Category Archives: Finance

Subsequent QC’s Nick Corpuz Honored as 2018 HW Rising Star

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Quality Management and Research, LLC (MQMR), a leader in mortgage risk management and compliance services, today announced that Nicholas Corpuz, Vice President of MQMR servicing-focused sister firm Subsequent QC (SQC), has been honored by HousingWire magazine as a 2018 Rising Star. Corpuz was profiled in the June issue of HousingWire.

"This year's Rising Stars list represents the only independent award for young professionals in the mortgage space," said Jacob Gaffney, editor-in-chief of HousingWire. "It's a comprehensive snapshot of who's who in our business and the most impressive list to date."

"Since joining SQC four years ago, Nicholas has played a critical role helping our clients manage their servicing risk through the development of our servicing QC platform de novo and the execution of our servicer and sub-servicer reviews," said SQC President Michael Steer. "We're very proud to have Nicholas on our team and congratulate him for being honored as a HousingWire Rising Star."

Now 12 years into his mortgage career, Corpuz has developed a reputation as a subject matter expert in loan quality control and specializes in servicing compliance applications of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) regulatory oversight and federal lending industry legislation including the Truth In Lending Act (TILA), Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Fair Lending Act and Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). He is a graduate of the California Mortgage Bankers Association (CMBA) Future Leaders Program and a frequent panelist at mortgage banking conferences.

When asked by the publication what the best piece of advice he ever received is, Corpuz responded, "My mother, Carla Corpuz, was an underwriter for Fannie Mae. Early on in her career, her advice to me was, 'Stick with it.'"

The HousingWire Rising Stars award program is now in its fifth year of recognizing mortgage professionals under the age of 40 who are demonstrated leaders shaping the future of the industry. Awardees come from all areas in the housing economy and are selected by the editors of HousingWire for exerting influence in their areas of expertise and contributing to the advancement of the mortgage industry.

"This year's class of Rising Stars represents the best in young leadership within the mortgage finance arena," said Caroline Basile, HousingWire's Online Editor and member of the selection committee. "I'm impressed by the achievements of this year's winners and look forward to seeing what each of them accomplishes in the mortgage and housing finance economy in the future."

To view the complete list of 2018 HW Rising Stars, see the June issue of HousingWire or visit https://www.housingwire.com/articles/43468-housingwires-class-of-2018-rising-stars.

About HousingWire:

HousingWire is the nation's most influential source of news and information for U.S. mortgage markets, boasting a readership that spans lending, servicing, investments and real estate market participants as well as financial market professionals.

Winner of numerous awards, including a 2012 Eddie Award for national editorial excellence in the B-to-B Banking/Business/Finance, HousingWire has been recognized for excellence in journalism by the Society of Business Editors and Writers, the American Society of Business Press Editors, the National Association of Real Estate Editors, and Trade Association Business Publications International.

About Subsequent QC, LLC (SQC):

SQC is a premier provider of servicing quality control (QC) and subservicer oversight audit solutions for mortgage lenders and servicers. With extensive experience in servicing QC and servicing operational due diligence, SQC is the partner of choice for bridging the gap between servicing compliance and risk.

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/, http://subsequentqc.com/, and http://hqvendormanagement.com/.

Mortgage Quality Management and Research, LLC (MQMR), a leader in mortgage risk management and compliance services, today announced that Nicholas Corpuz, Vice President of MQMR servicing-focused sister firm Subsequent QC (SQC), has been honored by HousingWire magazine as a 2018 Rising Star. Corpuz was profiled in the June 2018 issue of HousingWire.

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

Rose Nordbrock, Jeff Breskin, Pabla Barros and Jose Fuentes Join EPIC Insurance in Southern California

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants announced today that risk management and insurance professionals Rose Nordbrock, Jeff Breskin, Pabla Barros and Jose Fuentes have joined the firm's operations in Southern California.

Nordbrock joins EPIC as Principal and Practice Group Leader; Breskin as Vice President in his specialty of workers' compensation; Barros as Vice President and Account Executive; and Fuentes as Senior Account Manager.

The practice group will be based in EPIC's Downtown Los Angeles office and report to Jim Gillette, President of EPIC's Pacific South Region.

Nordbrock, Breskin, Barros and Fuentes will be responsible for the design, placement and management of property/casualty and workers' compensation insurance programs, and providing risk management strategies and solutions for mid-market and large clients across a range of industries.

All join EPIC from the Los Angeles office of Crystal & Company (recently acquired by Alliant Insurance Services).

Nordbrock has over 30 years' experience in risk management and insurance, specializing in risk management solutions for high-risk clients. She began her insurance career as an insurance company underwriter before moving to the brokerage/consulting side of the business.

"We are excited to further expand and enhance EPIC's operations in the greater Los Angeles area with the additions or Rose, Jeff, Pabla and Jose," said Jim Gillette. "All are highly skilled experts respected in their field for building strong, positive relationships and providing exceptional service to their clients. We look forward to their important contributions as we continue to expand and strengthen our exceptional EPIC team in Southern California and across the country."

Rose Nordbrock can be reached at rose.nordbrock@epicbrokers.com or 213-629-8934.

Jeff Breskin can be reached at jeff.breskin@epicbrokers.com or 213-629-8935.

Pabla Barros can be reached at pabla.barros@epicbrokers.com or 213-629-8936.

Jose Fuentes can be reached at jose.fuentes@epicbrokers.com or 213-629-8937.

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. Persons interested in pursuing employment opportunities at EPIC in Southern California should contact EPIC's Western Region Director of Human Resources Monte Hill at 415 356-3996 or monte.hill@epicbrokers.com.

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.

More information: https://www.epicbrokers.com/.

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants (EPIC) announced today that risk management and insurance professionals Rose Nordbrock, Jeff Breskin, Pabla Barros and Jose Fuentes have joined the firm's operations in Southern California.

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

ARMCO Enhances Automation and Analysis in ACES Audit Technology

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- ACES Risk Management (ARMCO), the leading provider of enterprise financial risk mitigation software solutions, has announced several product enhancements that improve the mortgage quality control (QC) process for lenders and servicers using its auditing platform ACES Audit Technology(TM).

The two principal enhancements of this upgrade include identification of exception root causes and expanded auto-response capabilities for ACES. These functions use automation to significantly reduce the number of skilled labor hours it takes to achieve quality goals and identify areas that would benefit from proactive corrective actions.

"Identifying root causes of defects is critical to an effective mortgage QC process because it enables lenders to move from reactive corrections to proactive policy creation," said Phil McCall, president of ARMCO. "By automatically identifying root causes, ACES saves lenders months of reactive risk management, as well as the hours and hours of manual analysis it would normally take to identify the root cause."

ACES' enhanced auto-response capabilities automatically generate answers to questions and scenarios that trigger loan defects. Utilizing the multitude of data points within the ACES platform, ACES automatically conducts field-to-field comparisons of relevant loan data and can perform complex math equations, as is needed in cases involving loan eligibility and regulatory compliance. The ACES technology systematically determines the proper answer to the scenarios in question. This not only saves time, but also increases accuracy and consistency in the loan review process.

Among the numerous additional improvements are expanded ability to change exceptions settings in bulk, automated loan selection for internal audits, and expanded business day calculation features.

"Automation and analytics will play increasingly greater roles in the mortgage QC process, and as with this upgrade, ARMCO will be leading the way in bringing these advances to the mortgage industry," said Phil McCall, president of ARMCO. "Our clients rely on us to assure the highest quality through the greatest process efficiency. Our regular enhancements reinforce our dedication to reducing risk in the mortgage process by leveraging technology."

About ARMCO:

ARMCO - ACES Risk Management delivers web-based enterprise financial risk mitigation software solutions, as well as powerful data and analytics, to the nation's top mortgage lenders, servicers, investors and outsourcing professionals. A trusted partner devoted to client relationships, ARMCO offers best-in-class quality control and compliance software that provides U.S. banks, mortgage companies and service providers the technology and data needed to support loan integrity, meet regulatory requirements, reduce risk and drive positive business decisions.

ARMCO's flagship product, ACES Audit Technology(TM), is available at any point in the mortgage loan lifecycle, to any size lender, and is user-definable. ACES standardizes audit requirements, ties pre-funding reviews to post-closing quality control audits, enables seamless trend analysis, identifies credit, compliance and process deficiencies and helps create manageable action plans.

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

ACES Risk Management (ARMCO), the leading provider of enterprise financial risk mitigation software solutions, has announced several product enhancements that improve the mortgage quality control (QC) process for lenders and servicers using its auditing platform ACES Audit Technology(TM).

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

EPIC Insurance’s Marketing, Communications and Design Team Wins Three 2018 Communicator Awards

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants ("EPIC"), a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that the firm's Marketing, Communications and Design team was honored by the 24th Annual Communicator Awards with an "Award of Excellence" and two "Awards of Distinction." The Communicator Awards are an international awards program recognizing big ideas in marketing and communications.

"We are proud to be recognized for a third consecutive year for our team's commitment to creating content that effectively communicates EPIC's values internally, to our clients, and to the larger marketplace," said Dave Hock, senior vice president of marketing and communications at EPIC. "This recognition validates the hard work and dedication of our team, led by VP of Marketing & Communications Meg Sneddon and Creative Services Director Nancy Phun, who consistently deliver creative, visually stunning, impactful communications."

EPICness the Magazine, Vol. 5 - 10 Year Anniversary Edition, an internal semi-annual news magazine, was selected for the Award of Excellence, the highest honor, in the Design Features - Overall Design category as well as the Award of Distinction in the Magazine - Special Edition category. EPIC's Wellness Calendar, a resource for providing health and wellness tips throughout the year, was selected for the Award of Distinction in the Collateral - Calendar category.

The Award of Excellence, the highest honor, is given to those entrants whose ability to communicate positions them as the best in the field. The Award of Distinction is presented for projects that exceed industry standards in quality and achievement.

Winners were hand-selected by the AIVA (Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts), an invitation-only group consisting of top-tier professionals from acclaimed media, communications, advertising, creative and marketing firms.

See the full list of winners of the 24th Annual Communicator Awards here: https://www.communicatorawards.com/winners/

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/.

*Web Photo Caption: EPIC MarCom Team (L-R) - Meg Sneddon, Robyn Torre and Nancy Phun.

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants (EPIC), a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that the firm's Marketing, Communications and Design team was honored by the 24th Annual Communicator Awards with an "Award of Excellence" and two "Awards of Distinction." The Communicator Awards are an international awards program recognizing big ideas in marketing and communications.

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

DocMagic Employees Join Together to Support Fourth Annual U.S. Red Nose Day Fundraising Campaign

TORRANCE, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- DocMagic, Inc., the premier provider of fully-compliant loan document preparation, regulatory compliance and comprehensive eMortgage services, announced that on Thursday, May 24, the entire company participated in Red Nose Day - an effort to help end child poverty both in the U.S. and in some of the poorest communities in the world. Red Noses can still be purchased from Walgreens retail outlets through June 2, 2018 in support of the fundraising campaign.

Red Nose Day is a fundraising campaign run by the non-profit organization Comic Relief Inc., a registered U.S. 501(c)(3) public charity. In 2015, Red Nose Day officially launched in the U.S. with a mission to bring people together to have fun, raise money, create awareness and help change the lives of children living in poverty. Globally, the event has raised over $1 billion since its launch in the U.K. in 1988.

"We want to continually give back to our community and those in need, and celebrating Red Nose Day is a very fun and novel way to do it while helping impoverished children," stated Dominic Iannitti, president and CEO of DocMagic. "Our employees were excited to participate and had a blast doing it. We even had some of our staff at a mortgage banking conference in New York wearing red noses in our booth on the trade show floor, helping spread the word."

