Category Archives: Finance

Major Update to Cloudvirga’s Enterprise Point-of-Sale Platform Raises the Digital Mortgage Bar

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 a major update to the Cloudvirga Enterprise POS. New features designed to improve lender speed, compliance and productivity will make the platform's 4.0 release the most robust POS solution on the market.

Available April 2, Cloudvirga's 4.0 release is fully compatible with the latest Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data collection and reporting requirements.

Enhancements include:
* Enhanced Rate Locking with Built-in Concessions Workflow
Gives loan officers the unprecedented ability to submit price concession requests and receive manager approvals in real time, at the point of sale, as part of the rate-locking workflow. This automated concessions workflow, which can be configured for up to five levels of approval, enables loan officers to generate rate-lock disclosures that reflect approved concessions, eliminating the need to re-disclose later.

* Automated Income Analysis and Accurate Disclosures for Veterans' Loans
Automates the calculation of all qualifying ratios for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) loans, including Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loans (IRRRLs), making Cloudvirga the first mortgage POS platform to accurately calculate DTI for VA loans for accurate loan disclosure.

* Greater Lender Control Over eVerification of Assets (eVOA)
Empowers lenders to toggle on/off eVerification of borrower assets on a product-by-product basis, streamlining submission to automated underwriting systems (AUS) and ensuring borrowers' asset documentation meets individual investor and/or warehouse line requirements.

* New Mortgage Insurance and Appraisal Management Integrations
o Integrates with Arch MI and Radian for in-platform access to mortgage insurance (MI) rate quotes that are accurate down to the specific loan product.
o Introduces a robust integration with Mercury Network's award-winning appraisal order management platform.

* Automatic Loan Disclosures to Help Lenders Stay Compliant
Ensures that disclosures are auto-generated and sent digitally or by mail within three days (if the lender has not already done so) using an advanced rules engine and lender guidelines.

* Private-Label Customization for Branch Operations
Provides lenders the ability to tailor the consumer digital experience (e.g., business names, logos, messaging, disclosures and brand colors) at the corporate, branch and DBA level.

* Real-Time Compliance Checks with Prepotency(R)
Offers real-time compliance checks through PredProtect from First American Mortgage Solutions prior to generating loan disclosures, instantly identifying any potential violations in plain English so corrections may be made prior to the loan funding and providing an easy audit trail.

"Job one of any mortgage POS platform is to quickly, accurately and compliantly secure a borrower's commitment," explained Cloudvirga co-founder Kyle Kamrooz. "Our intelligent Mortgage Platform uniquely empowers loan officers and consumers and redefines what a POS can do. Cloudvirga delivers the 'one-call close' while also optimizing for downstream impacts in the mortgage factory."

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 initial customer roster includes eight of the top 40 non-bank mortgage originators. To date, Cloudvirga has raised over $27 million from some of the country's top lenders and venture capital firms.

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

Cloudvirga, a leading provider of digital mortgage point-of-sale (POS) software whose enterprise technology is powered by the intelligent Mortgage Platform(R), today announced a major update to the Cloudvirga Enterprise POS. New features designed to improve lender speed, compliance and productivity will make the platform's 4.0 release the most robust POS solution on the market.

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

PitBullTax Software Launches PitBullTax University and Announces Its First User Conference

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- PitBullTax, The Leading IRS Tax Resolution Software provider for CPAs, Enrolled Agents and Tax Attorneys received accreditation to be a Continuing Education Provider for tax professionals who are involved in IRS tax resolution and for those who plan to practice in this lucrative specialty. This is yet another milestone in a long history of accomplishments for PitBullTax, and another example of how this company maintains its dominant position in the tax resolution arena.

The first PitBullTax User Conference is scheduled for this May 17, 18 and 19 at the luxurious B Ocean Resort right on the sands of the beautiful Fort Lauderdale beach. The company is offering huge discounts for those who sign up early.

"We have created PitBullTax University for our software users and especially potential users to learn proven winning tax resolution techniques and strategies utilizing our intelligent software platform, and at the same time earn Continuing Education credits," explains Jaime S. Buchwald, CPA and CEO of PitBullTax Software.

"This is what makes PitBullTax University and the User Conference unique and sets it apart from other continuing education events. We actually marry fundamentals with technology to make our users and potential users the most efficient and profitable tax resolution practitioners in the country," added Buchwald.

Through its offices based in Coral Springs, Florida, PitBullTax Software has been consistently updating their IRS resolution software application and practice automation technology with major enhancements to serve the IRS tax resolution niche for over eight years. As a result, it has been able to partner with some of the largest and most prestigious tax associations in the country.

As Jose L. Alfaro, Software Developer and CTO of PitBullTax Software, says: "We will continue to be on the cutting edge of IRS Tax Resolution Technology and practice automation. Our application has become so comprehensive that even our power users don't know how to unleash the true potential of our cloud based platform. Now, with PitBullTax University and the upcoming User Conference our licensees will not only learn practical techniques, but also how to incorporate them and maximize our technology to its fullest capabilities. Even more exciting is that for potential users and those who are just entering the IRS Tax Resolution specialty, they will shave many years off their learning curve and will be able to go back to their offices and take on cases immediately... and with confidence!"

"At the PitBullTax University User Conference attendees will learn how to quickly recognize and evaluate various IRS problem scenarios and have our software diagnose and prescribe the exact workflow required to prepare and present cases to the collection and appeals divisions of the Internal Revenue Service," stated Irina N. Bobrova, MST, EA and COO of PitBullTax Software.

She added, "Attendees will learn how to prepare a Collection Information Statement, learn when each particular form is needed, and master the most important alternatives in resolving IRS problems, such as Offer in Compromise, Installment Agreement, Currently Not Collectible Status, Innocent Spouse and so much more.

"Also, attendees will grasp the techniques of how to effortlessly retrieve IRS Transcripts through their online E-Services account in minutes and have the software prepare concise analytical reports with the appropriate data flowing directly into the resolution forms. Overall, we will teach our users how to make their tax resolution practices more efficient by streamlining their processes, with the end result of saving practitioners' valuable time and making more money!"

PitBullTax University will also be offering online webinars and self-study courses in various topics in the IRS Tax Resolution specialty. PitBullTax Software and PitBullTax University is now a fully vertically integrated company combining education with actual hands-on technology skills.

Learn more about event at: http://university.pitbulltax.com/

About PitBullTax Software:

PitBullTax Software has licensees in all 50 states that rely daily on their Software to prepare and automate their IRS Tax Resolution Practices. Innovation, efficiency, and making its licensees more profitable are the cornerstones of the company's philosophy. Learn more: https://www.pitbulltax.com/.

PitBullTax, The Leading IRS Tax Resolution Software provider for CPAs, Enrolled Agents and Tax Attorneys received accreditation to be a Continuing Education Provider for tax professionals who are involved in IRS tax resolution and for those who plan to practice in this lucrative specialty. This is yet another milestone in a long history of accomplishments for PitBullTax, and another example of how this company maintains its dominant position in the tax resolution arena.

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

Mortgage Technology Industry Veteran Tom Rice Joins OpenClose as Vice President Enterprise Account Executive

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- OpenClose(R), an industry-leading multi-channel loan origination system (LOS) and mortgage fintech provider, announced that long-time industry veteran Tom Rice has joined its growing sales team. Mr. Rice has experience with multiple LOS platforms as well as other enterprise-class mortgage technology solutions. He will be responsible for covering the West Coast territory.

In his role as vice president enterprise account executive, Mr. Rice will work with lending entities of various types and sizes to utilize OpenClose's end-to-end LOS and additional software solutions. This includes the OpenClose LenderAssist(TM) LOS, DecisionAssist(TM) PPE, ConsumerAssist(TM) borrower direct websites, OC Correspondent(TM) lending module, OC Optics(TM) data and analytics reporting solution, mobile technology and also new innovative, disruptive products that OpenClose will be launching in 2018.

"Tom has an outstanding reputation for developing and maintaining rapport-based, long-term business relationships with all types mortgage professionals from different functional areas at lending entities," said Vince Furey, senior vice president of lending solutions at OpenClose. "He is an experienced sales executive who is solution-oriented and accustomed to operating in fast-paced, dynamic software environments. He fits well with our corporate culture and we are pleased to welcome him to the OpenClose family."

Mr. Rice has experience working with an array of different mortgage software applications. He has held senior sales positions at LOS vendor PCLender; PPE and secondary marketing software vendor Optimal Blue; enterprise risk management and data analytics provider Veros; Bank of America; and other mortgage software providers.

"I've worked with many different types of mortgage banking applications over the course of my career and OpenClose is the most comprehensive, advanced, completely web-based end-to-end LOS platforms that I've seen," remarked Rice. "In addition, I have heard a common theme from lenders lauding OpenClose's boutique-style, highly responsive approach to customer service, which is tough to find in today's consolidated market where most of the big guys fall short in this area. I am excited about the immense opportunity to help lenders operate more efficiently by leveraging OpenClose's software solutions."

Mr. Rice holds a B.S. in Accounting from San Diego State University and an M.B.A. in International Management from the University of Denver. He is an active member of the Mortgage Bankers Association.

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, an industry-leading multi-channel loan origination system (LOS) and mortgage fintech provider, announced that long-time industry veteran Tom Rice has joined its growing sales team. Mr. Rice has experience with multiple LOS platforms as well as other enterprise-class mortgage technology solutions. He will be responsible for covering the West Coast territory.

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

New Mobile App from Cloudvirga Connects Real Estate Agents with Loan Officers on Its Digital Mortgage Platform

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 launch of a new mobile app that will enable real estate agents to collaborate with mortgage loan officers in real time. This native mobile app allows instantaneous and secure exchange of loan documents and communication between real estate agents and loan teams for a faster, more efficient mortgage experience.

The mobile app, available for both Android and Apple devices, makes it easy for real estate agents to check a loan's status, view and send pre-approval letters and upload purchase contracts from virtually anywhere. Real estate agents can also use the app to share leads with loan officers.

"Cloudvirga's new mobile app deepens the collaboration between loan officers and real estate agents, which is critical to success in today's purchase-driven market," said Cloudvirga Co-founder Kyle Kamrooz. "Agents and loan officers now have access to our digital mortgage platform via a native mobile app that is both easy to use and incredibly powerful."

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 initial customer roster includes eight of the top 40 non-bank mortgage originators. To date, Cloudvirga has raised over $27 million from some of the country's top lenders and venture capital firms.

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

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 launch of a new mobile app that will enable real estate agents to collaborate with mortgage loan officers in real time. This native mobile app allows instantaneous and secure exchange of loan documents and communication between real estate agents and loan teams for a faster, more efficient mortgage experience.

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

Two MQMR Employees Selected as MBA, California MBA Future Leaders

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Quality Management and Research, LLC (MQMR), a leader in mortgage risk management and compliance services, today announced that two employees from the MQMR family of companies have been selected to participate in executive leadership development programs sponsored by the national Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) and the California Mortgage Bankers Association.

Erin Harris, manager of MQMR's vendor management division was selected to participate in the Future Leaders program offered by the MBA. The program is designed to deliver, "a comprehensive curriculum for selected managers who have shown leadership interests and abilities...and enhance [participants] skills through three hands-on sessions geared toward political activism; business analysis and problem solving; and experiential learning through collaboration, networking and peer group interaction."

Jason Alderton, servicing quality control (QC) manager for MQMR sister-firm Subsequent QC, LLC was selected for the California MBA Future Leaders program. Much like the MBA's program, the California MBA Future Leaders is also intended to "develop the next generation of qualified, responsible, and capable market leaders," over the course of two sessions. These sessions focus on identifying the behaviors that drive effective leadership to help participants develop a personal leadership development plan.

