his master's degree in Mathematics, Ansley worked his way up the Vice Capital ranks, most recently serving as managing director. He runs the quantitative analytics that underpin the firm's hedge advisory services and is credited with revolutionizing Vice Capital's pull though modeling for more accurate pipeline management.

Ansley is also responsible for automating many of Vice Capital's day-to-day processes to improve operational efficiency and eliminate opportunities for human error, including overseeing several LOS integrations to allow information to flow back-and-forth between Vice Capital and clients seamlessly. Ansley also developed proprietary APIs with both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to facilitate direct data pricing pulls and loan commitments with the GSEs, thereby dramatically speeding up this critical process.

"Having had the privilege of working with Chris, Troy and the Vice Capital team for more than 15 years, this promotion is truly an honor," Ansley said. "I look forward to spearheading the next phase of our software development initiatives, which will help drive an even better client experience while also dramatically enhancing the value, advice and service Vice Capital delivers to the market."

Founded in 2001, Vice Capital serves independent mortgage lenders and financial institutions of all sizes, with monthly mortgage production volumes ranging from $10 million to $5 billion a month. Last year, the company set a new internal trade volume record, trading more than $202 billion on behalf of its full service clients, and experienced a marked increase in its client base, including more than 50% growth in the credit union space. Today, one in every 15 mortgages originated in the United States are traded by Vice Capital or hedged using its proprietary software.

About Vice Capital Markets

Since 2001, Vice Capital Markets has successfully managed interest rate risk and maximized profitability on MBS trades and mortgage-related transactions for banks, credit unions and mortgage lenders of all sizes. With an average of more than 10 years' experience behind each of the traders on our team, Vice Capital has helped its clients realize, on average, a 25 to 55 bps improvement over their best effort execution, and Vice Capital's proprietary risk-management models and complex investor and agency best execution platform have consistently yielded safe and effective profit maximization for its clients. Learn more at https://www.vicecapitalmarkets.com/ or call (248) 869-8100.

Vice Capital Markets, a leading mortgage hedge advisory firm for independent lenders, banks and credit unions, announced today that it has promoted Shawn Ansley to chief information officer (CIO). As CIO, Ansley will be tasked with the continued development of information technologies and deepening integrations with the agencies and major loan origination systems.

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

EPIC Welcomes Shelley Yim

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants is pleased to welcome Shelley Yim who will partner with EPIC's leadership to focus on continuing to grow the firm's footprint with large complex Risk Management clients along with helping lead EPIC's burgeoning Winery Practice. Shelley will also support EPIC's Diversity & Inclusion strategy in her role on the EPIC Inclusion Council, focusing on supporting clients with their inclusion objectives.

Shelley brings over thirty-five years of experience in the global risk and insurance segment. She most recently led Aon's West Region Middle Market brokerage teams while handling several large, complex multi-national clients in the West in several industry segments. While Shelley is known for her large client expertise, her focus on coaching, mentoring, and developing diverse teams has been her passion for the past decade.

Recently named as a 2021 Business Insurance Women to Watch award recipient, Shelley acknowledged the importance of coaches and mentors to help develop strong teams to grow our businesses for the future.

"We are extremely pleased to welcome Shelley to EPIC," said Steve Denton, EPIC CEO. "Her experience and industry-specific expertise align perfectly with our focus on delivering complex risk solutions with a deep understanding of our clients' businesses."

"We're fortunate to add Shelley to our team of experts," said Marc Kunney, EPIC's President, Risk Management and National Specialties. "Our clients will benefit instantly from her perspective and expertise, particularly in today's challenging and dynamic marketplace." Shelley will work from the firm's San Francisco office.

About EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants:

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail insurance brokerage, has more than 2,600 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://epicbrokers.com/

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants is pleased to welcome Shelley Yim who will partner with EPIC's leadership to focus on continuing to grow the firm's footprint with large complex Risk Management clients along with helping lead EPIC's burgeoning Winery Practice.

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

Down Payment Resource releases Q1 2022 Homeownership Program Index

ATLANTA, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the nationwide database for U.S. homebuyer assistance programs, today announced the release of its latest Homeownership Program Index (HPI). The firm's analysis of 2,238 homebuyer assistance programs in its DOWN PAYMENT RESOURCE® database revealed that the net number of homebuyer assistance programs increased by 46 from Q4 2021 to Q1 2022.

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 administrators 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 Q1 2022 HPI examined a total of 2,238 homebuyer assistance programs that were active as of April 6, 2022. Key findings are as follows.

* Marked increase in number of programs introduced. Programs introduced in Q1 2022 include two first mortgage programs, two combined funding programs, 10 grants and 32 second mortgage programs. This marks a 2.1% increase in the number of homebuyer programs available compared to Q4 2021.

* Largest gains in nonprofit programs. There was a 5.7% increase in nonprofit-sponsored programs introduced in Q1 2022. Additionally, there was a 2.3% increase in programs supporting home purchases in defined locales and a 1.3% increase in statewide programs.

* Support for manufactured housing continues to increase. 31 additional homebuyer programs opened eligibility to manufactured housing in Q4 2021. Now 28.8% of all homebuyer assistance programs support the purchase of manufactured homes.

* More than one third of programs do not have a first-time home buyer requirement. It is a common misconception that homebuyer assistance is only available to first-time homebuyers, however 38% of homebuyer assistance programs in Q1 2022 did not have a first time homebuyer requirement.

"Both the number of homebuyer assistance programs and the volume of available funding increased in Q1 2022, a trend we have observed for several consecutive quarters," said DPR CEO Rob Chrane. "With affordability on the decline in 79% of U.S. counties and the availability of homebuying assistance on the rise, homebuyers need real estate agents and mortgage lenders to connect them with programs that make homeownership more affordable."

Further analysis of the Q1 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-introduced-as-affordability-declines-in-most-u-s-counties/.

For a complete, state-by-state list of homebuyer assistance programs, visit https://downpaymentresource.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/HPI-state-by-state-data.Q12022.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(tm). 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 the release of its latest Homeownership Program Index (HPI). The firm's analysis of 2,238 homebuyer assistance programs in its DOWN PAYMENT RESOURCE® database revealed that the net number of homebuyer assistance programs increased by 46 from Q4 2021 to Q1 2022.

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

Nine Southwestern Investment Group Advisors Named to Forbes’ 2022 List of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors

FRANKLIN, Tenn. /ScoopCloud/ -- Jeffrey T. Dobyns, President, Bob Sircy, Jr., Senior Executive Vice President, Luke Aull, Senior Executive Vice President, Mark Deering, Senior Executive Vice President, Tommy Doerfler, Senior Executive Vice President, John Nail, Senior Executive Vice President, Tyler Nace, Executive Vice President, Matt Atchison, Executive Vice President, and Michael Purifoy, Senior Executive Vice President, all of Southwestern Investment Group headquartered at 801 Crescent Centre Drive, Franklin, TN were among the Raymond James-affiliated advisors named to the Forbes list of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors. The 2022 list, which recognizes advisors from national, regional, and independent firms, was released online April 7, 2022.

The Forbes ranking of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained through telephone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. Those advisors that are considered have a minimum of seven years' experience, and the algorithm weights factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass best practices in their practices and approach to working with clients.

Southwestern Investment Group is a family of advisors who all follow the same guidelines and core values to put the client first. The company's overall objective is to design sensible financial plans that help to build and preserve money in a way that aligns with clients' overall well-being and goals for their financial futures. With a holistic approach to financial advising, the Southwestern Investment Group network empowers clients to take control of their finances and help achieve their dreams.

To reach the advisors at Southwestern Investment Group, more information can be found at https://www.swinvestmentgroup.com/ or by calling 615-861-6100.

About Forbes ranking of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors

Data provided by SHOOKTM Research, LLC.

Source: Forbes.com (April, 2022). The Forbes ranking of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained through telephone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. Those advisors that are considered have a minimum of seven years' experience, and the algorithm weights factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass best practices in their practices and approach to working with clients. Out of approximately 34,925 nominations received, based on thresholds, more than 6,500 advisors received the award. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. This ranking is not indicative of an advisor's future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of individual clients' experience. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Raymond James is not affiliated with Forbes or Shook Research, LLC. Please visit https://www.forbes.com/best-in-state-wealth-advisors for more info.

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 is not a registered broker dealer and is 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.

Jeffrey T. Dobyns, President, Bob Sircy, Jr., Senior Executive VP, Luke Aull, Senior Executive VPt, Mark Deering, Senior Executive VP, Tommy Doerfler, Senior Executive VP, John Nail, Senior Executive VP, Tyler Nace, Executive VP, Matt Atchison, Executive VP, and Michael Purifoy, Senior Executive VP, all of Southwestern Investment Group, Franklin, TN were among the Raymond James-affiliated advisors named to the Forbes list of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors.

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

Sales Boomerang releases Q1 2022 Mortgage Market Opportunities Report

WASHINGTON, D.C. /ScoopCloud/ -- Sales Boomerang, the mortgage industry's top-rated automated borrower intelligence and retention system, today released its latest Mortgage Market Opportunities Report. The Q1 2022 report showed an increase in purchase and home-equity loan opportunities that could help lenders offset dwindling refi volume.

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 fourth quarter of 2021 and the first quarter 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 Q1 2022 was as follows:

* Mortgage Inquiry Alert: 4.53% of monitored contacts (up 2.49% from Q4)

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

* EPO Alert: 2.54% of monitored contacts (up 38.04% from Q4)

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

* Credit Improvement Alert: 1.77% of monitored contacts (up 55.26% from Q4)

A customer or prospect has improved their FICO score.

* New Listing Alert: 0.85% of monitored contacts (up 32.81% from Q4)

A customer or prospect has listed their home for sale.