Pictures of DocMagic employees supporting Red Nose Day can be found on the company's Facebook page and a video can be found on YouTube.

The official event was televised by NBC on Thursday, May 24 at 7:00 p.m. PDT. A number of different celebrities and comedians showed to support Red Nose Day, which included Julia Roberts, Jack Black, Jennifer Garner, Kelly Clarkson, Ben Stiller, Sarah Silverman and Marlon Wayans, to name a few.

DocMagic also participates in other charitable events and community service activities throughout the year. The company has delivered thousands of its 'Sergeant Doc' themed bunnies to the children of military service members. Plans are currently underway for additional giveaways to various charities and causes this summer.

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 https://www.docmagic.com/.

DocMagic Social Media:
Facebook pictures of Red Nose Day at DocMagic: https://www.facebook.com/pg/docmagicinc/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10156299367749898

Twitter: @DocMagic

Hashtags: #RedNoseDay2018 #RedNoseDay2018 #RedNoseDayNBC #walgreens #docmagic @RedNoseDayUSA

About Red Nose Day:
Red Nose Day is a fundraising campaign run by the non-profit organization Comic Relief Inc., a registered U.S. 501(c)(3) public charity. Red Nose Day started in the U.K., built on the foundation that the power of entertainment can drive positive change, and has raised over $1 billion globally since the campaign's founding in 1988. Red Nose Day launched in the U.S. in 2015 with a mission to raise money and awareness to end child poverty, and has raised over $95 million to date for the cause. Money raised goes to the Red Nose Day Fund, which supports programs that keep children in need safe, healthy and educated, both in America and abroad.

Beneficiaries include the Boys & Girls Clubs of America; charity: water; Children's Health Fund; Covenant House; Feeding America; Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; Laureus Sport for Good; National Council of La Raza; Oxfam America; Rotary/End Polio Now; Save the Children; and The Global Fund. Since launching in the U.S., Red Nose Day has received generous support from millions of Americans, hundreds of celebrities and many outstanding partners, including Walgreens, NBC, Mars, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. For more information, visit the Red Nose Day website at www.rednoseday.org. Follow @RedNoseDayUSA on Twitter and Instagram, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RedNoseDayUSA.

Video of Red Nose Day at DocMagic (YouTube):
https://youtu.be/D9epRV9vk2Y

DocMagic, Inc., the premier provider of fully-compliant loan document preparation, regulatory compliance and comprehensive eMortgage services, announced that on Thursday, May 24, the entire company participated in Red Nose Day - an effort to help end child poverty both in the U.S. and in some of the poorest communities in the world.

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

Cloudvirga Named a 2018 Benzinga FinTech Award

IRVINE, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Cloudvirga(TM), a leading provider of digital mortgage point-of-sale (POS) software whose enterprise technology is powered by the intelligent Mortgage Platform(R), was honored as one of the world's top fintech firms at last week's Benzinga Global Fintech Awards.

After advancing to the competition's final round in April, Cloudvirga was one of just three companies recognized in the "Best Digital Mortgage Solution" category during the awards ceremony on May 15 in New York. The following morning, Cloudvirga announced it had completed a $50-million Series C funding round led by private-equity firm Riverwood Capital.

Founded in 2015, the Benzinga Global Fintech Awards recognizes leading innovators in finance and fintech. Hundreds of companies vied for recognition in nearly 30 categories this year.

"Cloudvirga is proud to be recognized as a global leader in digital mortgage solutions," said Cloudvirga CEO Michael Schreck. "Our intelligent Mortgage Platform combines decades of real-world mortgage experience with the latest innovations in process automation, data science and machine learning to produce a world-class borrower experience while radically reducing the cost of lending for mortgage companies. We're redefining what the digital mortgage experience means for consumers, loan officers and back-office teams."

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. Founded 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.

@Cloudvirga @BZAwards #BZawards #fintech

Cloudvirga(TM), a leading provider of digital mortgage point-of-sale (POS) software whose enterprise technology is powered by the intelligent Mortgage Platform(R), was honored as one of the world's top fintech firms at last week's Benzinga Global Fintech Awards.

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

Simplifile Re-Teams with the Arbor Day Foundation to Honor Earth Month

PROVO, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents, and counties, today announced it once again partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to celebrate Arbor Day 2018 and April's Earth Month. This year, Simplifile planted 2,275 trees in the Mississippi River Valley, a location the Arbor Day Foundation has identified as the "area of greatest need," and donated $1 per tree planted to the Arbor Day Foundation.

2018 marks the third year Simplifile has partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation, planting a total of 5,575 trees in our nation's forests since 2014.

"Giving back is an intrinsic part of Simplifile's core values, which is why we founded Simplifile Cares in 2015," said Simplifile President Paul Clifford. "Being able to bring our employees together to support the Arbor Day Foundation and other worthy causes makes our other corporate efforts that much more worthwhile, and we're honored to once again contribute to the restoration of America's forests and landscapes."

"We are thankful for Simplifile's partnership and their tree planting efforts," said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. "Because of their commitment forests and the lives they impact have been changed for the better."

In addition to Simplifile, more than 300 corporations and communities joined the Arbor Day Foundation to commemorate this year's Arbor Day and Earth Month. April 27 marked the 146th observance of Arbor Day and capped off April's month-long Earth Month celebration of environmental education and conservation.

For more information or to get involved in next year's festivities, visit: https://www.celebratearborday.com/.

About the Arbor Day Foundation:

Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with more than one million members, supporters and valued partners. Since 1972, more than 300 million Arbor Day Foundation trees have been planted in neighborhoods, communities, cities and forests throughout the world. Our vision is to help others understand and use trees as a solution to many of the global issues we face today, including air quality, water quality, climate change, deforestation, poverty and hunger.

As one of the world's largest operating conservation foundations, the Arbor Day Foundation, through its members, partners and programs, educates and engages stakeholders and communities across the globe to involve themselves in its mission of planting, nurturing and celebrating trees.

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 it once again partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to celebrate Arbor Day 2018 and April's Earth Month.

Related link: https://simplifile.com/

Guaranteed Rate Partners with DocMagic to Cut Closing Time

TORRANCE, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- DocMagic, Inc., the premier provider of fully-compliant loan document preparation, regulatory compliance and comprehensive eMortgage services, announced that retail mortgage lender Guaranteed Rate can now cut closing time by electronically signing mortgage closing documents in advance.

Guaranteed Rate has branded the solution FlashClose, which allows customers to opt-in, review and complete most documents in advance of the notary arriving, saving an hour or more at the closing table - with some averaging a mere 10-minute appointment to provide inked signatures.

"Guaranteed Rate is always looking for ways to simplify the process using innovative technology to enhance the customer experience," says Jim Hettinger, executive vice president of operations for Guaranteed Rate. "With the successful launch of FlashClose, powered through our partner DocMagic, this tool adds speed, convenience and accuracy to the closing process."

"Guaranteed Rate is a leader in mortgage technology innovation and collaborating with them on this project has created a solid hybrid eClosing approach that saves a lot of time for both borrowers and closing agents," stated Dominic Iannitti, president and CEO at DocMagic. "The fashion in which Guaranteed Rate is leveraging our technology has resulted in the successful adoption of a sound, compliant, secure hybrid eClosing that is unique to their retail lending business strategy."

Of note is that DocMagic offers a comprehensive eClosing solution called Total eClose(TM) that delivers fully paperless closings from start to finish. DocMagic's proprietary eSign platform is a component of Total eClose and can be accessed and implemented by lenders to help automate the closing process.

For more information about FlashClose, visit https://www.guaranteedrate.com/flashclose.

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 https://www.docmagic.com/.

About Guaranteed Rate:

Guaranteed Rate is one of the largest retail mortgage lenders in the United States. Headquartered in Chicago, the company has approximately 210 offices across the U.S. and Washington, D.C., and is licensed in all 50 states. Since its founding in 2000, Guaranteed Rate has helped hundreds of thousands of homeowners with home purchase loans and refinances and funded nearly $19 billion in loans in 2017 alone. The company has become the Home Purchase Experts(R) by introducing the world's first Digital Mortgage technology and offering low rate, low fee mortgages through an easy-to-understand process and unparalleled customer service. Guaranteed Rate won an American Business Award for its Digital Mortgage technology in 2016, ranked No. 1 in Scotsman Guide's Top Mortgage Lenders 2016, was chosen as Top Lender 2016 and 2017 by Chicago Agent magazine, made the Chicago Tribune's Top Workplaces list seven of the past eight years, and was named Best Overall Online Lender and Best Lender for FHA Refinance by NerdWallet in 2018. Visit https://www.guaranteedrate.com/ for more information.

DocMagic, Inc., the premier provider of fully-compliant loan document preparation, regulatory compliance and comprehensive eMortgage services, announced that retail mortgage lender Guaranteed Rate can now cut closing time by electronically signing mortgage closing documents in advance.

Bank of Southern California NA Hires Market Executive to Grow the Bank’s Presence in Los Angeles

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 Gaylin Anderson has joined the company as Executive Vice President, Market Executive in Southern California. He will be responsible for leading Bank of Southern California's regional presence by actively seeking new business opportunities while expanding upon current relationships.

This marks an important step in the Bank's expansion into the Los Angeles region and further demonstrates its commitment to the Southern California business community.

Mr. Anderson is a high-performing executive that brings extensive market expertise, with more than 30 years' experience in the banking industry. Prior to joining Bank of Southern California, he served as the Executive Vice President, Managing Director of Community Banking at Banc of California and was responsible for growing the Bank's footprint and portfolio.

Mr. Anderson attended the University of Utah. Active in the community, he served in a leadership role with Junior Achievement of San Diego and is involved with several local philanthropic organizations including LATM and Habitat for Humanity.

"I am pleased to welcome Gaylin to Bank of Southern California's executive leadership group. Gaylin is an accomplished and well-respected leader bringing advanced industry expertise to further support our ongoing expansion of the Bank's footprint," said Nathan Rogge, President & CEO. "Gaylin will play a key role in growing our brand and presence in Los Angeles," concluded Rogge.

About Bank of Southern California:

A growing community bank, established in 2001, Bank of Southern California, N.A., with headquarters in San Diego, CA, 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 seven branches in San Diego and the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, and a production office in Orange County.

For more information, please visit https://www.banksocal.com/ or call 858.847.4780.

Ticker: 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 Gaylin Anderson has joined the company as Executive Vice President, Market Executive in Southern California. He will be responsible for leading Bank of Southern California's regional presence by actively seeking new business opportunities while expanding upon current relationships.

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

NotaryCam Honors U.S. Military Veterans and Service Members with Complimentary Notarizations During Memorial Day Holiday

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- NotaryCam, Inc. (NotaryCam) today announced the return of its annual "Help a Hero" initiative. This Memorial Day weekend from Friday, May 25, through Monday, May 28, NotaryCam will honor those who have served by offering no-cost online notarization sessions to United States military veterans and service members.

NotaryCam allows businesses and individuals to legally notarize, sign and execute documents and agreements online. Parties from anywhere in the world can connect to a live notary public in a secure virtual signing room. Identities and e-signatures are verified in a face-to-face web interaction, enabling parties to e-close real estate and mortgage transactions and notarize deeds, powers of attorneys, health directives and more.

"This marks the sixth year NotaryCam has helped our heroes, who are deployed all over the world protecting our freedom," said NotaryCam founder Rick Triola. "We're proud to once again offer veterans and service members a small token of our appreciation by providing the convenience, flexibility and time savings of online notarization at no charge this Memorial Day weekend."

