Category Archives: Finance

Prevail Reinsurance System selected by Tower Insurance as the leading edge technology solution to automate reinsurance administration

STAMFORD, Conn. /ScoopCloud/ -- Prevail Consulting, Inc., a leading insurance industry technology and professional services provider, today announced a contract with Tower Insurance to license the Prevail Reinsurance System (PRS) to support Tower's reinsurance operations. Under this new contract, Prevail will install PRS and deliver implementation and professional services.

"The Prevail Reinsurance System will allow us to automate and streamline a number of complex manual processes and tasks," says Jeff Wright, Chief Financial Officer, Tower Insurance. "Partnering with Prevail gives us access to leading edge technology that will help simplify and improve all aspects of how we manage our reinsurance program," he says. "It is one of the many changes that are driving our transformation into a company that challenges the traditional insurance market."

"We are honored to have been entrusted by Tower Insurance, as the provider of their reinsurance processing solution," said Nat Curiale, Principal and Global Operations Manager, Prevail Consulting. "We are committed to the success of this partnership and implementing PRS in support of Tower's reinsurance strategy and broader transformation agenda."

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

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

About Tower:

Tower Insurance is undergoing a significant transformation, turning a 149 year old Kiwi company into one that challenges insurance industry norms and offers customers a genuine and different choice for insurance. For more information please refer to their website: https://www.tower.co.nz.

About Prevail:

Founded in 2000, Prevail Consulting, Inc. provides reliable and innovative technology services exclusively to the insurance industry. Prevail is clearly recognized by its clients for business expertise, commitment, and ability to deliver quality work products in a cost-effective manner.

In addition to the Prevail Reinsurance System (PRS), Prevail provides superior IT Consulting Services, on-site, off-site and off-shore, including application development, business analysis, data migration and integration, and insurance technology assessments. Prevail draws additional capability and flexibility from its subsidiary in India to support Prevail's U.S. based operations.

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

For more information, contact Dave Morales at: (203) 972-7449; or email: dmorales@prevailconsulting.com.

Prevail Consulting, Inc., a leading insurance industry technology and professional services provider, today announced a contract with Tower Insurance to license the Prevail Reinsurance System (PRS) to support Tower's reinsurance operations. Under this new contract, Prevail will install PRS and deliver implementation and professional services.

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

MorVest Capital Offering $1.8B in GNMA Mortgage Servicing Rights

SUGAR LAND, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- MorVest Capital, an industry leader in liquidity and balance sheet advisory services, is the exclusive agent for a $1.8 billion GNMA bulk mortgage servicing portfolio. The seller is an independent mortgage banker providing full reps and warrants. Portfolio characteristics include a 3.45 percent weighted average interest rate, 20 bp net service fee, an average balance of $183,117 and a weighted average age of 24 months.

MorVest CEO David Fleig noted the seller is willing to entertain offers for the entire portfolio or a $1.4B alternate portfolio as indicated in the prospectus.

The bid deadline is 5 p.m. CT Tuesday September 18, 2018. Loan level data will be furnished only under an NDA.

About MorVest Capital:

MorVest Capital is a financial services advisory firm specializing in liquidity and capital solutions for mortgage bankers, including MSR accumulation, valuation, finance and brokerage. Collaborating to provide the first MSR financing facility following the meltdown, MorVest executives demonstrate keen awareness of unique market shifts and opportunities to turn good decisions into very profitable ones.

MorVest Analytics, a division of MorVest Capital, is a premier MSR analytics and valuation service provider with dozens of banks and IMB clients ranging from small players new to the space to the some of the largest companies in the industry.

For more information go to https://www.morvestcap.com/trades or email team@morvestcap.com.

MorVest Capital, an industry leader in liquidity and balance sheet advisory services, is the exclusive agent for a $1.8 billion GNMA bulk mortgage servicing portfolio. The seller is an independent mortgage banker providing full reps and warrants. Portfolio characteristics include a 3.45 percent weighted average interest rate,

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

PitBullTax Institute Organizes Its Second User Conference – Tax Resolution Expert Program

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- PitBullTax Institute, an educational branch of the well-established IRS Tax Resolution Software, organizes its Second PitBullTax User Conference: "Tax Resolution Expert Program." It will take place on September 20-21-22, 2018 at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort. This conference is designed exclusively for existing and potential users of PitBullTax Software.

The First User Conference held in May 2018 was a huge success; that is why PitBullTax Institute decided to go further and provide tax representatives with even more advanced tools to become a Certified Expert User of PitBullTax Software and finely tune their tax resolution skills.

Software demonstrations will saturate the entire three days of the conference to address even more topics than at its first conference. Therefore, users will have a hands-on approach on how to utilize PitBullTax Software more efficiently.

To address growing interest of its audience, two additional classes are introduced at the Second User Conference. One will teach tips and techniques on how to fight enforcement collection activities such as federal tax liens, bank levies and wage garnishments. This new class coincides with the introduction by PitBullTax Software of three new IRS Forms used for withdrawal, discharge and subordination of the federal tax liens.

The second new class will present practitioners with the winning methods of attracting new tax resolution clients. There is also a bonus marketing class "The 7-Figure Tax Resolution Practice Blueprint" presented by the guest speaker and marketing guru Michael Rozbruch, will undoubtedly peak the attention of the conference attendees.

All participants of the PitBullTax User Conference will get printed course materials including a complete software manual with screenshots and step-by-step instructions. Multiple case studies are updated for the Second User Conference and will be covered in detail during the classes.

Because PitBullTax Institute is an approved continuing education provider by the IRS and NASBA, CPAs and Enrolled Agents will get CPE and CE credits for this 3-day program. Tax Resolution Expert Program combines theory, practice and cutting-edge technology to save tax representatives countless hours on every case and increase their profits dramatically and immediately. Novices and pros alike will greatly benefit from this exclusive conference by gaining and upgrading tax resolution knowledge, earning CPE/CE credits and increasing business efficiency and profitability. As a special bonus, all attendees, including support staff, will become Certified Expert Users of PitBullTax Software. Tax representatives will get complete training on the extensive platform and learn all the tips and the hidden gems in this comprehensive software. For one program you get two certificates!

The PitBullTax User Conference is organized for CPAs, Enrolled Agents and Tax Attorneys who want to efficiently learn and master the techniques of the Tax Resolution specialty while becoming experts in the most cutting-edge software platform available today.

Tax representatives are invited to enjoy a beachfront vacation with a family while gaining new skills and learning how to make their tax resolution practices more profitable! PitBullTax active licensees receive discounts on conference registration and preferred prices on the ocean view rooms at the Hilton.

Get more information about the event at https://institute.pitbulltax.com/.

Learn more about PitBullTax Software at: https://www.pitbulltax.com/

PitBullTax Institute, an educational branch of the well-established IRS Tax Resolution Software, organizes its Second PitBullTax User Conference: "Tax Resolution Expert Program." It will take place on September 20-21-22, 2018 at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort. This conference is designed exclusively for existing and potential users of PitBullTax Software.

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

Bank of Southern California, N.A. Appoints Ann Torrico as Managing Director

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL), a community business bank headquartered in San Diego, has announced the appointment of Ann Torrico as Managing Director in Los Angeles. She will be responsible for expanding Bank of Southern California's market presence by actively seeking new business opportunities in the Greater Los Angeles region with a focus in West Los Angeles and South Bay.

Bank of Southern California first entered the Los Angeles market on August 1, 2018 through its successful acquisition of Americas United Bank.

Mrs. Torrico brings nearly 17 years of industry experience with a focus on private client and commercial banking relationships, providing guidance and superior service to help her clients achieve their financial objectives. Most recently, she served as Private Banking Director, Senior Relationship Manager for a well-known regional bank in Manhattan Beach. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland and a Master of Arts from National University in Los Angeles.