"MQMR's greatest asset is its employees, and the firm is deeply committed to their professional development, as well as the advancement of the mortgage industry at large," said Michael Steer, president of MQMR. "Erin and Jason are two of the best MQMR has to offer, and I look forward to observing the growth in their leadership skills as a result of participating the MBA and California MBA Future Leaders programs."

Harris and Alderton are the latest in a series of MQMR employees to be selected for the Future Leaders programs offered by the MBA and California MBA. MQMR Director Dayna Silver is a graduate of the MBA's Future Leaders program, and previous MQMR graduates of the California MBA's program include Steer, Co-Founder Ben Madick, Director of Servicing Oversight Nicholas Corpuz and Account Executive Alan Ridenour.

"As a Future Leaders graduate, I have encouraged my staff to avail themselves of these invaluable programs at every opportunity," Steer added. "Supporting our employees' participation in these programs not only aids their individual growth, but it also helps fuel the success of the mortgage industry at large by developing the next generation of leadership."

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, providing mortgage compliance consulting throughout the origination process, 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 two employees from the MQMR family of companies have been selected to participate in executive leadership development programs sponsored by the national Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) and the California Mortgage Bankers Association.

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

Simplifile Debuts Enhanced Post-Closing Service to Automate Return of Trailing Mortgage Documents

PROVO, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents, and counties, announced that it has enhanced its Post Closing service to help lenders automate the return of trailing loan documents. This new service is designed to save lenders time on final Closing Disclosure (CD) reconciliation, eliminate time-consuming post-closing document management tasks, and provide a complete audit trail to reduce regulatory risk.

Using its e-recording network of active settlement agents - the largest in the nation - Simplifile automates the return of recorded documents, final recording fees, and transfer taxes that match the loans in a lender's post closing pipeline. Simplifile can also automate the request for final title policy or any other trailing documents.

Lenders using Simplifile's Post Closing service are automatically receiving recorded documents and fees for nearly half of their loans, with 50 percent being returned within 48 hours and 90 percent within a week of the loan closing. For Ellie Mae customers, Simplifile can deliver the returned documents directly into the Encompass eFolder, eliminating additional steps in the post-closing file completion process.

"Post-closing workflow continues to be a pain point for many lenders, as the consequences of submitting incomplete loan files to regulators and investors can be severe," said Simplifile President Paul Clifford. "With more than 17,000 settlement agents utilizing our network to e-record in more than 1,750 counties, Simplifile is in a unique position to solve this very real issue for lenders by, in essence, providing the auto-return trailing docs and final recording fees and transfer taxes for loans closed across 80 percent of the population."

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 #mortgage #settlement #realestate

Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents, and counties, announced that it has enhanced its Post Closing service to help lenders automate the return of trailing loan documents. This new service is designed to save lenders time on final Closing Disclosure (CD) reconciliation, eliminate time-consuming post-closing document management tasks, and provide a complete audit trail to reduce regulatory risk.

Related link: https://simplifile.com/

Life-preserving tax tips, quips and advice series, book one from Jeffrey Schneider, is now available in a Kindle Edition

STUART, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- SFS Tax Problem Solutions Press announces the release of the eBook and Kindle Edition of "Now What? I Got a Tax Notice from the IRS. Help!" (B079XWL8P9) by Jeffrey Schneider. "Now What?" is also available in paperback (ISBN: 978-0692997154) and will be published in an audiobook version in June 2018.

Reading these life-preserving tax tips with the stress-reducing facts shared in a down to earth style will help to reduce the intimidation, fear and the unknown when it comes to the IRS. In "Now What? I Got A Tax Notice From The IRS. Help!" Jeff defines and deconstructs the scary and confusing letters in a fashion that mixes attention to detail with humor and an intricate clarification of what is what in the world of the IRS.

Using the information presented in this book as tools of navigation, floatation, and even resuscitation can help you to better understand the legitimate letters and notices as well as letters from the IRS private debt collectors and the scammers that have no relation whatsoever to the Internal Revenue Service.

Schneider explains:
* How getting notices should not be as life-threatening as you may think.
* There is life, sanity, and even money after receiving a notice.
* You have choices, and you do have some control. The IRS is not always correct!
* Even if you owe more than you can pay, there are other options.

As filing deadlines come to a close and many choose the online route, Schneider states in the book: "An online tax program is only as good as the information the person enters into it and the understanding of what is being asked by the program." He goes on to explain that "Online tax programs do not get to know their clients." This can be very dangerous if the person does not know what they can or cannot add, deduct or for that matter, remember.

Jeffrey Schneider, EA, CTRS, NTPI Fellow has the knowledge and expertise to help you reach a favorable outcome with the IRS. He is the head honcho at SFS Tax & Accounting Services as well as the Enrolled Agent and Certified Tax Resolution Specialist for SFS Tax Problem Solutions. Schneider was recently appointed to the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council (IRSAC).

Chapter titles in both the Kindle and Paperback edition include:
* Let the buyer beware of credentials and the people they buy into.
* What can a tax professional do for you that an online program can't?
* The Role of the Taxpayer, The Representative, and the IRS
* The protection and fundamental rights you have with the IRS
* The best steps to take in order to avoid an audit.
* Getting a love letter from the Internal Revenue Service
* I got a Tax Notice. You can't run or hide, so now what?
* How do I pay the IRS what I don't have?
* How do you get the IRS off your back‚ temporarily?
* I'm innocent, I tell you. I didn't do it.
* Having a tax debt that isn't yours.
* Can you really start over and get a second chance?
* Private Collectors and other problems outside of the IRS.

According to Schneider, "Most taxpayers do not realize that they have the right to be represented when it comes to dealing with the IRS. Do not deal with the IRS alone. You do not have to go it alone, and you do not need a lawyer. This is a major misconception from many that find themselves in deep waters with the IRS."

For more information about Jeffrey Schneider, visit: https://sfstaxproblemsolutions.com/ or http://sfstaxacct.com/.

BOOK SUMMARY:
Title: "Now What? I Got a Tax Notice from the IRS. Help!"
Author: Jeffrey Schneider.
Publisher: SFS Tax Problem Solutions Press.
ISBN: 978-0692997154; paperback, 6×9; 216pp; $9.97.
eBook: B079XWL8P9.
Audio book: June 2018.

VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/grEhnkQ8t-I

SFS Tax Problem Solutions Press announces the release of the eBook and Kindle Edition of "Now What? I Got a Tax Notice from the IRS. Help!" (B079XWL8P9) by Jeffrey Schneider. "Now What?" is also available in paperback (ISBN: 978-0692997154) and will be published in an audiobook version in June 2018.

Related link: https://sfstaxproblemsolutions.com/

National Mortgage Professional Magazine Designates MCT a 2018 Top Mortgage Employer

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced that National Mortgage Professional (NMP) magazine named the company to its 2018 'Top Mortgage Employers' list. MCT was one of only ten companies to be included in the Services Providers category.

This year's winners were arrived at via a poll of NMP's readers regarding their employers. The following criteria was used: corporate culture; compensation; day-to-day management; internal communications; marketing; training; resources; long-term strategy; ingenuity; speed; technology; reputation; and industry participation.

"Our entire company is honored to be recognized by National Mortgage Professional as one of the top places to work for in the mortgage industry," said Curtis Richins, president of MCT. "We work diligently to consistently create innovative programs, provide unique benefits and maintain a corporate culture that is a very attractive, comfortable and fun environment for our staff to enjoy."

Of note is that MCT has also earned a spot on the San Diego Business Journal's list of 'Best Places to Work' seven years in a row. In addition, MCT was recently named to American Banker magazine's inaugural 'Best Fintechs to Work For' list, which is comprised of only 20 companies.

National Mortgage Professional magazine is one of the mortgage industry's leading go-to sources for extensive news coverage for mortgages, origination, compliance, secondary marketing, servicing, settlement, technology, trending, and more.

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 National Mortgage Professional (NMP) magazine named the company to its 2018 'Top Mortgage Employers' list. MCT was one of only ten companies to be included in the Services Providers category.

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

Bank of Southern California, N.A. Announces Addition of Phillip Mulder and Billy Szeto to Its Commercial Real Estate and SBA Group

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Bank of Southern California, N.A. ( OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL ), a community business bank headquartered in San Diego, Calif., announces the addition of two tenured Business Development Officers to support the company's continued expansion into the Southern California region.

Philip Mulder - Vice President, Business Development Officer:

Mr. Mulder has joined Bank of Southern California as Vice President, Business Development Officer and will be responsible for providing SBA and commercial lending to small- and medium-sized businesses in the Inland Empire and Riverside County. Throughout his career he has demonstrated a strong commitment and proven success in partnering with businesses to help them achieve their financial goals.

He previously served as Vice President, Business Development for a Southern California regional bank, and prior held a similar position with the CDC, Small Business Finance, Riverside for over 20 years. Mulder holds a bachelor's degree from Dordt College in Iowa and serves on the Endowment Committee of Redlands Christian School.

Billy Szeto - Vice President, Business Development Officer:

Mr. Szeto joined the Bank as Vice President, Business Development Officer and will focus on providing small- to medium-sized businesses with financing through SBA and commercial real estate loan programs.

With more than 15 years of commercial lending experience, he has a proven track record of helping small businesses facilitate the acquisition, development, and refinance of commercial real estate properties throughout Los Angeles and Orange County. Prior to joining the Bank, he held a similar role at Union Bank. Mr. Szeto holds a bachelor's degree from University of Southern California.

"As Bank of Southern California continues to expand its market position in Southern California, this is a natural time to grow and strengthen our client acquisition team. The addition of these experienced business development professionals demonstrates the Bank's commitment to helping Southern California businesses grow and succeed," said Tony DiVita, Executive Vice President.

"Philip and Billy are strong additions to the Commercial Real Estate and SBA Group. They will play an integral role in the execution of the Bank's strategic growth as the company enhances its presence in the Southern California market," concluded DiVita.

About Bank of Southern California:
A growing community bank, established in 2001, Bank of Southern California, N.A., with headquarters in San Diego, Calif., is locally owned and managed, and offers a range of financial products to individuals, professionals, and small-to-medium sized businesses. The Bank's solution-driven, relationship-based approach to banking provides accessibility to decision makers and enhances value through strong partnerships with its clients.

The Bank currently operates 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, Calif., announces the addition of two tenured Business Development Officers to support the company's continued expansion into the Southern California region.

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

FormFree Returns as Sponsor of Ellie Mae Experience 2018

ATHENS, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- For the second year, automated verification provider FormFree(R) will sponsor Ellie Mae's (NYSE: ELLI) annual user conference. Ellie Mae Experience 2018 takes place March 19-21 at the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas.

Each year, Ellie Mae Experience brings together thousands of mortgage leaders to discuss the latest industry strategies, share best practices and receive hands-on training while experiencing first-hand the next generation of digital mortgage solutions that will shape the industry.

FormFree will host the event's welcome reception as one of five stops on a "wine tasting tour" of the conference exhibit hall. FormFree will also sponsor a device charging station to help conference attendees stay connected throughout the event.

"Ellie Mae Experience is one of the industry's best events for bringing together lenders and technology providers to advance mortgage efficiency and innovation," said FormFree Founder and CEO Brent Chandler. "We are delighted to once again support this conference with our sponsorship, and we look forward to seeing new and familiar faces at booth 100."

FormFree's AccountChek(R) automated asset verification service enables borrowers to demonstrate their ability to repay loans by sharing financial data directly with lenders instead of mailing, faxing or emailing traditional asset account statements. The standardized format of AccountChek's digital Asset Report reduces loan processing and underwriting times and allows lenders to close loans days faster.

Lenders who use AccountChek and submit their casefiles for validation through Fannie Mae's Desktop Underwriter(R) (DU(R)) automated underwriting system receive freedom from representations and warrants for the validated components of the loan.