"For the many men and women who need to conduct family business but find it difficult to travel to a notary - whether because of a past injury or a current deployment - NotaryCam has you covered," Triola added.

"Being deployed and needing to take care of legal documents back home can be a big hassle without the right support here," said a United States Army Field Service Representative in a testimonial submitted to NotaryCam's website. "NotaryCam is an ingenious idea that has helped save stress and time."

Current United States military service members and veterans who wish to take advantage of this offer need only notify their notary and present a valid military or Veterans ID card during the promotion. For more information, please visit https://www.notarycam.com/.

About NotaryCam, Inc.:

NotaryCam is a pioneer and leader in remote notarization and identity verification solutions. NotaryCam's enterprise-grade platform has helped thousands of companies and individuals get documents notarized online from anywhere in the world, at any time, by a network of certified, licensed notaries. NotaryCam's technology provides the highest level of identity verification, security and fraud prevention as well as unmatched customer convenience.

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

NotaryCam, Inc. (NotaryCam) today announced the return of its annual "Help a Hero" initiative. This Memorial Day weekend from Friday, May 25, through Monday, May 28, NotaryCam will honor those who have served by offering no-cost online notarization sessions to United States military veterans and service members.

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

Mortgage QC Executive Jeremy Burcham to Lead Sales Efforts for TRK Connection’s Insight RDM Platform

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- TRK Connection (TRK), a leading provider of mortgage quality control and origination management solutions, announced today that it has hired Jeremy Burcham as Executive Vice President of Sales. Burcham will leverage his 10+ years of experience in mortgage quality control (QC), compliance, credit policy, due diligence and technology to refine TRK's sales and marketing strategy for its suite of solutions, including its flagship mortgage QC audit platform Insight Risk & Defect Management (RDM).

His responsibilities include conducting market research/analysis and the development and testing of new products, as well as driving pipeline and new client growth while retaining and expanding TRK's existing customer relationships.

"TRK is at the forefront of innovation in mortgage QC software, and I can think of no better person to help pilot the next stage of TRK's growth than Jeremy Burcham," said Teri Sundh, CEO of TRK Connection. "With Jeremy on board, 2018 should prove to be a banner year for both TRK and Insight, and I look forward to seeing the results we know he can deliver."

Prior to joining TRK, Burcham served as Chief Strategy Officer and, most recently President of The Compliance Group, where he was responsible for driving the firm's recent growth. Additionally, Burcham has held executive-level roles at ACES Risk Management Corp. (ARMCO), Interthinx and American Home Mortgage.

"As a former client, I can say without a doubt that Insight RDM is the premier QC audit platform in the mortgage industry today. There's nothing out there that even comes close," Burcham said. "With margins compressing across the board, now is the time for lenders to invest in technology that will help them improve loan quality while reducing their expenses, and I look forward to helping lenders make the switch to a more sophisticated solution to drive efficiency in their QC operations."

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 (TRK), a leading provider of mortgage quality control and origination management solutions, announced today that it has hired Jeremy Burcham as Executive Vice President of Sales. Burcham will leverage his 10+ years of experience in mortgage quality control (QC), compliance, credit policy, due diligence and technology to refine TRK's sales and marketing strategy for its suite of solutions, including its flagship mortgage QC audit platform Insight Risk & Defect Management (RDM).

Related link: http://trkconnection.com/

Mortgage E-closing Pioneer Mountain America Credit Union Implements Simplifile’s Collaboration and Post Closing Services

PROVO, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents, and counties, today announced that Mountain America Credit Union has implemented Simplifile Collaboration and Post Closing services to enhance the closing experience for its members.

"Mountain America has been an early and vocal advocate of e-closings and e-mortgages," said Mountain America Vice President of Mortgage Services Amy Moser. "Like all of our efforts to stay at the forefront of mortgage technology, our partnership with Simplifile is motivated by the desire to fulfill our mission of providing Mountain America members with an exceptionally efficient, transparent, and customer-friendly experience."

Mountain America's implementation of Simplifile Collaboration and Post Closing services will furnish the credit union with a designated digital space for transparent collaboration with closing partners, enabling the seamless exchange of documents and payment of fees. Simplifile services operate in real-time, instantly notifying closing parties of any changes made to the loan file and allowing them to respond to updates.

"Simplifile Collaboration has facilitated a smoother closing experience for our members by reducing the tiresome back-and-forth between Mountain America and our settlement partners, and with Simplifile Post Closing added to the process, we're able to achieve that same ease of collaboration all the way through post-closing," added Moser. "Our post-closing department used to spend tremendous amounts of time reconciling fee data we received from our settlement agents against our paper records to balance transactions, and Simplifile Post Closing now does that for us automatically."

"Mortgage lenders who are truly focused on customer satisfaction recognize that the borrower experience extends beyond the walls of the lending office during the closing process," said Simplifile President Paul Clifford. "While lenders cannot control the processes of settlement agents and county recorders, they can facilitate open communication, process transparency, and collaborative management in the closing process to the mutual benefit of all involved parties with Simplifile Collaboration and Post Closing."

About Mountain America Credit Union

With more than 750,000 members and $7.5 billion in assets, Mountain America Credit Union assists members on the right path to help them identify and achieve their financial dreams. Mountain America provides consumers and businesses with a variety of convenient, flexible products and services, as well as sound, timely advice. Members enjoy access to secure, cutting-edge mobile banking technology, 89 branches across five states, thousands of shared-branching locations nationwide and more than 50,000 surcharge-free ATMs. Mountain America - safely guiding you forward along your financial journey. Learn more at https://www.macu.com/.

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 Mountain America Credit Union has implemented Simplifile Collaboration and Post Closing services to enhance the closing experience for its members.

Related link: https://simplifile.com/

Cloudvirga Raises $50M to Deliver a Truly Digital Mortgage Experience

IRVINE, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Cloudvirga(TM), a leading provider of digital mortgage point-of-sale (POS) software whose enterprise technology is powered by the intelligent Mortgage Platform(R), today announced the closing of a $50-million Series C funding round led by private-equity firm Riverwood Capital (Riverwood) with ongoing participation from Upfront Ventures.

The new funding will support Cloudvirga's mission to help lenders reduce record-high loan production costs via automation and empower borrowers with greater transparency and engagement in the mortgage transaction.

"We believe the material opportunity in the $1.6 trillion U.S. mortgage market lies in digitizing and automating not just the loan application, but the mortgage factory," said Cloudvirga CEO Michael Schreck. "Our industry's current 'shiny object syndrome' has resulted in a preoccupation with the digital application. Instead, Cloudvirga's technology uniquely tackles the mortgage cost problem, which has helped us garner tremendous interest from many of the country's top private-equity funds."

Schreck added, "Ultimately, we found our ideal capital partner in Riverwood Capital, whose unique experience supporting rapidly growing fintech firms from both Silicon Valley and New York is a perfect fit for Cloudvirga. We are also grateful for Upfront Ventures' ongoing confidence in our company."

"The mortgage market is one of the largest in the country, yet innovators are still nibbling on the edges of mortgage automation," said Riverwood executives Scott Ransenberg and Jay Schneider. "Cloudvirga has the right fusion of mortgage and technology DNA to transform the way lenders do business. Cloudvirga's blue chip customer base, which includes many of the largest and most sophisticated mortgage lenders in the country, is a testament to their unique end-to-end solution." With this funding, both Schneider and Ransenberg will join Cloudvirga's board of directors.

Cloudvirga had previously raised over $27 million, including a nearly $20 million Series B led by Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) portfolio company Incenter and a $7.5 million Series A led by Upfront Ventures, Tribeca Angels and Dallas Capital. Cloudvirga's total investment support now exceeds $77 million. DCS Advisory LLC acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Cloudvirga in connection with the current transaction.

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. Founded 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.

About Riverwood:

Riverwood Capital is a private equity firm that invests in high growth middle-market technology companies. Riverwood offers a unique combination of operational, strategic, technology, and financial insight to portfolio companies. The firm partners with established businesses with a proven technology and business model, and the proper fit in terms of culture and values, in both minority and control situations. Riverwood has offices in Menlo Park; New York; and Sao Paulo, Brazil. For more information, please visit https://www.riverwoodcapital.com.

Twitter: @Cloudvirga #fintech #funding

REF: - Ticker: NY:BX : NYSE:BX

Cloudvirga, a leading provider of digital mortgage point-of-sale (POS) software whose enterprise technology is powered by the intelligent Mortgage Platform, today announced the closing of a $50-million Series C funding round led by private-equity firm Riverwood Capital (Riverwood) with ongoing participation from Upfront Ventures.

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

ARMCO Integrates with BankVOD, Enabling Seamless Transfer of Bank Data

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- ACES Risk Management (ARMCO), the leading provider of enterprise financial risk mitigation software solutions, announced an integration with BankVOD, the company that pioneered the electronic risk interface for asset verifications. This integration, which provides a direct, seamless connection between ARMCO's ACES Audit Technology(TM) and BankVOD's Verification Hub(TM), enables ARMCO clients the ability to order Asset Verifications, 4506-T, Employment and Occupancy and Liens & Judgments on a batch or flow basis, and receive the data via a secure electronic transfer directly into their ACES instance.

BankVOD is the exclusive provider of bank statement verifications for 18 of the country's top 50 banks. Prior to this integration, organizations were required to leave their QC software system, then order and receive IRS tax transcripts and bank verifications from BankVOD's secure web-based portal. In addition, they were not able to order IRS transcripts or verifications on a bulk basis.

"This integration doesn't merely make the verification process faster, it also makes it more consistent and secure, which are two big factors in achieving quality," said Phil McCall, president of ARMCO. "At ARMCO, we feel lenders should never have to choose between quality and time or resources. That's why we are constantly pursuing ways, like this integration, to make quality faster, easier and more accessible to achieve for lenders of all sizes."

"Industry leading companies like ARMCO always appreciate our unflinching commitment to providing the most secure way that files are exchanged and data is handled," said Tim Portley, co-founder and managing partner of BankVOD. "We're pleased to partner with ARMCO to offer lenders an even faster and more efficient way to verify bank data, and we're elated to discover new ways to make the user experience the best it can possibly be."

About ARMCO:

ARMCO - ACES Risk Management delivers web-based audit technology solutions, as well as powerful data and analytics, to the nation's top mortgage lenders, servicers, investors and outsourcing professionals. A trusted partner devoted to client relationships, ARMCO offers best-in-class quality control and compliance software that provides U.S. banks, mortgage companies and service providers the technology and data needed to support loan integrity, meet regulatory requirements, reduce risk and drive positive business decisions.

ARMCO's flagship product, ACES Audit Technology(TM), is available at any point in the mortgage loan lifecycle, to any size lender, and is user-definable. ACES standardizes audit requirements, ties pre-funding reviews to post-closing quality control audits, enables seamless trend analysis, identifies credit, compliance and process deficiencies and helps create manageable action plans.

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

ACES Risk Management (ARMCO), the leading provider of enterprise financial risk mitigation software solutions, announced an integration with BankVOD, the company that pioneered the electronic risk interface for asset verifications. This integration, which provides a direct, seamless connection between ARMCO's ACES Audit Technology and BankVOD's Verification Hub.

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

EPIC Insurance Adds Diane Montelione to Financial Risk Practice in New York

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants announced today that financial and professional risk management and insurance veteran Diane Montelione has joined the firm's Financial Risk Practice as a senior vice president. She will be based in New York and report to managing principal and Financial Risk Practice Leader, Michael Klaschka.