"Ann is an accomplished banking professional with strong market knowledge, deep roots, and a long history of delivering custom financial solutions to entrepreneurs, professionals, and small to mid-sized businesses throughout Los Angeles County," said Tony DiVita, Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer. "Ann will be a strong addition to our newly expanded Los Angeles banking team," 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 eleven branches in San Diego County, Los Angeles County, the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, as well as a production office in Orange County.

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

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

Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL), a community business bank headquartered in San Diego, has announced the appointment of Ann Torrico as Managing Director in Los Angeles. She will be responsible for expanding Bank of Southern California's market presence by actively seeking new business opportunities in the Greater Los Angeles region with a focus in West Los Angeles and South Bay.

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

Strategic Benefits Advisors Adds Lesley Posey to Its Benefits Consulting Team

ATLANTA, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- Independent, full-service employee benefits consulting firm Strategic Benefits Advisors (SBA) today announced the appointment of Lesley Posey to the position of benefits consultant. In this role, Posey will provide pension and retiree medical plan sponsors with a full array of actuarial and strategic advisory services, including administration services for defined benefit plans.

Posey joins SBA from Willis Towers Watson, where she was a consultant serving the firm's US Retirement line of business. Her career as a retirement actuary spans 30 years and several of the industry's largest firms; Posey worked nearly half of her career for Willis Towers Watson and two predecessors (Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt Worldwide). She also spent time with Buck Consultants and Ernst & Young and served as an in-house contractor for The Coca-Cola Company through outsourcing provider Pension Resource Group.

Posey's pension and retiree medical consulting expertise includes plan design, administration and forecasting; governmental filings and nondiscrimination testing; and plan operational reviews and troubleshooting (such as data and calculation remediation and lost participant resolution). She has served dozens of pension plan sponsors and administrators across a wide range of industries.

"Strategic Benefits Advisors, where experience runs deep and service is delivered with a personal touch, is a refreshing culture to be a part of," said Posey. "Having responsibility for not just plan valuation work but also plan administration is especially rewarding; I love helping plan sponsors solve their particularly challenging benefits issues and make sure their plans are operating as they should."

"Strategic Benefits Advisors is proud to have built one of the industry's most seasoned consulting teams. When it comes to recruiting new advisors, we look for the right mix of experience and passion - which we found in spades in Lesley," said SBA Co-Founder and Principal Mindy Zatto. "We are delighted to welcome her to SBA and know that our clients will benefit from her years of serving pension plan sponsors with excellence."

Posey is an Enrolled Actuary (EA) and an Associate of the Society of Actuaries (ASA). She officially joined SBA in April 2018 and is based in the company's Atlanta metro office. Posey holds a bachelor's degree in math and economics from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.

About Strategic Benefits Advisors:

Strategic Benefits Advisors, Inc. (SBA) is an independent, full-service employee benefits consulting firm focused on creatively and effectively solving complex benefits issues for clients ranging from 500 to over 250,000 employees. Founded in 2002 by veteran consultants Mindy Zatto and Andy Adams, SBA provides practical consulting recommendations and expert implementation of solutions for all types of employee benefits programs, including retirement, health and welfare, financial wellness and employee recognition.

With an average of over 20 years in the field, SBA's team of actuaries, consultants and systems specialists is among the most experienced in the industry.

For more information, visit http://www.sba-inc.com/.

Independent, full-service employee benefits consulting firm Strategic Benefits Advisors (SBA) today announced the appointment of Lesley Posey to the position of benefits consultant. In this role, Posey will provide pension and retiree medical plan sponsors with a full array of actuarial and strategic advisory services, including administration services for defined benefit plans.

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

RESPECT May Not Be Exactly What Aretha Franklin’s Legacy Will Get

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Weeks have passed since the death of the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin, and the world is still reeling - mainly from the loss of a such a beloved icon, but also from the fact that she seems to have died without a trust, says estate planning attorney Kirsten Howe of Absolute Trust Counsel. Without a will, and without any sort of estate plan in place, where will that $80 million go?

"From what we know, Aretha died intestate, meaning without a will or a trust as part of a written estate plan," says leading Walnut Creek estate planning attorney Kirsten Howe. "This means her estate will be administered according to the laws of intestacy in the state of Michigan, where she resided at the time of her death, and that what remains after probate will eventually be distributed among her four adult sons."

Franklin's estimated $80 million estate far exceeds the threshold for probate under Michigan law, which is only $15,000. This means that her family will have to go through a court-supervised probate process to pay her bills, debts, and taxes, and to secure transfer of what remains to her sons.

Kirsten adds, "It's not uncommon for people, even wealthy people who have lots of professionals advising them to prepare an estate plan, to end up dying intestate. In California, only 40 percent of residents have done some sort of estate planning. Why Aretha resisted creating an estate plan, we will never know, but there are lots of reasons why people fail to do estate planning. We all tend to procrastinate, especially when it comes to things that don't feel urgent or seem unpleasant. Thinking about your own death is never fun. Some people are superstitious; more than one client have admitted to me that they had an irrational fear that as soon as they did their estate plan, they would die, so they naturally put it off. Others are nervous or afraid to meet with lawyers, believe it or not."

Pancreatic cancer, the disease from which Aretha Franklin died, is almost always terminal, and patients usually die a relatively short time after diagnosis. The time to do estate planning is not when you receive a terminal diagnosis.

Howe goes on to say, "If Aretha had held her estate in a trust, her family could have avoided the very public probate process that is now going to take place. She could have protected the value of her estate from the hefty fees that the probate process will require and helped reduce the 40 percent estate tax - an estimated $27 million in this case - that will now have to be paid to the IRS. But more than that, she could have made sure her wishes were carried out and protected the relationships among her four sons. With an $80 million estate, she could have benefited many people and many organizations with enough money left over for each of her sons to be financially secure. And while she did spend the last of her time surrounded by loved ones, she also left one important lesson to us all: Get your affairs in order while you're healthy and you have time."

About Kirsten Howe:

For more than 20 years, individuals and families in Walnut Creek, California, and the surrounding areas have trusted Absolute Trust Counsel Managing Partner Kirsten Howe and her team to help them secure their legacies.

Uniquely qualified to create individualized estate plans, Kirsten and her team provide focused counsel on estate planning, trust administration, probate, Medi-Cal planning, special needs planning, and other estate-related issues.

Kirsten earned her law degree cum laude from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and a B.S. in biology from the University of Michigan. While in law school, she was a member of the Thurston Society and managing editor of The Hastings Law Journal.

A noted speaker on estate planning issues, Kirsten is a member of the Trust and Estates Section of the California State Bar, and the Estate Planning and Probate, Elder Law, and Women's section of the Contra Costa County Bar. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Estate Planning Council Diablo Valley and is a member of the Robert G. McGrath Chapter of American Inns of Court.

About Absolute Trust Counsel:

While some law firms offer general services meeting every conceivable legal need, Absolute Trust Counsel takes a different approach. California estate law is our specialty. It's what we love, and what we do best.

Our focus is on serving our neighbors in Walnut Creek and the surrounding area. We work with seniors every day. We work with families needing estate planning every day. We work with families who have lost loved ones and are now facing probate. We work with families who have members with special needs. We work with families needing nursing home assistance. Our belief is that this specialization and dedication translates into better results for our clients.

Choosing the right attorney is always a decision that should be made thoughtfully, particularly when it comes to planning for your future. You need a legal team who will take the time to listen closely to you and gain a thorough understanding of your particular situation and your most pressing concerns, goals, and hopes for your legacy. We pride ourselves on practicing that sort of personalized law. We are a law practice that will be there for you and your family today, tomorrow, and for years to come - a law firm for life.