AccountChek is also now in pilot for Single Source Validation, which is an enhancement to Fannie Mae's DU validation service that will let lenders obtain asset, income and employment validation from one automated report from AccountChek.

To learn more about AccountChek and other FormFree products, visit booth 100 at the Wynn Las Vegas.

About FormFree(R):
FormFree is a fintech company whose market-leading AccountChek(R) Asset Reports are used by lenders nationwide to verify borrower assets, employment and income in minutes. To date, more than 1,000 U.S. lenders have ordered over 1.25 million AccountChek Asset Reports, delighting their customers with a paperless experience and reducing origination timelines by up to 20 days. FormFree offers automated analysis and standardized delivery to lenders and their investors using a secure ReIssueKey(TM). A HousingWire TECH100(TM) company for four consecutive years, FormFree is based in Athens, Georgia.

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

#FormFree @EllieMaeInc #EllieMaeExperience

For the second year, automated verification provider FormFree will sponsor Ellie Mae's (NYSE:ELLI) annual user conference. Ellie Mae Experience 2018 takes place March 19-21 at the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas. Each year, Ellie Mae Experience brings together thousands of mortgage leaders to discuss the latest industry strategies, share best practices and receive hands-on training.

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

ReverseVision’s Sold-Out Third Annual User Conference Equips New and Experienced HECM Lenders with Data-Driven Insights

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- ReverseVision, the leading provider of technology and training for the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) industry, attracted a record crowd of industry newcomers to its third annual user conference February 6-8 at the Kona Kai Resort and Spa in San Diego.

More than 80 companies attended ReverseVision's User Con 2018 event, which garnered increased attendance by "new to the industry" participants seeking to bolster their book of business with HECMs and related products.

The conference's opening session, dubbed "Generational Lending," was designed specifically for these industry newcomers. After debunking the common myths that still plague HECM lending, the session showed how HECM products help lenders grow long-term customer relationships by rounding out a portfolio of products relevant to each stage of the customer's life. Registration for this year's Generational Lending session more than tripled that of the previous year and included representatives from depository banks looking to learn more about the HECM product.

Other conference sessions covered a variety of subjects geared toward strengthening attendees' HECM lending endeavors in 2018, including industry outlook, compliance, security, sales strategies and ReverseVision technology.

One of the top-rated conference sessions was delivered by Jim Cameron, senior partner at mortgage industry advisory firm STRATMOR Group. Cameron shared exclusive data insights comparing today's forward and reverse lending markets and highlighting the opportunity represented by the millions of Baby Boomers who will reach the age of HECM qualification in the coming years. In addition, Cameron's findings shed light on the number of borrowers over 62 that could have benefitted from a HECM had it been offered as a loan option.

"RV User Con is a game changer for UNMB's reverse mortgage business. Sponsoring this year's conference gave us the valuable opportunity to get in front of potential job candidates and network with our peers in the industry," said Elly Johnson, COO and Vice President of reverse lending for United Northern Mortgage Bankers (UNMB). "We were pleased with both the turnout and the informative conference content, which left us with a greater understanding of ReverseVision's products as well as industry trends and expectations."

Johnson shared her expertise with User Con attendees in a panel session on modeling and selling HECM purchase loans and proprietary reverse mortgage products. UNMB was also featured in the conference's open General Lending session.

Also very popular among attendees was a special session led by Bob Massi, owner of Massi and Massi Attorneys at Law and better known to many as "The Property Man" on Fox News. Massi painted a compelling portrait of Baby Boomer homeowners and supplied session participants with specialized guidance on how to approach this unique and growing demographic about HECM loans. Following Massi's session, a panel of experts discussed proprietary products and why lenders might find them an attractive alternative for some of their more unique borrowers.

"ReverseVision was honored to welcome many new faces to our third annual conference," said Wendy Peel, vice president of sales and marketing for ReverseVision. "We are proud to equip new and experienced HECM originators alike with the sales tools and holistic strategies they need to maximize their HECM business and keep customers for life."

ReverseVision has already begun planning its next user conference, which will return to San Diego in 2019. Early registration is recommended to secure attendance.

Attendees and ReverseVision customers are encouraged to view handouts from this year's conference by visiting https://www.reversevision.com/handouts.

About ReverseVision:
ReverseVision, Inc. is the leading provider of technology and training for Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) origination. With nearly 10,000 active users, ReverseVision technology is used by 10 of the top-ten reverse mortgage lenders and supports more HECM transactions than all other systems combined. The company's comprehensive product suite also includes HECM 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 HECM technology to brokers, correspondents, lenders and investors.

A 2017 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 HECM lending. The company continues to build on its technology's pioneering capabilities with frequent enhancements aimed at boosting users' HECM volume, workflow efficiency and data analysis capabilities.

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

ReverseVision, the leading provider of technology and training for the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) industry, attracted a record crowd of industry newcomers to its third annual user conference February 6-8 at the Kona Kai Resort and Spa in San Diego.

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

AccountChek by FormFree Will Integrate with Black Knight’s LoanSphere Exchange Digital Solution

ATHENS, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- Automated verification provider FormFree(R) today announced that its award-winning AccountChek(R) asset verification service will integrate with LoanSphere Exchange Digital, a centralized application programming interface (API) marketplace for the mortgage industry. LoanSphere Exchange Digital is offered by Black Knight, Inc., a leading provider of integrated software, data and analytics to the mortgage and real estate industries.

FormFree's AccountChek enables borrowers to demonstrate their ability to repay mortgage loans by sharing financial data directly with lenders instead of mailing, faxing or emailing traditional asset account statements. Borrowers can complete the secure asset verification process in minutes from any web-enabled device. The standardized format of AccountChek's digital Asset Report reduces loan processing and underwriting times and allows lenders to close loans days faster.

Black Knight's LoanSphere Exchange Digital enables lenders to more easily access the data, products and services they need to create a complete omni-channel consumer experience during the origination and servicing of loans. Lenders will be able to access AccountChek and other FormFree services through LoanSphere Exchange Digital to support enhanced loan quality, help minimize repurchase risk and drive efficiencies in the mortgage transaction.

"We are proud to put AccountChek's time-tested efficiency and superior borrower experience in the hands of more Black Knight customers," said Brent Chandler, founder and CEO of FormFree. "With LoanSphere Exchange Digital, lenders can order and manage AccountChek Asset Reports without the time and expense of a custom integration."

"We welcome FormFree as our latest LoanSphere Exchange Digital integration provider," said Tom Peterson, president, Lending Solutions division at Black Knight. "Black Knight is committed to enhancing the consumer experience by offering lenders a more cost-effective way to build their digital solutions, and services such as FormFree's AccountChek help us deliver on that commitment."

LoanSphere Exchange Digital integrates with Black Knight's LoanSphere Empower, a loan origination system (LOS) designed for retail, wholesale and consumer-direct lenders, as well as LoanSphere LendingSpace, Black Knight's LOS designed specifically for correspondent lending.

About FormFree(R):
FormFree is a fintech company whose market-leading AccountChek(R) Asset Reports are used by lenders nationwide to verify borrower assets, employment and income in minutes. To date, more than 1,000 U.S. lenders have ordered over 1.25 million AccountChek Asset Reports, delighting their customers with a paperless experience and reducing origination timelines by up to 20 days. FormFree offers automated analysis and standardized delivery to lenders and their investors using a secure ReIssueKey(TM). A HousingWire TECH100(TM) company for four consecutive years, FormFree is based in Athens, Georgia. For more information, visit https://www.formfree.com or follow FormFree on LinkedIn.

Automated verification provider FormFree today announced that its award-winning AccountChek asset verification service will integrate with LoanSphere Exchange Digital, a centralized application programming interface (API) marketplace for the mortgage industry. LoanSphere Exchange Digital is offered by Black Knight, Inc., a leading provider of integrated software, data and analytics to the mortgage and real estate industries.

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

Renee Crow of EPIC to Present on Litigation Impact Awareness at CLM Annual Conference in Houston

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Vice President, Hospitality Practice Leader Renee Crow will present at the CLM Annual Conference on Thurs., March 15 at 10:10 a.m. at the Marriott Marquis in Houston, Texas.

In the claims handling process, insurers can often overlook the differing perspectives of the insured and the insured's insurance broker. In her presentation "Putting the Client First: Increasing Awareness of Litigation Impacts for Insureds," Crow will discuss the claims-related issues that keep the client awake at night, such as impact to an insured's reputation once a matter becomes public, eDiscovery that can be a monumental drain on an insured in both time and expense and distractions created by depositions that can cause loss of productivity.

Crow will present alongside Pam Colpoys of Ashford, Inc., Fredoon Mistry of Gallagher Bassett Services, Inc. and David Samuels of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, LLP with the goal to increase the awareness and sensitivity of the claims professional to the claims-related issues that have a direct impact on the insured's operations, employees and insurance profile.

CLM Annual Conference is the premier annual event for professionals in the claims and litigation management industries. The conference is a mix of interactive educational sessions and fun networking events. Participants can select from more than 80 collaborative educational sessions focused on all facets of the industry.

Click here to see the full agenda: https://www.theclm.org/Event/GeneratedScheduleAndCourses/7986#divevent9505

About Renee Crow, vice president, hospitality practice leader:

Renee Crow joined EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants in January 2016 as vice president and hospitality practice leader. Prior to joining EPIC, Crow held the position of vice president of risk management for Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants for nine years. In that role her responsibilities included oversight of all property, casualty, executive protection and employment related insurance, claims, insured litigation, compliance and employee training. She was responsible for coordination of all insurance programs for both owned and third-party managed hotels and restaurants through a Kimpton master program.

Previous to Kimpton, Crow worked for over 20 years as a licensed insurance broker with national insurance brokerage firms. Her brokerage experience included positions of outside risk management consultant and account executive for many hotel, restaurant, real estate and construction clients.

Crow holds the designations of Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS). In 2015, Crow was the chairperson for the AHLA Risk Management Committee and continues to be actively involved with the committee as a regular speaker. She is also a regularly invited speaker for hospitality related groups and panels.

About EPIC:

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

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

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

With run rate revenues greater than $400 million, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the U.S. Backed by Oak Hill Capital Partners, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country. For additional information, please visit https://www.epicbrokers.com/.

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Vice President, Hospitality Practice Leader Renee Crow will present at the CLM Annual Conference on Thurs., March 15 at 10:10 a.m. at the Marriott Marquis in Houston, Texas.

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

Bank of Southern California N.A. Recognized as Top Small Business Lender

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL) announced it was awarded two top small business lending partner awards in the medium sized bank category by the San Diego District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration based on the largest quantity and dollar volume of SBA 7(a) loans originated. The rankings reflect the SBA's fiscal year-end results as of September 30, 2017. These accolades follow the bank's recognition by the SBA as the top performing small business lending partner for medium sized banks in 2016.

In addition, the bank was recently recognized by the State of California Small Business Loan Guarantee Program as a top lender based on the dollar amount of originations in 2017. These noteworthy rankings are a strong indicator of the bank's consistent commitment in supporting small and mid-sized businesses.

"Today, guarantee-sponsored programs such as SBA and the State of California Small Business Loan Guarantee Program continue to be a significant source of capital for many small businesses that otherwise would have difficulty obtaining conventional financing," commented Tony DiVita, Executive Vice President, Chief Banking Officer.

"While not all conventional lenders are equal, neither are SBA lenders. It is important for borrowers to work with experienced lenders like Bank of Southern California who partner with borrowers to help their businesses succeed and prosper. The bank continues to maintain a SBA Preferred Lender Program (PLP) designation which allows us to streamline the process for SBA-guaranteed loans.

"Our Preferred Lender status combined with ready access to decision makers and our commitment to responsive service makes Bank of Southern California a good option for Southern California businesses that need a bank who understands their business financing needs."