Montelione's primary responsibilities will include providing risk management advisory and insurance brokerage services to a complex book of financial services and commercial clients, with a particular emphasis on directors & officers, errors & omissions, fiduciary, and cyber liability, as well as fidelity bonds.

Prior to joining EPIC, Montelione was a senior vice president at Marsh, Inc. where she served for nearly 30 years as a management liability insurance broker with extensive experience in both U.S. and international markets. In this role, Montelione designed and implemented strategically aligned risk management and insurance solutions for a wide range of domestic and international organizations.

"We are excited to further expand and enhance EPIC's Financial Risk Practice with Diane's addition," said Klaschka. "She is highly respected for her professional knowledge and client service excellence, and we are pleased to add such an experienced broker to our financial services team as we continue to grow our portfolio of complex financial and commercial clients."

Montelione attended State University of New York College of Brockport where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in French Language and Literature. Following recognition as a Fulbright Scholar, she went on to earn a Master's Degree in French Language and Literature from Sorbonne University in France.

Montelione can be reached at diane.montelione@epicbrokers.com or (646) 452-4033.

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 financial and professional risk management and insurance veteran Diane Montelione has joined the firm's Financial Risk Practice as a senior vice president. She will be based in New York and report to managing principal and Financial Risk Practice Leader, Michael Klaschka.

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

TeamSnap Appoints New Chief Financial Officer

BOULDER, Colo. /ScoopCloud/ -- TeamSnap, the household name in integrated sports management, announced today that Todd Stockard has been appointed the company's new Chief Financial Officer. Stockard will oversee TeamSnap's financial strategy as the company continues its rapid expansion with the introduction of new products, platforms and partnerships.

Stockard brings more than 20 years of senior-level strategic financial expertise. He joins TeamSnap from Maxar Technologies (formerly DigitalGlobe), a global provider of advanced space technology solutions, where his responsibilities included leading treasury, financial planning & analysis and strategic planning. Prior to that, he held senior corporate finance roles with Level 3 Communications.

During his time with DigitalGlobe and Level 3, Stockard executed more than $10 billion of capital markets transactions in both public and private markets - including DigitalGlobe's initial public offering. He began his career with Bank of America, where he worked in the bank's Mid-Cap Technology Division.

"Todd's strategic vision combined with his financial insight and passion for technology will be a significant asset to our leadership team as we establish the long-term vision for TeamSnap and its focal role at the center of the youth and amateur sports landscape," said TeamSnap co-founder and CEO Dave DuPont.

Sports clubs, leagues, coaches, players and parents use TeamSnap extensively for communications, registration, payment collection and other organizational needs. The company has experienced a period of rapid growth over the past 18 months, including the launch of TeamSnap Tournaments, over 130 percent growth in its Club and League business and raising $25 million in financing last year led by the Foundry Group.

About TeamSnap:

Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, TeamSnap has taken the organization of youth, recreational and competitive sports into the 21st century. Nearly 20 million coaches, administrators, players and parents use TeamSnap to sign up, schedule, communicate and coordinate everything for the team, the club and the season. TeamSnap makes organizing sports as simple as click, tap and go.

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

TeamSnap, the household name in integrated sports management, announced today that Todd Stockard has been appointed the company's new Chief Financial Officer. Stockard will oversee TeamSnap's financial strategy as the company continues its rapid expansion with the introduction of new products, platforms and partnerships.

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

Mid America Mortgage to Offer Warehouse Lines of Credit on Seasoned and ‘Scratch and Dent’ Loans

ADDISON, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- Mid America Mortgage, Inc. (Mid America) Owner and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bode today announced that the firm has expanded its relationship with Spectrum Mortgage Holdings, LLC (Spectrum) to offer warehouse lines of credit in conjunction with its Whole Loan Purchase program. This will provide sellers the flexibility to finance loans being sold to Mid America, including seasoned and "scratch and dent" loans.

"Managing aging loans and capital ratios on traditional warehouse lines of credit can be challenging for even the most experienced mortgage banker," Bode said. "By adding warehouse financing to our established program for whole loans, Mid America is able to help other lenders address these challenges while providing a source of vital liquidity to the industry."

To be eligible, sellers must have a loan commitment with Mid America. Spectrum will finance up to 90 percent of the current unpaid principal balance directly to a warehouse bank or the client upon receipt of the collateral.

"Mid America's program will bring particular value to independent mortgage companies as they will be able to receive cash upfront while loans are undergoing due diligence," said Michael Lima, managing director of trading for Mid America. "Having partnered with Spectrum on eNote financing for our eCorrespondent division, expanding our relationship to include warehouse lines for our Whole Loan Purchase division was the next logical step."

Sellers can a request a bid on a loan or inquire further about warehouse options by contacting Mid America at tradedesk@midamericamortgage.com.

About Mid America Mortgage, Inc.

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

In operation since 1940, Mid America has thrived by retaining its entrepreneurial spirit and leading the market in innovation, including its adoption of eClosings eNotes. Click n' Close, the Official Mortgage Provider of NASCAR(R), is Mid America's ultra-secure, digital mortgage approval and closing process that delivers an eight-minute application process, getting home buyers from application to closing within two weeks. With just a few clicks at closing, Click n' Close puts keys in the home buyer's hand in 15 minutes or less. Apply online at https://clicknclose.com.

Mid America is looking for tech-savvy, service-oriented mortgage professionals to join its growing team. We are dedicated to providing our employees with industry-leading tools and technology to deliver a great package of competitive pricing, programs and knowledgeable service. Want to join our team? Visit http://www.midamericacareer.com/.

Twitter: @midamericamtge

About Spectrum Mortgage Holdings, LLC:

Spectrum Mortgage Holdings, LLC is a Texas based mortgage investor engaged in the purchase of whole loans from mortgage originators. It also provides warehouse lines of credit on niche products such as eNotes and loans with minor eligibility, compliance or performance issues.

Mid America Mortgage, Inc. (Mid America) Owner and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bode today announced that the firm has expanded its relationship with Spectrum Mortgage Holdings, LLC (Spectrum) to offer warehouse lines of credit in conjunction with its Whole Loan Purchase program. This will provide sellers the flexibility to finance loans being sold to Mid America, including seasoned and "scratch and dent" loans.

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

PitBullTax Software Expands its Power with Release of New Version 4.0

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- PitBullTax Software, the leading IRS Tax Resolution Software for CPAs, EAs and Tax Attorneys, just released its new and more feature rich Version 4.0. For nine years PitBullTax Software has transformed the tax resolution business by making it more efficient and intuitive for tax professionals to solve their clients' IRS problems.

Listening to feedback from its thousands of licensees across the country, the company added major technological enhancements for even greater efficiency in case preparation and in client communications.

"PitBullTax Version 4.0 is the most advanced tax resolution platform for tax pros on the market today," Irina N. Bobrova, COO of PitBullTax Software stated. "This cloud-based application makes the work of tax professionals even easier, faster and more rewarding - incorporating the most up-to-date technological features thanks to our team of engineers who create the real magic."

"PitBullTax Software has always had a positive impact in the tax resolution specialty. After many years on the market, PitBullTax swiftly detects the needs of the industry and develops immediate solutions to maintain its leadership role," Jose L. Alfaro, Co-Founder and CTO of PitBullTax explains. "This new release was launched to support the tremendous growth of the company."

Mr. Alfaro added: "In Version 4.0 there are new modules such as incoming e-mail correspondence, state forms, response letters and a business client questionnaire in both English and Spanish. We have also significantly improved our IRS Transcripts Delivery system with customizable alerts and bulk transcript requests. Our mobile application had a major facelift too.

"PitBullTax licensees can now enter their security codes received from the IRS in the mobile app, making their work flow more ergonomic. Sharing files and chatting with clients is also available through our mobile app, as well as Touch ID protection. Thanks to the feedback of our users we boosted our user interface with an enhanced forms preview and mouse over previews."

To further serve the needs of our licensees, the company has become vertically integrated, adding a critical education component. PitBullTax is now a Continuing Education Provider approved by the IRS and NASBA to provide live and internet group-based classes through its PitBullTax University.

Jaime S. Buchwald, Co-Founder and CEO says: "PitBullTax Software has again raised the bar in tax resolution software while maintaining critical mass in the industry. Up to 90 percent of the enhancements in Version 4.0 are a result of positive customer feedback." Mr. Buchwald further added, "Our mission is to always be the leader in tax resolution software by listening, responding and delivering incredible value to our current and future licensees."

About PitBullTax Software:

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

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

PitBullTax Software, the leading IRS Tax Resolution Software for CPAs, EAs and Tax Attorneys, just released its new and more feature rich Version 4.0. For nine years PitBullTax Software has transformed the tax resolution business by making it more efficient and intuitive for tax professionals to solve their clients' IRS problems.

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

The Cooksey Team’s Brandon Findley Cracks the Top 200 of Best Mortgage Lenders’ 2018 List of Top Texas Loan Officers

DALLAS, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- The Cooksey Team, a top producing retail branch of Mid America Mortgage, Inc., announced today that Best Mortgage Lenders has ranked Cooksey Team loan officer (LO) Brandon Findley at No. 198 in Texas based on the total number of loans closed in 2017. Specializing in the Dallas market, Findley is also ranked No. 32 in Dallas, according to the list, which is published in conjunction with Ask a Lender and Scotsman Guide Media.

"As one of our more seasoned loan officers, Brandon continues to impress me with his dedication to customer service and ability to recommend loan products that deliver substantial savings to his clients," said Michael Cooksey, founder of The Cooksey Team. "Dallas is an extremely competitive market, and we're beyond thrilled to see Brandon achieve such success while still doing things the right way."

Findley brings nearly 15 years of industry experience to his role at The Cooksey Team, which has enabled him to guide clients to their desired result in a smooth and professional manner. He has been recognized by both Five Star Professional in 2018 and D Magazine in 2016 as one of the top mortgage professionals in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, having helped more than 2,600 families purchase or refinance their home.

"Dallas is where I was born and raised, and it's where I've chosen to raise my own family so bringing the dream of homeownership to others that love this area as much as I do is one of the most rewarding parts of my job," Findley said. "Because there is no such thing as a 'one-size-fits-all' mortgage, I always try to put my clients first to ensure they receive the loan that's going to help them meet their needs today and tomorrow."

To learn more, visit http://findleyteam.com.

About The Cooksey Team:

Headquartered in Dallas, The Cooksey Team is a top performing retail branch of Texas-based lender Mid America Mortgage and has offices located throughout the North Texas and Los Angeles County areas.

With 16 years in the industry and nearly $1 billion in funded loans over the last five years with Mid America, Cooksey Team Founder Michael Cooksey brings the experience and knowledge needed to lead a successful mortgage transaction. Utilizing The CORE Training methodology, Michael has coached his own staff, as well as loan officers, brokers and real estate agents across the country, to become top producers.

The Cooksey Team loan officers average six closings per month and $250,000 in annual income. In addition, the branch has increased its annual origination volume by nearly 50 percent year-over-year and is projected to achieve $350 million in volume in 2018. For more information on The Cooksey Team, visit http://cookseyteam.com.

About Mid America Mortgage, Inc.:

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

In operation since 1940, Mid America has thrived by retaining its entrepreneurial spirit and leading the market in innovation, including its adoption of eClosings eNotes. Click n' Close, the Official Mortgage Provider of NASCAR(R), is Mid America's ultra-secure, digital mortgage approval and closing process that delivers an eight-minute application process, getting home buyers from application to closing within two weeks. With just a few clicks at closing, Click n' Close puts keys in the home buyer's hand in 15 minutes or less. Apply online at https://clicknclose.com.

