Category Archives: Finance

Mid America Mortgage Hires Pamela Misner to Manage Underwriting

ADDISON, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- Mid America Mortgage, Inc. (Mid America) Owner and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bode announced the firm has retained Pam Misner as Underwriting Manager. With nearly 30 years of mortgage expertise, Misner will direct Mid America's mortgage loan underwriting and collaborating on the expansion of origination and production teams for Mid America's West Coast branches.

"Pam's background in advising and managing loans with challenging circumstances makes her a vital asset to Mid America Mortgage's growing teams across the United States," Bode said. "Pam has already exhibited great ability in increasing productivity, providing faster underwriting turn times and better relations with our production staff and underwriters so I have also tasked her with utilizing our digital mortgage platform Click 'n Close to remove risk and expedite underwriting decisions. "

Prior to joining Mid America, Misner lead Umpqua Bank's Home Lending Underwriting team, where she helped in streamlining quality control and compliance processes to achieve record loan decisioning turn time while maintaining compliance with industry standards. Misner also previously served as vice president and regional underwriting manager for HomeStreet Bank, where she built the firm's Soutthwest Washington undewriting fulfilment team and managed the pipeline movement of nine fulfillment centers to increase productivity. In addition, Misner helped managed exceptions for conforming agency, jumbo underwriting policy and portfolio lending to ensure appropriate credit risk and balance for HomeStreet Bank.

"I am excited to join such a progressive company and look forward to continuing the legacy of my predecessor, David Tracy, whom has moved on to Product Manager. Mid America represents the new face of private investment in the mortgage industry - on-the-ground players with the demonstrated ability to look beyond the surface to discern a loan's fundamental soundness," said Misner. "A key contributor to Mid America's success in this area is the confidence it places on the internal systems and governance that generate its own high-quality retail loan production, and I look forward to maintaining Mid America's standards of origination excellence."

About Mid America Mortgage, Inc.:

Mid America Mortgage, Inc. is looking for tech-savvy, service-oriented mortgage professionals to join its growing team. We are a multi-state mortgage lender based in Addison, Texas, with branches located across the United States. Mid America offers a wide range of residential home loan programs to meet the needs of most home buyers and homeowners, and 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 http://www.midamericacareer.com/.

Additional information about Mid America Mortgage, Inc. can be found on the company's website at http://www.midamericamortgage.com/about/.

Twitter: @midamericamtge

Mid America Mortgage, Inc. Owner and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bode announced the firm has retained Pam Misner as Underwriting Manager. With nearly 30 years of mortgage expertise, Misner will direct Mid America's mortgage loan underwriting and collaborating on the expansion of origination and production teams for Mid America's West Coast branches.

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

LBA Ware’s Lori Brewer to Moderate Panel on Data-Driven Best Practices for Mortgage Lender Staffing at MBA Annual 2018

MACON, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- LBA Ware(TM), the leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lenders, today announced that company Founder and CEO Lori Brewer will moderate a panel on the science of staffing a mortgage business at the 2018 Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Annual Convention and Expo, which takes place October 14-17 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Brewer's panel, "Staffing for 2019 and Beyond," will take place on Monday, October 15, at 3:45 p.m. in Room 207 of the convention center. Speakers Loretta Salzano, president of law firm Franzen and Salzano, and Renee Zabel, vice president of human resources at mortgage lender American Financial Resources, will also participate.

The session will present mortgage leaders with best practices for managing staffing challenges in the current mortgage market. Session topics will include:
* Identifying and retaining top talent
* Sourcing new talent for today's evolving staff roles
* Right-sizing staff in a time of declining margins and industry consolidation/M&A activity
* Navigating legal and regulatory requirements for staffing and loan originator compensation
* Preparing for anticipated regulatory policy changes.

"With rising loan production costs continuing to eat into profit margins, more and more lenders are re-evaluating the efficiency and productivity of their staffing strategy," said Brewer. "I look forward to moderating a practical examination of staffing best practices and sharing actionable insights from LBA Ware's newly published research on loan originator performance trends."

"We are delighted to have expert speakers like Lori Brewer at the MBA's premier national event, which hosts 4,000 mortgage leaders in our home city of Washington, D.C.," said MBA Vice President of Industry Analysis Marina Walsh. "As part of our Business and Technology track, this session will provide actionable advice for organizational leaders. We also offer tracks on Market Opportunities and Policy Priorities as well as high-profile guest appearances by Dr. Janet Yellen, Magic Johnson and Kelly Clarkson."

About LBA Ware

Founded in 2008, LBA Ware's mission is to inspire opportunity by delivering solutions that are essential to the way mortgage companies operate. We are a trusted partner and play a key role in our clients' success by enabling them to motivate, incentivize and better leverage the human potential within their organization. Our applications automate traditionally manual business processes for which an existing software solution does not exist, empowering lenders to create an integrated software environment that maximizes their productivity and operational efficiency.

For more information about LBA Ware and our software solutions, visit https://lbaware.com.

Twitter: @LBAWare #MBAAnnual18 #mortgagebanking

LBA Ware, the leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lenders, today announced that company Founder and CEO Lori Brewer will moderate a panel on the science of staffing a mortgage business at the 2018 Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Annual Convention and Expo, which takes place October 14-17 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Related link: https://lbaware.com/

The Mortgage Collaborative Expands Benchmark, Collaboration Labs and Working Group Member Engagement Initiatives

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation's only independent mortgage cooperative, today announced that they have added and expanded upon several of their member benefits. With the continued growth of their national lender member network, TMC has increased the size and scope of their engagement programs to offer even more opportunities for their members to network and collaborate.

"We're extremely pleased to have welcomed over 30 new lender members to the TMC network since the start of this year," said Rich Swerbinsky, Chief Operating Officer of The Mortgage Collaborative. "Learning from one another has never been more important to mortgage lenders, and the expansion of our engagement programs provide our members an opportune way to do that."

Earlier this year, TMC released their newly enhanced TMC Benchmark platform, a free monthly solution that collects the 45 production, operating, and performance metrics deemed most vital by their members and offers a dashboard report. The dashboard displays their data alongside a summary comparison for other members in the network, enabling a member to see how they stack up against others in the industry, as well as their peer group within it.

Participating members can see their data broken down by retail, wholesale, and correspondent channels (if applicable), giving TMC members access to the mortgage industry's only monthly data benchmarking solution as part of membership.

TMC's Collaboration Labs have continued to expand since the spring of 2017. The "deep-dive" networking sessions with peers of similar size and scope are immensely popular among TMC lender members. Participants discuss strategic initiatives important to each participating firm. Member interest has driven the expansion of existing Labs to include additional members. Over 40 percent of TMC lender members have participated in a Collaboration Lab thus far in 2018 and more are planned in Q4.

Additionally, TMC's Working Groups, an initiative that connects like professionals within the network, has also seen tremendous growth. TMC members meet via regular conference calls and at industry events to connect and collaborate on the important issues facing the mortgage industry. The initiative currently includes a CRA Working Group, Women's Networking Group, Servicing Professionals Working Group and Marketing Working Group, with plans for a Capital Markets Working Group to start later this year.

"Our member engagement programs are designed to address the needs of our members," said Jim Park, CEO of The Mortgage Collaborative. "Many are a direct result of conversations we've had with our members. It's their needs that drive our strategy and the growth of these programs is a testament to TMC's commitment to serve them."

For more information on any of the programs above or the other benefits of membership within The Mortgage Collaborative, contact TMC COO Rich Swerbinsky at rswerbinsky@mtgcoop.com.

About The Mortgage Collaborative:

Based in San Diego, The Mortgage Collaborative was founded in 2013 to empower mortgage lenders across the country with better financial execution, reduced costs, enhanced expertise, improved compliance, and to help its members access the dynamic and changing consumer base in America.

The association is managed by its founding members: John Robbins, CMB; David Kittle, CMB; Gary Acosta, CEO of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP); and Jim Park, former chair of the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA). Robbins and Kittle are former chairmen of the Mortgage Bankers Association of America (MBA).

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

The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation's only independent mortgage cooperative, today announced that they have added and expanded upon several of their member benefits. With the continued growth of their national lender member network, TMC has increased the size and scope of their engagement programs to offer even more opportunities for their members to network and collaborate.

Related link: http://www.mortgagecollaborative.com/

NEXT Future Transportation: Autonomous Transportation Success Depends on Project Finance and Public Private Partnerships

SAN JOSE, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- NEXT Future Transportation Inc. ("NEXT"), the global leader in modular-electric vehicle solutions, today announced it will be participating in the International Project Finance Association ("IPFA Americas") conference, Autonomous and Connected Vehicles: Impacts and Implications, on Thursday, October 25 at the office of Nixon Peabody LLC in Los Angeles.

Information: https://ipfa-portal.smartmembership.net/Events/eventdetail.aspx?si_ec=000531

Autonomous vehicles and connected transportation will revolutionize commercial real estate, commuting, living and working. But, can the vehicle technology alone revolutionize our lives? What infrastructure is needed to usher in the changes? And who will pay for the infrastructure? How large of a role should private industry play in spaces traditionally occupied by government?

Sven Hackmann (EVP) of NEXT will join a panel of experts to discuss the crucial role of project finance and public private partnerships in advancing autonomous transportation initiatives. In many countries the financing requirements of current and prospective infrastructure needs far outstrip resources available, however, meeting needs is critical to ensure continued process, development and economic growth.

Budgetary constraints and an acknowledgement of private sector efficiencies and know-how are two of the principal reasons why governments around the world are taking the economic and political decision to accelerate the use of private sector finance and adopt public private partnership models in order to deliver infrastructure projects which would have been previously built by the public sector using public sector finance.

Rudy Salo, a partner in the Los Angeles office of global law firm Nixon Peabody LLP, will lead the panel. Rudy, a public finance attorney, is widely recognized for his transportation industry expertise and significant experience in funding large transportation infrastructure projects.

Autonomous transportation technology will have significant impact on the way we design cities in the future, including mass transit systems, commercial real estate, and roadways. While self-driving cars are associated with several benefits, including the creation of more open space, cost reduction, and improved travel services - these same may are also create future challenges.

NEXT is a mass transportation and goods movement startup that is developing a patented modular, autonomous, electric vehicle fleet and the supporting operating system required to bring the systems and services to market at scale. NEXT's unique autonomous transportation approach will enable cities to take cars off the road and reduce congestion, ultimately redesigning communities around people - not cars.

"We believe that private mobility providers have the potential of becoming a valuable partner to public transit agencies. Public private partnerships will prove key in making cities more responsive to their citizens' needs," said Emmanuele Spera, CEO of NEXT.

NEXT is committed to supporting solutions that enable sustainable and connected cities, and it is an active participant in a network of cross-disciplinary community design experts around the world.

Video:
https://youtu.be/5a73KhJJXhk

ABOUT NEXT:

NEXT Future Transportation, Inc. is a mass transportation and goods movement startup that is developing a patented modular, autonomous, electric vehicle fleet and the supporting operating system required to bring the systems and services to market at scale. http://Get-Next.com/.

NEXT Future Transportation Inc. ("NEXT"), the global leader in modular-electric vehicle solutions, today announced it will be participating in the International Project Finance Association ("IPFA Americas") conference, Autonomous and Connected Vehicles: Impacts and Implications, on October 25, 2018 at the office of Nixon Peabody LLC in Los Angeles.

Related link: http://www.next-future-mobility.com/

MCT Adds Investors to Bid Tape AOT Tri-Party Agreement Automation in its Bid Auction Manager (BAM) Platform

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- SAN DIEGO, Calif., Oct. 5, 2018 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced that new investor bid tape assignment-of-trade (AOT) loan sale executions are now available for sellers using its BAM whole loan trading platform. These new executions will benefit from automation of the required Tri-Party Agreement, significantly improving accuracy and efficiency for what is already a game-changing delivery option for the secondary market.