Learn more at https://absolutetrustcounsel.com.

Weeks have passed since the death of the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin, and the world is still reeling - mainly from the loss of a such a beloved icon, but also from the fact that she seems to have died without a trust, says estate planning attorney Kirsten Howe of Absolute Trust Counsel. Without a will, and without any sort of estate plan in place, where will that $80 million go?

Related link: https://absolutetrustcounsel.com/

American Financial Network Deploys Cloudvirga Digital Mortgage Technology Nationwide

IRVINE, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Cloudvirga(TM), a leading provider of digital mortgage software, today announced the deployment of its Cloudvirga Enterprise POS to all 100 branch locations of American Financial Network (AFN), a privately held mortgage company that employs over 750 loan officers and serves tens of thousands of customers nationwide. AFN funded over $5 billion in loans in 2017 and is one of the fastest-growing mortgage lenders in the United States.

The Cloudvirga Enterprise POS is a private-label digital mortgage platform that enables AFN loan officers to convert more prospects into applicants by automatically selecting, comparing and calculating fees for all loan types. Cloudvirga's intelligent lender workflow delivers state-of-the-art features not available in competing platforms to help AFN reduce per-loan production expenses while improving compliance and customer satisfaction.

"Cloudvirga is no mere digital loan application technology," said Cloudvirga Co-founder Kyle Kamrooz. "We provide top lenders like AFN cutting-edge technology that drives down the cost of loan production by reinventing how mortgages are manufactured."

"Cloudvirga is changing how we work in the best possible way," said AFN President John Sherman. "We're removing inefficiency from the mortgage process and freeing our loan officers to take on more loans by focusing their time on the parts of their jobs that require a human touch - like delivering exceptional customer service."

About American Financial Network, Inc.:

Established in 2001 by Jack and John Sherman, American Financial Network, Inc. (AFN) is a licensed mortgage lender (NMLS #237341) that is proud to have assisted hundreds of thousands of customers in financing their American dream of homeownership over the last 17 years. AFN is based in Brea, California; is licensed in 46 states plus Washington, D.C.; and remains on an impressive growth trajectory. AFN is an approved Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac seller/servicer, and an approved issuer for Ginnie Mae. A direct lender with in-house underwriting, AFN offers a full line of mortgage products including: Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, Jumbo, 203(k) rehabilitation loans and more.

For more information, please visit https://www.afncorp.com/.

About Cloudvirga(TM):

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

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

Cloudvirga(TM), a leading provider of digital mortgage software, today announced the deployment of its Cloudvirga Enterprise POS to all 100 branch locations of American Financial Network (AFN), a privately held mortgage company that employs over 750 loan officers and serves tens of thousands of customers nationwide.

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

As Hurricane Florence Nears the US, Here’s What To Know About Travel Insurance Coverage

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- As one of the first major storms of the year looms over the East Coast, many travelers may be caught off guard if their vacations are impacted, according to TravelInsurance.com. But for those who purchased travel insurance already, many of their trip costs could be covered for travel interruptions or cancellations if directly impacted by Hurricane Florence.

"If you purchased a travel insurance plan with comprehensive trip cancellation coverage prior to a storm being named, in this case Hurricane Florence, your plan will most likely provide coverage for cancellations, delays or interruptions that could result directly from the hurricane," said Stan Sandberg, co-founder of TravelInsurance.com. "This can include if your destination is severely affected before your departure, or if you are currently in an affected area and are required to evacuate early."

While it's still unclear what path and strength Florence will ultimately follow, the storm is a good reminder that now is the time to purchase insurance for travel during this year's hurricane season, which runs through November.

For those who do, here are the steps TravelInsurance.com recommends travelers take once they know their trip will be affected:

* Review your policy. Take the time to review the policy and note the covered reasons listed in the plan's trip cancellation section. If it isn't listed there, it likely isn't covered. Write down your policy number and keep a list of important contact numbers provided in your plan, including for 24/7 global assistance, customer service, and claims.
* Make contact. Most travel insurance plans provide 24/7 global travel assistance; travelers should take advantage of it. Typically, the plans include a wide range of assistance services to help get through travel delays, rebookings, and even emergency medical evacuations. Many plans also include concierge services and business assistance services.
* Keep relevant documents. Depending on the specific issue encountered, certain documents for verification purposes will be required. It is very important to insist on these papers and keep them safe, as it might slow down or impact the claims process without them. During a storm, official documents from the airline in the case of a delay or cancellation may be needed. If unsure of what documents will be needed, call customer service or review the claims procedures listed in your travel insurance documents. Create a folder to save all of your travel receipts including airline tickets, hotel bookings or cruise tickets. Also, make sure you document any loss. Having well documented travel receipts and proof of loss will save you time and hassle, which means you are more likely to have your claim paid quickly.
* Submit claim. Filing a claim is mostly about paperwork, filling it out correctly and professionally. If you are unsure of anything, it's best to ask questions directly before submitting. Most insurance providers require you to file a claim within a specific period of time from the event of loss. Some insurance providers may offer a period of a few weeks, while others may offer a period of one month to file a claim.

"It can be disappointing when your planned travel is impacted by the weather, however when you have travel insurance, one of those disappointments doesn't have to be losing your hard-earned money," continued Sandberg. "This is the type of storm that travel insurance is designed for - to protect your investment if, and when, something unexpected occurs. But remember to purchase before the storm is named."

For those who did not purchase travel insurance, contact the airlines, hotels and any pre-paid activity organizers to determine what, if any, refund policies they have. Once a storm is named, unfortunately, it's too late to purchase travel insurance coverage, unless you purchase a plan with a Cancel For Any Reason upgrade.

For more information and travel tips, visit: https://www.TravelInsurance.com/.

About TravelInsurance.com:

TravelInsurance.com helps simplify the complicated world of travel insurance by providing consumers with the easiest way to compare and buy trip insurance coverage online. A member company of the U.S. Travel Insurance Association, owned and operated by DigiVentures Holdings, LLC, a licensed agency that works with some of the largest travel insurers in the industry. Purchases can be made directly through the website, with policies sent via email within minutes.

As one of the first major storms of 2018 looms over the East Coast, many travelers may be caught off guard if their vacations are impacted, according to TravelInsurance.com. But for those who purchased travel insurance already, many of their trip costs could be covered for travel interruptions or cancellations if directly impacted by Hurricane Florence.

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

Paladin Advisory Services Adds Mortgage Loan Quality Expert John Gray to Lead Forensic Loan File Reviews, Enhance Strategic Guidance and Training Services

ATLANTA, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- Paladin Advisory Services, LLC, is pleased to announce that mortgage loan quality subject matter expert John Gray, CFE, CAMS, has joined its team. Gray will drive Paladin's forensic loan file review programs and enhance its offerings in strategic guidance and training for mortgage lenders.

Gray's prior experience includes working as senior vice president of repurchases at CITI, senior vice president of investigations at JP Morgan/Chase, and senior vice president of fraud prevention at Bear Sterns/EMC Mortgage. He has conducted highly confidential internal white-collar criminal investigations, including misappropriation of funds, and presented educational training programs for the MBA, the FBI, and more.

"John is a legend in the industry, having been at the forefront of the fight to maintain data integrity for lenders since his days as a charter member of Freddie Mac's first investigative unit to his days resolving repurchase issues to the tune of $1.5 billion in recoveries for CITI Mortgage," said Ann Fulmer, J.D., principal, Paladin Advisory Services. "John's experience assessing and mitigating risks posed by correspondents and vendors, coupled with his deep understanding of all aspects of the mortgage origination process, makes him an invaluable resource for mortgage lenders and for Paladin.