* Equity Alert: 9.13% of monitored contacts (up 6.04% from Q4)

A customer or prospect's home equity has increased.

* Rate Alert: 4.33% of monitored contacts (down 14.60% from Q4)

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 Q1 2022 was as follows:

* Cash-Out Alert: 5.25% of monitored contacts (down 6.75% from Q4)

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

* Rate-and-Term Alert: 4.93% of monitored contacts (down 50.95% from Q4)

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

* FHA MI Removal Alert: 10.48% of monitored contacts (down 25.20% from Q4)

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: 32.87% of monitored contacts (up 5.42% from Q4)

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

Analysis*

* Mortgage Inquiry, EPO and New Listing alerts all increased in Q1 as consumers actively put themselves in the market for mortgage products. As the spring buying season picks up, lenders will need to be diligent in their borrower retention efforts, especially those looking to avoid an early payoff penalty.

* Despite the uptick in EPO alerts, Rate and Rate-and-Term alerts both decreased in Q1, another indicator that consumers are looking to purchase, not refinance. Of the alerts that decreased in frequency in Q1, Rate-and-Term alerts showed the biggest change, confirming the long-anticipated slowdown of the refinance boom.

* Slow is a relative term, however, as Equity alerts increased for the second consecutive quarter. As homeowners continue to build equity, lenders should continue to educate borrowers on home equity mortgage opportunities.

* After a significant drop in Risk & Retention alerts in Q4, the category saw a 5.42% increase in alerts in Q1. As more borrowers are flagged for exhibiting risky credit behaviors, mortgage servicers should continue to keep a close eye on their portfolios for default risk.

* Credit Improvement alerts saw one of the largest increases in Q1, signaling more credit-worthy borrowers are ready to begin shopping for a mortgage. Savvy lenders will recognize this opportunity to be proactive in their outreach.

"Experts have anticipated the switch to a purchase market for a year or more, but the market was slower to transition than initially expected. Our data verifies market opportunities are finally trending in the direction of purchase loans," said Sales Boomerang CEO Alex Kutsishin. "However, as the purchase market heats up, it will be important for lenders not to get tunnel vision, as our data shows increased opportunities in home-equity lending as well."

*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:

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 is trusted by more than 170 lenders - including brokers, independent mortgage companies, credit unions and banks - to help build lasting borrower relationships that maximize lifetime customer value. To date, Sales Boomerang alerts have enabled lenders to close more than $150 billion in additional loan volume that would have otherwise been overlooked and achieve customer retention rates that outperform industry norms by an average of 3-5X. To learn more about Sales Boomerang and its No Borrower Left Behind(tm) ethos, visit https://www.salesboomerang.com.

Sales Boomerang, the mortgage industry's top-rated automated borrower intelligence and retention system, today released its latest Mortgage Market Opportunities Report. The Q1 2022 report showed an increase in purchase and home-equity loan opportunities that could help lenders offset dwindling refi volume.

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

Critical Defect Rate Drops 18% in Q3 2021, Per ACES Quality Management Mortgage QC Industry Trends Report

DENVER, Colo. /ScoopCloud/ -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, announced the release of its quarterly ACES Mortgage QC Trends Report covering the third quarter (Q3) of 2021. The latest report provides an analysis of post-closing quality control data derived from ACES Quality Management & Control® software.

Notable findings from the Q3 2021 report include:

* Mortgage lenders managed mortgage origination quality extremely well in Q3 2021, leading to an 18% improvement in the overall credit defect rate.

* Manufacturing-related loan defects decreased as volumes declined.

* Q3 marked the official shift from refinances to a purchase-driven market, with purchase defects increasing as a result.

* Defect performance on conventional loans stabilized while FHA defects rose.

* The Early Payment Defaults trend line indicates that reviews peaked and are now below pre-pandemic levels, shifting the focus to the remaining loans in forbearance status and exit plans for those borrowers.

"The critical defect rate for Q3 2021 dropped 18% to 1.86%, a welcomed improvement from the previous quarter. Lenders also experienced a slight decrease in origination volume, down 8% from Q2 of 2021," said ACES Executive Vice President Nick Volpe. "Metrics are beginning to trend back to their historic normal levels as volume moderates. With the amount of volatility in macroeconomic factors and rising rates, the decline in the overall critical defect rate is a testament to lenders taking quality management and control seriously."

Findings for the Q3 2021 ACES Mortgage QC Industry Trends Report are based on post-closing quality control data derived from the ACES Quality Management and Control® benchmarking system and incorporate data from prior quarters and/or calendar years, where applicable. All reviews and defect data evaluated for the report were based on loan audits selected by lenders for full file reviews.

"An improvement in the critical defect rate is always a positive sign. The worst of early payment default volume seems to be behind us, but we're not out of the woods yet. Lenders' focus should continue to be on helping remaining loans in forbearance status and building exit plans for those borrowers," said ACES CEO, Trevor Gauthier. "Lenders and banks need to be cognizant of the economic and geopolitical environments in the coming months and possibly years. As the Federal Reserve works to calm inflation, these actions oftentimes have a ripple effect, which can certainly impact loan quality."

Mortgage QC Industry Trends Reports are available for download, free of charge, at https://www.acesquality.com/resources/reports.

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:

* 3 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 the release of its quarterly ACES Mortgage QC Trends Report covering the third quarter (Q3) of 2021. The latest report provides an analysis of post-closing quality control data derived from ACES Quality Management & Control® software.

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

KROST Recognized by Los Angeles Business Journal as among Top Accounting Firms for 2022

PASADENA, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- KROST was recognized as one of Los Angeles Business Journals' Top 100 Accounting Firms in Los Angeles County, with 78% growth in revenue between 2020 and 2019, the firm is ranked 22nd on the list. KROST received this recognition during the Los Angeles Business Journal's Disruptor Awards virtual event.

"Our firm is honored to be recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal yet again. We owe our success to our passionate, talented, and hardworking team members. We hope to continue our growth and success in the coming years," said Jason Melillo, CEO, KROST.

Each year, the Los Angeles Business Journal publishes the annual Book of Lists. The lists are comprised of companies across several industries and include details like size, revenue, top executives, and more. LABJ editorial and research teams provide in-depth analyses of the community's dynamic business and economic scene.

Learn more about KROST's services: https://www.krostcpas.com/services

For more information about KROST's awards and recognition, visit https://www.krostcpas.com/awards

ABOUT KROST CPAS & CONSULTANTS:

KROST is a full-service Certified Public Accounting and Consulting firm headquartered in Pasadena, California. As trusted advisors and industry leaders, clients depend on KROST for timely information, innovative solutions, and results-driven teamwork in the areas of accounting, assurance, business management, consulting, tax, mergers & acquisitions, and wealth management

KROST was recognized as one of Los Angeles Business Journals' Top 100 Accounting Firms in Los Angeles County, with 78% growth in revenue between 2020 and 2019, the firm is ranked 22nd on the list. KROST received this recognition during the Los Angeles Business Journal's Disruptor Awards virtual event.

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

FormFree’s Christy Moss recognized by the Mortgage Bankers Association for outstanding contributions in mortgage technology

ATHENS, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- FormFree® today announced that the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) has named FormFree Chief Customer Officer Christy Moss, CMB, a 2022 Tech All-Star. Since 2002, the Tech All-Star Awards have honored leaders who have made outstanding contributions to mortgage technology.

Moss was recognized for her career commitment to driving digital transformation in mortgage lending. A 30-year veteran of the mortgage industry, Moss got her start holding advanced positions at financial institutions including CitiMortgage, Wachovia and GE Capital Mortgage Services. During her subsequent 11-year tenure at Fannie Mae, Moss evangelized business initiatives beneficial to the post-recession mortgage lending ecosystem that focused on driving lender and partner adoption of technologies. Now, as CCO at FormFree, Moss is helping build a more inclusive credit decisioning landscape with AccountChek's automated verification of direct-source asset, income and employment data.

"It is an incredible honor to be recognized by the MBA, the leading organization for mortgage professionals, for my contributions toward the digital transformation of mortgage lending," said Moss. "Going forward, I will continue to uplift FormFree's creative thinkers, groundbreaking solutions and business partnerships to create a safer, easier and more transparent mortgage experience for all."

"Christy is instrumental in helping FormFree deliver a simplified loan application experience, improve loan officer productivity and reduce loan cycle times. I feel incredibly fortunate to have her as a driving force behind FormFree's mission to transform mortgage lending into an easy, stress-free digital experience," said FormFree Founder and CEO Brent Chandler. "Her passion coupled with her wealth of experience driving innovation make her well deserving of recognition as a Tech All-Star."

This award is the latest of a number of prestigious accolades under Moss' belt. In the past year alone, Moss was named a Mortgage Star by Mortgage Women Magazine and a Housing Industry Icon by Mortgage Professional America. Moss has also been honored in NEXT Mortgage Events' Powerhouse Awards program.

The 2022 Tech All-Star Awards were presented to honorees at the MBA Technology Solutions Conference & Expo in Las Vegas on April 12.

About FormFree®

As the industry's go-to provider for direct-source VOA and VOI/E data, FormFree helps lenders understand credit risk like never before. Our patented AccountChek® and Passport® products open doors to more inclusive credit decisioning by revealing each customer's true ability to pay (ATP®). We have completed over $3 trillion in loan verifications that help lenders lower operating costs while improving the borrower experience. For more information, visit https://www.formfree.com/ or follow FormFree on LinkedIn.

FormFree® today announced that the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) has named FormFree Chief Customer Officer Christy Moss, CMB, a 2022 Tech All-Star. Since 2002, the Tech All-Star Awards have honored leaders who have made outstanding contributions to mortgage technology.