Mid America is looking for tech-savvy, service-oriented mortgage professionals to join its growing team. We are dedicated to providing our employees with industry-leading tools and technology to deliver a great package of competitive pricing, programs and knowledgeable service. Want to join our team? Visit http://www.midamericacareer.com/.

The Cooksey Team, a top producing retail branch of Mid America Mortgage, Inc., announced today that Best Mortgage Lenders has ranked Cooksey Team loan officer (LO) Brandon Findley at No. 198 in Texas based on the total number of loans closed in 2017. Specializing in the Dallas market, Findley is also ranked No. 32 in Dallas, according to the list, which is published in conjunction with Ask a Lender and Scotsman Guide Media.

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

Darren Lovell of The Cooksey Team Ranks Third on Best Mortgage Lenders’ 2018 List of Top Loan Officers in Flower Mound, Texas

DALLAS, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- The Cooksey Team, a top producing retail branch of Mid America Mortgage, Inc., announced today that Best Mortgage Lenders 2018 has ranked loan officer (LO) Darren Lovell at No. 3 in Flower Mound, Texas, based on the total number of loans closed in 2017. Lovell also placed at No. 226 statewide according to the rankings, which are published in conjunction with Ask a Lender and Scotsman Guide Media.

"Darren Lovell has been one of The Cooksey Team's most consistent performers," said Michael Cooksey, founder of The Cooksey Team. "His previous sales experience has translated exceptionally well into mortgage banking, and clients continually rave about the service they receive from him and his team. This recognition is a sign of things to come from him, and we're glad to have him on board."

Having gotten his start in the financial services industry, Lovell oversees a team of mortgage professionals that possess a combined 70 years of industry experience. He has been recognized as a top producer on The Cooksey Team every year and is on track to achieve similar results in 2018.

"My team and I truly believe that relationships are the key to success, and we strive to provide superior service and create satisfied customers," Lovell said. "My goal is to keep clients for life, and I'm willing to go to bat for my clients to ensure their interests are protected in every single transaction, every single time."

To learn more, visit http://thelovellteam.com/.

About The Cooksey Team:

Headquartered in Dallas, The Cooksey Team is a top performing retail branch of Texas-based lender Mid America Mortgage and has offices located throughout the North Texas and Los Angeles County areas.

With 16 years in the industry and nearly $1 billion in funded loans over the last five years with Mid America, Cooksey Team Founder Michael Cooksey brings the experience and knowledge needed to lead a successful mortgage transaction. Utilizing The CORE Training methodology, Michael has coached his own staff, as well as loan officers, brokers and real estate agents across the country, to become top producers. The Cooksey Team loan officers average six closings per month and $250,000 in annual income. In addition, the branch has increased its annual origination volume by nearly 50 percent year-over-year and is projected to achieve $350 million in volume in 2018. For more information on The Cooksey Team, visit http://cookseyteam.com.

About Mid America Mortgage, Inc.:

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

In operation since 1940, Mid America has thrived by retaining its entrepreneurial spirit and leading the market in innovation, including its adoption of eClosings eNotes. Click n' Close, the Official Mortgage Provider of NASCAR(R), is Mid America's ultra-secure, digital mortgage approval and closing process that delivers an eight-minute application process, getting home buyers from application to closing within two weeks. With just a few clicks at closing, Click n' Close puts keys in the home buyer's hand in 15 minutes or less. Apply online at https://clicknclose.com.

Mid America is looking for tech-savvy, service-oriented mortgage professionals to join its growing team. We are dedicated to providing our employees with industry-leading tools and technology to deliver a great package of competitive pricing, programs and knowledgeable service. Want to join our team? Visit http://www.midamericacareer.com/.

The Cooksey Team, a top producing retail branch of Mid America Mortgage, Inc., announced today that Best Mortgage Lenders 2018 has ranked loan officer (LO) Darren Lovell at No. 3 in Flower Mound, Texas, based on the total number of loans closed in 2017. Lovell also placed at No. 226 statewide according to the rankings, which are published in conjunction with Ask a Lender and Scotsman Guide Media.

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

MQMR Counsels Mortgage Lenders to Increase Internal Audit Frequency and Compliance Resources to Safeguard Secondary Market Activities

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Quality Management and Research, LLC (MQMR) President Michael Steer today advised lenders to increase the frequency with which they conduct their internal audits to ensure secondary market activities and relationships are not negatively impacted by undiscovered risks.

"Most lenders are only conducting internal audits once or twice a year, if at all, but the GSEs are clear that internal audits should be conducted on an on-going basis. Therefore, this frequency is inadequate from both a requirements standpoint and from a total risk management perspective," Steer said. "Without the full picture available, lenders could unknowingly be engaging in risky practices that could negatively impact loan quality and, ultimately, erode trust with investors."

"To properly ensure that all potential risks are discovered and addressed, lenders should be conducting at least four to six audits annually," Steer added.

Many lenders assume that a robust pre-funding and post-closing quality control (QC) program can supplement internal audit efforts, but, Steer notes, there are key differences between these two functions that make this assumption inaccurate.

"QC reviews are much more narrowly defined and only intended to assess credit and/or regulatory issues, whereas internal audits assess risk across every aspect of a lender's organization, including credit and regulatory, but also other areas such as operational, financial and reputational risks," Steer explained. "The purpose of these audits is to evaluate a lender's control activities to identify process gaps, inefficiencies and potential risk - something a standard QC review is not designed or intended to uncover."

Because compliance is one of the largest areas of risk lenders face, Steer recommends adding on-going compliance support to ensure rules and regulations are being interpreted corrected and executed compliantly.

"Lenders can never have enough compliance resources, but in today's origination environment, acquiring the amount of staff needed to thoroughly manage compliance risk is simply cost-prohibitive," Steer said. "If you have one compliance officer, you really need two, and if you have two, three or four would be even better. Unfortunately, this is not realistic for lenders to achieve, but by adding a third-party resource, lenders can cost-effectively add the resources they need to shore up their compliance strategy and reduce their risk."

MQMR conducts internal audit risk assessments and provides on-going internal audit support to help lenders of all sizes identify risk throughout their organization and improve the effectiveness of their internal risk management, control activities and governance processes. In addition, MQMR offers a suite of compliance services, including a flat-fee, monthly compliance support program that gives lenders access to MQMR's compliance experts on an as-needed basis.

"In the December 19 update to its Selling Guide, Fannie Mae made it crystal clear that internal audit independence is a key component of seller/servicer compliance. However, lenders need not leverage multiple vendors to obtain internal audit and compliance support," Steer said. "On the contrary, most vendors have set these services up as separate business lines and should be able to meet the GSEs' requirements for independence while also supporting lenders in multiple areas to provide comprehensive support."

MQMR executives will be in New York City on May 20-23, 2018. If you'd like to set up a meeting about compliance, audit, or risk management services, contact Info@MQMResearch.com.

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/, http://subsequentqc.com/, and http://hqvendormanagement.com/.

Mortgage Quality Management and Research, LLC (MQMR) President Michael Steer today advised lenders to increase the frequency with which they conduct their internal audits to ensure secondary market activities and relationships are not negatively impacted by undiscovered risks.

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

Phil Laren of MCT to Speak on MSR Liquidity Challenges Panel Session at MBA National Secondary Conference

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced that its Director of MSR Services, Phil Laren, will be speaking on a panel at the MBA National Secondary Market Conference & Expo held on May 21 at the New York Marriott Marquis.

The panel will cover the different problems trending with Mortgage Servicing Rights (MSR) liquidity in today's constantly changing secondary marketing environment, and offer sound business solutions for lenders to more effectively operate during uncertain times.

Session Title:
Managing the Challenges of MSR Liquidity

About the Session:
Regulatory and market events continue to present challenges for the liquidity of Mortgage Servicing Rights (MSRs). In this session, experts discuss the state of the MSR market and opportunities to successfully navigate any changes that lie ahead.

Session Information:
Date: Monday, May 21, 2018
Time: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. EDT
Location: New York Marriott Marquis, SoHo Complex, 7th Floor

Moderator:
* Chis Whalen, Whalen Global Adviser

Speakers:
* Phil Laren, Director, MSR Services, Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT)
* Charles Clark, Jr., SVP, Director, Warehouse Finance, EverBank
* Mark S. Garland, Executive Vice President, Analytics, MountainView Financial Solutions
* Seth D. Sprague, CMB, Executive Vice President, Phoenix Capital, Inc.

About MCT Speaker Phil Laren:
Mr. Laren is as a service group leader on MCT's management team, focused on managing and expanding the company's MSR Services. MCT's mortgage servicing software, the Desktop Servicing Model, was created by industry veteran Phil Laren. Mr. Laren has 29 years of experience in capital markets, predominantly in servicing. He is experienced in all aspects of servicing, modeling, pricing, trading, negotiating, hedging, risk analysis, accounting analysis and operations. Mr. Laren is also very experienced in building teams and managing traders and analysts (mostly Ph.Ds and MBAs who speak more Math than English). Mr. Laren holds advanced degrees in statistics and econometrics.

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 its Director of MSR Services, Phil Laren, will be speaking on a panel at the MBA National Secondary Market Conference & Expo held on May 21 at the New York Marriott Marquis.

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

American Banker Magazine Names Mortgage Capital Trading to Inaugural Best Places to Work in Fintech List

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced that American Banker magazine named the company to its new Best Places to Work in Financial Technology list. MCT ranked number four out of only 20 companies that were honored.

Fintech companies from across the country competed in an extensive two-part survey process that judges each organization's workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics along with an in-depth employee survey that measures employee satisfaction. The combined scores of the complete process determined the nation's top fintech companies and the final rankings.

"We are thrilled to be recognized by American Banker as one of the top 20 fintech companies to work for in the industry," stated Cutis Richins, president at MCT. "MCT has grown significantly over the past few years, expanding our capital markets services with several new software solutions that have been instrumental in taking us to the next level. More than anything, however, it is our people that have made us successful. Our entire company is very proud to receive this inaugural fintech award."

Of note is that MCT recently won a 2018 Innovation Award from PROGRESS in Lending Association for helping move the mortgage industry toward digital loan trading on the secondary market with the rapid adoption and impact of its Bid Auction Manager(TM) (BAM). The company has also won Mortgage Technology magazine's Release of the Year award for its MCTlive(TM)! cloud-based capital markets software platform, and has been designated a Top 100 Tech provider by HousingWire magazine for being one of the most innovative technology companies in the U.S. housing economy.

For more information on American Banker magazine's inaugural Best Places to Work Fintech award program and to view the full list of ranked companies, visit www.BestPlacestoWorkFinTech.com.

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.

About American Banker:

American Banker, a SourceMedia brand, is the essential resource for senior executives in banking and financial services, keeping its users updated on vital developments and focusing sharply on their most important concerns. Financial industry professionals turn to American Banker to stay maximally informed and engage with an authoritative community of analysts, practitioners and innovators through opinion content, research reports, social media, and live events.

American Banker Magazine is a monthly print publication of American Banker, focusing on the ideas, the people, and the companies that are changing the way bankers do business. For more information, visit https://www.americanbanker.com/.

Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced that American Banker magazine named the company to its new Best Places to Work in Financial Technology list. MCT ranked number four out of only 20 companies that were honored.

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

EPIC Insurance Adds Sean Conrad as Southern California Principal

IRVINE, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants announced today that risk management and insurance professional Sean Conrad has joined the firm's operations in Southern California as a principal.