"With fraud reports on the rise, the timing couldn't be better," she added.

"Today's market is very similar to the market just before the 'mortgage meltdown' occurred. Although loan quality is up significantly since then and loan performance is very good, there are warning signs on the horizon," Gray said. "Volumes are down, underwriting standards are being loosened, and the average American lives paycheck to paycheck.

"It's no wonder that old frauds like flipping and the use of straw buyers are on the rise, or that new frauds - like the wire fraud committed via comprised business email channels - are becoming more common," he said.

"Lenders should take advantage of today's relatively benign conditions to prepare for what will be challenging times when the economy eventually turns down again," Fulmer cautioned. "If we learned only one lesson from the economic crisis, it should be that preventing bad loans is a whole lot cheaper than trying to clean up afterwards."

About Paladin Advisory Services:

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Paladin Advisory Services provides forensic file reviews, strategic guidance on improving operational proficiencies in the quest for better data integrity and provides custom training materials and presentations for lenders and affiliated industries.

Media Contact:
For more information, contact Ann Fulmer at 404.626.9916 or AFulmer@PaladinAdvisoryServices.com.

Paladin Advisory Services, LLC, is pleased to announce that mortgage loan quality subject matter expert John Gray, CFE, CAMS, has joined its team. Gray will drive Paladin's forensic loan file review programs and enhance its offerings in strategic guidance and training for mortgage lenders.

TRK Connection Add Industry-Leading Reverification Functionality to Insight RDM Mortgage QC Platform

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- TRK Connection (TRK), a leading provider of mortgage quality control (QC) and origination management solutions, announced it has added functionality to its flagship QC audit platform Insight Risk & Defect Management (RDM) to help lenders digitally manage the reverification process, including eSign and automated bulk document indexing.

Using Insight RDM's eSign capabilities, external sources (employers, financial institutions, etc.) can electronically complete re-verification documents, eliminating the need to print and mail (or fax) outbound documents and scan and attach inbound documents while also providing a more secure method of document delivery, completion and return.

"Lenders' digital mortgage efforts shouldn't stop at the closing table," said Teri Sundh, CEO of TRK Connection. "Insight RDM is the first mortgage QC platform to offer its users full eSign capabilities so that they can continue to operate electronically and take advantage of the efficiency and cost-savings benefits inherent in a digital mortgage environment."

For those institutions that still receive re-verification documents in paper format, Insight's bulk document indexing feature Redex(TM) helps lenders and audit firms streamline their re-verification process using electronic batch processing. With Redex, lenders and audit firms can electronically ingest returned re-verification documents in bulk, and from there, the system sorts, organizes and indexes the documents and then automatically attaches them to their associated loan files.

"While TRK is a fervent advocate of the industry's digital mortgage efforts, we also recognize that, until digital mortgage adoption becomes widespread, there are still going to be instances where lenders will need to work in paper, especially in the re-verification process," Sundh said. "Redex is our solution to this issue. By enabling lenders and audit firms to electronically ingest and process these documents in bulk, we're saving our clients untold hours of labor that be re-directed towards activities that have a greater impact on improving loan quality."

About TRK Connection:

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

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

TRK Connection, a leading provider of mortgage quality control (QC) and origination management solutions, announced it has added functionality to its flagship QC audit platform Insight Risk & Defect Management (RDM) to help lenders digitally manage the reverification process, including eSign and automated bulk document indexing.

Related link: http://trkconnection.com/

Lisa Birmingham of LBA Ware Wins 2018 HousingWire Insiders Award

MACON, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- LBA Ware(TM), a leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lenders, announced that DevOps Manager Lisa Birmingham has been named a 2018 Insiders Award(TM) recipient by HousingWire (HW) magazine.

Birmingham was recognized for leveraging her considerable talents to help LBA Ware increase product enhancements and system adoption over the course of her two-year tenure at the company. Her deep background in mortgage fintech and laser-like focus on stellar system performance and client satisfaction has played a critical role in LBA Ware's success, enabling the firm to increase subscriptions to its system integration platform by nearly 250%.

In addition to her development contributions, Birmingham is heavily involved in LBA Ware's internal operations, serving as a member of the SOC and Vendor Management committees and the Disaster Recovery Team. She also serves as the company-wide resource on loan origination system (LOS) functionality and provides training to all LBA Ware staff members on the various LOS' that integrate with LBA Ware's platforms.

"Lisa was a key hire for us in 2016 and has never failed to impress us with her dedication, ideas and overall exemplary performance," said Lori Brewer, Founder and CEO of LBA Ware. "Clients rave about Lisa, her attention to detail, her quick response rate and her ceaseless caring about their well-being and overall happiness with LBA Ware's quality of work. I am grateful for her hard work and contributions."

"I take pride in my ability to identify opportunities for process optimization and bring increases in efficiency and production to the projects I work on," said Birmingham. "It is a high compliment to be nominated by my colleagues for the Insiders Award."

Now in its third year, HousingWire's Insiders Award program recognizes "operational all-stars" who "serve their companies in outstanding ways - through operations, product development, hiring, marketing campaigns, or making things more efficient."

"This year's group of Insiders exemplify what it means to get the job done and done right," said HW Online Editor Caroline Basile. "Each of the mortgage and housing professionals we honored made incredible contributions to their companies' successes and we're excited to recognize their achievements."

Winners are profiled in the September issue of HousingWire magazine. To view the complete listing of award honorees, visit https://www.housingwire.com/articles/46713-hw-insiders-2018.

About HousingWire:
HousingWire is the most influential source of news and information for the U.S. mortgage and housing markets. Built on a foundation of independent and original journalism, HousingWire reaches over 40,000 newsletter subscribers daily and over 4 million unique visitors each year. Our audience of mortgage, real estate, financial services and fintech professionals rely on us to Move Markets Forward. Visit https://www.HousingWire.com or https://www.solutions.housingwire.com to learn more.

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

LBA Ware(TM), a leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lenders, announced that DevOps Manager Lisa Birmingham has been named a 2018 Insiders Award(TM) recipient by HousingWire (HW) magazine.

Related link: https://lbaware.com/

NotaryCam’s David Kressel and Henry Smith Honored by HousingWire as Mortgage Industry ‘Insiders’

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- NotaryCam(R) today announced that its Vice President of Finance and Operations, David Kressel, and Director of Notary Operations, Henry Smith, were each named to HousingWire's 2018 HW Insiders Award(TM) list of the mortgage industry's unsung heroes.

Kressel's operational expertise, entrepreneurial spirit and passion for innovation have helped define NotaryCam as a company and enabled many of its successes. For instance, Kressel spearheaded the launch of eClose360(R), NotaryCam's eClosing platform that remotely brings together closing agents, attorneys, home buyers and real estate agents with a certified notary signing agent to perform mortgage closings. He also helped grow NotaryCam's footprint to serve customers in all 50 U.S. states and over 70 international countries.

Smith was recognized for leading the expansion of NotaryCam's network of eNotaries, the world's largest. He launched NotaryCam Academy, the company's formal program for training, graduating and onboarding professionally certified eNotaries, in 2014. Smith continues to oversee the training of NotaryCam's notary team and manages its ongoing performance to ensure fast, friendly, compliant and consistent service delivery.

Now in its third year, the HW Insiders Award program recognizes "operational all-stars" working across all sectors of the U.S. housing economy, including residential mortgage lending, servicing, investments and real estate. Nominees were selected by HousingWire's editorial staff and judged based on "tangible evidence of significant impact within their individual company, primarily focused upon the past 12 months."

"Excellent customer service is one of NotaryCam's defining values and key differentiators," said Rick Triola, founder and CEO of NotaryCam. "David and Henry lead a culture of outstanding quality and consistency, which has greatly contributed to NotaryCam's 99.8 percent customer satisfaction rating and sky-high Net Promoter Score - the best in the industry. I congratulate them both for this achievement."