The most recent investor to announce the availability of a bid tape AOT program is Amerihome Mortgage Company, who began the process of opening the execution to approved sellers as of Monday, October 1, 2018. MCT is also proud to join PennyMac Loan Services' bid tape AOT pilot program, with a launch date for MCT mutual clients tentatively slated for October 8, 2018.

Offering a bid tape AOT loan sale delivery option has rapidly become a priority for leading correspondent investors. This new execution combines the granularity of price available via bid tape with the cash benefits of assigning the trade, which have historically been mutually exclusive.

According to MCT's Chief Operating Officer, Phil Rasori, "Under the right conditions, bid tape AOT offers a prescriptive economic value over other executions. For this and other reasons, we're seeing widespread interest and rapid adoption among our lender clients."

The benefits and challenges of these new bid tape AOT executions will be presented in a complimentary industry webinar hosted by Mr. Rasori on Thursday, October 11, 2018 at 11 a.m. PDT. Register: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1084824745332320258.

In August 2018, MCT released a first-of-its-kind technology to automate the Tri-Party Agreement required between lenders, investors, and broker dealers during AOT transactions in the secondary market. This requirement was one of the final hurdles in the AOT process. Manual completion of these agreements for each transaction was not only extremely inefficient, but it also introduced additional risk into the process via the potential for data entry discrepancies.

"Before the Tri-Party automation, I had to write in all the fields, print and attach all the confirms, sign, scan, and send for every AOT," said Andrew Stringer, Director of Secondary/Capital Markets at First Bank. "Without the Tri-Party automation, I probably wouldn't bother with bid tape AOT transactions very often, because the time cost might outweigh the pickup."

After beta testing bid tape AOT with select Wells Fargo sellers early in 2018, MCT rolled out the execution across their award-winning Bid Auction Manager(TM) (BAM) loan sale best execution platform in May. Lenders or investors interested in learning more about bid tape AOT executions are invited to join MCT for a complimentary industry webinar on Thursday, October 11 at 11 a.m. PDT hosted by Phil Rasori, COO. MCT will also be available for in-person meetings and demonstrations at the MBA's Annual Convention & Expo, held October 14-17, 2018 in Washington, D.C.

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.

Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced that new investor bid tape assignment-of-trade (AOT) loan sale executions are now available for sellers using its BAM whole loan trading platform.

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

Simplifile Completes West Virginia’s First E-recording Transaction

PROVO, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents, and counties, today announced that it has facilitated the first e-recording transaction in the state of West Virginia. The transaction was completed on Friday, Aug. 24 in Monongalia County, W. Va., which is the first recording jurisdiction in the state to begin e-recording land documents.

"Until recently, West Virginia had been one of the few remaining holdouts on e-recording adoption. That has now changed," said Simplifile president, Paul Clifford. "Now that other counties within the state can witness the added efficiency and reduced costs e-recording provides, we expect to see adoption ramp up significantly. We stand ready to help additional West Virginia recording jurisdictions make the switch, joining the more than 1,800 counties in Simplifile's e-recording network."

The closing attorney for the transaction submitted the documents via Simplifile's E-recording platform to the Monongalia County recorder's office on Thursday, Aug. 23. Due to the nature of West Virginia's recording process, the verified and recorded documents were returned to the closing attorney the next business day. This represents a significant improvement over Monongalia County's previous, paper-based process.

As Monongalia County Clerk Carye Blaney told The Dominion Post: "Once Simplifile accepts the document, it's moved over to our portal. We review it, and once we record it, Simplifile deposits the money we need into our records and deals with the submitter. We don't have to worry about bounced checks. We don't have to worry about not having the proper amount for the recording. All those issues are solved because it's handled before it ever gets to us ... We've been working on this for quite some time. Most other states in the nation have been electronically recording, and have been for years. West Virginia has been a lone holdout, so we've really been working to get ourselves into a position to do that."

To see which jurisdictions are part of Simplifile's e-recording network, visit https://simplifile.com/services/e-recording/e-recording-counties/.

About Simplifile:

Simplifile, the nation's largest e-recording network, was founded in 2000 to connect settlement agents and county recorders via its e-recording service. Today Simplifile has broadened its services to include collaboration tools and post-closing visibility for mortgage lenders and settlement agents working together on real estate documents. Through Simplifile, users can securely record, share, and track documents, data, and fees with ease.

To learn more, visit https://simplifile.com/ or call 800.460.5657.

Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents, and counties, today announced that it has facilitated the first e-recording transaction in the state of West Virginia. The transaction was completed on Friday, Aug. 24 in Monongalia County, W. Va., which is the first recording jurisdiction in the state to begin e-recording land documents.

Related link: https://simplifile.com/

IDS Develops Fresh MortgageFlex Integration to Support Latest MISMO Standards

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage document preparation vendor International Document Services, Inc. (IDS), announced it has built a brand new interface with mortgage loan origination and servicing technology provider MortgageFlex Systems that operates on the MISMO(R) Version 3.3 data standard. Developing a new integration based on this advanced data standard ensures joint IDS-MortgageFlex customers are able to fully comply with a host of regulatory requirements that operate off the MISMO Version 3.3 standard, including TRID 2.0 and the Uniform Mortgage Data Program (UMDP).

"One of the keys to ensuring a seamless, user-friendly experience for our clients is developing and maintaining integrations with the industry's leading LOS platforms," said IDS Vice President and General Manager Mark Mackey. "Re-building our integration with MortgageFlex to MISMO 3.3 sets our mutual clients up for success in October when TRID 2.0 goes live while also providing a more updated data standard from which they can operate for the foreseeable future."

An IDS partner since 2014, MortgageFlex supports retail, wholesale and correspondent lending channels through its MortgageFlexONE Origination platform. By utilizing a blind interface with IDS's flagship mortgage document preparation platform idsDoc, joint users are able to complete all document preparation functions within MortgageFlexONE Origination, ensuring it remains the system of record throughout the transaction and eliminating potential data transfer errors.

In addition, MortgageFlexONE users also have access to additional functionality within idsDoc from the MortgageFlexONE Origination platform, including hybrid eClose and eSign capabilities and a full range of state and federal compliance audits.

"Developing a MISMO 3.3 document interface was important to us. We believe that building a lights out integration with a leading partner like IDS and using MIMSO 3.3 will only benefit our current and future clients," said Craig Bechtle, executive vice president and Chief Operating Officer at MortgageFlex. "We all know that the new loan application will require extensive data changes and we feel comfortable that we have addressed a big part of that migration."

About MortgageFlex Systems:

MortgageFlex Systems was founded in 1980 in Jacksonville, Fla. for one reason - to simplify mortgage lending. After 38 years, we're still focused on the mortgage industry and dedicated to providing lenders with smart software solutions. Our mission is to provide retail, wholesale, and correspondent channels with the most cost-effective LOS and servicing software. Our services include 24/7 support, hosting, managed services, and implementation. MortgageFlex Systems looks to cultivate a strong partnership and is dedicated to helping reach your optimal potential with our LOS, MortgageFlexONE - 'The New Peak of Efficiency.' http://www.mortgageflex.com/ (904) 356-2490

About IDS, Inc.:

IDS, a Reynolds and Reynolds company, was founded in 1986 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is a nationwide provider of mortgage documents and compliance. IDS services include electronic signatures, closing documents, initial disclosures, document fulfillment and integration with leading loan origination systems and eClosing platforms. The IDS flagship doc prep solution, idsDoc, is recognized in the industry for its ability to be customized to meet specific lender needs, particularly in regards to major industry compliance changes. (https://info.idsdoc.com/)

Mortgage document preparation vendor International Document Services, Inc. (IDS), announced it has built a brand new interface with mortgage loan origination and servicing technology provider MortgageFlex Systems that operates on the MISMO Version 3.3 data standard.

Related link: https://info.idsdoc.com/

FinKube, Plaid Offer Webinar on Digital Lending

DALLAS, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- FinKube, a company that provides AI-powered Platform-as-a-Service solutions for a range of industries, announced today that the company will offer a free webinar featuring Plaid Inc. - a financial technology platform that powers modern, digital financial services.

The free webinar on Thursday, October 18, 2018 at 2 p.m. ET will provide tips and best practices to help loan originators adopt financial technology (fintech) at the point-of-sale to attract borrowers and offer fast pre-qualifications.

"Speed is critically important to today's borrowers, and lenders that respond quickly and then pre-qualify quickly will win more business," said Jorge Sauri, founder and CEO of FinKube. "Our point-of-sale technology was designed to allow lenders to use the best tools available to win more business. Plaid is an excellent example of a company that is using fintech to speed up the loan process. In this webinar, we'll find out how every lender, regardless of size, can harness this power and deliver this speed."

Plaid's suite of products streamlines account authentication and drives efficiencies throughout the lending process. When using Plaid's digital asset verification product at the point-of-sale, loan originators can boost application completion rates and reduce time to close. Additionally, Plaid is a Day 1 Certainty(tm) asset verification report supplier for Fannie Mae Desktop Underwriter(r), which offers peace of mind to lenders by providing rep and warrant relief on verified loan components. Fannie Mae has seen loans with assets validated through the DU validation service close 17 percent faster on average.

FinKube is the creator of ELSA, which stands for Electronic Loan Services Assistant. ELSA is the financial services industry's first AI assistant that uses machine learning to enhance the loan process from origination to close. ELSA can gather borrower information, render decisions, automate time-consuming tasks, and help lenders produce fully compliant mortgage loans in as few as 20 days.

Learn more about ELSA at: https://finkube.com/product/elsa-mortgage-software/.

To register for the free webinar, visit the website: http://bit.ly/2xSUFlg

About Plaid:

Plaid is a financial technology platform that enables applications to connect with users' bank accounts. Headquartered in San Francisco, Calif., Plaid focuses on lowering the barriers to entry in financial services by making it easier and safer to use financial data. The team builds beautiful consumer experiences, user-friendly infrastructure, and intelligence tools that give everyone the ability to develop the future of financial services. For more information, visit https://plaid.com.

About FinKube:

FinKube with ELSA (E-Loan Support Assistance) is a human in the loop automation (IA) cloud lending platform that makes offering the digital mortgage experience easy. Adaptive technology with the only AI-powered cognitive, industry-specific chatbot all built on a private cloud infrastructure gives lenders affordable access to industry-leading tools that allow them to compete with the nation's largest lenders. ELSA learns and adjusts to any origination model, chats with consumers to gather information and provide services, and provides lenders with the industry's most flexible solution to meet their own lending needs. In short, FinKube offers Adaptive technology with the Cognitive functionality required to take lenders Digital.

For more information, visit the company's website at https://finkube.com/.

FinKube, a company that provides AI-powered Platform-as-a-Service solutions for a range of industries, announced today that the company will offer a free webinar featuring Plaid Inc. - a financial technology platform that powers modern, digital financial services.

Related link: https://finkube.com/

LBA Ware Sponsors Young Entrepreneurs Academy to Cultivate a Future Generation of Entrepreneurs in Middle Georgia

MACON, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- LBA Ware(TM), the leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lenders announced its fiscal sponsorship of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce's Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!), an innovative program that transforms local middle and high school students into real entrepreneurial successes.

YEA! is an after-school program that coaches students aged 11 to 18 through the process of launching a business or social movement over the course of the academic school year. During the program, students draft and formalize their business plans, make investor pitches to obtain funding, legally register their businesses and engage with successful entrepreneurs. The program culminates with the students launching self-owned and operated businesses, which they may continue to grow.