In addition to the recent recognition as a top lender, the bank maintains a Super Premier Performing status awarded by The Findley Reports and received a five-star superior performance rating by Bauer Financial. These are the highest designations given by these bank rating companies.

"Banks have become highly regarded who achieve exceptional performance, and we are honored to be recognized for our efforts which supports that we are meeting the needs of the communities we serve," concluded DiVita.

About Bank of Southern California:

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

* LOGO for Media: Send2Press.com/300dpi/18-0118s2p-bank-so-cal-300dpi.jpg

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

Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL) announced it was awarded two top small business lending partner awards in the medium sized bank category by the San Diego District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration based on the largest quantity and dollar volume of SBA 7(a) loans originated. The rankings reflect the SBA's fiscal year-end results as of September 30, 2017. These accolades follow the bank's recognition by the SBA as the top performing small business lending partner for medium sized banks in 2016.

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

Paragon Insurance Holdings Invests in Cloud Business Intelligence (BI) to Enhance Analytics Capabilities

AVON, Conn. /ScoopCloud/ -- Paragon Insurance Holdings, LLC ("Paragon"), a national multi-line specialty MGA, has selected LeapFrogBI, LLC, an agile business intelligence provider, and Sisense, Inc., to develop an advanced data warehouse and enable enhanced reporting capabilities.

Since being formed in 2014 Paragon has grown rapidly to fifteen programs, with controlled premiums exceeding $125M, and offices in Avon, CT, San Francisco, and Seattle. By strengthening the data capture and analytics capabilities on the strong systems that already exist, Paragon increases its differentiation and commitment to success.

"Adopting agile business intelligence ensures our analytics capabilities will continually fulfill their full potential," said Enrico Ferrante, COO of Paragon. "We're excited to be working with LeapFrogBI and Sisense to develop a solution that delivers key insights and supports strategic decision making."

LeapFrogBI, based in Austin, Texas, enables enterprise and mid-sized customers to manage and optimize business by the numbers. Its unique BI as a Service offering is a complete cloud business intelligence solution that enables companies to achieve success with analytics without developing complex solutions in house.

"The addition of Paragon to our customer community underscores the preference modern market leaders have for cloud business intelligence, and their trust in LeapFrogBI to deliver a solution that can perform and grow along with their business over time," said Paul Felix, partner, LeapFrogBI.

Sisense, headquartered in New York, NY, enables thousands of companies worldwide to turn data into insight. Its unique In-Chip(tm) and Single Stack(tm) technologies simplify every step of the BI process - from data preparation to discovery of insights.

About Paragon:

A broadly diversified MGA, Paragon provides unique opportunities and solutions to retail agents, insurance carriers, reinsurers and vendor partners. Please visit http://www.paragoninsgroup.com/ for additional information.

About LeapFrogBI:

LeapFrogBI provides business intelligence as a service, consulting and data warehouse automation software to help leading companies leverage their data for analytics purposes. Please visit www.leapfrogbi.com for additional information.

About Sisense:

Sisense takes a radically different approach to business analytics. The company's obsessive commitment to consistent product innovation and customer success enable organizations to instantly reveal insights from complex data. It's BI for everyone, everywhere regardless of technical expertise. Sisense's agility allows business users with no technical background to get the accurate intelligence at the very moment it is needed without waiting hours, days or even weeks for answers. Sisense provides a complete business platform to prepare, analyze and visualize large, volumes and variety of data. Its unique In-Chip(r) and Single Stack(r) technologies simplify every step of the BI process - from data preparation to discovery of insights. From innovative startups to global brands like GE, Wix, Nasdaq and Philips, thousands of organizations worldwide embed Sisense in their everyday business to reveal instant insights.

Paragon Insurance Holdings, LLC, a national multi-line specialty MGA, has selected LeapFrogBI, LLC, an agile business intelligence provider, and Sisense, Inc., to develop an advanced data warehouse and enable enhanced reporting capabilities.

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

Chuck Simpson of EPIC to Present on Hazard Recognition at Arklatex ASSE Chapter Meeting

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Senior Risk Control Consultant Chuck Simpson will present at the Arklatex American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Bi-Monthly Chapter Meeting on Thurs., March 15 at 11:30 a.m. at Shane's Seafood and BBQ in Bossier City, La.

Simpson, a recognized expert in Hydrogen Sulfide safety practices and training and ASSE Hydrogen Sulfide Safety Training Committee Chairman, will present on hazard recognition. The chapter meeting will also include a chapter bylaws amendment vote, local employment opportunities and a round table discussion of recent incidents, upcoming initiative and events.

ASSE is a global association of occupational safety professionals representing more than 36,000 members worldwide. The Society is also a visible advocate for OSH professionals through proactive government affairs at the federal and state levels, and in member-led relationships with key federal safety and health agencies. Members create safer work environments by preventing workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses. Besides recording less lost time and lower workers' compensation costs, organizations with strong safety performance enjoy increased productivity, a better reputation and higher employee satisfaction.

About Chuck Simpson, senior risk control consultant

Chuck Simpson is a health and safety professional with more than 30 years of experience helping companies develop and implement risk management systems in a variety of industries.

Prior to joining EPIC, Simpson served as president of Work Safe International, LLC where he worked on both on- and off-shore projects in the United States, Mexico, Canada, South America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Simpson has experience in the sulfur operations, pipeline, fabrication, oil and gas drilling, vessel operations and food processing industries. He is a certified safety professional (CSP) and a widely recognized expert on Contractor Safety Management, OSHA Recordkeeping and Hydrogen Sulfide Safety.

Simpson has presented lectures at the ASSE Safety Professional Development Conference and Exposition, OSHA Oil and Gas Safety Conference, the International Conference on Offshore Safety, the Gulf Coast Safety and Training Group, and the Sulphur Institute's Sulphur World Symposium in the United Arab Emirates.

Simpson is an active participant in the American Society of Safety Engineers, Gulf Coast Safety Training Group and serves as Chairman for the ANSI Z390 Hydrogen Sulfide Training Committee. He earned his bachelor's degree in international studies from the University of South Alabama.

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.

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Senior Risk Control Consultant Chuck Simpson will present at the Arklatex American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Bi-Monthly Chapter Meeting on Thurs., March 15 at 11:30 a.m. at Shane's Seafood and BBQ in Bossier City, La.

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

ReverseVision Partners with DataVerify to Help HECM Lenders Improve Loan Quality, Reduce Repurchase Risk

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- ReverseVision, the leading provider of technology and training for the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) industry, today announced the availability of DataVerify's DRIVE(R) verification platform within ReverseVision's flagship RV Exchange (RVX) loan origination system (LOS). DRIVE helps lenders improve efficiency and reduce repurchase risk by monitoring changes to borrower identity, loan application, and property data throughout the origination process.

On average, mortgage loans experience 2.85 data changes between application and closing. These changes range from simple data corrections to undisclosed borrower assets and liabilities to changes in property valuation. Such data changes can not only affect borrower loan eligibility, but also frequently lead to increased loan review time, diminished loan performance, and greater repurchase risk for lenders.

DRIVE, available to customers of RVX as of December 2017, streamlines the loan review process by combining multiple data integrity, fraud and compliance risk evaluations in one state-of-the-art system. The DRIVE report can include more than a dozen services, including Social Security number and 4506-T tax return verifications. DataVerify's proprietary DRIVE Score summarizes the level of risk associated with the loan, and results can be refreshed throughout the origination process for real-time monitoring of material loan data changes.

"ReverseVision is committed to equipping our lender customers with top-of-the-line tools for optimizing loan quality and efficiency," said ReverseVision Vice President of Sales and Marketing Wendy Peel. "DataVerify is one of the mortgage industry's most trusted providers of data verification services, and we are proud to make its DRIVE system available to HECM lenders through RVX."

"At DataVerify, we believe in the power of sound, reliable risk mitigation for lenders in all facets of the mortgage industry," said Brad Bogel, senior vice president of DataVerify. "By partnering with ReverseVision, we can provide easy to understand borrower and loan data to the reverse mortgage industry through their dynamic origination platform."

To add DataVerify's DRIVE platform to RVX, please have your administrator enable the service contract for DataVerify. Note: An account with DataVerify is required to use this integration.

About ReverseVision:

ReverseVision, Inc. is the leading provider of technology and training for Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) origination. With nearly 10,000 active users, ReverseVision technology is used by 10 of the top-ten reverse mortgage lenders and supports more HECM transactions than all other systems combined. The company's comprehensive product suite also includes HECM 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 HECM technology to brokers, correspondents, lenders and investors.

A 2017 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 HECM lending. The company continues to build on its technology's pioneering capabilities with frequent enhancements aimed at boosting users' HECM volume, workflow efficiency and data analysis capabilities.

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

About DataVerify:

DataVerify is the premier provider of risk mitigation, data validation, and decision management solutions for the mortgage industry. DataVerify harnesses advanced analytics and technology to create automated and configurable workflow and decision management solutions. Our highly responsive platform empowers lenders to make precise and consistent business decisions through an engine that identifies and measures hidden threats such as data integrity errors and misrepresentations, identity theft, and property and application risk. Engineered to offer optimal flexibility, the DataVerify platform (which incorporates 4506-T, SSA, and employment and income verification) allows lenders to manage risks according to their institution's tolerance level.

For more information about DataVerify, please call 866-895-3282 ext. 5 or access the company's website at https://www.dataverify.com.

ReverseVision, the leading provider of technology and training for the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) industry, today announced the availability of DataVerify's DRIVE verification platform within ReverseVision's flagship RV Exchange (RVX) loan origination system (LOS). DRIVE helps lenders improve efficiency and reduce repurchase risk by monitoring changes to borrower identity, loan application, and property data throughout the origination process.

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

National Mortgage Professional Magazine Names OpenClose a 2018 Top Mortgage Employer for the Second Year in a Row

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- OpenClose(R), an industry-leading multi-channel loan origination system (LOS) and mortgage fintech provider, announced that was it was again honored as a Top Mortgage Employer by National Mortgage Professional magazine (NMP) for 2018. OpenClose was one of only ten companies to be included in the Services Providers category.

NMP arrived at the winners by polling its readers about their employers based on the following criteria: corporate culture; compensation; day-to-day management; internal communications; marketing; training; resources; long-term strategy; ingenuity; speed; technology; reputation; and industry participation.

"To make National Mortgage Professional magazine's Top Mortgage Employers list back-to-back years is an honor that our entire company is proud of," said JP Kelly, president of OpenClose. "Providing innovative software, successful implementations and highly responsive customer support is the cornerstone of our business and industry reputation, and is the direct result of our extremely dedicated employees."

OpenClose is known to hire employees that have rich backgrounds in the mortgage industry and possess both mortgage technology and also mortgage lending experience working for vendors as well as lenders. OpenClose's multi-channel LenderAssist(TM) LOS platform and robust OC Correspondent(TM) module has fueled record company growth the past few years, which resulted in the addition of new employees in nearly all functional areas within the company. OpenClose is headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida and also has an office in Gig Harbor, Washington.

NMP magazine is one of the mortgage industry's leading go-to sources for extensive news coverage for mortgages, origination, compliance, secondary marketing, servicing, settlement, technology, trending, and more.

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, an industry-leading multi-channel loan origination system (LOS) and mortgage fintech provider, announced that was it was again honored as a Top Mortgage Employer by National Mortgage Professional magazine (NMP) for 2018. OpenClose was one of only ten companies to be included in the Services Providers category.

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

Mortgage Risk Management and Compliance Vendor MQMR Grows Sixth Consecutive Year Serving Lenders and Servicers

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Quality Management and Research, LLC (MQMR), a leader in mortgage risk management and compliance services, today announced that 2017 was a banner year for the company, marked by the launch of two new auditing programs and the addition of senior-level staff members.