"This year's group of Insiders exemplify what it means to get the job done and done right," said HousingWire Online Editor Caroline Basile. "Each of the mortgage and housing professionals we honored made incredible contributions to their companies' successes, and we're excited to recognize their achievements."

To view the full list of award honorees, visit https://www.housingwire.com/articles/46713-hw-insiders-2018.

About HousingWire:

HousingWire is the most influential source of news and information for the U.S. mortgage and housing markets. Built on a foundation of independent and original journalism, HousingWire reaches over 40,000 newsletter subscribers daily and over 4 million unique visitors each year. Its audience of mortgage, real estate, financial services and fintech professionals relies on HousingWire to "Move Markets Forward." Visit https://www.housingwire.com to learn more.

About NotaryCam:

NotaryCam is the pioneering leader in online notarization and mortgage closing solutions. NotaryCam has helped over 100,000 customers get documents notarized online from anywhere in the world and maintains the industry's highest customer satisfaction rating. NotaryCam's patented eClose360 platform helps mortgage and settlement partners facilitate 100 percent-online mortgage closings while providing unparalleled identity verification, security and customer convenience.

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

NotaryCam(R) today announced that its Vice President of Finance and Operations, David Kressel, and Director of Notary Operations, Henry Smith, were each named to HousingWire's 2018 HW Insiders Award(TM) list of the mortgage industry's unsung heroes.

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

MQMR’s Steven Sinn Wins 2018 HousingWire Insiders Award

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Quality Management and Research, LLC (MQMR), a leader in mortgage risk management and compliance services, today announced that director of administration Steven Sinn has been named a 2018 Insiders Award(TM) honoree by HousingWire (HW) magazine.

"This year's group of Insiders exemplify what it means to get the job done and done right," said HW Online Editor Caroline Basile. "Each of the mortgage and housing professionals we honored made incredible contributions to their companies' successes and we're excited to recognize their achievements."

"Steve is the epitome of a dedicated employee, contributing in all aspects of the business and filling in whenever and wherever he's needed," said MQMR President Michael Steer. "He not only delivers excellence in everything he does, but he also brings out the best in those around him, elevating the personal and professional development of his fellow employees. We included the word 'quality' in our company name for a reason, and no one on our staff embodies that value more than Steve."

Sinn was recognized for his role in helping MQMR achieve its growth objectives by keeping his fingers on the pulse of all aspects of the organization and jumping in as needed to perform a variety of functions. He was instrumental in restructuring MQMR's internal audit department to streamline process workflow and reduce the time it takes to complete a client engagement. In addition to improving MQMR's client-facing operations, Sinn ensures the smooth performance of back-office operations.

"I'm honored to appear on this year's list of Insiders Award honorees," said Sinn. "Whether it's boosting the company's insurance coverage, providing client support, performing training, enhancing operational processes or conducting office lease negotiations, my top priority is ensuring the health, longevity and success of MQMR."

Now in its third year, HW's Insiders Award program recognizes "people who are often their company's best-kept secret: the one person known within the company as a critical part of that company's success, but who may or may not be as well known throughout the larger industry."

Honorees are profiled in the September issue of HW magazine. To view all of this year's Insiders Award winners, visit https://www.housingwire.com/articles/46713-hw-insiders-2018.

About HousingWire:
HousingWire is the most influential source of news and information for the U.S. mortgage and housing markets. Built on a foundation of independent and original journalism, HousingWire reaches over 40,000 newsletter subscribers daily and over 4 million unique visitors each year. Our audience of mortgage, real estate, financial services and fintech professionals rely on us to Move Markets Forward. Visit www.HousingWire.com or www.solutions.housingwire.com to learn more.

About Mortgage Quality Management and Research, LLC (MQMR):
MQMR bridges the gap between risk and compliance through its suite of risk-related services. Since its inception, MQMR has launched multiple products and services to assist lenders in navigating regulatory requirements, including providing mortgage compliance consulting throughout the origination process, conducting internal audit risk assessments and ongoing internal audit support, servicing QC and subservicing oversight to master servicers, and filling the void of meeting vendor management oversight requirements. With 2,000+ operational reviews of mortgage companies, subservicers, document custodians, and vendors annually, MQMR prides itself on being an industry leader in counterparty risk and compliance. To learn more, visit 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 director of administration Steven Sinn has been named a 2018 Insiders Award(TM) honoree by HousingWire (HW) magazine.

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

Tobias Griffith of IDS Honored as a 2018 Insiders Award Recipient by HousingWire Magazine

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage document preparation vendor International Document Services, Inc. (IDS), announced today that Implementation Expert Tobias Griffith has been recognized by HousingWire (HW) magazine as a 2018 Insiders Award(TM) honoree.

"With so much leadership change happening in our industry, it seems particularly fitting that we highlight the accomplishments of those who help execute the day-to-day operations at the mortgage finance industry's most important firms," said HW Editor-in-Chief Jacob Gaffney. "With that, we are honored to present the 2018 HousingWire Insiders."

Griffith was recognized for ensuring new IDS clients have a smooth and overwhelmingly positive on-boarding experience, even in complex implementation circumstances. Griffith walks clients through the handling of customized document utilization characteristics and actively helps clients customize loan document content to ensure the customization process is smooth and meets each client's specific needs. Satisfied clients frequently go out of their way to express their appreciation for Griffith's responsiveness, coding abilities, problem-solving acumen and customer service skills.

"Superior customer service and seamless client on-boarding are more critical than ever," said Mark Mackey, vice president and general manager of IDS. "With every implementation, Tobias goes above and beyond to ensure new clients receive IDS' trademark customer service from day one and become clients for life. I am grateful to have Tobias on our team and commend him on his exceptional work performance."

"Setting clients up for success is crucial to their ability to fully enjoy the process efficiencies of idsDoc from the outset of implementation," said Griffith. "It's an honor to be recognized by HousingWire for my work."

For the third year, HW's Insiders Award program celebrates "people who are often their company's best-kept secret: the one person known within the company as a critical part of that company's success, but who may or may not be as well known throughout the larger industry." Awardees represent each sector of the housing industry and are chosen by the trade publication's editorial staff.

To view the complete list of awardee honorees, visit https://www.housingwire.com/articles/46713-hw-insiders-2018.

About HousingWire:
HousingWire is the most influential source of news and information for the U.S. mortgage and housing markets. Built on a foundation of independent and original journalism, HousingWire reaches over 40,000 newsletter subscribers daily and over 4 million unique visitors each year. Our audience of mortgage, real estate, financial services and fintech professionals rely on us to Move Markets Forward. Visit https://www.HousingWire.com or https://www.solutions.housingwire.com to learn more.

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

Mortgage document preparation vendor International Document Services, Inc. (IDS), announced today that Implementation Expert Tobias Griffith has been recognized by HousingWire (HW) magazine as a 2018 Insiders Award(TM) honoree.

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

FormFree’s Louann Bernstone Receives HW Insiders Award from HousingWire

ATHENS, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- FormFree(R) today announced that its Head of Risk and Compliance, Louann Bernstone, has been named to HousingWire's 2018 HW Insiders Award(TM) list of the mortgage industry's most vital, yet little-known contributors.

Bernstone was recognized for strengthening FormFree's risk management procedures, guiding the company's strategic partnerships with mortgage regulators and GSEs and restructuring its HR function at a time of rapid company growth. She has been integral to the successful completion of several company milestones over the last year, including the introduction of the industry's first borrower report combining income, asset and employment verification for Fannie Mae's Single Source Validation pilot.