"LBA Ware is delighted to sponsor YEA! as it enters its third year," said Lori Brewer, founder and CEO of LBA Ware. "As the founder of a successful software company launched from my living room, I want to pay my success forward by cultivating a future generation of entrepreneurs and CEOs within the local community. YEA! is an exciting program that empowers youth by helping them envision a future of their own making while equipping them with knowledge and skills that will help them achieve their goals."

LBA Ware is a passionate contributor to organizations that support education, technology startups and entrepreneurship. As an active partner of the Georgia technology incubator, Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), LBA Ware recently joined efforts with SparkMacon to expand the ATDC's reach into Macon by co-hosting an event for local tech companies and entrepreneurs each month at LBA Ware's office.

For more information about the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce sponsored YEA! initiative, visit https://www.maconchamber.com/young-entrepreneurs-academy.php.

About the Young Entrepreneurs Academy:

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) is a 501(c)(3) offering groundbreaking year-long classes that teach middle and high school students how to start and run their own businesses. Throughout the class, students develop business ideas, write business plans, conduct market research, pitch their plans to a panel of investors for startup funds, and launch and run their own, fully formed companies and social movements. The project-based program empowers students to take charge of their futures.

Founded in 2004 at the University of Rochester with support from the Kauffman Foundation, YEA! today serves thousands of students nationwide. In 2011, the United States Chamber of Commerce Foundation became a national sponsor and partner of the Academy to help celebrate the spirit of enterprise among today's youth and tomorrow's future leaders.

YEA! bridges the business and educational communities to fulfill its mission of teaching more students how to make a job, not just take a job. YEA! is made possible by The Kauffman Foundation, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the E. Philip Saunders Foundation. For more information, visit: https://yeausa.org/.

About LBA Ware:

Founded in 2008, LBA Ware's mission is to inspire opportunity by delivering solutions that are essential to the way mortgage companies operate. We are a trusted partner and play a key role in our clients' success by enabling them to motivate, incentivize and better leverage the human potential within their organization. Our applications automate traditionally manual business processes for which an existing software solution does not exist, empowering lenders to create an integrated software environment that maximizes their productivity and operational efficiency. For more information about LBA Ware and our software solutions, visit https://lbaware.com.

Twitter: @LBAWare @macon_chamber @YEA_Macon #entrepreneurship #afterschoolprograms

LBA Ware(TM), the leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lenders announced its fiscal sponsorship of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce's Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!), an innovative program that transforms local middle and high school students into real entrepreneurial successes.

Related link: https://lbaware.com/

Mortgage Capital Trading Adds Multi-Factor Authentication to its MCTlive! Secondary Marketing Software

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced that it has implemented multi-factor authentication (MFA) security protocols, which require multiple methods to verify a user's identity for logins and transactions.

"We live in an era where security sensitivities and breaches are increasingly common occurrences within organizations and their technology stacks," says Phil Rasori, COO at MCT. "In order to most effectively protect our clients, their data and transactions, we felt that it was a prudent time to implement MFA into our MCTlive! secondary marketing software as a logical safeguard in order to maintain high levels of security."

MCT's new MFA technology uses Google Authenticator for MCTlive! security where the user must not only log into the platform with their credentials, but also receive a unique code from their mobile device that expires after 30 seconds. In addition, MCTlive! password requisites have been strengthened.

MFA can be configured for particular MCTlive! users to be multi-factor, or for others to have simpler, quicker password access. MCT puts the ease of internal controls in the hands of the lender when it comes to user log on and security, which is very granular. In addition, detailed reporting can be easily produced at any time which timestamps each user's log in attempts and security methods used.

"The security of our borrowers' information is paramount for First Bank, particularly with data breaches seeming to become more and more common," stated Andrew Stringer, Director of Secondary/Capital Markets at First Bank, an MCT client. "Multi-factor authentication in MCTlive! adds an additional layer of protection that not only gives me peace of mind knowing our data is protected, but also demonstrates proactive ways our secondary department is mitigating risk for the bank."

Multi-factor authentication is the latest addition in MCT's ongoing effort to lead the secondary mortgage market toward stronger data security. In July of 2017, MCT launched its Bid Auction Manager (BAM) technology to migrate sensitive borrower data contained in bid tapes off of email to a secure platform. By October 2017, BAM had achieved 100 percent adoption among the investor community and was awarded PROGRESS in Lending Association's 2018 Innovation Award in April.

Lenders interested in improving data security with MCTlive! and BAM should schedule a consultation via screenshare or in-person at the MBA's Annual Convention & Expo in Washington, DC.

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.

Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced that it has implemented multi-factor authentication (MFA) security protocols, which require multiple methods to verify a user's identity for logins and transactions.

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

NEXT™ Mortgage Events Selects Advisory Board

EDMOND, Okla. /ScoopCloud/ -- NEXT Mortgage Events LLC, a creator of events for women mortgage executives, has announced the selection of the NEXT Advisory Board, a group of eight top mortgage industry executives. NEXT Advisory Board members were selected to advise event organizers on content, assuring that all sessions continue to address the needs of women executives at mortgage lending institutions and GSEs.

Members of the NEXT Advisory Board include C-suite and senior executives. They represent mortgage lenders of all sizes, as well as the GSEs:
* Suzy Lindblom, EVP National Operations, Planet Home Lending
* Barbara Yolles, Chief Strategy Officer, The Money Source
* Cerita Battles, Senior Vice President and Head of Retail Diverse Segments,
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
* Tina Khartami, Technology Sales Manager, Freddie Mac
* Erica Price, Chief of Mortgage Operations, Cardinal Financial Company
* Julie Lane, SVP, Digital Strategy & Marketing, Freedom Mortgage
* Diana McKeever, VP, Technology Product Manager, PrimeLending
* Melissa Williams, Head of Operations, SD Capital Funding.

"NEXT's high value content is our identifier, and our Advisory Board's input will assure we continue delivering competitive intel that elevates companies and changes careers," said Jeri Yoshida, co-founder of NEXT Mortgage Events. "We are thrilled that, ultimately, it's NEXT attendees who will benefit from our collaboration with the smartest, most knowledgeable, and most insightful team of eight executives I'm sure anyone has ever seen in our industry."

NEXT's 2019 winter conference takes place February 7-8, 2019 at Hotel ZaZa in Dallas. Guests may pre-register at https://www.nextmortgageconference.com/.

About NEXT Mortgage Events LLC:

In January 2018, NEXT Mortgage Events broke the mortgage industry's unspoken barriers that limit women's access to competitive intel and networking-based information exchange, when it introduced NEXT, the mortgage technology summit for women. NEXT is a two-day, tech-focused symposium based on lenders sharing competitive intel with other lending executives. A boutique gathering, each NEXT event is limited to 165 attendees, and targets a select group of decision making executives.

Approximately 85-90 percent of lender attendees hold a title of VP or higher and roughly 85 percent of attendees are women. NEXT is held twice a year, in winter and summer. For more information visit NEXTMortgageConference.com, follow @NEXTmtgEvents or email info@NEXTmortgageEvents.com.

NEXT Mortgage Events LLC, a creator of events for women mortgage executives, has announced the selection of the NEXT Advisory Board, a group of eight top mortgage industry executives. NEXT Advisory Board members were selected to advise event organizers on content, assuring that all sessions continue to address the needs of women executives at mortgage lending institutions and GSEs.

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

DocMagic and NotaryCam Integrate to Eliminate Reliance on In-Person Notarizations for Paperless eClosings

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- DocMagic, Inc., the premier provider of fully-compliant loan document preparation, regulatory compliance and comprehensive eMortgage services, and NotaryCam(R), the leader in online notarization solutions, announced an integration that eliminates the need to wet-sign loan documents in the physical presence of a notary by allowing loan documents to be quickly and compliantly eNotarized online.

The integration works inside Total eClose(TM), DocMagic's comprehensive end-to-end eClosing solution. It allows customers to initiate eNotarizations using NotaryCam's remote service with just a few clicks, thus extending the convenience of a fully online eClosing experience through notarization - the final step in loan closing - without any hard stops or papering out.

"More and more states are permitting remote online notarization and as they do, we can expect to see consumer demand and expectation for remote eNotarizations to grow," said Dominic Iannitti, president and CEO of DocMagic. "This integration allows DocMagic customers to meet consumer demand without any delays, which is a big part of our value proposition for all DocMagic products."

The Mortgage Bankers Association has been collaborating with the American Land Title Association (ALTA) to prepare model legislation that would provide a framework for any state to adopt remote online notarization processes.

"Mortgage eClosings have progressed incrementally, and both DocMagic and NotaryCam have been pioneers and champions in the adoption the industry has achieved-so this integration is a natural fit," said Rick Triola, founder and CEO of NotaryCam. "Our companies are very similar in what we deliver: the industry's most flexible and customer-friendly experiences, backed by unfaltering accuracy, data integrity and compliance. We are looking forward to moving the industry forward, together."

Prior to the addition of NotaryCam, DocMagic's Total eClose solution supported eNotarizations by leveraging in-person notaries equipped with electronic notary signing technology, which it will continue to offer in addition to remote online notarizations, where permitted. Both DocMagic and NotaryCam are approved eMortgage technology vendors with the GSEs, having passed an extensive approval process.

About NotaryCam:

NotaryCam is the leader in online notarization and mortgage eClosing solutions. After pioneering the world's first entirely online mortgage closing in 2012, career real estate executive Rick Triola founded NotaryCam in 2014. NotaryCam has since helped hundreds of thousands of customers get documents notarized online from anywhere in the world while maintaining the industry's highest customer satisfaction rating. NotaryCam's patented eClose360 platform facilitates 100%-online mortgage closings and provides unparalleled identity verification, security and customer convenience. Visit https://www.notarycam.com for additional information or to get a document notarized today.

About DocMagic:

DocMagic, Inc. is the leading provider of fully-compliant loan document preparation, compliance, eSign and eDelivery solutions for the mortgage industry. Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Torrance, Calif., DocMagic, Inc. develops software, mobile apps, processes and web-based systems for the production and delivery of compliant loan document packages. The company's compliance experts and in-house legal staff consistently monitor legal and regulatory changes at both the federal and state levels to ensure accuracy. For more information on DocMagic, visit https://www.docmagic.com.

DocMagic, Inc., the premier provider of fully-compliant loan document preparation, regulatory compliance and comprehensive eMortgage services, and NotaryCam(R), the leader in online notarization solutions, announced an integration that eliminates the need to wet-sign loan documents in the physical presence of a notary by allowing loan documents to be quickly and compliantly eNotarized online.

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

Experienced Mortgage Technologist Mark Michel Joins Growing Team at OpenClose

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- OpenClose(R), an industry-leading multi-channel loan origination system (LOS) and mortgage fintech provider, announced that it hired Mark Michel, an industry veteran in enterprise-level mortgage technology systems. Mark has an extensive track record of successful execution during his tenure at lending entities as well as mortgage technology providers. At OpenClose, he will serve as a software integration analyst where he will focus on the company's LenderAssist(TM) LOS, RESTful API suite, as well as other digital mortgage solutions.

Mark brings to OpenClose more than 15 years of experience as a subject matter expert in mortgage fintech. Before OpenClose, he was a senior product manager at Altisource where he was responsible for a next-generation LOS as well as a new POS portal, while also acting as a subject matter expert on all LOS integrations. Prior to that, Mark was a senior business consultant and project manager at Fiserv Lending Solutions for more than fifteen years.

In addition, he has held senior business analyst and project manager roles at banks, mega lenders and an investment firm focusing on outsourced technology solutions for mortgage originators, secondary market conduits and investors. This unique combination of lender and vendor experience arms him with highly sought after mortgage experience and is an extraordinary addition to the OpenClose Integration team.