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

NotaryCam surpasses 1 million remote online notarization transactions

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- NotaryCam®, a Stewart-owned company and a pioneering provider of remote online notarization and identity verification/authentication technology for real estate and legal transactions, today announced it has performed more than 1 million successful remote online notarization (RON) transactions. Since 2012, NotaryCam has facilitated transactions for Fortune 500 companies, banks, mortgage lenders, attorneys, settlement agents and more across the globe.

With more than 1 million global users, NotaryCam has performed RON transactions for customers in all 50 states and 150 countries. As a pioneer in RON, NotaryCam offers a platform that scales in every jurisdiction to provide mortgage lenders and their settlement agents the competitive advantage of closing how the client wants to close and allows multiple parties to join the signing ceremony.

"At NotaryCam, we're proud of each and every milestone we've met over the years, but performing one million transactions is certainly one of the bigger ones we've been honored to celebrate," said NotaryCam division president Rick Triola. "Whether it was the first or the one-millionth transaction, NotaryCam has been committed to providing a RON platform that facilitates a smooth mortgage closing experience without any of the limits imposed on traditional closings, and we will continue to bring that commitment to our next million transactions."

Recently, New York became the 39th state to pass permanent RON legislation - a milestone which New York native Triola has awaited since founding the company to address the difficulties he faced in conducting his New York real estate closings after relocating to California. As a Mortgage Industry Standard Maintenance Organization (MISMO) certified platform, NotaryCam meets, and often exceeds, the standards set by state legislation for RON transactions.

"The growth RON has seen in the past few years has been almost exponential," Triola said. "As some aspects of RON become standardized in the mortgage industry, NotaryCam will always strive to go above and beyond for our customers and provide the best experience possible."

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 hundreds of thousands of 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 business 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 promotor score (NPS) amongst the best global tech brands.

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

RELATED LINKS:
https://www.stewart.com/en.html

NotaryCam®, a Stewart-owned company and a pioneering provider of remote online notarization and identity verification/authentication technology for real estate and legal transactions, today announced it has performed more than 1 million successful remote online notarization (RON) transactions. Since 2012, NotaryCam has facilitated transactions for Fortune 500 companies, banks, mortgage lenders, attorneys, settlement agents and more across the globe.

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

Edgewood Healthcare Advisors Continues Growth with Strategic Hires

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- Edgewood Healthcare Advisors, a division of EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that it has hired a team of healthcare experts to help continue to expand its healthcare practice expertise in the Southeast Region.

Joining the team are Kirk Kreis and Chad May as principals, as well as Diana Nodarse as account manager. Kreis and May both have a background in insurance and consulting in professional liability, alternative risk transfer, workers' compensation, and captives in the healthcare industry. The team will be responsible for the development, cultivation, and management of new and existing business.

"We are pleased to welcome Kirk, Chad and Diana to our practice. They will provide guidance to our clients, as well as help to expand our overall client base. We look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead with this new team on board," said Matthew LeBlanc, Healthcare Practice Leader, East Region.

With the continued changes in the healthcare industry, it is more important than ever to have experts like Kirk and Chad as part of the Edgewood Healthcare Advisors team to provide guidance to clients to help them navigate the everchanging world of healthcare," continued LeBlanc.

About EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail insurance brokerage, has more than 2,600 team members operating from 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. https://www.epicbrokers.com

About Edgewood Healthcare Advisors

Edgewood Healthcare Advisors, a division of EPIC, has partnered with organizations in the Healthcare industry for decades. The team is comprised of experienced brokers, actuaries, and claim advocates that provide key risk management and risk finance services to healthcare clients. https://epicbrokers.com/industries/healthcare/

Edgewood Healthcare Advisors, a division of EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that it has hired a team of healthcare experts to help continue to expand its healthcare practice expertise in the Southeast Region.

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

Loan Quality Expert Duane Gilkison to Speak at ACES ENGAGE

DENVER, Colo. /ScoopCloud/ -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, has added Duane Gilkison, senior director of loan quality at Fannie Mae, to its speaker line-up for the upcoming ACES ENGAGE conference, taking place at the historic Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, May 23 - 25, 2022. Gilkison will speak on manufacturing quality and quality control best practices.

Gilkison has more than twenty years of banking and compliance experience. Before joining Fannie Mae, Gilkison worked at PNC Financial Services Group for more than a decade, starting as vice president of operations manager and eventually becoming senior vice president of credit risk. During his tenure at PNC, Gilkison was responsible for all operational areas of credit risk management, leading credit policy, origination quality control, servicing quality control, home equity quality control and audit management teams.

"Given the potential effects of inflation and the purchase-driven mortgage market on loan quality, Duane Gilkison's robust credit risk and loan quality compliance expertise make him an important and welcomed addition to the ACES ENGAGE agenda," ACES CEO Trevor Gauthier said. "Lenders of all stripes must be prepared to shore up their defenses to protect against fraud and defects, and with ACES ENGAGE, we want every attendee to leave with a deeper understanding of proactive quality assurance and compliance and feeling well-equipped to adjust their strategies in the pursuit of maintaining compliance, protecting loan quality and mitigating risk."

ACES ENGAGE will offer a mix of general session presentations, panel discussions and social activities. Attendees have the opportunity to learn from industry experts and thought leaders, network and leave with the knowledge necessary to increase efficiencies, improve productivity and further quality at their organizations.

Register to attend ACES ENGAGE and learn more at https://www.acesquality.com/aces-engage-2022

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:

* 3 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 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, has added Duane Gilkison, senior director of loan quality at Fannie Mae, to its speaker line-up for the upcoming ACES ENGAGE conference, taking place at the historic Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, May 23 - 25, 2022.

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

EPIC Expands into New Territory with Acquisition of Treloar & Heisel

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants announced today that it has acquired Treloar & Heisel located in New Castle, Pennsylvania. The strategic decision expands the offerings of financial planning and insurance services to medical and dental professionals.

Treloar & Heisel is a 63-year-old organization specializing in providing life & disability insurance, property & casualty insurance, and financial services to those in the medical and dental industry. These include dental practitioners, specialists, students, and residents. The main focus for the advisors within Treloar & Heisel is to provide education and stability to dental and medical professionals as they begin their careers, as well as when they have become fully established practitioners and are ready to begin planning for retirement and life after practice.

The team at Treloar & Heisel advises over 20,000 dental specialists throughout the country. They partner with and are endorsed by many associations including The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, America College of Prosthodontists, The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, The American Academy of Periodontology, The American Association of Endodontists, The Chicago Dental Society, The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and The American Academy of Implant Dentistry. By being an integral part of these associations, Treloar & Heisel advisors can truly partner with the dental and medical professionals for whom they provide support and services.

Scott Fehrs, ChFC®, Chief Executive Officer and Kenneth Thomalla, CPA, CLU®, CFP®, Chief Operating Officer of Treloar & Heisel will remain a part of the leadership team as they join the EPIC organization.

"Our team is very excited about the opportunities ahead with EPIC. The collaboration will bring both businesses added knowledge capital and business clout. By further collaborating with the experts in the specialty practices across EPIC and the Galway platform of companies, we will be able to bring even more services to our clients," said Fehrs.

Scott Davis, President, EPIC National Specialties said, "By partnering with the team of experts within Treloar & Heisel, we will be able to continue to evolve our specialty focus and drive greater results. We are fortunate to have this opportunity and look forward to collaborating as we continue to achieve mutual success for our clients."

About EPIC Brokers & Consultants:

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants has more than 2,600 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 visit: https://www.epicbrokers.com/

About Treloar & Heisel:

Treloar & Heisel was founded in 1959 by Dan Treloar. As a premier provider of financial services to dental and medical professionals from training to retirement, its goal is to educate, prepare and protect clients with a comprehensive suite of wealth management and insurance products, customized to their needs. For more information, visit: https://www.treloaronline.com/

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants announced today that it has acquired Treloar & Heisel located in New Castle, Pennsylvania. The strategic decision expands the offerings of financial planning and insurance services to medical and dental professionals.

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

Eric Zanotelli and the Z-Team join Sente Mortgage

STILLWATER, Okla. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Z-Team, a mortgage banking branch based in Stillwater, Oklahoma, has joined independent mortgage company Sente Mortgage, the company announced today. Branch Manager Eric Zanotelli and his team bring deep industry knowledge and a commitment to exceptional, accessible, and engaging service to the Oklahoma market and beyond.

"I chose to move my team and join Sente Mortgage because of values alignment, a shared commitment to supporting financial education, and a customer-focused mindset," said Zanotelli. "I am beyond thrilled to be part of such a fabulous organization. I can't wait for our clients to experience our truly unmatched customer service as we help make their home dreams possible."

With a focus on core values and the promise of creating financial possibility for clients and partners, residents across Oklahoma will benefit from the Z-Team's highly personalized mortgage services, bolstered by Sente Mortgage's 5-star home lending experience.

"Key to our growth is welcoming new branches that share our core values, since that's at the heart of what makes our company so different for the clients and partners trusting us with the home buying journey," said Tom Rhodes, CEO of Sente Mortgage. "We're excited to have found that with our newest branch in Stillwater, The Z-Team, and to bring our unparalleled five-star experience to this new market."

In addition to Oklahoma, Sente Mortgage is licensed in Texas, Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Tennessee. To learn more about the Sente Mortgage Stillwater branch, access educational and financial resources, or find the right Mortgage Banker for your upcoming home purchase, visit https://www.sentemortgage.com/locations/.

About Sente Mortgage:

Sente Mortgage is a leading independent mortgage bank focused on creating financial possibility. Since its founding in 2007, the company has been committed to delivering a five-star experience for every client, with a team of expert Mortgage Bankers dedicated to finding the right mortgage products to meet each client's needs. Sente Mortgage has been recognized three times as one of the nation's fastest-growing companies on the Inc. 5000 list, has landed on the Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston Business Journals' "Best Places to Work" lists, and has been a two-time recipient of the Austin Business Journal's "Fast 50" list. The company is headquartered in Austin.