Growing demand for additional audit and compliance services led MQMR to expand its selection of audit programs across its family of companies, including Subsequent QC and HQ Vendor Management. In 2017, the firm introduced a MERS audit program and a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) servicing quality control (QC) program.

"More mortgage servicers are turning to us to establish and manage ongoing compliance measures due to the increasingly variable and complex nature of servicing oversight requirements," said Michael Steer, president of MQMR.

"In 2017, we completed more than 25 on-site servicing and document custodian audits for subservicers and lender servicing departments. Our ongoing monitoring services provide indispensable value to our clients because they include tools and recommendations for optimizing operations performance on top of ensuring regulatory compliance," he said.

Other notable 2017 performance milestones include completing more than 1,700 vendor reviews, more than 200 originator reviews, more than 50 internal audit reviews and 10,000+ loan level servicing audits for clients. Based on the invaluable data gathered and best practices observed during its reviews and audits, MQMR also launched a free bi-weekly FAQ newsletter in 2017 to provide guidance on points of compliance and counterparty risk management. Interested parties can sign up here.

MQMR also saw a 14 percent revenue increase in 2017, in line with the firm's projected revenue growth for the year, according to Steer, and in contrast with last year's overall mortgage industry decline. The firm has enjoyed growth every year since its inception in 2011.

"Once clients experience one of our services, they rapidly identify additional areas where MQMR can bring significant value to their organization, so it is not uncommon for us to expand our scope of work once we establish a relationship," said Steer. "As we transition into our seventh year of operations, we are eager to continue helping our clients maximize their potential performance while keeping in line with regulatory requirements."

Additionally, MQMR expanded its leadership team, hiring two senior-level staff members to manage the growing company: Julie McCurley, as Director of Operations, and Mitchell Nomura, as Internal Audit Manager. With extensive expertise and experience navigating federal, state and agency regulations, McCurley manages expanding regulatory and compliance monitoring service needs. Nomura oversees the internal auditing team dedicated to diagnosing compliance and operational risks for mortgage lender clients who must meet GSE internal audit requirements, a function the agencies are beginning to examine more closely.

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, providing mortgage compliance consulting throughout the origination process, 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 mqmresearch.com, subsequentqc.com, and hqvendormanagement.com.

Mortgage Quality Management and Research, LLC (MQMR), a leader in mortgage risk management and compliance services, today announced that 2017 was a banner year for the company, marked by the launch of two new auditing programs and the addition of senior-level staff members.

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

Andrea Racanelli of EPIC to Present on Social Media Marketing in the Transportation Industry at International LCT Show

LAS VEGAS, Nev. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Marketing Communications Manager Andrea Racanelli of The Capacity Group - an EPIC Company will present at the International Luxury Coach and Transportation (LCT) Show on Tues., March 13 at 9 a.m. at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.

In her presentation "How to Build a Social Media Strategy," Racanelli will explain how to create a social media strategy for the transportation industry, the 70/30 rule on developing social media content, creating ads and boosting posts on Facebook, tools for scheduling social media posts for a month at a time and how to measure social media engagement.

Celebrating its 34th year in 2018, the International Luxury Coach and Transportation Show is the biggest convention in the world for the luxury charter transportation industry. Set in Las Vegas, the event is the ultimate destination for operators around the globe seeking education, product showcases and peer-to-peer networking.

Click here to see the full agenda: https://www.lctshow.com/schedule/schedule.

About Andrea Racanelli, marketing communications manager:

Andrea Racanelli is the marketing communications manager for The Capacity Group - an EPIC Company, leading a team to create niche marketing programs in the transportation industry. With more than 20 years of experience managing communications, Racanelli is an expert in direct marketing, social media, events and trade show marketing.

Racanelli serves on the Marketing Advisory Boards for Ramapo College and Tuxedo Park School. She has a passion for mentoring and leads the intern program at The Capacity Group - an EPIC Company.

About EPIC:

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

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

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

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

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

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Marketing Communications Manager Andrea Racanelli of The Capacity Group - an EPIC Company will present at the International Luxury Coach and Transportation (LCT) Show on March 13 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las VegaS.

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

Suzanne McGarey, Matias Ormaza and Louis Hefter of EPIC Honored as Risk & Insurance Magazine 2018 Power Brokers

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Managing Principal Suzanne McGarey and Senior Vice President Matias Ormaza have been recognized as 2018 Power Brokers by Risk & Insurance Magazine. Principal Louis Hefter was named a finalist.

"We are honored that three of our team members have been recognized by Risk & Insurance among their 2018 Power Brokers," said Pete Garvey, CEO of EPIC. "Suzanne, Matias and Lou personify EPIC's core values of providing the highest quality of service while always putting people first. They are well-deserving of this prestigious industry recognition."

A Power Broker is an individual who stands out among their peers for the exceptional client work they delivered over the past year. While brokers play many key roles in the insurance industry and risk profession, a Power Broker award recognizes problem solving, customer service and industry knowledge, in particular.

Managing Principal Suzanne McGarey was selected in the Employee Benefits category for her work helping clients develop effective benefits strategies. She helped a private equity firm revamp its benefits offerings to recruit the best of the best by conducting a survey of employees to determine what benefits are found most valuable.

Senior Vice President Matias Ormaza was selected in the Construction category for his work in supporting a client's conversion from a public company to private, a credit facility refinancing and a large acquisition, in which the client credited Ormaza for years of work that culminated in these accomplishments. Ormaza made recommendations to another client that saved them over $1 million in premium this year.

Principal Louis Hefter was named a finalist in the Transportation category for his work in alternative risk insurance programs.

About Suzanne McGarey, Managing Principal at Ascende - a Division of EPIC:

Suzanne McGarey joined Ascende - A Division of 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 Ascende 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 Matias Ormaza, Senior Vice President at Greyling - a Division of EPIC:

Matias Ormaza is a Senior Vice President with Greyling Insurance - a Division of EPIC. In his role, he negotiates and places coverage for large design firms and design-builders. He works closely with clients who have global exposures and revenue ranging from $25 million to more than $1 billion. He is experienced in the unique coverage needs of design firms and has negotiated a wide range of large and complex project-specific policies for professional liability, pollution liability and builders risk programs.

Ormaza joined Greyling in 2007. Prior to that, he was an administrative manager of underwriting with Insurance Specialists, Inc., where he focused on lawyers professional liability insurance. He was a professional tennis player on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) tour from 1999 through 2001. Ormaza holds the Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) professional designation.

Ormaza earned his degree from University of Georgia, where he majored in risk management and insurance with an emphasis on finance. He is originally from Argentina and is fluent in Spanish.

About Louis Hefter, Principal at The Capacity Group - an EPIC Company:

Louis Hefter has been insuring Moving & Storage, Final Mile Home Delivery and Warehousing/Logistics companies for approximately 20 years. Since joining The Capacity Group - an EPIC Company, Hefter has been instrumental in launching several alternative risk insurance programs. With a strong background and expertise in the industry, Hefter has been published numerous times addressing risk and liability for moving and storage companies.

About Risk & Insurance Power Broker Awards:

A Risk & Insurance(r) Power Broker(r) is an individual who stands out among their peers for the exceptional client work they delivered over the past year. While brokers play many key roles in the insurance industry and risk profession, a Power Broker(r) award recognizes problem solving, customer service and industry knowledge.

Our goal is to broadly recognize and promote outstanding risk management and customer service among the brokerage community. Therefore, we don't select a single winner but instead recognize four to six winners in different industry categories.

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 ('EPIC'), a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Managing Principal Suzanne McGarey and Senior Vice President Matias Ormaza have been recognized as 2018 Power Brokers by Risk & Insurance Magazine. Principal Louis Hefter was named a finalist.

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

Bank of Southern California N.A. Announces Amanda Conover as Vice President, Director of Marketing

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink:BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL), a community business bank headquartered in San Diego, Calif., has named Amanda Conover as Vice President, Director of Marketing. She will be responsible for developing and executing a strategic marketing plan that strengthens brand awareness and drives growth, further supporting the Bank's efforts to increase its presence as it continues its expansion in the Southern California region.

Mrs. Conover brings over thirteen years of industry experience working most recently for Western Alliance Bank headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. She holds a bachelor's degree from The University of Arizona and an MBA from Pepperdine University.

"We are pleased to welcome Amanda to Bank of Southern California. She is an accomplished marketing professional with expertise in executing marketing strategies to small and medium sized businesses," said Tony DiVita, Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer.

"Amanda is an important addition to our team as we continue our expansion into new markets in Southern California. The bank recently opened a production office in Orange County in December 2017, and last week announced an agreement to acquire Los Angeles based, Americas United Bank. This is an exciting time for the company, and Amanda's experience will help us increase our brand and market share as we continue to position ourselves as the bank of choice for businesses in Southern California," concluded DiVita.

About Bank of Southern California:

A growing community bank, established in 2001, Bank of Southern California, N.A., with headquarters in San Diego, Calif., is locally owned and managed, and offers a range of financial products to individuals, professionals, and small-to-medium sized businesses. The Bank's solution-driven, relationship-based approach to banking provides accessibility to decision makers and enhances value through strong partnerships with its clients.

The Bank currently operates 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, Calif., has named Amanda Conover as Vice President, Director of Marketing. She will be responsible for developing and executing a strategic marketing plan that strengthens brand awareness and drives growth, further supporting the Bank's efforts to increase its presence as it continues its expansion in the Southern California region.

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

Simplifile Approved by Arkansas Secretary of State as E-Notary Vendor

PROVO, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents, and counties, announced that it has been approved by the Arkansas Secretary of State as an electronic notary (e-notary) service provider. As a result, Simplifile users in the 23 Arkansas recording jurisdictions in Simplifile's e-recording network will now have the ability to electronically notarize documents, thus streamlining their processes and allowing them to keep as much of the real estate transaction electronic as possible.

"E-notarization is widely recognized within the mortgage industry as one of the final keys needed to unlock the benefits of a complete digital mortgage process," said Simplifile President Paul Clifford. "Now, Arkansas mortgage and settlement professionals can also utilize the full potential of Simplifile's services to reduce instances of delayed closings due to incomplete or incorrect notarial acts and imbue the closing process with secure, trackable transparency. In addition, servicers can also take advantage of Simplifile's e-notarization capabilities to facilitate the lien assignment and reconveyance process."

Simplifile is only the fifth e-notary service provider to be approved by the state since it began allowing e-notarizations in 2013. The announcement comes six months after the Arkansas state legislature enacted the Electronic Notary Public Act, which amends previous state laws governing the provisions under which the Arkansas Secretary of State may regulate and approve vendors for e-notary services.

"The addition of Simplifile highlights the growing electronic notary initiative in Arkansas and the acceptance of a more progressive manner of performing notarization," said Arkansas Secretary of State Mark Martin. "It's a system we believe is more secure and ultimately provides a faster, more efficient process for the notaries, homebuyers, and companies that utilize it."

Currently, 1,744 U.S. county recording offices use Simplifile to e-record deeds, mortgages, and other documents. For a current list of all jurisdictions within the Simplifile e-recording network, visit https://simplifile.com/e-recording-counties/.

About Simplifile:

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

To learn more, visit https://simplifile.com/ or call 800-460-5657.

Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents, and counties, announced that it has been approved by the Arkansas Secretary of State as an electronic notary (e-notary) service provider. As a result, Simplifile users in the 23 Arkansas recording jurisdictions in Simplifile's e-recording network will now have the ability to electronically notarize documents, thus streamlining their processes and allowing them to keep as much of the real estate transaction electronic as possible.