"We are pleased to welcome Mark to the OpenClose family and know that he will have an immediate impact," said Jason Regalbuto, CEO/CTO of OpenClose. "Mark has a very rich, through-and-through background in the mortgage industry, working for both lenders and mortgage software firms. He's exactly the type of professional we like to hire to advance our enterprise. "

As a result of an increasing demand for OpenClose's multi-channel LOS and other digital mortgage solutions, OpenClose has made a number of new hires in nearly all functional areas during 2018 in order to effectively support new and existing customers.

About OpenClose:
Founded in 1999 and headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida, OpenClose(R) is a leading enterprise-class, multi-channel loan origination system (LOS) and fintech provider that cost effectively delivers its digital platform on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) basis. The company provides a variety of innovative, 100 percent web-based solutions for lenders, banks, credit unions, and conduit aggregators.

OpenClose's core solution, LenderAssist(TM), is comprehensive loan origination software that is completely engineered by OpenClose using the same code base from the ground up, thus avoiding the problems that often accompany assembling best-of-breed applications or acquiring disparate technologies in an effort to create an end-to-end platform. The company provides lending organizations with full control of their data and creates a truly seamless workflow for complete automation and compliance adherence.

For more information, visit https://www.openclose.com/ or call (561) 655-6418.

OpenClose, an industry-leading multi-channel loan origination system (LOS) and mortgage fintech provider, announced that it hired Mark Michel, an industry veteran in enterprise-level mortgage technology systems.

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

Frenkel Benefits, an EPIC Company Adds Nicholas Tunno in New York

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- Frenkel Benefits - an EPIC Company announced today that employee benefits, risk management and insurance professional Nicholas Tunno has joined the firm in New York as a Principal.

Tunno will report to Phil Remig, Northeast Region Senior Vice President, Operations and Sales, and he will be based in Frenkel's New York, N.Y. office at 350 Hudson Street.

Tunno joins from the New York office of Marsh & McLennan Agency, where he was a Risk Management Consultant, focusing on the Financial Service, Technology and Transportation sectors, offering employee benefits solutions and risk management strategies to protect and strengthen the clients he served.

Tunno will be responsible for new business development; the management of employee benefits programs; and providing risk management strategies and solutions to mid-market and large clients across a range of industries, including financial institutions.

Said Phil Remig, "Nick's addition further expands and enhances our operations in the greater New York City area and across the Northeast. He has a well-deserved reputation for his professional expertise; for building strong, positive relationships; and for delivering outstanding service to his clients. We're confident that Nick will be an exceptional performer as we continue to deepen and strengthen our team both regionally and across the country."

Tunno attended Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics and was a member of both the Delta Phi Chapter of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity as well as a member of the Florida State Entrepreneur Incubator program for a business he founded.

Nicholas Tunno can be reached at ntunno@frenkel.com 212.488.0200 (office).

About EPIC:

EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property & casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence.

EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally.

EPIC now has more than 1,400 team members operating from 50 offices across the U.S., providing Property & Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 20,000 clients

With run rate revenues greater than $400 million, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Backed by Oak Hill Capital Partners, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country.

For additional information, please visit https://www.epicbrokers.com/.

Frenkel Benefits - an EPIC Company announced today that employee benefits, risk management and insurance professional Nicholas Tunno has joined the firm in New York as a Principal.

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

Joseph Ferber Joins Frenkel and Company – an EPIC Company in New York

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- Frenkel & Company - an EPIC Company announced today that risk management and insurance professional Joseph Ferber has joined the firm's operations in New York as a Principal

Ferber will be based in Frenkel's New York, NY office at 350 Hudson Street and report to Phil Remig, Northeast Region Senior Vice President, Operations and Sales.

Ferber will be responsible for new business development; management of property/casualty insurance programs; and providing risk management strategies and solutions to mid-market and large clients across a range of industries, including financial institutions, manufacturing & distribution, and commercial & habitational real estate.

Ferber joins from the New York office of Marsh & McLennan Agency, where he was an Executive Risk Strategist.

"We are excited to further expand and enhance our operations in the greater New York City area and across the Northeast with Joe's addition," said Phil Remig. "He is highly regarded for his professional knowledge; for building strong, positive relationships; and for providing exceptional service to his clients. Joe will be a terrific addition as we continue to deepen and strengthen our exceptional team both regionally and across the country."

Ferber attended Rider University in Lawrence Township, New Jersey, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance & Economics. While at Rider Ferber was also a member of the University's Division 1 Men's Wrestling Team and was recognized as part of Omicron Delta Epsilon (the International Honor Society of Economics)

Joseph Ferber can be reached at jferber@frenkel.com or 212.488.1886 (office).

About EPIC:

EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property & casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence.

EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally.

EPIC now has more than 1,400 team members operating from 50 offices across the U.S., providing Property & Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 20,000 clients.

With run rate revenues greater than $400 million, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Backed by Oak Hill Capital Partners, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country.

For additional information, please visit https://www.epicbrokers.com/.

Frenkel & Company - an EPIC Company announced today that risk management and insurance professional Joseph Ferber has joined the firm's operations in New York as a Principal.

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

Newest Mortgage Company on the Sunset Strip, Vantage Home Loans, launches and targets the Luxury Los Angeles Home Market

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- In today's hyper competitive mortgage market with increasing competition from internet companies, Roger Mansourian has formed a new partnership and mortgage company - Vantage Home Loans - that specifically targets and caters to the creative financing needs of investors, small business owners, and luxury homeowners seeking a strong mortgage offering in California and Washington.

Starting with the firm's first transaction, a $3.8 million sale in the Outpost Estates in the Hollywood Hills, Vantage Home Loans launched its advanced mortgage services this year. To expand into this heavily competitive market, owner Roger Mansourian reached out and formed a partnership with Robert Rodriguez, the former California Division Director of SWBC Mortgage in Orange County, convincing him to become the Managing Director of Sales of Vantage Home Loans, located on the Sunset Strip, in West Hollywood.

Together, the two partners have assembled a dream team of driven, seasoned agents, that are familiar with the unique twists and turns that are involved in the California and Washington Luxury home market. This new firm also will be making heavy use of technology, by developing a custom mobile application, and mobile site, that provides real-time status updates during the processing of their loan application, underwriting, and document preparation.

Clients will be able to directly E-sign disclosures, upload documents by snapping pictures of the pages with their smartphone, and chat 24/7 with direct Vantage representatives about the process, status, or any questions they may have. Vantage is also creating a direct Realtor portal, for the partner realtors to also be completely apprised of the loan process and procedures, at any time.

Vantage Home Loans, as a company, is focusing on expanding consumer awareness, and has been developing an online streaming video library via YouTube, discussing different parts of the buying and loan approval process, new loan programs unique to certain situations, and weekly updates with the latest in real estate and mortgage news, as it pertains to California and Washington buyers and sellers. Vetted and well recommended resources such as roofers, handymen, and cleaning services are also made readily available.

Vantage has also chosen to keep a very active and strong social media footprint on Facebook and Instagram, since many of the newer buyers are more familiar and comfortable with these channels and want immediate access and answers to their questions.

"When clients choose Vantage, they do so because they feel their needs are heard, and they feel a sense of trust," stated owner, Roger Mansourian. "Using today's technology, we make sure they are completely involved in the process, are aware of what's going on at all times, and know that things are being handled efficiently and with personal care."

Led by two Los Angeles natives in this new partnership, Vantage provides a combined 26 years of specific experience in specialty wholesale and retail mortgage products. The company's goal is to bring their vast network of wholesale lenders to the local LA market, and help the quickly growing group of investors and first-time home buyers who may not fit the strict regulations of the large retail banking institutions.

An example of this is a very popular program that allows a buyer with 20 percent down, no tax returns, and no income statement qualify for a large California residential loan - solely based on credit score and future rentals of the property. Construction loans for development are also a specialty - up to $15 million.

About Vantage Home Loans:

Located on the Sunset Strip, Vantage Home Loans is locally owned, and heavily vested in the California and Washington communities. Providing a wide range of creative financial offerings for both home owners and investors, Vantage provides a wealth of local experience and history in the market to its clients. Each loan and client always receives local, one-to-one attention throughout the entire loan process from a Vantage Mortgage Specialist.

For more information about Vantage Home Loans, including details about their mortgage offerings or services, please visit the company website: http://www.vantagehomeloans.com/, the company Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/vantagehomeloans, or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vantagehomeloans, email them at askvantage@gmail.com, or call Vantage directly at 877-246-8596.

In today's hyper competitive mortgage market with increasing competition from internet companies, Roger Mansourian has formed a new partnership and mortgage company - Vantage Home Loans - that specifically targets and caters to the creative financing needs of investors, small business owners, and luxury homeowners seeking a strong mortgage offering in California and Washington.

Related link: http://www.vantagehomeloans.com/

Iron Cove, a division of EPIC, again Named Best U.S. Insurance Provider by Hedgeweek

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants announced today that Iron Cove, a division of EPIC, was named Best US Insurance Provider by Hedgeweek, a Global Fund Media publication, which reaches over 98,000 financial services executives globally.

Principal Louis D'Agostino attended the Hedgeweek recognition event at the Intercontinental Hotel in NYC to accept the award on behalf of the Iron Cove team.

The winner of the prestigious award is determined by Hedgeweek readers, consisting of investors, managers, and industry professionals, who cast their ballots to determine which firms are the "best of the best" in their respective categories, making this a truly peer-reviewed accolade.

"Winning the US award for a second year in a row confirms our long-term commitment to the asset management industry," D'Agostino said. "After winning Hedgeweek's Best Global Insurance Provider Award earlier this year, and given our team's continuing growth as a division of EPIC, we are very excited about our future."

Iron Cove Partners currently serves many of the world's most prominent financial institutions. As Principal, D'Agostino is responsible for the oversight and management of the Iron Cove Financial Services Practice, which provides its expertise and experience to hedge funds, registered advisers, private equity funds, and broker-dealers.

"Receiving votes from your clients and industry peers acknowledging the quality and value of your work is a great feeling," D'Agostino said. "It never gets old!"

About Iron Cove - a division of EPIC:

Iron Cove, a division of EPIC is a leading full-service insurance brokerage business serving the financial services industry from its headquarters in New York City. A trusted adviser with decades of experience and over 150 Hedge Funds as clients, Iron Cove provides cutting edge brokerage and consulting services to some of the world's largest financial institutions, including Employee Benefits Consulting, Commercial Property & Casualty Insurance, Transactional M&A Insurance as well as Private Client, Life Insurance, and Estate Planning services.

For more information, contact Louis D'Agostino, Principal at louisd@ironcoveins.com or (646) 452-4031.

About EPIC:

EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property & casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence.

EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally.

EPIC now has more than 1,400 team members operating from 50 offices across the U.S., providing Property & Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 20,000 clients.

With run rate revenues greater than $400 million, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Backed by Oak Hill Capital Partners, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country.

For additional information, please visit https://www.epicbrokers.com/.

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants announced today that Iron Cove, a division of EPIC, was named Best U.S. Insurance Provider by Hedgeweek, a Global Fund Media publication, which reaches over 98,000 financial services executives globally.

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

Simplifile Adds 29 Southeastern U.S. Counties to E-recording Network

PROVO, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents, and counties, today announced that 29 additional recording jurisdictions located in six states throughout the Southeastern U.S. have joined Simplifile's e-recording network.

"Just this year, the number of Mississippi jurisdictions that have adopted Simplifile's e-recording platform has more than doubled," said Simplifile President Paul Clifford. "Smaller and more rural counties operating on restrictive budgets especially stand to benefit from joining Simplifile's e-recording network.

"The service is absolutely free of cost to all recording jurisdictions and ultimately saves counties money by significantly decreasing postage, ink and envelope expenses. We're glad to see more counties in the Southeast join Simplifile's e-recording network."