Conrad will be based in EPIC's Irvine, Calif., office. He will partner collaboratively with Jim Gillette, president of the company's Pacific South Region, and Irvine Managing Principal and Branch Leader Tony D'Asaro.

Conrad will be responsible for new business development as well as the design and oversight of property/casualty insurance programs, risk management strategies, and employee benefit brokerage and consulting services for mid-market and large clients across a range of industries. Additionally, Conrad will focus on recruitment and team building as the firm continues to add talent throughout the region.

Prior to joining EPIC, Conrad was a senior vice president and business development officer for Wells Fargo Insurance Services, which was acquired by USI Insurance Services in December 2017.

Conrad began his insurance career in 1999 as a claims director at Allied Insurance, a Nationwide Company. Five years later, he moved to the brokerage side of the business, joining Willis as a vice president of sales and business development.

Conrad is a founding member of the International Executive Council of the Internet Marketing Association, a diverse group of business leaders and entrepreneurs with a passion for technology innovation that will serve as an important resource for building relationships in the region's business community.

"We are excited to further expand and enhance EPIC's operations in Orange County and the greater Los Angeles area with Sean's addition," said Gillette. "He is well known, has a tremendous network throughout Southern California, and is highly respected for building strong relationships and providing exceptional service on behalf of his clients. We look forward to partnering with Sean as we continue to build out an exceptional team in Southern California."

Conrad can be reached at sean.conrad@epicbrokers.com or 949-417-9171.

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.

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

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants announced today that risk management and insurance professional Sean Conrad has joined the firm's operations in Southern California as a principal.

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

Prevail Consulting, Inc. announces contract with Medical Assurance Society New Zealand Limited to license Prevail Reinsurance System

STAMFORD, Conn. /ScoopCloud/ -- Prevail Consulting, Inc., a leading insurance industry technology and professional services provider, today announced a contract with Medical Assurance Society New Zealand Limited (MAS) to license the Prevail Reinsurance System (PRS) to support MAS's reinsurance operations. Under this new contract, Prevail will install PRS and deliver implementation, application and data migration services.

"We were impressed with the technology and comprehensive off-the-shelf functionality offered by Prevail's reinsurance solution, along with the breadth of Prevail's insurance expertise and reputation," said Paul Barton, General Manager Risk and Compliance at MAS. "The Prevail solution strategically enhances our information technology portfolio to benefit the unique needs of our valued Members."

"We are proud of being selected by MAS," said Nat Curiale, Principal and Global Operations Manager, Prevail Consulting. "We are committed to the success of this partnership and implementing PRS in support of MAS's reinsurance strategy and superior membership services."

The Prevail Reinsurance System (PRS) fully automates the management of reinsurance data for insurance and reinsurance companies. It accepts premium and loss data from external systems, calculates ceded data, creates payables and receivables and statutory reports, and then returns this data to the original systems.

Built on state-of-the-art web technology, it can be accessed from anywhere in the world. It is a robust rules-based, table-driven product which provides immediate savings by significantly increasing efficiency, improving information access and reducing total cost of ownership.

About MAS:
MAS is a membership based organisation that provides insurance and wealth management solutions to New Zealand professionals. Established in 1921 as a mutual, MAS now provides financial services to more than 85% of medical professionals in New Zealand, and more than 30,000 Members across medical, dental, veterinarian, legal, accounting, architectural and engineering professions.*

(*Note: Membership data valid as at 31 December 2017 and market share data sourced from Medical Council of New Zealand Register from August 2017.)

About Prevail:
Founded in 2000, Prevail Consulting, Inc. provides reliable and innovative technology services exclusively to the insurance industry. Prevail is clearly recognized by its clients for business expertise, commitment, and ability to deliver quality work products in a cost-effective manner. In addition to the Prevail Reinsurance System (PRS), Prevail provides superior IT Consulting Services, on-site, off-site and off-shore, including application development, business analysis, data migration and integration, and insurance technology assessments. Prevail draws additional capability and flexibility from its subsidiary in India to support Prevail's U.S. based operations.

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

Prevail Consulting, Inc., a leading insurance industry technology and professional services provider, today announced a contract with Medical Assurance Society New Zealand Limited (MAS) to license the Prevail Reinsurance System (PRS) to support MAS's reinsurance operations. Under this new contract, Prevail will install PRS and deliver implementation, application and data migration services.

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

EPIC’s Suzanne McGarey and Kenneth Powell to Present on The Affordable Care Act at Gulf Coast Symposium in Houston

HOUSTON, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today Managing Principal Suzanne McGarey and Compliance Consultant Kenneth Powell will present at the Gulf Coast Symposium on Thurs., May 10 at 4 p.m. at the NRG Center in Houston, Texas.

In their presentation "The Affordable Care Act," McGarey and Powell will provide attendees with information concerning existing and future compliance considerations under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The session will also cover common pitfalls to avoid when complying with ACA.

Click here to see the full agenda: https://hrhouston18.mapyourshow.com/7_0/sessions/session-grid.cfm.

About the Gulf Coast Symposium:

The Gulf Coast Symposium on HR Issues, produced by HR Houston, is the largest regional conference for HR Professionals on the Gulf Coast, with more than 2,100 practitioners, presenters and providers. Through its 200 sessions the Symposium delivers superior education in Business Management & Strategy, Employee & Labor Relations, International HR, Leadership & Professional Development, Talent Management, and Total Rewards.

About Suzanne McGarey, managing principal, EPIC:

Suzanne McGarey joined EPIC in 2001. Today her primary focus is on the firm's delivery of health and welfare consulting and business analytic services. She also provides oversight and integration of services for the company's additional consulting practices. She guides the practice leaders and managing consultants in developing cohesive strategies to advance our clients' business objectives. In addition, she meets with industry leaders and participates on executive advisory councils for the major health insurance carriers to engage in developing trends and represent the issues our clients face.

Her experience at EPIC includes managing the design, funding, administration and communication of employer-sponsored health and welfare plans. She provides expertise on the technical requirements, financial impacts and administrative mandates associated with the Affordable Care Act, as well as its wide-ranging effects on the industry.

McGarey began her career with Towers Perrin, where she worked in both the health and welfare and communications practices and gained experience analyzing employer welfare plans, researching compliance issues and developing employee communications. She later joined Business Health Companies, Inc. to assist in the development of a Houston-based Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), the Houston Healthcare Purchasing Organization (HHPO). Her responsibilities entailed marketing the network and developing ancillary services to assist clients in reducing health care expenditures in self-funded medical plans. McGarey played a key role in the success of the HHPO, which is now a cornerstone of a national network.

McGarey graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She earned the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designations and actively served on the board of the Houston Chapter of the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists (ISCEBS), including as president.

About Kenneth Powell, J.D., compliance consultant, EPIC:

Kenneth Powell joined the firm in 2014 to provide guidance on employee benefits, human resources and merger and acquisition issues, as well as employment law. He adds substantial knowledge to the team, particularly compliance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), which governs employee benefit plans. Kenneth supports EPIC's clients and consulting teams by reviewing plan documents, contracts, and merger and acquisition agreements.

Before joining the firm, Powell served as vice president of ERISA compliance for MBM Advisors, where he was responsible for drafting, restating and amending over 300 qualified retirement plans and managing the firm's staff of compliance consultants. He brought with him seven years of experience advising on plan design, administration, compliance, nondiscrimination, disclosure requirements and mergers and acquisitions.

Powell graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance and management from the University of Houston and later received his Juris Doctor from the University of Houston Law Center. While in law school, Kenneth served as a senior articles editor for the Houston Business and Taw Law Journal and was one of four students to participate in a national negotiations competition through the American Bar Association Law Student Division.

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 Managing Principal Suzanne McGarey and Compliance Consultant Kenneth Powell will present at the Gulf Coast Symposium on Thurs., May 10, 2018 at 4 p.m. at the NRG Center in Houston, Texas.

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

LBA Ware Appoints Mortgage Technology Specialist Diana Sheffer as Solutions Consultant

MACON, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- LBA Ware(TM), a leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lenders, announced it has hired Diana Sheffer as a solutions consultant to support the company's sales and product implementation efforts. In this role, Sheffer will apply her 18 years' experience in mortgage lending and technology consulting to connect LBA Ware's clients with best-fit systems integration and process automation solutions to enhance performance-driven organizational growth.

"As mortgage lenders are faced with shrinking margins and increasingly complex operational challenges, they are looking for ways to reduce expenses, automate redundant, labor-intensive processes and leverage data to drive operational efficiency and profitability," said LBA Ware CEO and Founder Lori Brewer. "Diana Sheffer has the on-the-ground industry expertise required to understand client needs from their perspective and articulate how LBA Ware's solutions can give them a leg up in this very competitive period."

Prior to joining LBA Ware, Sheffer served as a technology business consultant and product manager at Black Knight Financial Services, a provider of software, data and analytics solutions to the mortgage, consumer loan and capital markets arenas. While at Black Knight Financial Services, Sheffer worked with clients to complete technical needs assessments, communicated with internal product management teams to develop product solutions and managed product introduction from implementation to user adoption. Additionally, Sheffer has substantial expertise in mortgage loan and secondary market consulting gained during her tenure at Pulaski Bank.

"I've spent my entire career in mortgage, and there's nothing I enjoy more than connecting clients with the tools and resources they need to be successful," said Sheffer. "LBA Ware's true value extends far beyond software. The company has become a trusted resource for lenders grappling with rising expenses and dwindling profitability, and I look forward to helping LBA Ware continue to deliver solutions to the industry's most challenging needs."

About LBA Ware(TM):

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 http://lbaware.com.

LBA Ware, a leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lenders, announced it has hired Diana Sheffer as a solutions consultant to support the company's sales and product implementation efforts. In this role, Sheffer will apply her 18 years' experience in mortgage lending and technology consulting to connect LBA Ware's clients with best-fit systems integration and process automation solutions to enhance performance-driven organizational growth.

Related link: http://lbaware.com/

Bank of Southern California N.A. Announces First Quarter 2018 Results

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL) announced quarterly earnings of $1,072,303 for the first quarter of 2018, a 51% increase compared to $710,022 for the first quarter of 2017. Results for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, include approximately $320 thousand in expenses related to the pending acquisition of Americas United Bank (OTC Pink: AUNB). As previously announced, the Bank also completed a private placement offering of common stock of approximately $26 million during March 2018.

"Building from the successes of 2017, Bank of Southern California had a strong start to 2018. Our loans and deposits grew 17% and 16%, respectively, compared to the first quarter of 2017, while net interest income grew 24%. In the first quarter, the Bank was also recognized as a top SBA 7(a) lender by the San Diego District Office of the Small Business Loan Administration and was awarded a Super Premier Performing Bank status by The Findley Reports," commented Nathan Rogge, President and CEO of Bank of Southern California.

Total assets at March 31, 2018, were $522 million, up 9% from $480 million at December 31, 2017, and up 21% from $430 million at March 31, 2017. Total loans increased to $409 million at March 31, 2018, compared to $399 million and $349 million at December 31, 2017, and March 31, 2017, respectively, while total deposits were $444 million at March 31, 2018, compared to $407 million at December 31, 2017, and $383 million at March 31, 2017.

"I am delighted that we continued to organically grow our loan and deposit portfolios in San Diego County, the Coachella Valley, and Orange County in the first quarter, when much of our energy was focused on planning for the acquisition of Americas United Bank (AUNB), as well as successfully completing a $26 million capital offering," concluded Rogge.

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 and services to individuals, professionals, and small-to-mid 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 seven branches in San Diego and the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, and a production office in Orange, Calif..