Related link: https://simplifile.com/

Quest Advisors Picks TRK’s Insight RDM Mortgage QC Audit Platform

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- TRK Connection (TRK), a leading provider of mortgage quality control and origination management solutions, announced today that outsourced mortgage quality assurance firm Quest Advisors has selected Insight Risk & Defect Management (RDM) to power its third-party mortgage QC reviews.

"Our goal is in our name, a Quest for improved loan quality- we want to act as a trusted advisor to our clients to ensure they receive the best possible quality assurance, compliance and audit services. To do that, we rely on like-minded vendors, like TRK Connection, to power our operations," said Traci Mollot, Chief Operating Officer at Quest Advisors. "We chose Insight RDM because TRK is a solution-based company that listens to client feedback to ensure Insight always meets the user's needs."

As the mortgage industry's premier cloud-based QC audit platform, Insight RDM was designed in collaboration with lenders to reduce repurchase risk and elevate loan quality. Insight RDM delivers sophisticated QC auditing tools, integrated action planning and advanced business intelligence reporting powered by Tableau to streamline the loan defect management and remediation process, and the platform's intuitive interface and ability to be used on any operating system or device enables lenders to more efficiently track, report and trend loan defects to mitigate future risk.

"Over the countless 30-plus years of my involvement in the mortgage banking industry, I have always striven for ways to improve the quality of mortgage loan production, and the Insight QC platform from TRK advances that goal, which is why we chose this platform for Quest Advisors," said Chuck Sewright, Quest Advisors founder and CEO.

"Deep, historical compliance knowledge is becoming a rare commodity in the mortgage industry, which makes firms like Quest Advisors even more critical to the industry's success," said Teri Sundh, CEO of TRK Connection.

"By coupling its tremendous expertise with Insight RDM's advanced functionality, Quest Advisors is well poised to deliver even greater value to its customers through more fulsome QC audits that include advanced reporting and integrated action planning to ensure defects are remediated effectively," Sundh continued.

About Quest Advisors:

For 22 years Quest Advisors has provided mortgage-related quality assurance services to lenders funding every type of residential loan across the United States. As a quality assurance company engaged by lenders to manage their mortgage loan quality assurance program, the Quest Advisors team provides loan quality control audits required by HUD, FHA, VA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, other investors and regulatory agencies. Quest Advisors also provides many solutions to help clients realize improved profitability and growth resulting from improved loan production quality. See more at http://questadvisors.com or contact us at info@questadvisors.com.

About TRK Connection:

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

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

TRK Connection , a leading provider of mortgage quality control and origination management solutions, announced today that outsourced mortgage quality assurance firm Quest Advisors has selected Insight Risk & Defect Management to power its third-party mortgage QC reviews.

Related link: http://trkconnection.com/

Inlanta Mortgage Integrates CompenSafe with LendingQB

MACON, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- LBA Ware(TM), a leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lending and retail banking, announced that Wisconsin-based Inlanta Mortgage has completed integration between LBA Ware's CompenSafe(TM) automated compensation calculation platform and LendingQB's cloud-based loan origination solution (LOS). Through the integration, Inlanta is able to leverage real-time loan production data to automatically calculate compensation for each of its 100+ loan originators (LOs).

"CompenSafe provides tremendous value to our organization. Not only does the system save us time on payroll and commission processing, it also has a robust suite of reports and analytics that you might find in tools costing thousands of dollars a month. We really looked at it like getting two tools for the price of one," said John Watry, Chief Financial Officer of Inlanta Mortgage.

As the mortgage industry's first web-based software for automated compensation calculations, CompenSafe creates a direct link between the LendingQB platform and Inlanta's existing payroll system to eliminate manual data entry and human errors in the payroll process. Through this integration, Inlanta's branch managers gain a wealth of actionable insight into staff performance and profitability, while LOs are able to view the status of their compensation in real time.

"Compensation has been a thorn in many lenders' sides because it has traditionally been a manual process that required coordination between multiple, disparate systems," said Lori Brewer, Founder and CEO of LBA Ware. "CompenSafe bridges the gap between these systems to create a unified, automated process for managing multiple compensation plans."

"Loan originator compensation is a major issue for lenders," said Tim Nguyen, President of LendingQB. "Integrating to LBA Ware's CompenSafe product allows our clients to track and analyze their compensation plans more easily and with better insight. This affirms our belief that an open API model allows our clients to address their most critical business issues specifically and efficiently."

About Inlanta Mortgage:
Headquartered in Pewaukee, Wisc., Inlanta Mortgage was established in 1993 and is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2018. The company has grown to over 40 branches in 20 states and over 250 employees. Inlanta Mortgage's mission is to be the home financing partner that you trust to serve your family, friends, and community. Their team of dedicated mortgage professionals is committed to delivering an exceptional experience using honest and ethical lending practices.

Inlanta Mortgage was named a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Top Workplace in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Inlanta has also been recognized as one of the "50 Best Mortgage Companies to Work For" by Mortgage Executive Magazine and one of the country's "Top Mortgage Employers" by National Mortgage Professional. For more information, visit http://www.inlanta.com/.

About LendingQB:
LendingQB is a provider of Lean Lending solutions for residential mortgage banking organizations. The Lean Lending solution consists of a 100 percent web browser-based, end-to-end loan origination system, best of breed integrations with key industry partners and 'adoptimization' services that result in faster cycle times and lower costs per loan. For more information, please call 888-285-3912 or visit http://www.lendingqb.com.

About LBA Ware:
Founded in 2008, LBA Ware's mission is to inspire opportunity by delivering solutions that become essential to the way mortgage companies operate. We strive to be 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 lending and retail banking, announced that Wisconsin-based Inlanta Mortgage has completed integration between LBA Ware's CompenSafe automated compensation calculation platform and LendingQB's cloud-based loan origination solution (LOS). Through the integration, Inlanta is able to leverage real-time loan production data to automatically calculate compensation for each of its 100+ loan originators.

Related link: http://lbaware.com/

IDS Gains Market Share in 2017 Despite Industry Downturn

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage document preparation vendor International Document Services, Inc. (IDS), announced it increased its share of the mortgage document preparation market in 2017, even though the industry overall experienced a decline in volume.

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA's) "MBA Mortgage Finance Forecast" for December 2017, total mortgage originations are expected to reach $1.71 trillion by the end of the year, which is nearly 17 percent below 2016's total mortgage origination volume of $2.051 trillion. In spite of this decline in volume, IDS Vice President and General Manager Mark Mackey reports the firm increased its market share by 5.9 percent in 2017.

"With the mortgage industry shifting from a refinance-driven environment to one fueled by purchases, it was widely expected that there would be an overall drop in originations, and one would expect mortgage doc volume to track alongside that decline," Mackey said. "However, our numbers indicate that IDS gained ground in 2017, which is always encouraging to see in a down market."

In February, idsDoc introduced new borrower data collection fields that support compliance with the 2018 changes to Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) reporting. The following May, IDS announced that it was the first mortgage document vendor to have its UCD XML file certified by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

To further aid clients' efforts in complying with these changes and others, IDS also updated idsDoc to include the most recent reference model from the Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization (MISMO), Version 3.4 and is working on implementing Version 3.5.

Other major changes to idsDoc in 2017 included:

* Lender customization capabilities in the eSign room, including custom docs;
* Loan officer digital "sticky notes" for electronic documents;
* Spanish-language electronic documents;
* Pre-closing document preview capabilities; and
* New LOS pushback notifications.

Additionally, IDS increased its staff in several key areas including IT (75 percent), Development (35 percent) and Customer Support (33 percent). Also new in 2017 was the formation of its New Product Development team to guide development of new IDS solutions, led by former IDS developer Beckie Santos.

"Continuous refinement and improvement of idsDoc is always a top priority in any given year, and 2017 was no exception," Mackey explained. "Over the course of the year, we added 218 new audits to idsDoc, bringing the total number of audits available in the system to 2,929. Now that investors and regulators are becoming more accepting of electronically executed documents, our focus for 2018 on expanding the capabilities of idsDoc to allow our customers to execute fully electronic mortgage closings through our platform."

About IDS, Inc.:

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

For more information, visit: https://info.idsdoc.com/.

Mortgage document preparation vendor International Document Services, Inc. (IDS), announced it increased its share of the mortgage document preparation market in 2017, even though the industry overall experienced a decline in volume. In February, idsDoc introduced new borrower data collection fields that support compliance with the 2018 changes to Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) reporting.

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

RoundPoint and Matic Automate Homeowner’s Insurance for Homebuyers, Mortgage Servicing Customers and RoundPoint Employees

SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Matic, a digital insurance agency whose technology enables borrowers to purchase homeowner's insurance during the mortgage transaction, today announced a wide-ranging integration with RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing Corporation (RoundPoint), a mortgage loan originator and one of the nation's largest non-bank mortgage servicing companies. The integration will make Matic's one-click "get quote" button available to both customers and employees of RoundPoint.

RoundPoint services over $75 billion worth of mortgage assets as a fully licensed subservicer for commercial banks, credit unions, mortgage companies and hedge funds.

Now, homeowners whose mortgages are serviced by RoundPoint will be notified by Matic when they could save money by switching to a different A-rated homeowner's insurance carrier. Homeowners will also be alerted if there's an opportunity to get more coverage without an increase in premium.

"Mortgage servicers rarely get to call their customers and offer a lower escrow payment or more comprehensive insurance coverage without a premium increase - yet these are exactly the kinds of opportunities Matic will bring to RoundPoint customers every day," said Matic COO Benjamin Madick.

RoundPoint will also make Matic available to homebuyers applying for a mortgage loan through the company's retail mortgage lending division. In addition, Matic will be available to RoundPoint employees via a private-labeled web portal.

"The fact that RoundPoint is making Matic available not only to our mortgage origination and servicing customers, but also to our employees, is a testament to our enthusiasm for Matic's innovative homeowner's insurance experience," said RoundPoint CEO Kevin Brungardt.

"Matic is a key component of our Homeownership Marketplace initiative, which provides products and services that provide value, save money and enhance the overall experience for borrowers," added Brungardt. "Our long-term goal is for every customer to custom-tailor his or her own Personal Household Economy(TM) within this Marketplace. The timing is perfect as we just officially launched this effort with an overhaul of our website, customer portals and overall customer experience."

About Matic:

Matic is a technology-driven insurance agency focused on helping lenders and loan officers better integrate homeowner's insurance into the lending process. By using loan application information and first-of-its-kind technology, Matic provides homebuyers multiple policy options within seconds, helping loan officers close their loans faster.

Matic delivers the most trusted, affordable insurance policies available thanks to its partnerships with a diverse network of insurance carriers. Today's borrowers expect a digital home-buying experience, and Matic gives them the digital insurance experience to match. For more information, visit https://matic.com/ or follow Matic on LinkedIn.

About RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing Corporation:

Founded in 2007, RoundPoint is an agency and non-agency lender and servicer and a subservicer for commercial banks, credit unions, mortgage companies and hedge funds. The Charlotte, NC-based company currently services over $75 billion worth of mortgage assets, which are comprised of its own assets and loans subserviced for others. RoundPoint is licensed to service loans in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands and is publicly rated by Fitch Ratings (RPS3+, RSS3+), Standard & Poor's (Average) and Kroll Bond Rating Agency (BB).

RoundPoint is a seller and servicer for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It is an approved single family Issuer and servicer for Ginnie Mae, and maintains current MBS issuer eligibility. RoundPoint is also an approved servicer for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Lenders and investors can learn more about RoundPoint's servicing offerings by visiting roundpointexchange.com. Borrowers may visit RoundPoint's consumer website at https://www.rpmservicing.com.

Matic, a digital insurance agency whose technology enables borrowers to purchase homeowner's insurance during the mortgage transaction, today announced a wide-ranging integration with RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing Corporation, a mortgage loan originator and one of the nation's largest non-bank mortgage servicing companies. The integration will make Matic's one-click "get quote" button available to both customers and employees of RoundPoint.