The newest additions to Simplifile's e-recording network are:
* Ashley County, Ark.
* Bradley County, Ark.
* Grant County, Ark.
* Johnson County, Ark.
* Ouachita County, Ark.
* Van Buren County, Ark.
* Calhoun County, Fla.
* Collier County, Fla.
* Baker County, Ga.
* Cobb County, Ga.
* Dougherty County, Ga.
* Jenkins County, Ga.
* Spalding County, Ga.
* Treutlen County, Ga.
* Lafayette Parish, La.
* Calhoun County, Miss.
* Itawamba County, Miss.
* Monroe County, Miss.
* Pontotoc County, Miss.
* Prentiss County, Miss.
* Tishomingo County, Miss.
* Graham County, N.C.
* Rutherford County, N.C.
* Greenwood County, S.C.
* Chesterfield County, S.C.
* Jasper County, S.C.
* Johnson County, Tenn.
* Madison County, Tenn.
* McNairy County, Tenn.

Simplifile recently announced that nationally, more than 50 percent of recording jurisdictions are now using its e-recording platform to review, stamp, record, and return documents electronically, making it the largest recording district in the country. To date, 1,842 jurisdictions participate in Simplifile's e-recording network.

To view a current list of all jurisdictions within the Simplifile e-recording network, visit https://simplifile.com/e-recording-counties.

About Simplifile:

Simplifile, the nation's largest e-recording network, was founded in 2000 to connect settlement agents and county recorders via its e-recording service. Today Simplifile has broadened its services to include collaboration tools and post-closing visibility for mortgage lenders and settlement agents working together on real estate documents. Through Simplifile, users can securely record, share, and track documents, data, and fees with ease.

To learn more, visit https://simplifile.com/ or call 800.460.5657.

Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents, and counties, today announced that 29 additional recording jurisdictions located in six states throughout the Southeastern U.S. have joined Simplifile's e-recording network.

Related link: https://simplifile.com/

IDS Completes TRID 2.0 Updates to Mortgage Document Preparation Platform

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage document preparation vendor International Document Services, Inc. (IDS), announced it has completed modifications to its flagship mortgage document preparation platform idsDoc related to TRID 2.0.

The changes, which went live in idsDoc earlier this month, include updates to the rounding and truncation of percentages, Loan Estimate (LE) Estimated Cost Expiration date inputs, the availability of Alternative LE/Closing Disclosure (CD) forms for simultaneous subordinate financing, disclosure of seller paid fees and principal reductions, and data entry for the Summary of Transactions and Liabilities and Payoffs. In addition, TRID 2.0-related updates were also made to the LE/CD and Totals pages within idsDoc, as well as the 1003 and Construction Lending sections.

"While the next iteration of TRID doesn't represent quite the sea change that the October 2015 rule did, there are still quite a few elements in TRID 2.0 that will change how lenders operate day-to-day, and we feel confident that the modifications we've made to idsDoc will help smooth our clients' transition to TRID 2.0," said IDS Vice President and General Manager Mark Mackey. "If they have not already done so, we highly encourage our clients to make themselves familiar not only with the amendments to the TRID rule, but also the corresponding changes with idsDoc prior to October 1 to ensure a successful implementation."

In addition to the document-related changes outlined above, TRID 2.0 also closes the "black hole" created by the initial version of the rule, thus allowing lenders, in certain instances, to reissue a CD to reset tolerances after the original CD was issued.

"With TRID 2.0, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has offered some much-needed clarity on the issue of under what circumstances lenders can re-issue the CD without penalty," Mackey added. "This, along with the other rule clarifications contained in TRID 2.0, should give lenders greater certainty that they are operating within both the letter and spirit of the regulation."

IDS clients can find additional information on TRID 2.0, including webinar recordings and other documentation, under the "Resources" tab in idsDoc. Non-IDS clients wishing to gain access to these materials should contact can contact marketing@idsdoc.com.

About IDS, Inc.

IDS, a Reynolds and Reynolds company, was founded in 1986 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is a nationwide provider of mortgage documents and compliance. IDS services include electronic signatures, closing documents, initial disclosures, document fulfillment and integration with leading loan origination systems and eClosing platforms. The IDS flagship doc prep solution, idsDoc, is recognized in the industry for its ability to be customized to meet specific lender needs, particularly in regards to major industry compliance changes. (https://info.idsdoc.com/)

Mortgage document preparation vendor International Document Services, Inc. (IDS), announced it has completed modifications to its flagship mortgage document preparation platform idsDoc related to TRID 2.0. Updates were also made to the LE/CD and Totals pages within idsDoc, as well as the 1003 and Construction Lending sections.

Related link: https://info.idsdoc.com/

EPIC Insurance Brokers adds Matt Lumelleau in Houston

HOUSTON, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants announced today that Matt Lumelleau has joined the firm's Property & Casualty practice as a Principal, reporting to EPIC Managing Principal and Director Southwest Region, KJ Wagner.

Lumelleau, based in Houston, will be responsible for new business development, the design, placement and management of property/casualty insurance programs; and providing risk management strategies and solutions for mid-market and large clients across a range of industries.

Lumelleau joins EPIC from Lockton, where he supported the Houston office as a producer, unit manager and team leader. Previously, he held positions with Tri-City Brokerage as an associate vice president and AIG Environmental as a senior underwriter.

"We are thrilled to continue the growth of our Property Casualty Practice in the Southwest region with Matt's addition," said KJ Wagner. "He brings a strong risk management background that adds tremendous value to our clients and our organization as a whole. Matt will be a terrific addition to the EPIC Property Casualty team."

Lumelleau graduated from Regis University and The National Outdoor Leadership School.

He can be reached at matt.lumelleau@epicbrokers.com or 303-482-7981.

About EPIC:

EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property & casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence.

EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally.

EPIC now has more than 1,400 team members operating from 50 offices across the U.S., providing Property & Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 20,000 clients.

With run rate revenues greater than $400 million, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Backed by Oak Hill Capital Partners, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country.

For additional information, please visit https://www.epicbrokers.com/.

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants announced today that Matt Lumelleau has joined the firm's Property and Casualty practice as a Principal, reporting to EPIC Managing Principal and Director Southwest Region, KJ Wagner.

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

FormFree unveils NextGen at Digital Mortgage conference in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, Nev. /ScoopCloud/ -- FormFree(R) today announced the release of NextGen, a new platform that builds on the company's award-winning AccountChek(R) service. Unveiled from the main stage of Digital Mortgage 2018 in Las Vegas, NextGen increases the precision and ease with which lenders determine their borrowers' ability to pay loans.

New features of NextGen include:
* A fully customizable API-enabled environment that enables a revolutionary asset retrieval experience for borrowers and loan teams

* Advanced income and employment analytics that combine borrower asset data with other data points to increase confidence in borrower ability-to-pay conclusions

* PDF bank statements to satisfy FHA and non-QM loan documentation requirements.

FormFree also announced the introduction of a custom workflow designed to serve mortgage brokers and wholesale lenders, a segment of the mortgage market that has historically been underserved by digital mortgage technology.

"FormFree has always been the leader in the first-mortgage retail space," said Brian Francis, chief technology officer for FormFree. "Now, with the capabilities of our NextGen platform, we're proud to deliver a tailored experience for the entire wholesale channel, from the mortgage broker to the wholesale lender all the way up to the secondary market."

FormFree integrates with over 100 mortgage technology platforms, including loan origination systems, point-of-sale platforms and collaboration portals. Fannie Mae chose FormFree as its first designated vendor for asset validation as part of Day 1 Certainty(tm), and FormFree is currently in pilot for Single Source Validation, an enhancement to Fannie Mae's DU validation service that will let lenders obtain asset, income and employment validation from one automated report.

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

About FormFree(R):

FormFree is a fintech company whose market-leading AccountChek(R) reports are used by hundreds of lenders nationwide to verify borrower assets, employment and income in minutes. With FormFree, lenders can delight customers with a paperless experience and reduce origination timelines by up to 20 days. FormFree offers automated analysis and standardized delivery to lenders and their investors using a secure ReIssueKey(tm). To date, AccountChek has securely placed more than one million asset reports for over 1,000 U.S. lenders. A HousingWire TECH100(tm) company for four consecutive years, FormFree is based in Athens, Georgia.

For more information, visit https://www.formfree.com/ or follow FormFree on LinkedIn.

@FormFree #digmortgage18 #accountchek #day1certainty

FormFree(R) today announced the release of NextGen, a new platform that builds on the company's award-winning AccountChek(R) service. Unveiled from the main stage of Digital Mortgage 2018 in Las Vegas, NextGen increases the precision and ease with which lenders determine their borrowers' ability to pay loans.

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

Freddie Mac Expands eMortgage Solutions with DocMagic’s eVault Technology to Store and Control eNotes

TORRANCE, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- DocMagic, Inc., the premier provider of fully-compliant loan document preparation, regulatory compliance and comprehensive eMortgage services, announced today that Freddie Mac has implemented its SaaS-based eVault technology and SmartREGISTRY(TM) platform.

DocMagic's eVault provides a secure electronic repository for storing documents and performing automated eNote certification to Freddie Mac eMortgage lenders via Loan Selling Advisor(R). By automating the eNote certification process, Freddie Mac will speed the funding process, thereby improving liquidity in the mortgage markets and reducing lender's warehouse line costs.

"Freddie Mac is committed to streamlining the mortgage process for lenders and borrowers, and has been a leader in purchasing eMortgages since 2006," said Andy Higgenbotham, Freddie Mac's Single Family Chief Operating Officer. "We rolled out our automated certification process in 2015 to speed up the funding process, thereby improving liquidity in the mortgage markets and reducing lender's warehouse line costs. We are now expanding this process to include the DocMagic platform."

DocMagic's eVault provides safe and secure storage for sensitive loan documents. It also automatically parses and validates data in a SmartDoc eNote against data in the user's core system of record. Additionally, DocMagic's SmartREGISTRY platform enables holders of eNotes to securely transfer these electronic documents to other eVault systems, such as those used by investors, conduit aggregators and servicers. Ultimately, it facilitates real-time access, delivery, storage and much needed control of electronic loan files.

"Freddie Mac has been a long-time visionary and champion of eMortgages over the years and has made great strides with their unwavering commitment to automation across the supply chain," stated Dominic Iannitti, president and CEO at DocMagic. "Now, with the successful rollout of SmartDoc eNote data validation prior to funding, this demonstrates the advantages and a clear-cut ROI of going completely 'e.' We look forward to ongoing collaboration with Freddie Mac and to further adoption of the digital mortgage process."

Notable is that that Freddie Mac encourages the use of 'SMART' (securable, manageable, archivable, retrievable, transferable) eNotes because static documents do not contain source data, and thus make it difficult, costly and time consuming to confirm the data on documents match.

DocMagic established a process that guides lenders on how to begin using SmartDoc eNotes. The company's eVault technology is integrated with its Total eClose(TM) platform, which is a comprehensive eClosing solution that creates a 100 percent paperless digital mortgage process - from origination through eClosing, eWarehouse lending, investor eDelivery and eServicing.

About DocMagic:

DocMagic, Inc. is the leading provider of fully-compliant loan document preparation, compliance, eSign and eDelivery solutions for the mortgage industry. Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Torrance, Calif., DocMagic, Inc. develops software, mobile apps, processes and web-based systems for the production and delivery of compliant loan document packages. The company's compliance experts and in-house legal staff consistently monitor legal and regulatory changes at both the federal and state levels to ensure accuracy. For more information on DocMagic, visit http://www.docmagic.com.

DocMagic, Inc., the premier provider of fully-compliant loan document preparation, regulatory compliance and comprehensive eMortgage services, announced today that Freddie Mac has implemented its SaaS-based eVault technology and SmartREGISTRY(TM) platform.