For more information about Sente Mortgage, please visit https://www.sentemortgage.com/.

The Z-Team, a mortgage banking branch based in Stillwater, Oklahoma, has joined independent mortgage company Sente Mortgage, the company announced today. Branch Manager Eric Zanotelli and his team bring deep industry knowledge and a commitment to exceptional, accessible, and engaging service to the Oklahoma market and beyond.

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

James Kennedy Joins Vanbridge, a Division of Financial Services of EPIC: M&A and Private Equity Background Provides Significant Leg Up

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that James Kennedy has joined the firm as a principal with Vanbridge, its Financial Services division.

In his role within the Financial Services division, Kennedy will be dedicated to the private equity space. He brings a strong background in private equity and mergers and acquisitions work including due diligence, transactional services, advisory, and placement. His experience and network will be invaluable to the organization as he becomes a part of the team and begins to collaborate with national teams within EPIC as well as partner firms. Kennedy will be based in Birmingham, Alabama and New York, New York but will work with all of EPIC's national teams in the financial services space.

"I could not be more thrilled to have James joining our Financial Services team. I look forward to leveraging his expertise and his network as we continue to build upon our capabilities in the financial services and private equity space," said Philip Moyles, President, Financial Services and Chief Growth Officer.

Adam Meyerowitz, President, Southeast/Midwest Region, agreed, "We couldn't be more excited to have James join our team and further expand our capabilities in the region. There are many opportunities ahead for success with him onboard."

About Vanbridge - An EPIC Company:

Vanbridge is an insurance intermediary and program management business that provides products and services at the intersection of the insurance, private equity, and hedge fund industries. Vanbridge focuses on alternative asset management, corporate and individual high net worth clients, solving risk related issues utilizing insurance and alternative capital. Vanbridge's unique structuring and plan design techniques support various client objectives including cost reductions and enhancements to investment strategies that strengthen long-term financial performance. https://www.vanbridge.com

About EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants:

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail insurance brokerage, has more than 2,600 team members operating from 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. https://www.epicbrokers.com/

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that James Kennedy has joined the firm as a principal with Vanbridge, its Financial Services In his role within the Financial Services division, Kennedy will be dedicated to the private equity space.division.

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

EPIC Welcomes Jim McSherry – Joins as National Practice Leader for New Employer Stop Loss Center

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Jim McSherry has joined EPIC to lead its newly formed Employer Stop Loss Center of Excellence.

McSherry has spent more than two decades in the employee benefits space working with brokers and consultants, developing and implementing innovative strategies to assist self-funded clients in managing their employee benefit plans. With extensive experience drawn from both major medical and national stop-loss carriers, he brings a wealth of technical and market knowledge to the EPIC organization. McSherry's expertise in self-funding, employer stop-loss and risk mitigation will prove to be an invaluable asset to the EPIC team and its clients.

Prior to joining EPIC, McSherry was with Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance where he was instrumental in facilitating the launch of medical stop-loss in the Northeast. As a regional sales director, his responsibilities included strategic planning, new business development, renewal retention and management of partnerships with some of the largest brokerage and consulting firms in the industry. McSherry started his career with Anthem BlueCross BlueShield in New York where he worked for more than 10 years with both fully insured and self-funded clients in the commercial large group market.

"I have worked with Jim for over 20 years and have known him to be a highly resourceful industry leader with exceptional communication and interpersonal skills. He will be a great resource for our organization and a great fit for EPIC culturally. I am excited we have the opportunity to bring him on board," commented Craig Hasday, President, National Employee Benefits Practice.

About EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants:

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail insurance brokerage, has more than 2,600 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 Jim McSherry has joined EPIC to lead its newly formed Employer Stop Loss Center of Excellence.

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

Sales Boomerang ranks No. 19 on Financial Times’ list of The Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies

BALTIMORE, Md. /ScoopCloud/ -- Sales Boomerang, the mortgage industry's top-rated automated borrower intelligence and retention system, today announced that it has clinched a top spot on Financial Times' ranking of The Americas' Fastest Growing Companies, ranking 19th overall, first among fintech firms and third in technology. Now in its third year, The Americas' Fastest Growing Companies 2022 ranking identifies the businesses across North, Central and South America with the strongest revenue growth between 2017 and 2020.

Sales Boomerang's borrower intelligence system monitors lenders' databases and alerts mortgage advisors when a past or prospective borrower is ready for a loan. Sales Boomerang's automated loan opportunity alerts help to identify the ideal times to present loan opportunities to consumers, offering lenders a 20-40% average lift to loan volume and customer retention rates as high as 85%.

The Financial Times is one of the world's leading news publications. Each year, The Financial Times partners with Statista to research and identify the 500 companies that have shown the most explosive revenue growth over a three-year timespan. In order to qualify, companies must be headquartered in the Americas and have generated at least $100,000 of revenue in 2017 and $1.5 million in 2020.

"As the mortgage industry's first automated borrower intelligence and retention platform, Sales Boomerang has earned a lofty reputation across the entire housing finance ecosystem," said Sales Boomerang Founder and CEO Alex Kutsishin. "Sales Boomerang owes its incredible growth to our nimble team of data experts and loyal lender customers, for whom we have identified hundreds of billions of dollars in potential loan opportunities."

From 2017 and 2020, Sales Boomerang saw a meteoric 3882% revenue growth. In 2021 alone, Sales Boomerang's automated borrower intelligence alerts delivered $468 billion in loan opportunities to more than 150 independent mortgage banks (IMBs), banks and credit unions.

The Americas' Fastest Growing Companies of 2022 will be featured in the weekday edition of the Financial Times newspaper. A special report featuring the complete interactive ranking alongside articles by Financial Times correspondents on the trends highlighted by the research, can be found here: https://www.ft.com/reports/americas-fastest-growing-companies.

About Sales Boomerang:

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 is trusted by more than 150 lenders - including brokers, independent mortgage companies, credit unions and banks - to help build lasting borrower relationships that maximize lifetime customer value. To date, Sales Boomerang alerts have enabled lenders to close more than $150 billion in additional loan volume that would have otherwise been overlooked and achieve customer retention rates that outperform industry norms by an average of 3-5X. To learn more about Sales Boomerang and its No Borrower Left Behind(tm) ethos, visit https://www.salesboomerang.com.

About the Financial Times:

The Financial Times is one of the world's leading business news organisations, recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. The FT has a record paying readership of 1.2 million, more than one million of which are digital subscriptions. It is part of Nikkei Inc., which provides a broad range of information, news and services for the global business community.

Sales Boomerang, the mortgage industry's top-rated automated borrower intelligence and retention system, today announced that it has clinched a top spot on Financial Times' ranking of The Americas' Fastest Growing Companies, ranking 19th overall, first among fintech firms and third in technology.

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

Mortgage Coach and ReverseVision team up to help consumers compare ‘forward’ and reverse mortgage financing options

IRVINE, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Coach, a borrower conversion platform empowering mortgage lenders to educate borrowers with interactive presentations that model home loan performance over time, today announced an integration with ReverseVision, a subsidiary of Constellation Mortgage Solutions, Inc., the leading national provider of Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) and private reverse mortgage sales and origination technology. The integration enables lenders to produce a Reverse Total Cost Analysis (TCA), an interactive presentation that allows loan originators to give consumers side-by-side comparisons of how reverse mortgages perform against forward mortgages over the lifetime of the loan.

According to the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA), consumers age 62 and above comprise a significant share of the mortgage market, holding $10.1 trillion in home equity. Yet, HECM and private reverse mortgages, specifically designed to meet the unique financial circumstances of seniors, are rarely presented as options, often due to lender unfamiliarity with the programs.

Mortgage Coach's Reverse TCA enables loan originators to better serve clients with confidence by helping them evaluate whether a forward or reverse mortgage is best suited to meet their homeownership and financial goals. Designed to educate consumers about the conditions of reverse mortgages and illustrate unique features such as flexible disbursement options, the Reverse TCA serves to strengthen borrower trust in loan originators while empowering them with a more comprehensive understanding of their financial options.

Consumers can easily share Reverse TCA presentations with financial advisors and family members via text and email, which allows those involved in the long-term care of borrowers to feel informed and confident.

"For the first time ever, the Reverse TCA is making it possible for tens of thousands of expert forward mortgage advisors to easily, accurately and compliantly compare forward and reverse mortgage options side-by-side," said Mortgage Coach President Joe Puthur. "The solution strengthens lender relationships with qualified clients by modeling home financing options designed for their stage in life while helping loan officers advise clients on the mortgage solution that is right for them."

"This new partnership with Mortgage Coach opens doors for forward mortgage lenders to drive new undiscovered loan revenue and profitability by leveraging the surging home equity market via HECM mortgages," said Stephen Ryczek, president of Constellation Mortgage Solutions. "Lenders can provide an equity loan that provides seniors with a more comfortable retirement without the financial stress of monthly loan repayment."

"For many years, Finance of America Mortgage loan originators have embraced Mortgage Coach TCAs to visually educate our borrowers about all forward mortgage options, helping them select the loan that serves them best from our diverse mortgage product lineup," said Graham Fleming, president of Finance of America. "Similarly, Finance of America has long relied on ReverseVision. With this new integration, we can now uniquely illustrate any reverse mortgage option to help our senior clients flexibly leverage record home equity as they age in place. We look forward to showcasing our full product set, which includes reverse mortgages, to all eligible borrowers, ensuring they receive the best loan program for their overarching homeownership and financial goals."

About Mortgage Coach:

Mortgage Coach is an award-winning borrower conversion platform that gives consumers the confidence to transact with educational presentations that model 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 conversion, repeat business and referrals. To date, more than 140 enterprise independent mortgage banks, depository banks and credit unions rely on Mortgage Coach to deliver personalized, modern service that grows revenue and customer loyalty. To learn more about Mortgage Coach, visit https://www.mortgagecoach.com or follow @MortgageCoach.