"FormFree has transformed the way lenders analyze their borrowers' ability to repay loans. It's incredibly important work - and work that's incredibly important to get right," said Brent Chandler, founder and CEO of FormFree. "Louann is a treasure. Her contributions to the company, our many partners and our customers cannot be overstated."

"With more than 100 vendor integrations, thousands of lender customers and over a million consumers served, managing compliance at FormFree is no small task," said Bernstone. "Fortunately, I love what I do and the team I'm a part of, which makes this recognition all the more rewarding."

"This year's group of Insiders exemplify what it means to get the job done and done right," said Caroline Basile, online editor for HousingWire. "Each of the mortgage and housing professionals we honored made incredible contributions to their companies' successes, and we're excited to recognize their achievements."

2018 marks the third year that HousingWire's HW Insiders Award program has recognized mortgage industry professionals for their outstanding contributions to their respective companies and the industry at large. Honorees are profiled in the September edition of HousingWire magazine and can also be viewed at https://www.housingwire.com/articles/46713-hw-insiders-2018.

About HousingWire:
HousingWire is the most influential source of news and information for the U.S. mortgage and housing markets. Built on a foundation of independent and original journalism, HousingWire reaches over 40,000 newsletter subscribers daily and over 4 million unique visitors each year. Its audience of mortgage, real estate, financial services and fintech professionals relies on HousingWire to "Move Markets Forward." Visit https://www.housingwire.com to learn more.

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

FormFree(R) today announced that its Head of Risk and Compliance, Louann Bernstone, has been named to HousingWire's 2018 HW Insiders Award(TM) list of the mortgage industry's most vital, yet little-known contributors.

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

Transformational Mortgage Solutions’ Beth Ozenghar Honored by HousingWire’s 2018 Insiders Award Program for Excellence in Mortgage Advisory Services

AUSTIN, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- Leading mortgage industry management consulting firm Austin, Texas-based Transformational Mortgage Solutions (TMS), today announced that President and COO Beth Ozenghar has been honored by HousingWire (HW) magazine with the publication's 2018 Insiders Award(TM). This marks the third year the award program has recognized operational all-stars "who do the legwork and make the mortgage industry tick."

Ozenghar was recognized for her role as the behind-the-scenes powerhouse at mortgage advisory services firm Transformational Mortgage Solutions (TMS), where she works to help lenders reach their strategic potential. Focusing on Business Process Improvement principles, Ozenghar spearheads the development of lender clients' workflow, helping them understand and improve upon their operations rapidly. Her proprietary consulting methodologies have guided lenders through complete metamorphoses, increasing profit margins by repositioning their approach to business processes and company culture.

"During the current lower-volume, profitability-challenged cycle, there is a greater need than ever for mortgage lenders to cultivate lean, efficient operations before investing in digital mortgage solutions," said Ozenghar. "In working with each TMS client, my goal is to identify their unique set of challenges and prescribe company-specific solutions that help them deliver an exceptional borrower experience and operate at their highest potential."

"Beth has helped solidify TMS' reputation as the mortgage advisory firm that can cinch the belt on any lending operation by mapping and coaching for lean, precision performance," said David Lykken, founder and chief transformation officer at Transformational Mortgage Solutions. "Her ESP - expertise, sincerity and passion - exemplify the TMS mantra: people, process, product, purpose and passion. I commend Beth for this well-deserved honor."

"This year's group of Insiders exemplify what it means to get the job done and done right," said HW Online Editor Caroline Basile. "Each of the mortgage and housing professionals we honored made incredible contributions to their companies' successes and we're excited to recognize their achievements."

The complete list of awardee honorees can be viewed in the September issue of HW magazine and online at https://www.housingwire.com/articles/46713-hw-insiders-2018.

About HousingWire:
HousingWire is the most influential source of news and information for the U.S. mortgage and housing markets. Built on a foundation of independent and original journalism, HousingWire reaches over 40,000 newsletter subscribers daily and over 4 million unique visitors each year. Our audience of mortgage, real estate, financial services and fintech professionals rely on us to Move Markets Forward. Visit https://www.HousingWire.com or https://www.solutions.housingwire.com to learn more.

About Transformational Mortgage Solutions:
Transformational Mortgage Solutions (TMS) is a management consulting firm providing a full range of advisory services to owners and executives of companies in the mortgage lending business. Our clients include banks, credit unions, and independent mortgage lenders, as well as companies providing financing/solutions/services to mortgage lenders. We are able to help companies regardless of size. We provide three main advisory services: consulting, coaching and communications.

Also, as a public service, TMS is dedicated to informing and educating industry professionals through the weekly "Lykken on Lending" podcast as well as providing speakers at conferences and other industry events and consumers through "Today's Mortgage Minute" and through appearances on national television networks such as the FOX Business Network.

More information: http://transformationalmortgagesolutions.com/.

Leading mortgage industry management consulting firm Austin, Texas-based Transformational Mortgage Solutions (TMS), today announced that President and COO Beth Ozenghar has been honored by HousingWire (HW) magazine with the publication's 2018 Insiders Award. This marks the third year the award program has recognized operational all-stars "who do the legwork and make the mortgage industry tick."

Medical Practice Consulting Services Expands Billing Operations in North Carolina

NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH, N.C. /ScoopCloud/ -- Medical Practice Consulting Services (MPCS), a leading national group of practice growth consultants offering revenue cycle management services today announce the strategic expansion and opening of their billing operations, with offices at 2000 New River Inlet, Suite 1001.

Medical Practice Consulting Services maintains home offices in Statesville. Increasingly sought after as "growth consultants" by visionary medical practice managers, the team offers a wealth of industry and practice management experience, combined with top notch billing and account management services.

"Every practice needs a road map to growth," says Debbie Henderson, CEO of MPCS. "Our team is uniquely qualified to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing healthcare environment."

Today, challenges are different than they were even five years ago. Reimbursements have changed, she explains. But the need to remain on top of practice management and growth strategies to remain competitive in one's industry remain much the same, no matter the practice speciality.

"Providers may not have the vision, perspective or experience to optimize their practice revenues," says Henderson. "They're busy providing patient care and managing the day to day functions of their practice."

That's when MPCS steps in: to help identify areas of weakness within the practice revenue cycle, and to shine a light on areas ready for growth.

"We make certain the revenue cycle is closed and that our clients receive the compensation they earn," she says.

Highly qualified medical professionals may be slow to embrace change, Henderson explains.

Even proficient leaders may not realize there's a different way, more profitable means of managing everything from insurance contracts to work flow and overhead.

"The number one problem we see is that managing physicians lack a good picture of their practice revenues," she says. "We are motivated to figure out what's owed them, areas where they've lost money, and we design and execute a plan to correct the deficits."

At the fore of the North Topsail Beach billing operations center, Julie Linkous, revenue cycle director, and Kristin Leigh Wiggins, senior billing specialist, will anchor the client services team. Linkous provides the primary point of contact for clients engaged in day-to-day decision making, solving problems and allocating resources. Wiggins will oversee operations and reporting to offer clients a true picture of their practice revenues relative to their growth goals. Together, the two will manage billing support functions and staff.

"We can prove that our practice growth strategies increase revenues by as much as 30-40 percent the first year after we start to manage billing," says Henderson. "Our team has developed processes that return consistently in a rapidly changing medical practice environment."

The team approach exemplified by Linkous and Wiggins helps Henderson keep a finger on the pulse of every practice served, she says.

"We structured everything in a way that makes sense for our clients, with impeccable customer service, attention to detail, and dedicated staff with a commitment to quality that is difficult to find elsewhere."