Related link: https://maticinsurance.com/

Suzannah Gill of EPIC to Present on Millennial Brokers at Employee Benefit Adviser’s Workplace Benefits

ATLANTA, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that EPIC Benefits Strategy Consultant Suzannah Gill will present at the Employee Benefit Adviser's Workplace Benefits Renaissance on March 1, 2018 at 10 a.m. at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, N.J.

Gill will present on a panel on "How Millennial Brokers are Reshaping the Business" alongside John Sbrocco, healthcare strategist and principal at Questige. The panel will be moderated by Employee Benefit Adviser's Editor-in-Chief and Conference Chair Elizabeth Galentine.

Workplace Benefits Renaissance provides attendees the opportunity to learn the latest trends and proven strategies from a peer-led program that includes some of the industry's top producers. Attendees will also make new connections with a valuable network and bring back innovative, actionable ideas that can be applied to their own practice. The event leverages its vast networks and expertise of Employee Benefit Adviser, Employee Benefit News and the Workplace Benefits Association, to bring an unparalleled learning opportunity.

Click here to see the full agenda: https://www.employeebenefitadviser.com/conference/renaissance-2018/agenda

About Suzannah Gill, benefits strategy consultant:

As part of EPIC's employee benefits consulting team in Atlanta, benefits strategy consultant Suzannah Gill brings a broad spectrum of experience to EPIC. She was previously a senior associate and benefits consultant for a large Atlanta benefits consulting firm with a focus on strategic management and business development. Prior to that, Gill provided strategic benefits expertise to her clients as an ERISA attorney at a prominent Atlanta law firm, representing clients in both Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation matters.

Gill is a responsive and results-oriented benefits advisor, helping her clients understand and navigate the complexities of employee benefits, so they can focus on managing and growing their businesses. Additionally, her skill set further expands EPIC's legal expertise in employee benefits.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Management with Marketing Certification, highest honor, from Georgia Tech and a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Georgia School of Law.

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 ('EPIC'), a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that EPIC Benefits Strategy Consultant Suzannah Gill will present at the Employee Benefit Adviser's Workplace Benefits Renaissance on March 1, 2018 at 10 a.m. at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, N.J.

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

Virginia Startup CounterFlow AI closes $2.7M Seed Round

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. /ScoopCloud/ -- Cybersecurity startup CounterFlow AI announced last week that it has raised $2.7 million in seed funding from Osage University Partners, the Charlottesville Angel Network, and a number of individual investors who also supported the founders' previous venture, nPulse Technologies (acquired by FireEye in 2014).

CounterFlow AI is using streaming machine learning technology at the network edge to help cyber defenders more quickly find and remove network threats.

"The traditional perimeter defense approach to securing networks is still necessary," said Randy Caldejon, CounterFlow AI's CEO. "But it is no longer sufficient. The fact is that data breaches occur daily. Consequently, security analysts have turned to threat hunting as the best form of defense. Our mission is to arm them with the next generation of tools so that they can scale their hunting operations and win the day."

Network security analysts may face hundreds or even thousands of alerts every day, generated by the perimeter defense tools already in place. Many of these will be false positives, some will be trivial issues that could be resolved with automated responses, and a critical few will be real intrusion events that need to be addressed rapidly.

Dr. Andrew Fast, CounterFlow AI's Chief Data Scientist, said, "By applying machine learning to data in motion, we can draw the security analysts' attention to the most dangerous threats, allowing them to begin incident response in real time."

John Lee, a principal at Osage University Partners who oversaw the Philadelphia-based fund's investment in CounterFlow AI, said reliable security solutions still require human expertise.

"Putting a human in the loop and empowering the analyst to hunt within their network at scale is the right place for CounterFlow AI to be," Lee said.

About CounterFlow AI:

CounterFlow AI, Inc., a Virginia-based company, designs and builds threat-hunting solutions for world-class security operation centers (SOC). The company is redefining the art of threat hunting by utilizing machine learning and sensing at the edge of the network to drive targeting operations in real time. CounterFlow AI's flagship product, Dragonfly Threat Sensor, is more than a traditional intrusion detection and prevention system (IDPS). It is a cybersecurity platform that integrates signature inspection, machine learning, and adaptive packet capture, enabling security analysts to significantly reduce time to detection and response.

For more information, visit https://counterflow.ai/.

About Osage University Partners:

Osage University Partners (OUP) is a venture capital firm focused on investing in startups that are commercializing pioneering university technologies. OUP partners with top research universities to invest in their most innovative startups, and OUP shares its investment profit with its partner institutions. The firm invests in software, hardware, and life science companies at all stages of company development. OUP has partnered with over 90 universities, including 39 of the top 50 U.S. institutions by research expenditures, and has invested in over 75 of their spinouts. OUP is part of a family of investment funds within Osage Partners, which is based in Philadelphia, PA and manages in excess of $500 million.

For more information, visit: http://osagepartners.com/osage-university-partners/

Twitter: @counterflowai @OUP_VC #Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity startup CounterFlow AI, Inc. announced last week that it has raised $2.7 million in seed funding from Osage University Partners, the Charlottesville Angel Network, and a number of individual investors who also supported the founders' previous venture, nPulse Technologies (acquired by FireEye in 2014).

Related link: https://counterflow.ai/

Matic Challenges U.S. Mortgage Lenders, Insurers to Help Families Achieve Affordable Housing

SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Matic, a digital insurance agency whose technology enables borrowers to purchase homeowner's insurance during the mortgage transaction, is calling on mortgage lenders, realtors and insurance providers nationwide to support Housed & Hopeful, a public/private partnership with non-profit Mortgage Professionals Providing Hope (MPPH) that aims to house America's homeless families.

"Every year, thousands of U.S. families experience homelessness. In fact, more than 50 percent of homeless shelters nationwide are occupied by families - despite nearly a third of homeless parents having a full-time job," said Jake Vermillion, director of operations for MPPH. "That means every day, an estimated 200,000 children in the United States have no place to call home."

"Matic's corporate mission is to find a homeowner's insurance policy for every home. Now, it is our honor to partner with MPPH to help find a home for every family," said Matic CEO Aaron Schiff. "We are proud to kick off the challenge by pledging to house four families in need, and we're calling on our friends in the industry help families on the path to affordable homeownership."

For every $1,000 raised as part of the Housed & Hopeful challenge, MPPH helps one U.S. family get off the streets and into permanent housing.

To give to the Housed & Hopeful challenge, visit https://matic.causevox.com. For information about individual and corporate partnerships with MPPH, visit https://www.mpph.org.

About Matic:

Matic is a technology-driven insurance agency focused on helping lenders and loan officers better integrate homeowner's insurance into the lending process. By using loan application information and first-of-its-kind technology, Matic provides homebuyers multiple policy options within seconds, helping loan officers close their loans faster. Matic delivers the most trusted, affordable insurance policies available thanks to its partnerships with a diverse network of insurance carriers. Today's borrowers expect a digital home-buying experience, and Matic gives them the digital insurance experience to match. For more information, visit https://matic.com/ or follow Matic on LinkedIn.

About Mortgage Professionals Providing Hope:

Mortgage Professionals Providing Hope (MPPH) exists to provide mortgage companies and professionals with opportunities to help people and communities in need through sustainable aid and service projects. For more information, visit https://www.mpph.org.

@maticinsurance @mpphusa #HousedandHopeful

Matic Insurance, a digital insurance agency whose technology enables borrowers to purchase homeowner's insurance during the mortgage transaction, is calling on mortgage lenders, realtors and insurance providers nationwide to support Housed & Hopeful, a public / private partnership with non-profit Mortgage Professionals Providing Hope (MPPH) that aims to house America's homeless families.

Related link: https://maticinsurance.com/

EPIC Insurance adds Maurice Edwards, Walter Palmer and their Risk Solutions Team

HOUSTON, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a leading retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today the addition of Enterprise Risk Management veteran Maurice (Moe) Edwards, retail Loss Prevention expert Walter Palmer, and their team of Risk Assurance and Asset Protection professionals.

This new national practice, based in Houston, Texas, will operate as EPIC Integrated Risk Solutions with EPIC's Southwest Region President, Jim Watt serving as the team's executive sponsor.

Edwards joins EPIC as Managing Principal and brings more than 20 years of experience in a wide range of risk management disciplines. He was most recently Senior Vice President of Enterprise Risk for Mattress Firm where he developed a holistic risk management philosophy and a practical, effective delivery system.

"We are delighted to join Jim Watt and the entire team at EPIC. The reaction to our new approach to risk introduced this past fall was so overwhelmingly positive that we knew we needed to find the right partner to bring it to market," said Edwards.

"With EPIC's deep knowledge and resources in P&C brokerage and Employee Benefits Consulting, as well as their strong existing risk management expertise nationally, this was unquestionably the right home for our integrated Risk Financing, Risk Assurance and Asset Protection approach," Edwards added.

"Our team has over 150 years of combined industry experience ranging from enterprise risk management, retail loss prevention, supply chain management, law enforcement, and internal/external audit. We provide a single, seamless experience that will help EPIC clients further protect their people, property and other assets," said Edwards.

Joining Edwards as part of EPIC Integrated Risk Solutions is Walter Palmer, the founder and President of PCG Solutions. Recognized as one of the leading experts in retail loss prevention, Palmer's 30 years of experience include 16 years as a practitioner in loss prevention, operations, inventory control, and supply chain management. At PCG, he worked with leading retail companies, both across the US and globally, delivering a strategic approach to mitigating loss and lowering total cost of risk. Palmer will join the organization as Practice Leader.

In addition to Palmer, retail loss prevention and supply chain veteran Kevin Ach will join as Vice President of Risk Assurance, retail loss prevention veteran John Schroeder as Vice President of Asset Protection, and finance executive Katie Tyrone as Vice President of Risk Financing.

"We are excited to add Moe and his team to the EPIC family and to introduce EPIC Integrated Risk Solutions to our current and future clients across the country," said Jim Watt. "While their business focus has historically been on large retail, distribution and manufacturing companies, including some of the leading brands in the world, our entire EPIC client base, from the Energy Industry to Construction and Design firms, will benefit from their deep risk management knowledge, experience and expertise."

Maurice Edwards can be reached at:
Email: maurice.edwards@EPICbrokers.com
Phone: 832-476-8399

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 ('EPIC'), a leading retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today the addition of Enterprise Risk Management veteran Maurice (Moe) Edwards, retail Loss Prevention expert Walter Palmer, and their team of Risk Assurance and Asset Protection professionals.

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

CUMAnet Selects Simplifile 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, announced that CUMAnet has begun using Simplifile Collaboration and Post Closing services to provide credit union clients with a centralized platform that facilitates the effortless exchange of information with settlement partners. CUMAnet intends to expand usage to facilitate electronic document recording for mortgage satisfactions.

"Because CUMAnet is an end-to-end mortgage shop, including servicing, we have been aggressively working to digitize our operations from origination through post-production," said CUMAnet CEO Scott Moriarty. "Partnering with Simplifile has been congruous with that strategy and the effort to eliminate errors, reduce stare and compare data entry issues, enhance communications, improve borrower experience and be more efficient while lowering expenses."

Simplifile Collaboration and Post Closing services enable lenders to securely share, collaborate, track, and audit data and documents from the initial loan application down the pipeline to title delivery. The system updates all file and loan status changes in real time, instantly notifying lenders and settlement agents. As a result, lenders enjoy full transparency in the settlement process, confidence in compliance, and faster mortgage closings.

"Simplifile Collaboration and Post Closing eliminate the back-and-forth between our closers and settlement agents," Moriarty added. "Now all status updates, communications, and transactions are housed in a central location. We don't have to worry about tracking down trailing documents. Everything is in one spot, and it's very streamlined."