About ReverseVision:

Since 2007, ReverseVision, a subsidiary of Constellation Mortgage Solutions, Inc., has served the industry's top reverse mortgage lenders and 100 percent of all reverse investors, including banks and credit unions, mortgage brokers, and independent mortgage banks. ReverseVision's enterprise HECM mortgage platform and integrations allow its users to seamlessly originate reverse mortgages. ReverseVision's core platform, ReverseVision Exchange (RVX), is comprehensive and proven to automate the entire reverse lending process from Origination through Secondary Marketing to Closing. The company's technology is being successfully leveraged as a springboard that helps lenders get into the reverse space easily and efficiently. For more information, visit https://www.reversevision.com/.

Mortgage Coach, a borrower conversion platform empowering mortgage lenders to educate borrowers with interactive presentations that model home loan performance over time, today announced an integration with ReverseVision, a subsidiary of Constellation Mortgage Solutions, Inc., the leading national provider of Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) and private reverse mortgage sales and origination technology.

Related link: https://mortgagecoach.com/

FormFree and Take3Tech integration brings AccountChek asset, income and employment verification to the LoanMAPS mortgage technology platform

ATHENS, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- FormFree® today announced it has partnered with Take Three Technologies (Take3Tech) to make its AccountChek® automated asset, income, and employment verification solutions available within LoanMAPS™, an all-in-one loan origination platform that encompasses a loan origination system (LOS), point-of-sale system (POS), customer relationship management system (CRM), compliance monitoring and report generation.

The integration enables loan originators to text or email borrowers a request to electronically verify asset, income and employment data without leaving the LoanMAPS user experience. Once borrower permission is granted, AccountChek uses securely encrypted, direct-source data to automatically populate underwriter-friendly verification of asset (VOA) and verification of income/employment (VOIE) reports, which are made available within LoanMAPS.

"We are proud to introduce AccountChek as a LoanMAPS integration partner. Our partnership enables lenders to provide a streamlined verification experience while reducing loan processing and underwriting times as well as fraud risk," said Take3Tech CEO Anita Padilla-Fitzgerald. "We look forward to helping lenders empower consumers with the speed and convenience of electronic data verification."

"FormFree is on a mission to make it easy for mortgage lenders to assess borrowers' ability to pay mortgage loans using high-fidelity, direct-source consumer data," said FormFree CEO and Founder Brent Chandler. "It is a pleasure to partner with Take3Tech to make the benefits of AccountChek available to more mortgage lenders and consumers."

Lenders interested in learning more about the Take3Tech and AccountChek integration should visit FormFree at booth #612 or set up a meeting with Take3Tech at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Technology Solutions Conference & Expo 2022 taking place April 11-14 at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

About FormFree®:

As the industry's go-to provider for direct-source VOA and VOI/E data, FormFree helps lenders understand credit risk like never before. Our patented AccountChek® and Passport® products open doors to more inclusive credit decisioning by revealing each customer's true ability to pay (ATP®). We have completed over $3 trillion in loan verifications that help lenders lower operating costs while improving the borrower experience. For more information, visit https://www.formfree.com/ or follow FormFree on LinkedIn.

About Take Three Technologies:

Take Three Technologies developed LoanMAPS, a cloud-based and fully-integrated loan origination platform. With LoanMAPS, you can replace your current LOS, CRM, POS, and Report Generator with one easy-to-use solution that covers of all of your mortgage banking technology needs. From client management and origination to processing and closing, LoanMAPS is here for you with easy implementation and training at your fingertips. Reduce your cost to close and increase your productivity with LoanMAPS today. For more information, visit the company's website https://welcome.loanmaps.com/.

FormFree® today announced it has partnered with Take Three Technologies (Take3Tech) to make its AccountChek® automated asset, income, and employment verification solutions available within LoanMAPS™, an all-in-one loan origination platform that encompasses a loan origination system (LOS), point-of-sale system (POS), customer relationship management system (CRM), compliance monitoring and report generation.

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

Planet Home Lending selects Mortgage Coach to enhance customer experience with educational home loan comparisons

MERIDEN, Conn. /ScoopCloud/ -- Planet Home Lending, LLC, a national mortgage lender and servicer, has selected Mortgage Coach to give loan officers a tool to provide a better customer experience. With Mortgage Coach, mortgage loan originators (MLOs) can offer borrowers modern, consultative service with digital, interactive presentations that illustrate the costs and benefits of mortgage loan products and strategies over time.

This partnership also enables Planet Home Lending to grow its marketing technology (martech) offering to its MLOs.

"Our new partnership with Mortgage Coach allows us to further invest in our talented MLOs with tools to continue providing the highest level of service to potential and existing borrowers," said Caleb Mittelstet, EVP, National Production Distributed Retail Sales. "As the origination market shifts and consumers are reconsidering what type of financing they need, MLOs require the best tools available to answer questions and provide relevant information."

Along with the side-by-side loan comparisons, the Mortgage Coach platform provides a level of transparency that Planet Home Lending can use to improve new business efforts as well as retain current borrowers. The tool is available on desktop and mobile and enables MLOs to educate borrowers and deepen relationships on the road to homeownership.

Having a robust martech offering has allowed Planet Home Lending to continue to grow its distributed retail channel. In the first quarter, the company added seven new branches and 40 MLOs. The company's other customer-focused marketing technology includes applications from TotalExpert, BombBomb, HomeBot, MBS Highway and Blend.

"Putting Mortgage Coach into the hands of the first-rate mortgage professionals at Planet Home Lending elevates their ability to serve borrowers across the country by helping them attain their homeownership and financial dreams," said Mortgage Coach President Joe Puthur. "We are excited to embark on this journey with Planet Home Lending, and we know it will be a lasting and fruitful relationship."

About Planet Home Lending, LLC

Planet Home Lending, LLC, Meriden, Connecticut, (NMLS #17022) is a national mortgage lender and servicer delivering exceptional customer experiences to American homeowners and homebuyers. It is an approved originator and servicer for FHA, VA and USDA, as well as a Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae Seller/Servicer, a full Ginnie Mae Issuer and approved sub-servicer and a Standard & Poor's Global Ratings- and Fitch Ratings-rated special and prime residential servicer. Planet Home Lending, LLC, has been assigned a corporate family rating by Moody's Investors Service viewable at www.moodys.com. Its correspondent division offers a full suite of government, agency and niche home loans. Planet Home Lending, LLC is also a special servicer managing diverse investor portfolios. Its customized servicing solutions maximize asset recovery and optimize performance through active management at the portfolio and loan levels. Planet Home Lending, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender. For more information about Planet Home Lending, LLC, please visit https://planethomelending.com. For more information about Planet Home Lending's Correspondent offerings, please visit https://phlcorrespondent.com.

About Mortgage Coach:

Mortgage Coach is an award-winning borrower conversion platform that gives consumers the confidence to transact with educational presentations that model 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 conversion, repeat business and referrals. To date, more than 130 enterprise independent mortgage banks, depository banks and credit unions rely on Mortgage Coach to deliver personalized, modern service that grows revenue and customer loyalty. To learn more about Mortgage Coach, visit https://mortgagecoach.com/ or follow @MortgageCoach.

About Planet Financial Group, LLC:

Planet Financial Group, (PFG) LLC, Meriden, Conn., is a fully integrated family of companies delivering innovative origination, servicing, and asset management solutions. Through this synergistic ecosystem of products, services, and technologies, PFG provides best-in-class experiences for investors pursuing value maximization and borrowers seeking streamlined end-to-end loan lifecycle support. PFG is the parent of Planet Home Lending, LLC and Planet Management Group, LLC, which also does business under the name Planet Renovation Capital.

Planet Home Lending, LLC, a national mortgage lender and servicer, has selected Mortgage Coach to give loan officers a tool to provide a better customer experience. With Mortgage Coach, mortgage loan originators (MLOs) can offer borrowers modern, consultative service with digital, interactive presentations that illustrate the costs and benefits of mortgage loan products and strategies over time.

Related link: https://mortgagecoach.com/

Minnesota Housing Finance Agency partners with ACES Quality Management & Control

DENVER, Colo. /ScoopCloud/ -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, today announced the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency has selected ACES' flagship platform ACES Quality Management & Control® software to support its mortgage origination compliance and quality control (QC).

The Minnesota Housing Finance Agency finances and advances affordable housing opportunities for residents with low and moderate incomes throughout the state. The agency offers products and services to help Minnesotans buy and fix up their homes and supports the development and preservation of affordable rental housing through both financing and long-term asset management, all of which help build stronger communities and stabilize the lives of Minnesotans who are financially challenged.

"Minnesota Housing has helped build communities by providing affordable housing and finance options for over 50 years," said ACES CEO Trevor Gauthier. "We are proud to partner with them to ensure quality is built into the loan manufacturing process and their customers receive the highest quality lending experience."

ACES Quality Management & Control software enables financial institutions of all sizes to adequately manage the volume peaks and valleys to ensure quality and compliance throughout their operations while providing the flexibility to scale as volumes change. With ACES Flexible Audit Technology®, QC providers can configure the system to meet its specific needs to improve productivity and quality while controlling costs and risk.

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:

* 3 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 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, today announced the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency has selected ACES' flagship platform ACES Quality Management & Control® software to support its mortgage origination compliance and quality control (QC).

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

Ben Itkin Assumes Sales Leadership Position at MCT

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT®), a recognized industry leader in mortgage risk management providing pipeline hedging, best execution loan sales and centralized lock desk services, announced today that Ben Itkin has been appointed the new National Sales Director. Mr. Itkin will leverage his hands-on experience from his previous senior role as Managing Director to now lead a larger overall investment in the MCT sales team.