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

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release may contain comments or information that constitute forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) and Bank of Southern California intends for such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of that Act.
Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include the words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "estimate," or words of similar meaning, or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "would," "should," "could," or "may." Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, nor should they be relied upon as representing management's views as of any subsequent date. Future events are difficult to predict. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from those presented, either expressed or implied, in this news release. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to: the ability of the Bank to successfully execute its business plan; changes in interest rates and interest rate relationships; changes in demand for products and services; the degree of competition by traditional and non-traditional competitors; changes in banking legislation or regulation; changes in tax laws; changes in prices, levies and assessments; the impact of technological advances; the outcomes of contingencies; trends in customer behavior as well as their ability to repay loans; and changes in the national and local economy.
Bank of Southern California undertakes no obligation to update or clarify forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Media Contact:
Tony DiVita
Bank of Southern California
(858) 847-4783
tdivita@banksocal.com

Quarterly Financial Highlights Table:
https://www.banksocal.com/wp-content/uploads/18-0502-BCAL-2018-q1-chart-695x869.png

For more details about our quarterly results, please visit the "About Us" / "Financials" page of our website and follow the link labeled: Quarterly Results and Trends - https://www.banksocal.com/about-us/financials/

Ticker: OTC Pink:BCAL / OTC:BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL / OP: BCAL / OTCMKTS:AUNB / OTC:AUNB

Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL) announced quarterly earnings of $1,072,303 for the first quarter of 2018, a 51% increase compared to $710,022 for the first quarter of 2017. Results for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, include approximately $320 thousand in expenses related to the pending acquisition of Americas United Bank (OTC Pink: AUNB). As previously announced, the Bank also completed a private placement offering of common stock of approximately $26 million during March 2018.

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

Mid America Mortgage CEO Jeff Bode to Share eMortgage Insights at Texas MBA and MBA Secondary Conferences

ADDISON, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- Mid America Mortgage, Inc. (Mid America) announced today that its Owner and CEO Jeff Bode will be sharing his expertise on digital mortgage origination and securitization at two upcoming industry conferences.

First, Bode will take the stage as a panelist at the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association's 102nd Annual Convention in San Antonio on Tuesday, May 1, 2018, at 11 a.m. CDT for a 45-minute session titled, "Digital Mortgage Part II: Digitial Closing Experience."

Bode will offer insight on Mid America's experience as one of the first mortgage lenders to execute full eClosings through its retail and correspondent channels and its consumer-direct platform Click n' Close.

Next, Bode will close out the Mortgage Bankers Association's National Secondary Market Conference in New York on Wednesday, May 23, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. EDT as a panelist for the 30-minute Closing General Session on "Securitizing the Digital Mortgage." In addition to executing eClosings, Mid America Mortgage is the leading industry aggregator for eClosed loans and eNotes.

"The fact that Mid America is among the first in the industry to fully embrace eClosings and eNotes is a point of pride for me, and having the TMBA and MBA extend an opportunity to share the lessons Mid America has learned on its path to going completely digital is truly an honor," Bode said. "Mid America has always been committed to driving innovation as a means to strengthen this industry, and I look forward to continuing those efforts through our participation in these important industry events."

About Mid America Mortgage, Inc.:

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

In operation since 1940, Mid America has thrived by retaining its entrepreneurial spirit and leading the market in innovation, including its adoption of eClosings eNotes. Click n' Close, the Official Mortgage Provider of NASCAR(R), is Mid America's ultra-secure, digital mortgage approval and closing process that delivers an eight-minute application process, getting home buyers from application to closing within two weeks. With just a few clicks at closing, Click n' Close puts keys in the home buyer's hand in 15 minutes or less. Apply online at https://clicknclose.com.

Mid America is looking for tech-savvy, service-oriented mortgage professionals to join its growing team. We are dedicated to providing our employees with industry-leading tools and technology to deliver a great package of competitive pricing, programs and knowledgeable service. Want to join our team? Visit http://www.midamericacareer.com/.

Mid America Mortgage, Inc. (Mid America) announced today that its Owner and CEO Jeff Bode will be sharing his expertise on digital mortgage origination and securitization at two upcoming industry conferences. First, Bode will take the stage as a panelist at the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association's 102nd Annual Convention in San Antonio.

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

Best Mortgage Lenders 2018 Ranks Wesley Ryan Grubbs of The Cooksey Team as the No. 1 Loan Officer in Flower Mound, Texas

ADDISON, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- The Cooksey Team, a top producing retail branch of Mid America Mortgage, Inc., announced today that its loan officer (LO) Wesley Ryan Grubbs has been ranked No. 1 in Flower Mound, Texas, based on total number of loans closed in 2017, according to Best Mortgage Lenders 2018. The rankings, which are published in conjunction with Ask a Lender and Scotsman Guide Media, also placed Grubbs at No. 157 statewide.

"Wesley Ryan Grubbs is among the best and brightest loan officers The Cooksey Team has to offer," said Michael Cooksey, founder of The Cooksey Team. "His ability to navigate homebuyers through the trickiest of mortgage scenarios never ceases to amaze me, and his success in the Flower Mound area is both wholly unsurprising and richly deserved."

Possessing more than 16 years of experience as a senior loan officer, Grubbs has overseen more than 2,300 funded loans over the course of his career, with a lifetime closing volume exceeding $500 million. In addition to being No.1 in Flower Mound, Grubbs has also been the No.1 producer for The Cooksey Team over the last five years and currently maintains a near-five-star rating on Zillow.com.

"As a life-long Texan, I understand the desire to put down roots in a place that you love," Grubbs said. "Whether I'm dealing with a first-time homebuyer or a seasoned homeowner, my goal with every transaction is to provide a consultative experience for my clients and help guide them into a custom designed loan that meets both their current needs and future goals."

To learn more, visit http://thegrubbsteam.com.

About The Cooksey Team:

Headquartered in Dallas, The Cooksey Team is a top performing retail branch of Texas-based lender Mid America Mortgage and has offices located throughout the North Texas and Los Angeles County areas.

With 16 years in the industry and nearly $1 billion in funded loans over the last five years with Mid America, Cooksey Team Founder Michael Cooksey brings the experience and knowledge needed to lead a successful mortgage transaction. Utilizing The CORE Training methodology, Michael has coached his own staff, as well as loan officers, brokers and real estate agents across the country, to become top producers. The Cooksey Team loan officers average six closings per month and $250,000 in annual income. In addition, the branch has increased its annual origination volume by nearly 50 percent year-over-year and is projected to achieve $350 million in volume in 2018. For more information on The Cooksey Team, visit http://cookseyteam.com.

About Mid America Mortgage, Inc.:

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

In operation since 1940, Mid America has thrived by retaining its entrepreneurial spirit and leading the market in innovation, including its adoption of eClosings eNotes. Click n' Close, the Official Mortgage Provider of NASCAR(R), is Mid America's ultra-secure, digital mortgage approval and closing process that delivers an eight-minute application process, getting home buyers from application to closing within two weeks. With just a few clicks at closing, Click n' Close puts keys in the home buyer's hand in 15 minutes or less. Apply online at https://clicknclose.com.

Mid America is looking for tech-savvy, service-oriented mortgage professionals to join its growing team. We are dedicated to providing our employees with industry-leading tools and technology to deliver a great package of competitive pricing, programs and knowledgeable service. Want to join our team? Visit http://www.midamericacareer.com/.

The Cooksey Team, a top producing retail branch of Mid America Mortgage, Inc., announced today that its loan officer (LO) Wesley Ryan Grubbs has been ranked No. 1 in Flower Mound, Texas, based on total number of loans closed in 2017, according to Best Mortgage Lenders 2018. The rankings, which are published in conjunction with Ask a Lender and Scotsman Guide Media, also placed Grubbs at No. 157 statewide.

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

ARMCO’s Q3 2017 Trends Report: Critical Loan Defect Rate Drops for First Time in 2017

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- ACES Risk Management (ARMCO), the leading provider of enterprise financial risk mitigation software solutions, announced the release of the ARMCO Mortgage QC Trends Report. The latest report is for the third quarter of 2017, which relays loan quality findings for mortgages reviewed by ACES Audit Technology(TM) between July 1, 2017 and September 30, 2017.

The report's noteworthy findings include:
* The Q3 2017 critical defect rate declined 6 percent from the previous quarter, revealing the first decrease in this rate for 2017
* The percentage of purchase transactions declined in Q3 2017
* Purchase transactions and FHA loans accounted for a disproportionately higher number of critical defects in Q3 2017.

"As the percentage of refis increased in the third quarter of 2017, we saw a drop in critical defect rates. That said, purchases still comprise the majority of mortgages originated, so critical defect activity still aligns with what you'd see in a purchase-driven market," said Phil McCall, president of ARMCO. "Lenders need to be mindful of the risks inherent with purchase transactions and take precautions, regardless of fluctuations in purchase/refi market share."

The ARMCO Mortgage QC Industry Trends Report is based on nationwide post-closing quality control loan data from just under 100,000 loans selected for random full-file reviews, as was captured by the company's ACES Analytics benchmarking software. Defects listed in the report are categorized using the Fannie Mae loan defect taxonomy.

Each ARMCO Mortgage QC Industry Trends report includes easy-to-read charts and graphs, a summary that outlines ARMCO's overall findings, a breakdown of defect rates for each Fannie Mae loan defect category, and a short conclusion. The current and previous reports also contain an analysis of the top credit-related critical defects, which is now a regular feature of the report. ARMCO issues a one-year analysis for the calendar year with each fourth quarter Mortgage QC Industry Trends Report.

To obtain a copy of the report, please visit https://www.armco.us/knowledge/mortgage-qc-industry-report-2017-q3

About ARMCO:
ARMCO - ACES Risk Management delivers web-based audit technology solutions, as well as powerful data and analytics, to the nation's top mortgage lenders, servicers, investors and outsourcing professionals. A trusted partner devoted to client relationships, ARMCO offers best-in-class quality control and compliance software that provides U.S. banks, mortgage companies and service providers the technology and data needed to support loan integrity, meet regulatory requirements, reduce risk and drive positive business decisions. ARMCO's flagship product, ACES Audit Technology(TM), is available at any point in the mortgage loan lifecycle, to any size lender, and is user-definable. ACES standardizes audit requirements, ties pre-funding reviews to post-closing quality control audits, enables seamless trend analysis, identifies credit, compliance and process deficiencies and helps create manageable action plans.

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

ACES Risk Management (ARMCO), the leading provider of enterprise financial risk mitigation software solutions, announced the release of the ARMCO Mortgage QC Trends Report. The latest report is for the third quarter of 2017, which relays loan quality findings for mortgages reviewed by ACES Audit Technology between July 1, 2017 and September 30, 2017.

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

EPIC Adds KJ Wagner as Principal and Director of Southwest Region Property and Casualty Operations

DALLAS, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a leading national retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, today announced the addition of insurance industry veteran KJ Wagner as Principal and Director of Property & Casualty Insurance Operations for the firm's Southwest Region.

Wagner will be based in Dallas, Texas and report to Jim Watt, EPIC's Houston-based President, Southwest Region.

Wagner brings to EPIC more than 20 years of risk management, insurance brokerage strategic operations, mergers & acquisitions, producer recruiting, business development, and executive leadership experience.

As EPIC's Director of P&C Operations in the Southwest, Wagner will partner with Jim Watt and other members of EPIC's National Executive Leadership Team led by CEO Pete Garvey to accelerate the growth and success of EPIC's risk management consulting and Property & Casualty Operations across the Southwest.