"As mortgage lenders seek to implement digital mortgage strategies, it becomes increasingly apparent that a true collaboration solution can help ease the friction that can occur between lenders and their settlement partners," said Simplifile President Paul Clifford.

"With Simplifile Collaboration and Post Closing, lenders are able to create a digital connection point into their settlement partners that ensures the smooth exchange of data and documents in real time and ultimately closes the loop on the real estate transaction by electronically returning the final recorded loan documents, final fee information, and the final title policy."

About CUMAnet:
CUMAnet, LLC is a mortgage asset management company dedicated to providing technology solutions, workflow optimization, loan fulfillment, secondary marketing and loan servicing to credit unions and community lenders. The CUSO is owned by Affinity Federal Credit Union, Greater Alliance Federal Credit Union, New Jersey Community Capital and The Credit Union of New Jersey.

To learn more about how CUMAnet can help transform your organization please contact Paula Atkinson, 908-860-7162 or visit http://www.cumanet.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, announced that CUMAnet has begun using Simplifile Collaboration and Post Closing services to provide credit union clients with a centralized platform that facilitates the effortless exchange of information with settlement partners. CUMAnet intends to expand usage to facilitate electronic document recording for mortgage satisfactions.

Related link: https://simplifile.com/

Bank of Southern California N.A. and Americas United Bank Announce Agreement to Merge

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Bank of Southern California, N.A., San Diego, Calif. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL) and Americas United Bank, Glendale, Calif. (OTC Pink: AUNB), today announced the signing of a definitive agreement and plan of merger (the "Agreement") whereby Americas United Bank will merge with and into Bank of Southern California. The merger is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of all regulatory approvals and the approval of the shareholders of AUB and BCAL, and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2018.

Additionally, directors and executive officers of AUB have entered into agreements committing to vote their shares in favor of the transaction. The transaction is valued at approximately $44.1 million, based on BCAL's stock price per share of $14.75.

Under the terms of the Agreement, AUNB shareholders will receive $7 in cash and 0.4746 shares of BCAL common stock, or $14 per share, for each share of AUNB common stock that they own as of the closing date of the merger. In order to support the operations of the combined Bank following the merger, Bank of Southern California has received binding commitments from investors pursuant to which it will raise $20 million.

The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to BCAL's earnings per share in 2018 (excluding transaction costs). The pro forma combined Bank will have approximately 8.3 million shares outstanding, representing a prospective market capitalization of approximately $123 million based on a per share valuation of BCAL's stock of $14.75.

The merger combines two profitable Southern California franchises with similar core operating philosophies and cultures. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., Bank of Southern California currently operates eight locations in San Diego County, the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, and Orange County. Americas United Bank is headquartered in Glendale, CA, with four branches located in the greater Los Angeles area. Americas United Bank offers an attractive footprint and provides the foundation for Bank of Southern California to enter the Los Angeles market as the Bank continues its strategic expansion in the Southern California region. Upon completion of the transaction, the combined organization will have pro forma assets of approximately $750 million.

Commenting on the announcement, Nathan Rogge, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of Southern California said, "The combined Bank offers a highly attractive franchise for us in the very desirable Los Angeles market and furthers Bank of Southern California's vision of expanding our market share in Southern California. Americas United Bank is a well-managed community business bank with a strong relationship banking culture, making it a great fit for us.

"Bank of Southern California recently expanded into Orange County in December 2017, so this opportunity allows us to continue to execute the next natural extension of our planned growth. We believe this transaction allows the Bank to better serve the clients of both organizations with increased lending capabilities, technology enhancements, and an increased branch network.

"This transaction provides a great value for our shareholders, creates opportunities for our employees, and expands our franchise to better serve our customers," concluded Rogge.

Adriana M. Boeka, President and Chief Executive Officer of Americas United Bank, echoed, "We are very excited about this opportunity to join forces with Bank of Southern California who has long prided itself on its strong commitment to its customers and employees, a model that we both have in common. With this merger we will supplement Americas United Bank's existing products, services and business development platform with Bank of Southern California's commercial lending expertise and a suite of commercial deposit products. Our customers will benefit from Bank of Southern California's expanded service and lending capacity, and our employees will benefit from their strong employee centered culture.

"This transaction provides liquidity to our shareholders and also allows them to participate in the future upside of the combined Bank. Bank of Southern California's sound financial condition and comprehensive business expertise makes them an excellent choice and natural partner for us," concluded Boeka.

Nathan Rogge will continue as President and CEO, and the existing Bank of Southern California executive management team will continue in their current roles of the combined Bank. Additionally, at the close of the transaction, Adriana M. Boeka, President and CEO of Americas United Bank, will join Bank of Southern California's Board of Directors as a non-executive director.

MJC Partners, LLC served as financial advisor and Duane Morris LLP served as legal counsel to Bank of Southern California. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, served as financial advisor and King Holmes Paterno & Soriano, LLP served as legal counsel to Americas United Bank. MJC Partners is acting as sole placement agent for the offering.

About Bank of Southern California:

A growing community bank established in 2001, Bank of Southern California, N.A., with headquarters in San Diego, Calif., is locally-owned and managed and offers a range of financial products to individuals, professionals, and small- to medium-sized businesses. The Bank's solution-driven, relationship-based approach to banking provides accessibility to decision makers and enhances value through strong partnerships with its clients. The Bank currently operates eight offices in San Diego and the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, and Orange County.

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

About Americas United Bank:

Americas United Bank was founded in 2006 by a diverse group of Los Angeles-based entrepreneurs whose vision included serving the banking needs of small- to medium-sized businesses in metropolitan Los Angeles and its surrounds, providing a full range of financial services for businesses and high net worth individuals. The Bank operates four branch locations in Los Angeles County.

For more information, please visit https://www.aubank.com/ or call 818-637-7000.

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 and 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.

Additional Information About the Merger:

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote for approval of the merger. In connection with the proposed merger a joint proxy statement/offering circular will be provided to the shareholders of both institutions which will provide detailed information about the merger and the two banks. Shareholders will be encouraged to read the joint proxy statement/offering circular carefully before voting on the merger.

The directors, executive officers, and certain other members of management and employees of Bank of Southern California may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of votes to approve the merger. Additional information regarding the interests of those participants and other persons who may be deemed participants in the merger may be obtained by reading the joint proxy statement/offering circular when it becomes available.

Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink:BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL) and Americas United Bank (OTC Pink:AUNB), today announced the signing of a definitive agreement and plan of merger (the "Agreement") whereby Americas United Bank will merge with and into Bank of Southern California. The merger is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of all regulatory approvals and the approval of the shareholders of AUB and BCAL, and is expected to close in Q3 2018.

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

LendingQB Makes FormFree’s Award-Winning AccountChek Asset Verification Part of Its ‘Lean Lending’ Loan Origination Software

ATHENS, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- FormFree(R) today announced the availability of its AccountChek(R) automated asset verification service within LendingQB's web-based loan origination software (LOS). The integration enables lenders to order AccountChek Asset Reports directly from LendingQB's verifications dashboard.

FormFree's flagship AccountChek service lets borrowers demonstrate their ability to repay mortgage loans without tracking down bank statements or other asset documents. The secure process results in a smoother borrower experience that greatly reduces loan processing and underwriting time and reduces the total time required to close a loan.

FormFree was the first asset verification provider approved to participate in Fannie Mae's Day 1 Certainty(TM) initiative. Since the introduction of Day 1 Certainty in 2016, more than 1,000 lenders have placed over 1.25 million orders for AccountChek, which automates asset analysis and provides standardized delivery of asset verification to lenders and their investors using a secure ReIssueKey(TM).

"AccountChek provides an ultra-secure and convenient way for borrowers to submit asset and deposit data using any smart device - and now, through our integration with LendingQB, the experience is just as secure and convenient for the loan officer or processor initating the AccountChek process," said FormFree Founder and CEO Brent Chandler.

LendingQB is an award-winning LOS that received top industry marks for end-user experience in STRATMOR Group's December 2017 LOS Technology Insights report.

"LendingQB's verifications dashboard gives lenders efficient access to the Day 1 Certainty services they know and trust, like AccountChek by FormFree," said LendingQB President Tim Nguyen. "By reducing the time and effort required to enable, order and track these services, we are further enhancing the value they already bring to our customers."

About FormFree(R):

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

About LendingQB:

LendingQB is a provider of Lean Lending solutions for residential mortgage banking organizations. The Lean Lending solution consists of a 100 percent web browser-based, end-to-end loan origination system, best of breed integrations with key industry partners and 'adoptimization' services that result in faster cycle times and lower costs per loan. For more information, please call (888) 285-3912 or visit https://lendingqb.com.

FormFree today announced the availability of its AccountChek automated asset verification service within LendingQB's web-based loan origination software (LOS). The integration enables lenders to order AccountChek Asset Reports directly from LendingQB's verifications dashboard.

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

NEXT Mortgage Conference Announces ‘NEXT Who’s Who’ Winners

EDMOND, Okla. /ScoopCloud/ -- NEXT Mortgage Events LLC, a creator of NEXT, the mortgage technology conference for women, has announced the winners of the inaugural NEXT Who's Who list.

The NEXT Who's Who recognizes NEXT conference attendees who are demonstrating leadership in the mortgage industry. Winners are chosen by attendee vote. More than 70 percent of NEXT's inaugural conference attendees participated by naming up to three attendees.

The NEXT Who's Who is different from other industry awards in that:
* Winners are selected by peers, based on factors like their knowledge, insight, presence, communication, experience and commitment to the industry
* The NEXT Who's Who does not call for official nominations, thus there is no marketing or PR to sway voters
* Any NEXT attendee is eligible, regardless of age, time in industry, position or other factors.

Receiving the most votes was first place winner Cerita Battles, senior vice president and head of retail diverse segments at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. Battles was a featured speaker on "Technology and the Borrower Experience," a session that was presented on Thursday, January 18, 2018, the first day of the conference.

While the list was created to name three professionals, second place involved a three-way tie between Julie Lane, SVP Digital Strategy and Marketing at Freedom Mortgage; Crystal Sumner, Head of Legal at Blend; and Jennifer Parker, General Manager of Digital Mortgage Solutions at Notarize. Lane and Sumner participated on the "Technology and the Borrower Experience" session. Parker presented a in the technology showcase for Notarize, winner of the technology demo Best in Show competition, which was also decided by attendee vote.

"The NEXT Who's Who are selected by NEXT attendees based on how nominees demonstrate their leadership at the conference," said Molly Dowdy, NEXT co-founder. "We're pleased, but not surprised, that so many attendees participated, and are honored to have Cerita, Julie, Crystal and Jennifer as our inaugural NEXT Who's Who winners."

About NEXT Mortgage Events LLC:
NEXT Mortgage Events LLC is the creator of NEXT, the first women's mortgage technology conference and expo. NEXT features informational tech-focused talks, a fast-paced tech demonstration showcase, a product-focused exposition hall and well-organized networking events - all in a comfortable environment catering to the accomplished woman executive.

NEXT's inaugural event took place January 18-19, 2018 at the InterContinental Dallas.

For more information visit NEXTMortgageConference.com follow @NEXTmtgEvents or email info@NEXTmortgageEvents.com.

*Web Photo Caption: NEXT Who's Who winners for January 2018 are Cerita Battles, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage; Julie Lane, Freedom Mortgage; Crystal Sumner, Blend; Jennifer Parker, Notarize.

NEXT Mortgage Events LLC, a creator of NEXT, the mortgage technology conference for women, has announced the winners of the inaugural 2018 NEXT Who's Who list. More than 70 percent of NEXT's inaugural conference attendees participated by naming up to three attendees.

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