Mr. Itkin assumes an important leadership position that ensures MCT will continue to grow its "in the field" presence and continue to provide industry-leading client experience to over 300 lenders. The appointment is part and parcel of bigger investment in the sales team, which has more than doubled from six Sales Directors, to a team of 13 with the addition of four Capital Markets Technology Advisors and three Regional Account Executives.

"With Tom Farmer's promotion to Chief Investment in Corporate Development Officer overseeing third party collaborations, Ben will assume the leadership of our sales team," said Curtis Richins, President and CEO of MCT. "Ben in this role is exciting because he is widely known and widely respected throughout the industry. He is charismatic, insightful, solutions focused, and people enjoy doing business with him."

The expanded sales team Mr. Itkin now leads is part of MCT's ongoing commitment to client engagement and delivering the best client experience. His objectives are to grow MCT's core business and accelerate adoption of non-hedge products and services. He is also tasked with growing newer offerings including MSRlive!, participation in BAM Marketplace, investor services, and MCTlive!, MCT's award-winning best execution and loan pipeline management software.

"Even though we are coming into a much softer market than we have seen the last three years, success is still the expectation and I look forward to continuing that upward trajectory," said Itkin. "We have a talented, young sales team and I am excited about helping mentor and assist each of them to develop and flourish, ultimately maximizing their potential."

Mr. Itkin brings nearly 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry and 13 years of experience at MCT as a resource in helping sales and organizational initiatives to his new role. He is highly regarded in the mortgage industry, and holds deep knowledge in secondary marketing, loan pricing, and pipeline hedging. He has been instrumental in expanding and working closely with MCT's team of trading analysts to provide hands-on service to clients as well as being instrumental as a sales resource including scratch and dent bidding efforts. Mr. Itkin holds an MBA from California State University, Northridge and is an active member of the Mortgage Bankers Association.

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, Santa Rosa, Los Angeles and Dallas. 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/about/team/ben-itkin/
https://mct-trading.com/solutions/msr-valuation/
https://mct-trading.com/bam-marketplace-loan-exchange/
https://mct-trading.com/solutions/mortgage-hedging/mctlive/

Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT®), a recognized industry leader in mortgage risk management providing pipeline hedging, best execution loan sales and centralized lock desk services, announced today that Ben Itkin has been appointed the new National Sales Director.

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

After, Inc. Partners with Atlas Copco’s Power Technique Division to Deliver a Seamless Post-Sale Experience to its Customers

NORWALK, Conn. /ScoopCloud/ -- After, Inc. announced that Atlas Copco's Power Technique North American Division will utilize QuickReg® to provide a seamless post-sale experience to its customers. The Power Technique Division designs, manufactures and markets mobile air compressors, handheld pneumatic tools, as well as mobile generators, light towers, and portable pumps. Its products are used in a wide range of industries including construction, industrial, mining, events, dewatering and rental, and are sold exclusively through its established Atlas Copco and CAT dealer networks.

"It's been great working with the Atlas Copco team to understand their post-sale customer experience goals and provide a solution that can help them on so many levels," says Nate Baldwin, CEO of After, Inc. "The Power Technique Division came to us with three clear objectives. First, they wanted to ensure that their customers were receiving a consistent post-sale experience. Second, they wanted a user-friendly registration tool that their dealers could promote to drive higher registrations. And third, they wanted to create a personalized channel to offer their customers extended warranties and other relevant products and services."

After, Inc.'s QuickSuite technology - namely QuickReg® (for product registration), QuickCover® (for extended warranties) and QuickRenew® (for subscription products on a designated cadence) - will allow Atlas Copco to create its own seamless solution for its dealers and customers.

"We are excited about partnering with After, Inc. to introduce an integrated post-sale experience to our dealer network and customers," says Corbett Jones, VP Marketing, Atlas Copco, Power Technique Division. "We wanted a warranty registration solution that would help us engage with the owners and users of our machines. It had to be quick and easy to implement, to help drive the customer's service and parts needs back to our channel partners. We also needed it to integrate with our Power Connect platform to drive product registrations. After's experience in delivering these solutions to manufacturers for the past decade made our decision a no brainer."

In exchange for registering, Atlas Copco can provide customers relevant product support information as well as customized offers for extended warranties, accessories, and consumables, improving their customer experience.

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. Our post-sale services drive higher customer satisfaction, product reliability, and brand equity, lower claims costs, and additional revenue and profit opportunities.

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, Connecticut, 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/.

About Atlas Copco

Based in Stockholm, Sweden, with almost 40,000 employees and customers in more than 180 countries, Atlas Copco (www.atlascopco.com) is a world-leading provider of sustainable productivity solutions. The Power Technique Division in the United States ( https://www.atlascopco.com/en-us/construction-equipment ) handles the sales and service for heavy-duty and lightweight construction equipment. Its product offerings include electric and diesel mobile air compressors, submersible and surface pumps, portable and large generators, diesel and electric light towers, industrial battery packs, boosters, handheld tools, Industrial electric, pneumatic, cordless transducerized assembly tools, as well as an extensive range of pneumatic grinders, sanders, chipping hammers and riveting systems.

After, Inc. announced that Atlas Copco's Power Technique North American Division will utilize QuickReg® to provide a seamless post-sale experience to its customers. The Power Technique Division designs, manufactures and markets mobile air compressors, handheld pneumatic tools, as well as mobile generators, light towers, and portable pumps.

Related link: https://afterinc.com/

Allegent Community Federal Credit Union Hires Social Media Expert

PITTSBURGH, Pa. /ScoopCloud/ -- Allegent Community Federal Credit Union (Allegent) has hired Theresa Kisha, an expert in digital marketing, social media, email communication and website development/optimization, to manage and increase the credit union's social media presence, while also enhancing its digital presence, search engine optimization and strategic marketing efforts.

Kisha works alongside Mark Bruno, Vice President of Operations and Technology, to expand the Allegent brand and increase brand recognition. She has been a supporter of Special Olympics of Pennsylvania, Western Pennsylvania Police Benevolent Foundation, and the Women's Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh. Allegent has five branches in the Pittsburgh area - Downtown, South Side, Penn Hills, Wexford, and Cranberry Township.

About Allegent Community Federal Credit Union:

Allegent Community Federal Credit Union, formerly known as Allegheny Co. (PA) U.S. Government Employees Federal Credit Union, was chartered on March 7, 1935. Since 1935, the credit union has grown to over 14,000 members, many locations, and over 140 million in assets.

Their mission is to be a full-service financial institution and to continuously strive to provide their members with an ever-growing range of quality products and services mixed with one-on-one personal attention that everyone deserves, all while maintaining a safe and sound credit union.

Learn more at: https://www.allegentfcu.org/

Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allegentfcu/

Allegent Community Federal Credit Union (Allegent) has hired Theresa Kisha, an expert in digital marketing, social media, email communication and website development/optimization, to manage and increase the credit union's social media presence, while also enhancing its digital presence, search engine optimization and strategic marketing efforts.

Related link: https://www.allegentfcu.org/

FormFree grows executive team, appoints Eric Lapin chief strategy officer

ATHENS, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- FormFree® today announced that it has appointed Eric Lapin to the role of chief strategy officer (CSO). In this position, Lapin will leverage his more than 25 years' experience in leadership roles at marquee mortgage technology firms and financial institutions to steer the strategic vision and partnerships driving FormFree's growth.

Prior to joining FormFree, Lapin served as first vice president of corporate development, national agency services, at Old Republic Title, where he spearheaded the structuring of new solutions, corporate alliance building, and lender and agency business development. Before that, he held vice president and managing director positions at banner housing fintechs and financial institutions including Altisource, Black Knight, First American and Credit Suisse.

As CSO, Lapin will strategically identify and execute growth opportunities at FormFree. His responsibilities will include monitoring the execution of business initiatives, identifying key capital projects, driving strategic partnership opportunities and overseeing communications and marketing.

"My long-standing passion for helping lenders leverage technology to create a better mortgage experience has made this next step in my career an easy one," said Lapin. "In my new role as CSO, I look forward to supporting FormFree's vision of transforming the mortgage industry with innovative solutions designed to improve lender operations and expand consumer access to sustainable credit."

"Eric brings a wealth of experience and strategic know-how to the FormFree team, which he has acquired through decades of experience gaining mastery knowledge of mortgage lending and the technology ecosystem that powers it," said FormFree Founder and CEO Brent Chandler. "As FormFree continues to grow, Eric will play a central role in how our suite of revolutionary digital products is able to impact the housing finance industry and beyond."

Lapin is the second addition to FormFree's executive team in the last month, following FormFree's appointment of Patrick Rutherford, former finance executive at Intercontinental Exchange, as chief financial officer (CFO).

About FormFree®

As the industry's go-to provider for direct-source VOA and VOI/E data, FormFree helps lenders understand credit risk like never before. Our patented AccountChek® and Passport® products open doors to more inclusive credit decisioning by revealing each customer's true ability to pay (ATP®). We have completed over $3 trillion in loan verifications that help lenders lower operating costs while improving the borrower experience.

For more information, visit https://www.formfree.com/

Follow FormFree on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/formfree/

FormFree® today announced that it has appointed Eric Lapin to the role of chief strategy officer (CSO). In this position, Lapin will leverage his more than 25 years' experience in leadership roles at marquee mortgage technology firms and financial institutions to steer the strategic vision and partnerships driving FormFree's growth.

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

Auto Warranty Administrator Helps Protect Auto Consumers from Frauds and Scams

TUSTIN, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- National Auto Coverage (NAC) is a seasoned Auto Warranty Provider that has recently opened its doors to the public after becoming an Administrator. As the Administrator of your policy we create, and handle all aspects of your policy including claims! This allows us to maintain control over our policies to ensure that all our customers receive the best possible service. NAC makes the process simpler and more efficient for all our customers. We are dedicated to providing quality auto warranties at a fair price, and you'll have access to us - direct!