Wagner joins from Willis, where he held a variety of leadership positions; most recently as West Region Corporate Risk & Broking Leader. He previously served as National Partner for Willis North America's West Region (January of 2014 to January 2016) and President of Willis of Arizona (1999 through 2013).

In addition, Wagner was one of Willis' top new business Producers in North America, focusing on large, complex risks and serving numerous global clients across a wide range of industries.

"I am delighted that KJ has joined our firm as he is exactly the kind of free thinking strategist and experienced leader that we value here at EPIC," said Jim Watt. "KJ is highly regarded for his depth of understanding and creative solutions in the large, complex risk arena, and he will help us to collectively serve our clients extremely well."

Added, EPIC CEO Pete Garvey, "We are excited to further expand and enhance EPIC's operations in Texas, Arizona and the rest of the Southwest Region with KJ's addition. He strongly shares our 'people first' beliefs and values which put the needs of our clients, team members and their communities ahead of all others. He will be a strong addition to our seasoned, highly experienced leadership team."

Said Wagner, "I am a great admirer of the way EPIC has gone about building their business across the country. I am excited to have this opportunity to further build on what we have in common in the Southwest and to help realize the EPIC vision of excellence, celebration, success and fun. It is something I wanted to be a part of and I would strongly encourage others to consider the EPIC difference."

Wagner attended the Arizona State University where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Arts and Sciences. In addition, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee from 2013 to 2016 and he has been an active member of the Young President's Organization since 2008.

KJ Wagner can be reached at:
Phone: 602-509-6017
Email: kj.wagner@epicbrokers.com

About EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants:

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 and sponsored 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 leading national retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, today announced the addition of insurance industry veteran KJ Wagner as Principal and Director of Property & Casualty Insurance Operations for the firm's Southwest Region.

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

ARMCO Wins HousingWire’s HW Tech100 Award for Fourth Consecutive Year

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- ACES Risk Management (ARMCO), the leading provider of financial risk mitigation and compliance solutions, announced that it has won HousingWire's fifth annual HW Tech100(TM) award, which recognizes the 100 most innovative technology companies in the U.S. housing economy. This is the fourth consecutive year that ARMCO has won the prestigious award.

ARMCO was selected for this award based on several factors, such as the company's proven ability to increase productivity and expedite processes while imparting greater accuracy, reliability, consistency and security in the QC process.

"Winning the Tech100 award reflects the concrete actions ARMCO takes each year to assure our customers receive the absolute highest standard of reliability, efficiency, service and innovation in quality control," said ARMCO's president, Phil McCall. "We are honored to be recognized again this yearand remain committed to elevating quality for the mortgage industry in the coming year."

In the 12-month period preceding the award submission period, ARMCO introduced several technologies, including ACESXPRESS, a streamlined version of its ACES Audit Technology(TM), the mortgage industry's leading web-based quality control (QC) technology, and ACES Automated Document Manager (ADM), a technology that automates the QC process of identifying, inspecting, bookmarking and organizing loan documents. One of the most noteworthy accomplishments was adding criteria-based multi-answer question sets to its ACES Intelligent Questionnaires, reducing process time by as much as 50 percent.

ARMCO continues to provide the ARMCO Mortgage QC Industry Trends Report, a free quarterly quality control analysis of loans across the U.S., based on findings derived by ACES Analytics benchmarking software. ARMCO also added numerous product enhancements that assure alignment with initiatives like Fannie Mae's Day 1 Certainty program and the HMDA changes scheduled for 2018.

"The number of fintech companies serving the mortgage industry has exploded over the last several years - making the choice of just 100 companies this year very difficult," said HousingWire Magazine Editor Sarah Wheeler. "Companies in the 2018 Tech100 represent the leading edge of solutions and services that will propel mortgage companies toward success."

ACES is recognized by many as the mortgage industry's foremost QC technology for its ability to increase accuracy, consistency, security and efficiency in the prefunding QC process. Users extol its sophisticated benchmarking and analytics, robust reporting capabilities, seamless integration with loan origination systems, intricate automation in document management, easy two-way access to system data, and more.

About ARMCO:

ARMCO - ACES Risk Management delivers web-based audit technology solutions, as well as powerful data and analytics, to the nation's top mortgage lenders, servicers, investors and outsourcing professionals. A trusted partner devoted to client relationships, ARMCO offers best-in-class quality control and compliance software that provides U.S. banks, mortgage companies and service providers the technology and data needed to support loan integrity, meet regulatory requirements, reduce risk and drive positive business decisions. ARMCO's flagship product, ACES Audit Technology(TM), is available at any point in the mortgage loan lifecycle, to any size lender, and is user-definable. ACES standardizes audit requirements, ties pre-funding reviews to post-closing quality control audits, enables seamless trend analysis, identifies credit, compliance and process deficiencies and helps create manageable action plans. For more information, visit http://www.armco.us/ or call 1-800-858-1598.

ACES Risk Management (ARMCO), the leading provider of financial risk mitigation and compliance solutions, announced that it has won HousingWire's fifth annual HW Tech100 award, which recognizes the 100 most innovative technology companies in the U.S. housing economy. This is the fourth consecutive year that ARMCO has won the prestigious award.

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

ReverseVision and Allegiant Reverse Services Partner to Simplify Title Ordering for HECM Loans

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- ReverseVision, the leading provider of technology and training for the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) industry, today announced a partnership with Allegiant Reverse Services (ARS), a full-service title and settlement company with an exclusive focus on reverse mortgage closings. The integration of ARS' Order Source order management system with ReverseVision's RV Exchange (RVX) loan origination system (LOS) enables ARS settlement agents to place title orders and track files directly from the RVX platform.

Used by all 10 of the top-ten HECM lenders, RVX provides a central point of access for participants in the HECM financing process to securely view loan information, share documents and communicate throughout the lending process. RVX reduces the incidence of document errors, strengthens information security and expedites time-to-close by making the tools for the entire HECM lifecycle accessible through a single portal - from point of sale to post-closing and secondary marketing.

Roseville, California-based ARS is a division of both FNC Title of California and FNC Title Services, LLC. Together, FNC and ARS are the most dominant title companies in the HECM industry.

"Integrating ARS' order management system into RVX enables settlement agents to place orders, review documents and securely communicate about the closing process without having to log in to a separate website and rekey data," said ReverseVision Vice President of Sales and Marketing Wendy Peel. "We are pleased to play a role in facilitating an enhanced HECM borrowing experience for ARS and its customers."

"Our partnership with ReverseVision supports ARS' ongoing effort to provide exceptional efficiency of service," said Megan Hafenstein, vice president at ARS. "Now, ARS customers can reap the benefits of a more cohesive and simplified HECM process by placing orders and managing documents directly within RVX."

About Allegiant Reverse Services:

Allegiant Reverse Services (ARS) is a full-service title and settlement company dedicated to nationwide reverse mortgage closings. ARS is a division of FNC Title Services, LLC, which is headquartered in Rockville, Maryland. Over the years, the ARS team has advocated for the reverse mortgage industry in a highly proactive way, providing education and training for lenders and brokers while efficiently handling the transactions of senior borrowers. As a result, the team has earned superior trust and established a network of strong connections throughout the United States. To learn more about ARS please visit http://www.allegiantreverse.com/.

About ReverseVision:

ReverseVision, Inc. is the leading software and technology provider for the reverse mortgage industry, offering products and services focused exclusively on the home-equity conversion mortgage (HECM) and related reverse mortgage programs. With nearly 10,000 active users, ReverseVision technology is used by 10 out of 10 top reverse mortgage lenders and supports more reverse mortgage transactions than all other systems combined. The company's comprehensive product suite also includes reverse mortgage sales and education tools and a dedicated professional services team. ReverseVision partners with some of the finest and fastest-growing banks, credit unions and lending organizations in the United States to provide its reverse mortgage technology to brokers, correspondents, lenders and investors.

A three-time HousingWire TECH100(TM) company, ReverseVision has also been recognized in Deloitte's Technology Fast 500(TM) listing. ReverseVision's annual user conference, the only event of its kind in the industry, brings together more than 200 lenders, vendors and educators each year to advance reverse mortgage lending. The company continues to build on its technology's pioneering capabilities with frequent enhancements aimed at boosting users' reverse mortgage volume, workflow efficiency and data analysis capabilities.

For more information, visit http://www.reversevision.com/.

ReverseVision, the leading provider of technology and training for the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) industry, today announced a partnership with Allegiant Reverse Services (ARS), a full-service title and settlement company with an exclusive focus on reverse mortgage closings.

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

Ascend Federal Credit Union Automates its Residential Mortgage Lending Business with OpenClose’s LenderAssist LOS and DecisionAssist PPE

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- OpenClose(R), an industry-leading multi-channel loan origination system (LOS) and mortgage fintech provider, announced that Ascend Federal Credit Union (Ascend) is leveraging its LenderAssist(TM) LOS platform and DecisionAssist(TM) product and pricing engine (PPE). OpenClose's completely browser-based solution has delivered additional efficiencies and heightened service levels for the credit union's growing mortgage lending division.

Ascend engaged with OpenClose to provide the credit union with a robust LOS that will simplify its mortgage processes, ensure compliance, improve efficiencies, maximize productivity and reduce costs -- without the time and expense of implementing and maintaining a legacy system. LenderAssist was configured to support Ascend's specific business processes and automate the lending workflow from start to finish. The entire platform was implemented in less 60 days.

"Since implementing OpenClose, we have enhanced our overall mortgage lending process and ability to provide faster, better service to members looking for a home loan," said Don Gilliam, vice president of mortgage lending at Ascend. "The team at OpenClose is outstanding to work with and always provides very responsive, personalized customer support to our mortgage staff."

LenderAssist is cost effectively delivered on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) basis. OpenClose maintains the entire system for Ascend, thus avoiding the need to add internal staff and dramatically reducing total cost of ownership. DecisionAssist provides instant, accurate loan pricing and eligibility for Ascend's mortgage staff. OpenClose's team of mortgage specialists manage all guidelines and pricing on a daily basis for Ascend. In addition, as Ascend grows, LenderAssist is designed to flex and scale with the business, preventing expansion challenges.

"Attaining a home loan can be an intimidating, complex experience for many consumers, but Ascend's focus on service and use of technology makes it very easy for members to do business with them," says JP Kelly, president of OpenClose. "LenderAssist and DecisionAssist have contributed to Ascend's already high service levels by helping add simplicity, transparency and excellence in service to members."

LenderAssist creates a seamless workflow process that eliminates manual touch points, freeing Ascend employees up to devote more time to member service. Throughout the origination process, OpenClose checks for QM/ATR, Reg B, Reg Z, fee tolerance, state and federal rules and regulations, and TRID compliance. Robust reporting tools documents everything done during the lending process for auditing and compliance purposes.

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 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 Twitter: @openclosesocial #mortgagetechnology #fintech #loanoriginationsoftware #creditunionsoftware

About Ascend Federal Credit Union:

With more than $2 billion in assets, more than 170,000 members and more than 500 employees, Ascend is the largest credit union in Middle Tennessee and one of the largest federally chartered credit unions in the United States. The National Association of Federal Credit Unions (NAFCU) selected Ascend as the 2015 Federal Credit Union of the Year. Ascend is federally insured by the NCUA. https://www.ascendfcu.org/

OpenClose, an industry-leading multi-channel loan origination system (LOS) and mortgage fintech provider, announced that Ascend Federal Credit Union (Ascend) is leveraging its LenderAssist(TM) LOS platform and DecisionAssist(TM) product and pricing engine (PPE). OpenClose's completely browser-based solution has delivered additional efficiencies and heightened service levels for the credit union's growing mortgage lending division.

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