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

Bank of Southern California, N.A. Names Helen Johnson Senior VP, Loan Administration Manager

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL), a community business bank headquartered in San Diego, is pleased to announce that Helen Johnson has joined the company as Senior Vice President, Loan Administration Manager.

She will be responsible for all functions related to loan processing, documentation, compliance and loan servicing.

Mrs. Johnson is an accomplished banking professional with a wealth of experience covering SBA lending, loan processing, business development, and portfolio management in the San Diego market. Prior to joining Bank of Southern California, she served as Vice President, Business Development Officer for CapitalSource, a division of Pacific Western Bank. With a commitment to the community, she served as the emeritus President and Board Member of the Escondido East Rotary Club.

"Helen's thirty-eight-year banking career, including twenty-five years in SBA lending, will be an asset as we look to further develop and expand our loan administration group," said Robert Marshall, Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer. "Her in-depth knowledge of commercial lending will be invaluable to our continued growth in the Southern California region," concluded Marshall.

About Bank of Southern California

A growing community bank, established in 2001, Bank of Southern California, N.A., with headquarters in San Diego, Calif., is locally owned and managed, and offers a range of financial products to individuals, professionals and small-to-medium sized businesses.

The Bank's solution-driven, relationship-based approach to banking provides accessibility to decision makers and enhances value through strong partnerships with its clients. The Bank currently operates eleven branches in San Diego County, Los Angeles County, the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, as well as a production office in Orange County.

For more information, please visit https://www.banksocal.com/ or call (858) 847-4780.

Tickers: OTC Pink:BCAL / OTC:BCAL / OTCMKTS: BCAL / OP: BCAL

Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL), a community business bank headquartered in San Diego, is pleased to announce that Helen Johnson has joined the company as Senior Vice President, Loan Administration Manager.

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

EPIC Insurance’s Sean Conrad to Moderate Wellness Panel at IMPACT18

IRVINE, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Principal Sean Conrad will moderate a wellness panel at IMPACT18 on Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. at the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.

Conrad will moderate the session that will include CEO of Matuz Ventures Mike Matuz. The session will cover the topics of wellness and culture, using data to assess health and using digital tools to engage with employees. Conrad will also share his concept of the business athlete and how thinking like an athlete is transforming the executive suite.

Click here to see the full agenda: https://www.impact18.net/schedule/.

About IMPACT18

IMPACT18 sets the stage for a creative collaboration of top digital marketing experts at one of Las Vegas' iconic venues. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn best practices and techniques to build market share and business growth from the industry's leading experts, explore the latest tools and trends, and network with local and global leaders and professionals.

About Sean Conrad, principal, EPIC

Sean Conrad is an accomplished senior executive with 20 years of success in the commercial insurance brokerage industry. Leveraging extensive experience in driving new business and top-line revenue, brand differentiation and developing strong networks and partnerships, he is a valuable asset for organizations and companies experiencing challenges with growth and profitability. His broad areas of expertise include business development, employee benefits, commercial property/casualty, executive risk, cyber insurance, marketing, collaboration, tactical planning, leadership and advising.

Throughout his executive career, Conrad has held leadership positions with some of the most respected brands in the insurance sector, organizations that include Wells Fargo Insurance, Willis Towers Watson and Allied Insurance, a Nationwide Company.

Over the last decade, he has helped build a differentiated brand, coached seasoned sales consultants to higher levels of performance and placed over $250 million dollars worth of commercial insurance premium into the marketplace. He has been recognized as a perennial top performer, earning both Winner's Circle and Golden Spoke awards for exceptional performance and leadership.

Conrad is also a Founding Member of The International Executive Council (IEC).

About EPIC:

EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property and casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence.

EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally.

EPIC now has more than 1,400 team members operating from 50 offices across the U.S., providing Property and Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 20,000 clients.

With run rate revenues greater than $400 million, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the U.S. Backed by Oak Hill Capital Partners, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country.

For additional information, please visit https://www.epicbrokers.com/.

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Principal Sean Conrad will moderate a wellness panel at IMPACT18 on Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. at the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.

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

ARMCO Reduces Lender Data Validation Times by 50 Percent with DataSure

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- ACES Risk Management (ARMCO), the leading provider of technology for loan quality and compliance testing, data validation and analytics, announced the launch of DataSure(TM), a quality control technology that increases data validation accuracy and efficiency, and reduces lenders' data validation task times by 50 percent or more.

"Most loans contain at least one data discrepancy that can negatively impact lenders' revenue through buybacks, delays, loss of investor confidence, and longer warehouse dwell times," said Phil McCall, president of ARMCO. "If lenders don't use a robust data validation technology, they can expect discrepancies that cost them tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in unnecessary expenses."

In a matter of moments, DataSure validates loan data for thousands of key data points within a lender's source system (i.e. loan origination system) by cross referencing those data points against data contained in loan documents. It then automatically communicates all corrected data fields back to the lender's source system. This assures data consistency and accuracy at each step of the loan process. DataSure also provides robust reporting capabilities, so lenders can identify the root causes of their data discrepancies and adjust their practices going forward.

Most lenders assign the task of data validation to their underwriting teams, who fulfill the process using the manual "stare-and-compare" method-a tedious, time consuming and error-prone process and one of the primary drivers behind the large number of discrepancies. In addition to increasing the risk of errors and inaccuracies, this method allocates underwriters-one of lenders' highest paid and most skilled human resources-to an activity that can be accomplished much faster, more accurately and more economically with technology.

"The best way to protect current profits and future longevity is to be proactive about loan quality," said McCall. "DataSure is one more ARMCO tool that the mortgage community can use to drive the health and growth of their businesses."

About ARMCO:

ARMCO - ACES Risk Management has served the finance industry with risk management software for over 25 years and is the recognized authority on mortgage risk. Today, in addition to an array of loan quality enterprise software, services, data and analytics, the company also provides the ARMCO Mortgage QC Industry Trends Report, a free quarterly analysis of industry-wide mortgage loan quality. ARMCO provides its clients with insights based on decades of risk analysis intel, so they always have the fastest, most reliable, most efficient means for preventing risk-related loss, and creating effective risk strategies going forward.

The company's flagship product, ACES Audit Technology(TM), can be used at any point in the mortgage lifecycle, and is so user-definable, its capabilities extend outside of origination and servicing, into a wide range of risk-prone audit-able business operations.

For more information, visit http://www.armco.us or call 1-800-858-1598.

ACES Risk Management (ARMCO), the leading provider of technology for loan quality and compliance testing, data validation and analytics, announced the launch of DataSure(TM), a quality control technology that increases data validation accuracy and efficiency, and reduces lenders' data validation task times by 50 percent or more.

Related link: http://www.armco.us/

TRK Connection Upgrades Mortgage QC Loan Sampling Functionality within Insight RDM, Adds Predictive Loan Quality Analytics

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- TRK Connection (TRK), a leading provider of mortgage quality control (QC) and origination management solutions, announced it has enhanced the loan sampling functionality and added predictive analytics to its Insight Risk & Defect Management (RDM) mortgage QC audit platform.

These new capabilities enable Insight users to engage in more intelligent discretionary loan sampling, preventing over-selection of files for review and providing better control over sample size while meeting all discretionary loan target criteria.

"Loan sampling is a critical component of the QC process, and the more lenders are able to fine-tune their selection of loans for review, the better insights they'll receive regarding loan quality," said Jeremy Burcham, EVP of TRK Connection. "Additions like intelligent loan sampling and predictive analytics ensure Insight RDM continues to deliver every tool imaginable to aid lenders in reducing their repurchase risk and improving their loan quality."

Using a lender's historical loan samples and defect trending data, Insight RDM optimizes the discretionary sampling process to ensure the loans selected for review are representative of the lender's historical pipeline, which helps keep lenders compliant with their investor approved quality control plan's loan sampling requirements.

Insight RDM allows clients to identify key areas for discretionary audits based on trending defects to provide lenders with proactive capabilities to remedy loan production issues as soon as possible. Further, Insight users can now also conduct predictive reporting on future loan quality performance based on their historical data, allowing them to understand the effect of loan quality issues from the start.

"While it is nearly impossible to prevent errors from creeping into the loan origination process, it is possible, with the right tools, to anticipate those defects and detect them as early in the process as possible," Burcham added. "In addition to creating a more streamlined and efficient QC audit process, Insight RDM helps lenders harness the loan quality data already at their disposal to create additional layers of defense against loan defects to ensure investors receive loans that are as pristine as possible."

About TRK Connection:

Founded in 2013, TRK Connection prides itself on its ability to develop technologies that allow businesses to surpass their organizational needs and meet their business objectives. As an innovator in the mortgage origination and quality assurance space, TRK continues to develop and refine solutions geared to promote and strengthen the loan origination process, pre/post-close loan audits and the defect remediation process.

Currently, TRK offers solutions that support Mortgage Audit & Quality Control (Insight Risk & Defect Management(TM)), Loan Origination Vendor Management (Core Connect(TM)), Complete LOS Connectivity Platforms and more. For more information, visit http://trkconnection.com.

TRK Connection, a leading provider of mortgage quality control (QC) and origination management solutions, announced it has enhanced the loan sampling functionality and added predictive analytics to its Insight Risk & Defect Management (RDM) mortgage QC audit platform.

Related link: http://trkconnection.com/

Cloudvirga announces live from the Digital Mortgage conference stage its Mobile POS product

LAS VEGAS, Nev. /ScoopCloud/ -- Cloudvirga(TM), a leading provider of digital mortgage software, today announced its Cloudvirga Mobile POS, a mobile-first mortgage point-of-sale solution tuned to serve the needs of loan originators and homebuyers in a purchase mortgage market.

Backed by the same intelligent mortgage engine that powers Cloudvirga's award-winning Enterprise POS, the Mobile POS allows loan originators to collaborate with borrowers and real estate agents seamlessly and from any web-enabled device. Task automation, built-in workflows and event-driven reminders keep the loan process moving at all times to boost originator productivity.

Loan officers and brokers can configure the borrower experience on a per-loan basis with in-app options such as:
* A customized Form 1003 application (streamlined or full)
* Configurable credit check capabilities (soft, full or none)
* A fully customizable needs list
* Configurable electronic asset verification.

Any mobile web browser delivers on-the-go access to loan details, documents and milestones for borrowers, home builders and real estate agents. Loan officers and brokers also have access to a dedicated mobile app. Directed workflows and event-driven notifications keep borrowers focused on their key tasks, speeding completion of the loan application, and live collaboration features give borrowers instant access to the experience and advice of their loan officer or broker.

"Automating bits and pieces of a broken mortgage process is like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. Cloudvirga is different; we reinvent the mortgage process first, then automate it," said Cloudvirga CEO Michael Schreck. "Our intelligent mortgage engine is our customers' secret weapon, and we're proud to make it available on-demand in a mobile-first format that suits the busy lives of originators and borrowers, particularly in this purchase mortgage market."

Schreck announced the new product from the stage of Digital Mortgage 2018, where Cloudvirga was a platinum sponsor. For more information about Cloudvirga Mobile POS, visit https://www.cloudvirga.com/products/mobile-pos/.

About Cloudvirga(TM)

Cloudvirga's digital mortgage point-of-sale (POS) software, powered by the intelligent Mortgage Platform(r), uniquely combines a world-class borrower experience with a truly automated lender workflow that radically cuts overall loan costs, increases transparency and reduces the time to close a loan. Led by top fintech veterans with a track record of building successful mortgage technologies, Cloudvirga's customer base includes eight of the top 40 non-bank mortgage originators. To date, Cloudvirga has raised over $77 million from some of the country's top lenders and private-equity firms.

For more information, visit http://www.cloudvirga.com or follow Cloudvirga on LinkedIn.