National Auto Coverage has one goal in mind and that is to provide Superior Protection with Outstanding Customer Service. At NAC we work directly with the customer to provide the highest level of service and satisfaction. From the beginning to the end you will have a knowledgeable specialist who will be with you every step of the way. NAC also offers a wide variety of plans to choose from, so you can find the perfect one for your needs. Whether you want basic protection or more comprehensive coverage, we have a plan that's right for you.

"Our main mission is to bring back ethics to the industry," Doug McPherson, general manager at NAC, says. "We're working to ensure that these auto warranties and policies are honest and regulated."

The NAC founders know that many people have a bad taste in their mouths when it comes to auto warranties. They don't trust the people who are selling them, and we at NAC want to help change that. We believe that these policies are important and that the industry just needs a hard reboot. For most people, their cars are the second-largest purchase they'll make in their lifetime. For some, it's the biggest. Just like people protect their homes with homeowners' insurance, they should also protect their cars. So, while these warranties and policies are needed, People may not see them due to the misleading information they receive. Nac rather makes people feel secure and protected, not sold to.

In addition to restoring faith in the industry, NAC also hopes to reduce the number of cars ending up in landfills. If people can afford to repair their cars rather than be forced to junk them, that's a win-win situation. People get to keep their cars and the landfill frees up some space. An affordable and fair warranty will achieve that two-fold goal.

For more information: https://www.natautocoverage.com/.

DISCLAIMER:

NAC is in the business of selling auto warranty policies, however, purchase is not necessary in order to facilitate a cancellation and/or possible refund of a customer's existing auto warranty policy.

National Auto Coverage (NAC) is a seasoned Auto Warranty Provider that has recently opened its doors to the public after becoming an Administrator. As the Administrator of your policy we create, and handle all aspects of your policy including claims! This allows us to maintain control over our policies to ensure that all our customers receive the best possible service.

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

George Mason Mortgage selects FormFree AccountChek to streamline its verification of borrower assets, income and employment

ATHENS, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- FormFree® today announced that Washington, D.C.-based George Mason Mortgage (GMM) has selected AccountChek® as the regional lender's exclusive provider of automated asset, income and employment verification services. GMM will use AccountChek to simplify the loan application experience for borrowers, improve productivity for its team of 120 mortgage loan officers and reduce loan cycle times.

How It Works

A seamless integration between FormFree and GMM's mortgage point-of-sale software makes it easy for loan teams to order AccountChek verification of asset (VOA) and verification of income/employment (VOIE) reports with just a few clicks. Instead of manually gathering bank statements and pay stubs and submitting them to GMM, loan applicants can use AccountChek to digitally verify assets, income and employment in seconds using high-fidelity data and documentation sourced directly from financial institutions and payroll providers. The information collected by AccountChek is then automatically mapped to the Form 1003 Universal Residential Loan Application in GMM's loan origination software, eliminating the time and risk associated with manual data entry.

Because FormFree is an authorized asset verification report supplier for Fannie Mae's Desktop Underwriter® (DU®) validation service and Freddie Mac's Loan Product Advisor® (LPASM) asset and income modeler (AIM) solution, GMM receives freedom from representations and warranties for certain validated loan components, resulting in greater certainty when selling loans on the secondary market.

Early Results

Since rolling out AccountChek enterprise-wide at the beginning of the year, GMM has seen an eight-fold uptick in orders for automated VOA and VOIE. According to SVP of Information Systems Margie Ambrosio, AccountChek is helping the lender deliver a better borrower experience and compressing the time required for loans to progress from application to closing to investor purchase.

"Our borrowers wanted an easier way to document their ability to pay," said GMM SVP of Information Systems Margie Ambrosio. "AccountChek combines asset, income and employment verification into one easy step for borrowers and gives us an underwriter-ready report that can be refreshed at any point between initial application and closing. Eliminating repetitive requests for paper documentation is already improving efficiency in our loan origination process, reducing per-loan costs and streamlining vendor due diligence - not to mention delighting our customers."

A wholly owned subsidiary of United Bank, George Mason Mortgage is licensed to serve mortgage customers throughout the United States and maintains retail branches in 12 states plus the District of Columbia.

About FormFree®

As the industry's go-to provider for direct-source VOA and VOI/E data, FormFree helps lenders understand credit risk like never before. Our patented AccountChek® and Passport® products open doors to more inclusive credit decisioning by revealing each customer's true ability to pay (ATP®). We have completed over $3 trillion in loan verifications that help lenders lower operating costs while improving the borrower experience. For more information, visit https://www.formfree.com/ or follow FormFree on LinkedIn.

About George Mason Mortgage, LLC

Based in Fairfax, Virginia, George Mason Mortgage was founded in 1980 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Bank. We have been consistently ranked as a top lender in the mid-Atlantic region and have expanded into various markets with retail offices throughout Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina. We understand the importance of homeownership and are fortunate to have a superior team of in-house underwriters, processors and closers to provide you with the kind of efficient, personalized service you can only get from a local lender. Our goal is to provide easy and comprehensive solutions that suit the individual needs of our borrowers. For more information, visit https://www.gmmllc.com/.

FormFree® today announced that Washington, D.C.-based George Mason Mortgage (GMM) has selected AccountChek® as the regional lender's exclusive provider of automated asset, income and employment verification services. GMM will use AccountChek to simplify the loan application experience for borrowers, improve productivity for its team of 120 mortgage loan officers and reduce loan cycle times.

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

Mid America Mortgage adds Kyle Hilton as Quality Control Manager

ADDISON, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- Mid America Mortgage, Inc. (Mid America) welcomes mortgage industry veteran, Kyle Hilton as its newest quality control manager. Hilton brings a knowledge spanning more than 20 years in mortgage underwriting and quality assurance review. In this role, Hilton will be responsible for overseeing and monitoring quality control vendors and policies which includes conducting audits and managing deficiencies in underwriting work, file documentation and compliance both pre-funding and post-closing. In addition, Hilton will supervise early payment default reviews while also working to enhance workflows and remediate errors identified in quality control audits.

"Compliance and loan quality are the bedrock of Mid America's longevity and success, and as such, we view our investments in these areas as key revenue protections rather than cost centers," said Mid America Owner and CEO Jeff Bode. "Kyle's extensive background in mortgage underwriting and quality control makes him an ideal candidate to help us keep loan quality at the forefront of our operations, particularly as we move into a purchase-driven market."

Most recently, Hilton served as quality control manager at NTFN, Inc., for six years, where his duties included ensuring quality and efficiency standards set by the company met acceptable standards. Prior to NTFN, Hilton was a credit risk underwriter at Pacific Union Financial, LLC, where he was responsible for evaluating risk, program guideline accuracy and collateral reviews. In addition to calculating appropriate loan decisions based on established underwriting guidelines, information and documentation. He has also held positions in underwriting and credit risk assessment for Wells Fargo, Fannie Mae and Citi Mortgage.

"Having previously worked with Mid America's Chief Risk Officer Gary McKiddy, I heard nothing but positive things about Mid America and its management team, because my values seem to align with the company's culture, I felt I would be able to apply my experience to make a positive impact," said Hilton. "My goal is to constantly move the needle in terms of loan quality and defect elimination, and to that end, I will also introduce new technology into Mid America's quality control process to increase efficiency while reducing costs."

About Mid America Mortgage, Inc.

Mid America Mortgage, Inc., Addison, Texas, is a multi-state, full-service mortgage lender serving consumers and mortgage originators through its retail, wholesale, and correspondent channels. We offer a wide range of residential home loan programs to meet the needs of most home buyers and homeowners and are also the nation's leading provider of Section 184 home loans for Native Americans. Learn more at https://www.midamericamortgage.com/.

In operation since 1940, Mid America has thrived by retaining its entrepreneurial spirit and leading the market in innovation, including its adoption of eClosings eNotes. Click n' Close is Mid America's ultra-secure, digital mortgage approval and closing process that gets home buyers from application to closing within two weeks. With just a few clicks at closing, Click n' Close puts keys in the home buyer's hand in 15 minutes or less. Apply online at https://www.midamericamortgage.com/click-n-close/#cnc.

Frequently named a top mortgage employer/workplace by industry trade magazines such as Mortgage Professional America, MReport, National Mortgage News and National Mortgage Professional, Mid America is looking for tech-savvy, service-oriented mortgage professionals to join our growing team. We are dedicated to providing our employees with industry-leading tools and technology to deliver a great package of competitive pricing, programs and knowledgeable service. Want to join our team? Visit https://www.midamericamortgage.com/careers/.

Mid America Mortgage, Inc. (Mid America) welcomes mortgage industry veteran, Kyle Hilton as its newest quality control manager. Hilton brings a knowledge spanning more than 20 years in mortgage underwriting and quality assurance review. In this role, Hilton will be responsible for overseeing and monitoring quality control vendors and policies.

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

Mary Costello joins FormFree team as director of vendor management, risk and compliance

ATHENS, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- FormFree® today announced that it has welcomed 17-year finance industry veteran Mary Costello to its team as director of vendor management, risk and compliance. In this role, Costello will support FormFree's audit, risk and compliance efforts across the management of internal and external vendor, lender and integration partnerships.

Prior to joining FormFree, Costello served 14 years at Veterans United Home Loans, where she developed, launched and led the enterprise-wide vendor management program for the largest U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) purchase lender. Costello also served as Veterans United Home Loans' go-to vendor compliance manager - diligently mitigating third-party risk through careful contract analyses, strong pricing negotiations and frequent due diligence collaborations.