About Medical Practice Consulting Services:
Medical Practice Consulting Services - http://medicalpracticeconsultingservices.com/ - 246 East Broad Street, Statesville, N.C., is a leading national group of practice growth consultants offering revenue cycle management services. MPCS transforms the experiences of independent health and medical practice owners, groups, and managers committed to high quality of care, patient and family satisfaction, sound financial decision-making, and employee engagement.

Medical Practice Consulting Services (MPCS), a leading national group of practice growth consultants offering revenue cycle management services today announce the strategic expansion and opening of their billing operations, with offices at 2000 New River Inlet, Suite 1001.

LBA Ware CEO Lori Brewer to Offer Insights on Motivating Loan Originators at 2018 Mortgage Bankers Association’s Human Resources Symposium

MACON, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- Leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lenders LBA Ware(TM) today announced that its CEO and Founder Lori Brewer will be speaking on the topic of loan originator motivation at the 2018 MBA Human Resources Symposium at the Renaissance Arlington Captial View outside Washington D.C.

The symposium, which is closed to members of the media, offers participants in the MBA's Residential Mortgage Banking Compensation Survey Program and other interested companies the opportunity to learn and discuss what's new in compensation and human resource trends and practices.

Brewer's panel, "What Incentivizes Mortgage Company Employees Besides Compensation?" will take place on Monday, Sept. 11 at 1:30 p.m. Scott Frommert, Chief Financial Officer at On Q Financial, and Dudley Strawn, Chief Human Resources Officer at Hilltop Holdings, Inc., will join her for the 45-minute discussion.

Topics to be covered in the session include:

* The realities of margin compression and the compensation arms race;
* How to motivate your top performers to stick around and not jump ship to your nearest competitor;
* Understanding what your company can bring to the table that other competitors can't easily match; and
* Facilitated discussion around employee performance and incentives.

"The question that seems to be on every lender's mind is 'Who will be the first to re-invent mortgage sales compensation?'" said Brewer. "By identifying your top performers and tapping into what incentivizes them beyond financial compensation, lenders can gain a tremendous competitive advantage that will raise their bottom line."

Marina Walsh, MBA's Vice President of Industry Analysis, added, "We have a packed agenda over two days that includes loan originator compensation rules, wage and hour laws, and breakout discussions on a variety of topics such as organizational structures, the millennial workforce, training and development, and employee business expense deductions. Of course, we are delighted to have LBA Ware contributing to the success of the event."

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

Leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lenders LBA Ware(TM) today announced that its CEO and Founder Lori Brewer will be speaking on the topic of loan originator motivation at the 2018 MBA Human Resources Symposium at the Renaissance Arlington Captial View outside Washington D.C.

Related link: https://lbaware.com/

SafeChain Completes First Official Real Estate Blockchain Transaction in the U.S.

COLUMBUS, Ohio /ScoopCloud/ -- SafeChain, the industry leader in wire fraud prevention software for land title, announced today it has successfully facilitated the sale of 36 forfeiture properties via blockchain. The transactions, which were completed on Tuesday in partnership with the auditor's office in Franklin County, Ohio, marks the first instance in the U.S. of a state government using blockchain to legally record the transfer of property deeds.

"To have Franklin County lead the nation in blockchain adoption for real estate transactions is one of the crowning achievements of my tenure as Auditor, but this transaction is just the beginning," Franklin County Auditor Clarence Mingo said. "Too often, government services are inefficient and out-of-touch with current technology, resulting in wasted tax dollars and a poor experience. The constituents of Franklin County deserve better, which is why the Auditor's Office has set a goal to move 100 percent of Franklin County's property records to blockchain and begin testing the technology to decentralize all county records and systems to create a more streamlined, efficient and secure process for delivering these services to the local community."

The recorded properties were sold at auction by the auditor's office. After the deeds are awarded to the winning bidders, all relevant property information is transferred to blockchain and assigned a barcode, which is then attached to the deed so that the property's information can be accessed via blockchain.

"Blockchain will transform the real estate industry. There's no doubt about it, and the earlier entities get on board, the more they stand to gain in terms of security and efficiency," said Tony Franco, CEO of SafeChain. "Starting with something as relatively straightforward as property transfers, blockchain creates a decentralized, near-perfect audit trail that can never be lost or stolen. Eliminating that risk opens the door to completely changing how properties are bought and sold in the U.S., and those changes will ultimately be to the consumer's benefit, as well as the real estate industry's as well."

In addition to its partnership with Franklin County, SafeChain is also working with officials in Washington and Perry counties as part of a larger, state-wide push to adopt blockchain. In June 2018, Ohio state legislators signed Senate Bill 220 into law, which added blockchain as a legally-recognized electronic transaction in the state.

As Ohio House Speaker Ryan Smith noted in an August 23, 2018 article for The Columbus Dispatch, "This is so new and just starting to take shape that we can position Ohio out front and, most importantly put it out in a way that gives our kids...an opportunity to stay in Ohio and not have the brain drain to the West Coast. It's a great opportunity for Ohio to really start the economic engine on a different perspective."

"As an Ohio-based company, we are deeply invested in not only making Ohio a top-of-mind destination for top technology talent, but we are also honored to help lead the charge to make Ohio one of the most technologically-advanced states in the nation," Robert Zwink, CTO of SafeChain said. "In addition to moving property records to blockchain, we're also working with title companies to eliminate wire fraud in real estate transactions using our platform SafeWire, thus adding an additional layer of security and efficiency to the real estate process."

About SafeChain:

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

For more information visit: https://www.safechain.io/.

*VIDEO (YouTube):
https://youtu.be/0x6JVvd9g-E

SafeChain, the industry leader in wire fraud prevention software for land title, announced today it has successfully facilitated the sale of 36 forfeiture properties via blockchain. The transactions, which were completed on Tuesday in partnership with the auditor's office in Franklin County, Ohio, marks the first instance in the U.S. of a state government using blockchain to legally record the transfer of property deeds.

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

Bank of Southern California, N.A. Names Soly Cangarlu Vice President, Branch Manager in West L.A.

17-1117-bank-of-so-calif-696x522.jpg /ScoopCloud/ -- Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL), a community business bank headquartered in San Diego, has named Soly Cangarlu Vice President, Branch Manager. She will be responsible for developing client relationships and expanding the bank's presence in West Los Angeles.

Currently, the bank is in the process of identifying a de-novo branch location which will become the bank's West Los Angeles branch. This will be Bank of Southern California's fifth location in Los Angeles County, further demonstrating the company's commitment to serving this vibrant and important Southern California market.

Mrs. Cangarlu is an accomplished and seasoned banking professional with more than 30 years' experience in the banking industry and deep roots in the Los Angeles market. Prior to joining Bank of Southern California, she served as the Vice President, Branch Manager for a regional bank in Santa Monica where she was responsible for opening a de-novo office and transforming it into a top-producing branch. She holds a bachelor's degree from California State University, Los Angeles.

"Soly brings extensive experience in developing and leading banking teams throughout Los Angeles County and will play a key role in supporting our continued growth as we further our expansion in the Los Angeles region," said Nathan Rogge, President and Chief Executive Officer.

"Soly's expertise and proven leadership is a great addition to Bank of Southern California's newly expanded branch banking team," concluded Rogge.

About Bank of Southern California:

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

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

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

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

Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL), a community business bank headquartered in San Diego, has named Soly Cangarlu Vice President, Branch Manager. She will be responsible for developing client relationships and expanding the bank's presence in West Los Angeles.

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

Bank of Southern California N.A. Names Laura H. Araluce Vice President, Branch Manager

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL), a community business bank headquartered in San Diego, is pleased to announce that Laura H. Araluce has joined the company as Vice President, Branch Manager. She will be responsible for growing Bank of Southern California's presence in Orange County.