*LOGO for media: Send2Press.com/300dpi/18-0917s2p-cloudvirga-300dpi.jpg

@Cloudvirga #digmortgage18 #mobilePOS

Cloudvirga(TM), a leading provider of digital mortgage software, today announced its Cloudvirga Mobile POS, a mobile-first mortgage point-of-sale solution tuned to serve the needs of loan originators and homebuyers in a purchase mortgage market.

Related link: http://www.cloudvirga.com/

Cold Chain Capital, LLC launches: Private Equity Firm Focused on Air Conditioning and Refrigeration

SYRACUSE, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- Cold Chain Capital(TM) LLC ("Cold Chain Capital"), a Fayetteville, N.Y.-based private equity firm, announced its launch today. The company focuses on the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration industry ("HVACR").

Founded by Greg Deldicque, an HVACR industry veteran, and supported by long-time senior advisors, Ken Fox, Mark Cywilko, Jean-Pierre Xiberras, Bertrand Bigay and Brad Hardesty, Cold Chain Capital makes control investments in middle-market HVACR companies with revenues between $50 million and $500 million.

Investments span OEM/manufacturing, service/installation and wholesale/distribution. Geographically, it focuses on companies with headquarters in North America, South America and Europe.

Cold Chain Capital's managing partner and senior advisors have a combined HVACR and investment experience of more than 200 years. Several company leaders have held president positions with leading air conditioning and refrigeration companies, as well as have had tenure at premier investment banks and strategy consulting companies.

"We see exciting private equity opportunities in the air conditioning and refrigeration industries," Deldicque says.

There are several reasons why. They include:
* Macro fundamentals: large industry with GDP+ growth and high fragmentation
* Margin runway for many participants
* Industry disruption due to new retail formats, energy efficiency and new refrigerants requirements, as well as new digital/traceability technologies
* High sustainability impact: global warming and food waste reduction
* Downside protection: tied to food and pharma, idiosyncratic industry and replacement/aftermarket driven.

"Cold Chain Capital's clear focus on HVACR middle-market companies and operational capabilities provide clear benefits to its portfolio companies, their management teams and potential sellers," Deldicque adds.

It welcomes investments in companies at all stages of their business cycles, including business growth, transformations, turn-arounds (including negative EBITDA or free cash-flow), carve-outs and roll-ups. Cold Chain Capital has strong values and takes a collaborative and ethical approach to all its investments.

Prior to founding Cold Chain Capital, Greg Deldicque held a variety of executive positions. He was a senior executive with Carrier, a division of United Technologies; a principal with The Boston Consulting Group; a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs International in their Principal Investment Area; and an officer in the French Marines. During his career, he's completed more than 20 business acquisitions and divestitures. He holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a bachelor in business from ESSEC Business School in France.

Cold Chain Capital is already in advanced conversations with several potential acquisitions and welcomes new opportunities.

For more information: https://coldchaincapital.com.

Cold Chain Capital LLC, a Fayetteville, N.Y.-based private equity firm, announced its launch today. The company focuses on the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration industry ("HVACR").

Related link: https://coldchaincapital.com

Maxwell Advances Mortgage Experience with the Release of Maxwell ApplyID – The Next Generation Loan Application and Enrichment API

DENVER, Colo. /ScoopCloud/ -- Digital mortgage leader Maxwell today announced the release of Maxwell ApplyID(TM), its next generation mortgage loan application and data enrichment API. The new release will enable clients - from brokers to national mortgage lenders - to pre-populate loan application data and develop new customer intelligence capabilities.

The Maxwell ApplyID API unifies a consumer's data fragments from a host of sources into a structured loan application, enabling data-driven organizations to quickly build profiles of their customers. By collecting their consent and verifying the consumer's identity with their mobile carrier, Maxwell ApplyID gathers the borrower's information from its network of data providers to pre-populate fields in a loan application including personal information, employment history, income, real estate owned, financial assets and more. With this new API, clients receive a completed Fannie Mae 3.2 file with minimal input from a consumer.

Along with the release of the ApplyID API, Maxwell's next generation loan application is the first consumer-facing experience built on the API. This new experience enables lenders of all sizes to dramatically streamline the lengthy loan application process by leveraging the API's intelligent data-collecting technology. ApplyID completely transforms the loan application experience, shortening what was once an arduous form into a small number of simple questions.

"We are committed to looking for every opportunity to minimize the complexity and friction in the mortgage process," said Maxwell CEO John Paasonen. "Maxwell ApplyID accomplishes this by dramatically simplifying the application process, reducing the time it takes a borrower to begin a relationship with their lender. Furthermore, as an API, it fully enables data-driven organizations to optimize their businesses and processes in a new way."

Recently named a winner of HW's Tech 100 for the second straight year, on the heels of receiving Progress in Lending's Innovation Award, Maxwell leverages proprietary algorithms built on its network of data aggregated across loans to enable lenders to accelerate the mortgage lending process from application to underwriting. Today, hundreds of lenders across the United States use Maxwell to close loans more than 45 percent faster than the national average.

About Maxwell:

Maxwell empowers mortgage lenders to be more connected, productive and successful by intelligently automating their workflow with homebuyers and real estate agents. The platform is used by hundreds of mortgage lenders, banks and community lenders nationwide to serve their customers. Founded in 2015, Maxwell is a member of the Mortgage Bankers Association and The Mortgage Collaborative and is proud to be built in Denver, Colorado.

Connect with Maxwell:
- https://www.himaxwell.com
- https://www.facebook.com/maxwellHQ
- https://twitter.com/ilovemaxwell

Digital mortgage leader Maxwell today announced the release of Maxwell ApplyID(TM), its next generation mortgage loan application and data enrichment API. The new release will enable clients - from brokers to national mortgage lenders - to pre-populate loan application data and develop new customer intelligence capabilities.

Related link: https://himaxwell.com/

SafeChain to Integrate ALTA Registry into Its Real Estate Wire Fraud Prevention Platform SafeWire

COLUMBUS, Ohio /ScoopCloud/ -- SafeChain, the industry leader in wire fraud prevention software for land title, announced today that it will integrate the national ALTA Registry into its real estate wire fraud prevention platform SafeWire. Through the integration, mortgage lenders will be able to search the Registry and verify the identity of title insurance agents and settlement companies, providing an enhanced level of efficiency and security to the real estate transaction.

"The national ALTA Registry is a unique real estate utility created specifically for mortgage lenders," said Paul Martin, ALTA's Registry director. "We're pleased to offer this tool to SafeChain as it looks to deliver innovative products to its customers. The emergence of the ALTA Registry as an effective and easy to use source of data and information comes at the perfect time to help counter the alarming increase in wire fraud."

ALTA launched the ALTA Registry in 2017 as the first national database of title insurance agents and settlement companies. In addition to contact information and branch locations for agents and title companies, each ALTA Registry listing also includes a title agent or real estate attorney's unique seven-digit ALTA ID. As most real estate wire fraud schemes involve spoofing the identity of the title and/or settlement agent involved in transaction, the ability to verify the identity of these individuals using the ALTA ID and contact information contained within the ALTA Registry provides added assurance that lenders are interacting with legitimate parties to the transaction.

"With wire fraud on the rise, everyone in the real estate transaction - lenders included - must increase their level of vigilance to maintain the integrity of the process," said Tony Franco, SafeChain co-founder and CEO. "Integrating the ALTA Registry ALTA ID into SafeWire enhances the level of security we're able to provide to all parties, bringing us one step closer to completely eliminating fraud in the wire transfer process."

Learn more about the ALTA Registry by visiting https://www.altaidregistry.org/.

About ALTA:

The American Land Title Association, founded in 1907, is a national trade association representing more than 6,200 title insurance companies, title and settlement agents, independent abstracters, title searchers, and real estate attorneys. ALTA members conduct title searches, examinations, closings, and issue title insurance that protects real property owners and mortgage lenders against losses from defects in titles.

About SafeChain:

SafeChain makes real estate transactions safer and simpler. Built by real estate title experts in collaboration with banking technologists, SafeChain tackles the inefficiencies of the buying and selling process from the inside-out to help title companies, mortgage bankers and realtors decrease costs and deliver a better experience for customers. Leveraging the most advanced technologies, including blockchain, SafeChain increases the speed and security of closings to deliver faster transactions and better consumer confidence. For more information visit http://www.safechain.io.

SafeChain, the industry leader in wire fraud prevention software for land title, announced today that it will integrate the national ALTA Registry into its real estate wire fraud prevention platform SafeWire. Through the integration, mortgage lenders will be able to search the Registry and verify the identity of title insurance agents and settlement companies, providing an enhanced level of efficiency and security to the real estate transaction.

Related link: https://www.safechain.io/

SafeChain Honored as 2018 Seed Stage Company of the Year at VentureOhio Awards

COLUMBUS, Ohio /ScoopCloud/ -- SafeChain, the industry leader in wire fraud prevention software for land title, announced today that it was named 2018 Seed Stage Company of the Year by VentureOhio.

SafeChain was recognized for developing SafeWire, an innovative platform that implements a combination of identity verification and bank-grade authentication technology to verify ownership of accounts involved in a wire transaction, secure wire transfers and prevent wire fraud. In addition, SafeChain recently concluded the first blockchain backed real estate transaction in partnership with government. SafeChain continues to work the Auditor's Office in Franklin County, Ohio to move the jurisdiction's property records to a new platform fully backed by blockchain technology.

As a finalist among a highly competitive group of seed-stage company applicants, SafeChain was selected as the winner in its category by a panel of 22 expert judges and honored at the fifth annual Venture Dinner.

"The awards event brought together over 700 investors, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and elected officials to review the success of the Ohio entrepreneurial ecosystem and encourage statewide collaboration," said Falon Donohue, CEO of VentureOhio.

"It's an honor to be recognized as 2018 Seed Stage Company of the Year," said Tony Franco, CEO and co-founder of SafeChain. "Ohio is home to a thriving ecosystem of technical innovation and forward-thinking entrepreneurship, and we are proud to contribute to the growth of the state's business community by building out the next generation of real estate security and records systems backed by blockchain technology."

To view the winners of all of the VentureOhio Awards categories, visit https://ventureohio.org.

About VentureOhio:

VentureOhio is an Ohio non-profit which aims to improve access to capital and foster collaboration in the startup community. For more information visit https://ventureohio.org.

About SafeChain:

SafeChain makes real estate transactions safer and simpler. Built by real estate title experts in collaboration with banking technologists, SafeChain tackles the inefficiencies of the buying and selling process from the inside-out to help title companies, mortgage bankers and realtors decrease costs and deliver a better experience for customers.

Leveraging the most advanced technologies, including blockchain, SafeChain increases the speed and security of closings to deliver faster transactions and better consumer confidence. For more information visit http://www.safechain.io.

SafeChain, the industry leader in wire fraud prevention software for land title, announced today that it was named 2018 Seed Stage Company of the Year by VentureOhio.

Related link: https://www.safechain.io/

On Q Financial Selects LBA Ware’s CompenSafe to Improve Accuracy and Efficiency of Mortgage Loan Originator Commission Calculations

MACON, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- LBA Ware(TM), a leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lenders, today announced that Arizona-based On Q Financial has selected CompenSafe(TM) to manage the numerous compensation plans created for its team of loan originators (LOs) nationwide.

"We have approximately 200 mortgage consultants, and with all the slight nuances across multiple states and teams, even the slightest differentiation results in a unique set of calculations. That is insanely difficult to manage without some sort of automation," said Scott Frommert, CFO at On Q Financial. "LBA Ware tackled this complexity without problem or hesitation and was able to incorporate all the intricacies and nuances of our comp plans into CompenSafe. Any lender that's looking to scale and grow needs a tool like CompenSafe."