"We are incredibly lucky to bring Mary and her wealth of vendor management expertise to the FormFree fold," said FormFree Founder and CEO Brent Chandler. "Mary has a deep background in managing risk across a complex portfolio of critical vendor relationships. I'm confident that she will be an incredible asset as FormFree continues to grow its vendor network."

As Director of Vendor Management, Risk and Compliance at FormFree, Costello will manage FormFree's internal and external vendor relationships with support from compliance leadership, internal stakeholders and external auditors. She will collaborate across FormFree's network to mitigate vendor risk by ensuring compliance with regulatory and ethical requirements.

"I was drawn to FormFree because I identify with the company's mission of driving disruptive change in the mortgage industry," said Costello. "I look forward to nurturing FormFree's numerous vendor relationships, promoting its groundbreaking mortgage products and thinking outside the box to leverage these relationships and products to facilitate a world-class lending experience."

About FormFree®

As the industry's go-to provider for direct-source VOA and VOI/E data, FormFree helps lenders understand credit risk like never before. Our patented AccountChek® and Passport® products open doors to more inclusive credit decisioning by revealing each customer's true ability to pay (ATP®). We have completed over $3 trillion in loan verifications that help lenders lower operating costs while improving the borrower experience.

For more information, visit https://www.formfree.com/

Follow FormFree on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/formfree/

FormFree today announced that it has welcomed 17-year finance industry veteran Mary Costello to its team as director of vendor management, risk and compliance. In this role, Costello will support FormFree's audit, risk and compliance efforts across the management of internal and external vendor, lender and integration partnerships.

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

Spokane Association of REALTORS® rolls out Down Payment Resource to help subscribers connect homebuyers with down payment assistance

SPOKANE, Wash. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Spokane Association of REALTORS® (SAR) today announced that it has partnered with Down Payment Resource (DPR) to provide its 2,500 MLS subscribers with access to DPR's toolset that helps real estate agents connect clients with programs that can help save on down payments and closing costs.

SAR is a Spokane County, Washington-based organization that operates a multiple listing service (MLS) on behalf of its Realtor subscribers. Through its partnership with DPR, SAR will flag eligible listings with a DPR icon, making it easy for MLS subscribers to find and share available homebuyer assistance programs with their clients. According to DPR analysis, up to 70% of SAR listings may be eligible for one or more forms of homebuyer assistance, including down payment assistance programs, grants, affordable first mortgages and more.

SAR MLS subscribers will also receive access to other DPR tools, including Down Payment Connect, a personalized lead generation landing page where borrowers can search for homeownership assistance programs in their market, and marketing resources that help generate borrower excitement in the homebuying process.

"The median sale price of a home in Spokane soared 22.5% over the last year, which is pushing many otherwise qualified, entry-level homebuyers out of the market simply because they cannot save for down payment and closing costs at the same pace as appreciation," said DPR CEO Rob Chrane. "DPR helps SAR MLS subscribers strengthen the health of their community by providing families the lift they need to get into a home of their own."

"Spokane has become a hot market, so more buyers are looking for valuable information that will help them save on their home loan and down payment," said 2022 SAR President Eric Etzel. "We are proud to provide DPR tools to our MLS subscribers so they can help families access the down payment help they need to start building wealth as homeowners."

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 2,000 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 https://downpaymentresource.com/ and on Twitter at @DwnPmtResource.

About Spokane Association of REALTORS® (SAR):

The Spokane Association of REALTORS® was founded in 1911 as the voice for real estate in Spokane County, Washington. Today, the association has more than 2,500 broker and affiliate members. It wholly owns and operates a multiple listing service on behalf of its members.

Twitter: @DwnPmtResource @SpokaneREALTOR #MLS #Realtor #broker #downpaymentassistance

RELATED LINKS:

https://www.spokanerealtor.com/

The Spokane Association of REALTORS (SAR) today announced that it has partnered with Down Payment Resource (DPR) to provide its 2,500 MLS subscribers with access to DPR's toolset that helps real estate agents connect clients with programs that can help save on down payments and closing costs.

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

Sales Boomerang joins forces with Bonzo to enable automated mortgage marketing with personality

BALTIMORE, Md. /ScoopCloud/ -- Sales Boomerang, the mortgage industry's top-rated automated borrower intelligence and retention system, today announced its integration with Bonzo, an omnichannel sales engagement platform designed to scale the voice of mortgage advisors so they can attract, convert and retain clients on autopilot. By enabling the automatic transferral of consumer data from Sales Boomerang, Bonzo users can engage high-intent leads instantly via automated outreach that creates a seamless lending experience.

Sales Boomerang monitors lenders' databases to identify exactly when a past or prospective customer is ready for a loan. Sales Boomerang's 11 unique loan opportunity alerts can be triggered by market factors or consumer behaviors, such as applying with another lender or reaching a target credit score.

Bonzo's automated customer engagement system is built around the idea that people want to do business with other people, not a faceless algorithm. Through personalized text, email, video, voicemail and power dialer marketing, Bonzo helps lenders create and manage meaningful connections with anyone in their business environment.

Built with simplicity in mind, the Bonzo platform is a foolproof alternative to clunky technologies that can be disruptive to busy mortgage advisors. It only takes two weeks for most lenders to integrate Sales Boomerang loan opportunity alerts with Bonzo's marketing automation campaigns and add their own voice for personalized customer outreach. Once activated, Bonzo lets mortgage advisors know the instant someone in their database 'raises their hand' by triggering an alert through Sales Boomerang.

"By harnessing relevant data to create a how, why and when for borrower outreach, Sales Boomerang can help Bonzo users further personalize their communications to each individual customer," says Bonzo co-founder Jason Perkins. "Instead of wasting manpower on incessant marketing with no relevance to the individual borrower, lenders can activate this integration to add context to their outreach and create more meaningful client interactions."

Bonzo's omnichannel outreach is customized to the voice of each mortgage advisor, and is automatically sent within moments of a consumer 'raising their hand' and triggering a Sales Boomerang loan opportunity alert. A mortgage advisor is then notified through the Bonzo platform that a conversation was initiated with an individual in their database. When that lead responds, the advisor has easy access to their information, including Sales Boomerang alert history, and is prepared to take action right away. Bonzo's marketing campaigns and content can even be customized to user specifications, so mortgage advisors only reach out using a prospect's preferred method of communication.

"Our partnership with Bonzo will create bountiful opportunities for mortgage advisors by enabling automated outreach when someone in their database triggers an alert from Sales Boomerang," said Sales Boomerang Vice President of Product Mike Spotten. "With this added insight into a borrower's financial situation and contact history, mortgage advisors can focus on building lasting relationships with their prospects."

About Sales Boomerang:

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 is trusted by more than 150 lenders - including brokers, independent mortgage companies, credit unions and banks - to help build lasting borrower relationships that maximize lifetime customer value. To date, Sales Boomerang alerts have enabled lenders to close more than $150 billion in additional loan volume that would have otherwise been overlooked and achieve customer retention rates that outperform industry norms by an average of 3-5X. To learn more about Sales Boomerang and its No Borrower Left Behind™ ethos, visit https://www.salesboomerang.com.

About Bonzo:

Bonzo is an automated sales engagement platform that seeks to make selling fun again by eliminating outreach and follow up for the modern salesperson. Bonzo combines the personality with automation in voicemail, text, email, and video messaging to create meaningful conversations at scale. The platform's renowned "5-minute" rule allows its users to accomplish anything within the platform in under 5-minutes and get back to having more conversations with those that impact their business most. Bonzo's core belief is that salespeople should spend more time creating conversations, and less time on the organization of data.

Sales Boomerang, the mortgage industry's top-rated automated borrower intelligence and retention system, today announced its integration with Bonzo, an omnichannel sales engagement platform designed to scale the voice of mortgage advisors so they can attract, convert and retain clients on autopilot.

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

Paragon Acquires Greener Future and ESG-focused New Energy Risk

AVON, Conn. /ScoopCloud/ -- Paragon Insurance Holdings, LLC, a national MGA based in Avon, Connecticut, announces today the acquisition of New Energy Risk (NER), an insurance solutions provider to a wide range of energy technologies and related infrastructure projects and technologies that accelerate the energy transition.

The deal represents Paragon's latest expansion into the global specialty Excess & Surplus lines market and brings additional high-rated reinsurance capacity providers supporting the ongoing build out of its portfolio.

"We're excited to welcome NER to Paragon," Ron Ganiats, CEO and co-founder of Paragon said. "With NER's talent, carrier and reinsurance following, we will now be at the forefront of providing insurance solutions to the technology and project leaders that continue to move into the energy space."

The announcement comes amid a strong period of growth for NER on the back of rising demand for its unique risk assessment and underwriting services. NER, in a push toward Underwriting a Greener Future(tm), continues to develop new products to meet shifts in the economy as energy sources transition toward sustainability and industries decarbonize. The company has also implemented its own Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) client framework during this critical period to better respond to these market trends.

"We understand the needs of energy technology companies, project developers and investors in this space. We translate the 'arcane' insurance market on their behalf and deliver what they need to secure cost-effective project finance and expedite customer adoption," Tom Dickson, CEO of NER, said.

NER was founded in 2010 by Tom Hutton, former CEO of RMS and White Mountains Re, in partnership with then XL Group. In 2015, XL Innovate (XLI), an insurtech venture fund, was formed. NER became XLI's first portfolio company. NER had been operating as a majority-owned subsidiary of AXA under its AXA XL brand.

"NER is at an inflection point," said Hutton, who will remain involved as an advisor after the acquisition. "We are all committed to investing in its continued growth and to see the impactful results of its products and services, especially given the transformative support of Paragon."

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/.

Paragon Insurance Holdings, LLC, a national MGA based in Avon, Connecticut, announces today the acquisition of New Energy Risk (NER), an insurance solutions provider to a wide range of energy technologies and related infrastructure projects and technologies that accelerate the energy transition.

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