CompenSafe connects seamlessly with On Q Financial's loan origination system (LOS) to extract real-time loan pipeline data and automatically calculate compensation for On Q Financial's commission-based mortgage sales and production staff. This real-time tracking of LO commissions enables On Q Financial to reduce the time needed to reconcile the company's books each month, saving the independent mortgage lender dozens of hours each month and reducing the potential for commission calculation errors.

In addition, as a web-based platform, CompenSafe gives LOs and other commission-based staff the ability to see where they are trending from a commission standpoint at any given time. This provides mortgage sales and production staff with transparency into the commission calculation process, thus instilling greater confidence in the accuracy of those calculations.

"Our old process involved taking a screenshot of the spreadsheet we were using to track commissions and e-mailing it to staff for review and approval. In addition to the room for human error, it also required a lot of back-and-forth," Frommert said. "CompenSafe allows them to physically sign in, see their reports directly and drill into the data, which leverages technology to everyone's benefit. The experience for our staff is faster. It's obviously more accurate, and the report layout is much more professional and readable than a home-built spreadsheet report."

"Efficiency, accuracy and transparency should all be givens when it comes to LO compensation calculations, especially for a lender like On Q Financial that relies on its comp plan flexibility to attract and retain top talent. However, those goal are hard to achieve when using a manual solution like spreadsheets," said Lori Brewer, founder and CEO of LBA Ware. "With CompenSafe in place, those goals are all but guaranteed, enabling lenders like On Q Financial to re-direct internal resources to more pressing concerns, like managing expenses to reduce the overall cost-to-originate and driving sales staff performance to boost volume and profitability."

About On Q Financial:
On Q Financial's passion is to simplify the mortgage process to make the dream of home ownership a reality. The Dream is INCLUSIVE. There is nothing like the joy, comfort, and security that comes from owning a home and On Q takes great pride in knowing they helped over 10,000 families achieve the dream last year. As a top 50 mortgage lender with over 650 employees and 80 locations, On Q brings MORTGAGES SIMPLIFIED(TM) nationwide. With innovative technology, an inclusive platform, and cutting-edge services and products, On Q has all of the ingredients to make the home mortgage process simpler, faster, and stronger. For more information, visit https://onqfinancial.com.

On Q Financial, Inc., is an Equal Housing Lender (NMLS 5645).

About LBA Ware:
Founded in 2008, LBA Ware's mission is to inspire opportunity by delivering solutions that are essential to the way mortgage companies operate. We are a trusted partner and play a key role in our clients' success by enabling them to motivate, incentivize and better leverage the human potential within their organization. Our applications automate traditionally manual business processes for which an existing software solution does not exist, empowering lenders to create an integrated software environment that maximizes their productivity and operational efficiency. For more information about LBA Ware and their software solutions, visit https://lbaware.com.

LBA Ware(TM), a leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lenders, today announced that Arizona-based On Q Financial has selected CompenSafe(TM) to manage the numerous compensation plans created for its team of loan originators (LOs) nationwide.

Related link: https://lbaware.com/

MQMR: Mortgage Industry Margin Compression Calls for Fixed-Cost Approach to Compliance Support

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Quality Management and Research, LLC (MQMR) President Michael Steer today advised lenders to adopt a fixed-cost approach to compliance support in the face of margin compression and declining per-loan profits. By investing in a fixed-cost solution for compliance, lenders can better manage their monthly expenses while ensuring they remain compliant, thus avoiding potential financial penalties associated with non-compliance.

"When internal compliance resources aren't enough, lenders often engage in a one-off relationship with an attorney or other third-party advisory firm specializing in mortgage compliance to address a specific question or issue," Steer said. "Not only is this approach more costly, but it can also expose the lender to unanticipated risk due to the natural delay caused by getting the third-party firm up-to-speed once the contract has been signed. Engaging in a more long-term relationship provides better cost savings and ensures lenders have access to the compliance advice and support they need when they absolutely need it."

To this end, MQMR created its Monthly Compliance On Demand Support program to provide a more cost-effective solution for addressing lenders' ongoing compliance needs. For a flat monthly fee, lenders have discretionary access to MQMR's team of compliance experts to address any compliance questions or concerns.

In addition, MQMR can assist lenders with a range of other compliance needs, including:

* Guidance on federal, state and loan-level questions;
* Development and review of policies and procedures;
* Reviews of advertising and marketing materials, including websites;
* Creation of a Compliance Management System (CMS);
* State examination assistance;
* Advice on loan originator compensation; and
* Recommendations on overall best practices.

"When a lender has an urgent compliance question, their first thought should not be, 'How much is it going to cost me to get this answered?'" Steer noted. "Charging by the minute or the hour may work in some instances, but in today's challenging mortgage environment, lenders simply cannot afford to incur these types of unanticipated expenses. With the fixed-cost approach MQMR provides, lenders rest easy knowing compliance advice and support is only a phone call or email away and that they'll never have to question picking up the phone to get an answer. This is why so many of the nation's top lenders have partnered with MQMR to make it through these challenging times."

About Mortgage Quality Management and Research, LLC (MQMR):

MQMR bridges the gap between risk and compliance through its suite of risk-related services. Since its inception, MQMR has launched multiple products and services to assist lenders in navigating regulatory requirements, including providing mortgage compliance consulting throughout the origination process, conducting internal audit risk assessments and ongoing internal audit support, servicing QC and subservicing oversight to master servicers, and filling the void of meeting vendor management oversight requirements. With 2,000+ operational reviews of mortgage companies, subservicers, document custodians, and vendors annually, MQMR prides itself on being an industry leader in counterparty risk and compliance.

To learn more, visit http://www.mqmresearch.com/, https://subsequentqc.com/, and https://hqvendormanagement.com/.

Mortgage Quality Management and Research, LLC (MQMR) President Michael Steer today advised lenders to adopt a fixed-cost approach to compliance support in the face of margin compression and declining per-loan profits. By investing in a fixed-cost solution for compliance, lenders can better manage their monthly expenses while ensuring they remain compliant, thus avoiding potential financial penalties associated with non-compliance.

Related link: http://www.mqmresearch.com/

EPIC Acquires Alternative Asset Management Industry Specialist Vanbridge LLC

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- Vanbridge, LLC, a specialty insurance intermediary, program management, and risk advisory services business, and EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a unique and innovative national retail insurance brokerage and employee benefits consulting firm, announced today that EPIC has acquired the assets, employees and operations of Vanbridge.

Headquartered in New York, N.Y., Vanbridge 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.

EPIC is already the 9th largest privately owned insurance broker in the nation, before the addition of Vanbridge, which adds an additional 45 team members to the firm. EPIC has built a strong, positive reputation nationally for service excellence, innovation, community involvement, collaboration, and having fun - all in the interest of being a "people first" (clients and team members) organization.

Said Philip V. Moyles, Jr., Managing Principal & CEO of Vanbridge, "I am very pleased to be joining the EPIC organization. I believe that Vanbridge will be able to leverage the EPIC platform to expand its business on behalf of Alternative Asset Managers. I have known John Hahn and Pete Garvey for a long time and they understand what it takes to drive value for this clientele. I look forward to working with them and the EPIC team."

Upon joining EPIC, the business will operate as Vanbridge - an EPIC Company. Vanbridge's leadership team will play vital, active roles within the larger, integrated EPIC organization. Phil Moyles has been appointed Executive Vice President and will report to Peter Garvey, CEO of EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants. Moyles will also become a member of EPIC's Executive Committee. He will continue to lead the Vanbridge operations as a part of EPIC.

Said Garvey, "The team at Vanbridge has established their business as the innovative specialist serving the sophisticated needs of the alternative asset management industry. Having known Phil well for some time, I'm confident his strong relationships, depth of knowledge, and leadership, combined with our own expanding capabilities, will propel EPIC to a leadership position within this important segment."

Added John Hahn, CEO of EPIC Holdings, "Phil and his team have built a unique set of programs, products and services for an increasingly important segment of the financial services industry. I've spent the majority of my career in the wholesale sector - working with both property & casualty insurance products and Broker General Agency life insurance products - and fully understand how important it is to respect and serve all distribution channels. Given EPIC's range of offerings in our Specialty Programs and Products group, we offer Vanbridge and their partners the perfect fit for and support of their distribution model with retail brokers."

Cozen O'Connor, LLP, led by partners Martin Schrier and Jess Alexander, served as EPIC's legal advisor. John Kraska of Dowling Hales and Michael Hasbland of Drinker Biddle, represented Vanbridge in the transaction.

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. Information: https://www.vanbridge.com/.

In addition, as a life insurance, executive benefit and financial advisory wholesale distribution business, Vanbridge consults for advisors and agents around the country. Vanbridge serves the high net worth, family office, hedge fund, corporate, private equity, RIA, legal, accounting, broker dealer and insurance firms as an objective specialist providing sophisticated consulting services that create a strategic foundation for estate, personal, executive benefits, and business planning. This operation is headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla. Information: http://www.vbiservices.com/.

About EPIC:

EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property & casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence. EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally.

EPIC now has more than 1,400 team members operating from offices across the U.S., providing Property & Casualty insurance, Employee Benefits Consulting, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 30,000 clients.

With run rate revenues of more than $400 million, EPIC is now the 15th largest retail insurance broker in the United States. Backed by Oak Hill Capital Partners, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country. For additional information, please visit: https://www.epicbrokers.com/.

Vanbridge, LLC, a specialty insurance intermediary, program management, and risk advisory services business, and EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a unique and innovative national retail insurance brokerage and employee benefits consulting firm, announced today that EPIC has acquired the assets, employees and operations of Vanbridge.

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

San Diego Business Journal Honors Mortgage Capital Trading’s Natalie Arshakian with 2018 ‘Next Top Business Leaders Under 40’ Award

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced that the San Diego Business Journal (SDBJ) named its employee Natalie Arshakian to the 2018 'Next Top Business Leaders Under 40' list. The award program recognizes dynamic, young business leaders and role models who have significantly contributed to San Diego's business climate and the community.

Arshakian was promoted to her current role as Director of Lock Desk Operations at MCT in 2016, where she manages a team of 30 analysts to accommodate monthly lock volume upwards of $2 billion in residential mortgages distributed among 51 national clients.

Natalie first joined MCT` in 2012, being promoted multiple times from Analyst Trainee to Analyst, Senior Analyst, Supervisor, Manager, and now Division Director --- within just five and half years. She is well-versed in secondary marketing software, loan origination systems, product and pricing engines, and other third party applications. Notable is that the Lock Desk Division that Natalie operates has become the mortgage industry's largest outsourced lock desk service offering.

"I am honored to be named to this revered list and held in the same company with other San Diego-based businesspeople who are making a difference in their communities and at their organizations," stated Arshakian. "MCT has afforded me many unique opportunities to grow my skill sets and advance my career, and I am proud to be a part of the outstanding team supporting me to help expand the company and provide excellence in service to our clients."

Prior to MCT, Natalie worked as an Operations Supervisor of the Alternative Investments Division LPL Financial, the largest independent broker-dealer in the United States. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California Los Angeles and speaks two languages.

"Natalie is a key member of our management team and our Lock Desk Division would not be the dominant player in the mortgage industry without her contributions," stated Chris Anderson, Chief Administrative Officer at MCT. "Put simply, she is one of those rare people that you can task with a project and know that it will be fully completed and done with excellence --- every time. We are grateful to have her on our team and proud that she has been recognized by SDBJ with this prestigious award."

The winners were honored by SDBJ and the San Diego business community at a ceremony held on Tuesday, August 14, 2018 at the Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter. A complete list of the winners and their backgrounds can be found at http://www.sdbj.com/next40finalists.

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.

Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced that the San Diego Business Journal (SDBJ) named its employee Natalie Arshakian to the 2018 'Next Top Business Leaders Under 40' list. The award program recognizes dynamic, young business leaders and role models who have significantly contributed to San Diego's business climate and the community.

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