The company first announced plans to enter the market in January 2018, through the opening of a loan production office in the city of Orange. The bank is currently in the process of identifying a permanent branch location which will also serve as its regional banking center in the market.

Mrs. Araluce has a demonstrated track record of helping local businesses grow and succeed. She brings more than 30 years of banking and branch management experience to her role. Most recently, she served in a similar role for a well-known regional bank managing two Orange County offices.

"Laura is a highly-regarded Branch Manager offering extensive in-market expertise, a proven record of success, a strong commitment to the community and a dedication to providing best in class customer service," said Nathan Rogge, President and Chief Executive Officer.

"The addition of Laura to our branch banking team is an important step in growing Bank of Southern California's footprint and expanding our Orange County presence," concluded Rogge.

About Bank of Southern California

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

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

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

Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL), a community business bank headquartered in San Diego, is pleased to announce that Laura H. Araluce has joined the company as Vice President, Branch Manager. She will be responsible for growing Bank of Southern California's presence in Orange County.

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

Whiteflash Launches Next Generation Jewelry Care Plan

HOUSTON, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- Whiteflash Inc., specialists in ideal diamonds and fine jewelry, announced today an innovation in jewelry protection having just completed implementation of a ground-breaking program provided by JM Care Plan, Inc., a member of the Jewelers Mutual Group. The plan is the first to be rolled out by an e-commerce company and provides comprehensive jewelry care for three years from the date of purchase.

Benefits of the Whiteflash 3-Year Ultimate Care Plan include repairs and maintenance, ring sizing and refinishing, replacement of lost gemstones, and even includes free roundtrip insured shipping.

The low cost comprehensive plan can be purchased conveniently at the time of purchase through an integrated web interface in the Whiteflash shopping cart, automatically recording details of the purchase. The one-time fee is determined by the purchase price with all benefits guaranteed for a full three years.

A dedicated Ultimate Care Plan page on the Whiteflash website explains the program including examples of the many services that are provided at no cost under the plan. Learn more: https://www.whiteflash.com/confidence/three-year-ultimate-care/.

While not a replacement for a personal jewelry insurance policy, the Ultimate Care Plan provides peace of mind to consumers in the knowledge that a full range of issues resulting from wear and tear will be attended to promptly and professionally at no additional cost. The plan is superior to typical warranties covering defects in materials and workmanship which can have onerous stipulations and caveats that often result in disappointment when consumers learn their repairs do not qualify.

"We're thrilled to be working with Whiteflash to bring this exciting opportunity to their customers. Peace of mind for jewelry purchases is priceless. When damage happens, the last thing customers should worry about is how to repair or replace an item. It pays to have a set plan that helps customers purchase and protect their jewelry with confidence. The Ultimate Care Plan delivers," said Mark Devereaux, vice president of sales for Jewelers Mutual Group.

Whiteflash COO Eliezer Eber, who worked closely with JM Care Plan to develop and implement the program, had this to say, "As the first jewelry retailer certified for ISO 9000 we are dedicated to leading the jewelry industry through constant improvement and innovation. Being the first e-commerce retailer to offer this great program is another win for web savvy Whiteflash customers who understand and appreciate added value."

In the words of Whiteflash CEO Debi Wexler, "Providing maximum peace of mind and confidence in the purchase has always been our top priority. We do that by providing quality products, extensive information, and expert consultation. Being able to offer the Ultimate Care Plan is a wonderful extension of that philosophy."

The Ultimate Care Plan is the first such comprehensive care plan provided by a trusted industry name, to be made available for internet purchases of fine jewelry by an e-commerce focused retailer.

About Whiteflash:

Whiteflash is a top tier retail jeweler specializing in Ideal Diamonds, Designer Engagement Rings and Fine Bridal Jewelry. Their A CUT ABOVE(R) Super Ideal Diamonds are considered by trade experts and diamond connoisseurs to be among the finest in the world.

The award winning Whiteflash.com website, described by Kiplinger's Magazine as the "Lord of the Online Rings" enables shoppers the world over to view, compare and purchase top quality diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry in a convenient, secure and information rich environment.

Whiteflash is the first jewelry retailer in the world to attain ISO 9001 certification for total quality management and welcomes visitors to their Houston jewelry store located in Sugar Land Town Square.

Whiteflash is a member of the American Gem Society and recipient of an unbroken string of Better Business Bureau Awards of Distinction including the BBB 2018 Pinnacle Award.

For more information, log onto https://www.whiteflash.com/ or call toll free 877-612-6770

About Jewelers Mutual Group:

The Jewelers Mutual Group companies, which are dedicated solely to serving the jewelry industry in the United States and Canada, began in 1913 when a group of Wisconsin jewelers came together to meet their unique insurance needs. Today, the Group's companies remain the trusted insurance advisor and loss-prevention expert for jewelry retailers large and small, wholesalers, manufacturers, custom designers, and appraisers-and for consumers who protect their personal jewelry and the special moments it represents. To learn more, visit http://jmcareplan.com/.

Whiteflash Inc., specialists in ideal diamonds and fine jewelry, announced today an innovation in jewelry protection having just completed implementation of a ground-breaking program provided by JM Care Plan, Inc., a member of the Jewelers Mutual Group. The plan is the first to be rolled out by an e-commerce company and provides comprehensive jewelry care for three years from the date of purchase.

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

Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation Partners with Cloudvirga to Support Its Ambitious Operational and Organizational Growth Goals

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 that Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation (Fairway) has launched Cloudvirga's digital mortgage platform for consumers and loan officers.

By guiding consumers through an intelligent workflow that automatically populates the loan application and starts verifying borrower data immediately, Cloudvirga enables Fairway loan officers to structure deals and secure consumer commitment with great speed and efficiency, regardless of loan type.

"This is a time of tremendous growth for Fairway. As we rapidly expand operations with new branches and team members, we must also scale efficiency through technology and process improvement," said Fairway SVP Sales and Recruiting Tom Tousignant. "The Cloudvirga digital mortgage platform supports Fairway's ongoing commitment to speed of response and helps our loan teams balance higher loan production with the exceptional service our customers expect."

"Cloudvirga helps leading lenders like Fairway realize the promise of the digital mortgage, and our POS platform represents a critical step in that journey," said Cloudvirga Co-founder Kyle Kamrooz. "This is so much more than a digital loan application; it's a modern loan officer system offering unmatched borrower commitment capabilities, time savings and cost reduction."

Fairway is one of the largest independent mortgage lenders in the United States. In 2017, Fairway originated more than $21 billion in loans and grew its team to encompass more than 6,900 employees in 500 branches. The company is on track to exceed that growth in 2018, having recently reported a 37 percent year-over-year increase in funded loans during the first seven months of the year.

About Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation:

Founded in 1996 by Steve Jacobson and named by a childhood best friend, colleague and forever member of the Fairway family, Randy Cross, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation is a mortgage lender headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, and Carrollton, Texas. The company has more than 500 locations and over 6,900 employees nationwide. Fairway is dedicated to finding great loan products and rates for its customers and offers some of the fastest turn times in the industry. Its goal is to act as a trusted advisor, providing highly personalized service and helping clients through every step of the loan process.

For more information, please visit https://www.FairwayIndependentMC.com.

About Cloudvirga(TM):

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

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

Twitter: @Cloudvirga @FairwayMC #digitalmortgage

Cloudvirga, a leading provider of digital mortgage point-of-sale (POS) software whose enterprise technology is powered by the intelligent Mortgage Platform, today announced that Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation (Fairway) has launched Cloudvirga's digital mortgage platform for consumers and loan officers.

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

Jody Collup of Global DMS Designated to MPA’s 2018 Elite Women in Mortgage List

LANSDALE, Pa. /ScoopCloud/ -- Global DMS, a leading provider of cloud-based valuation management software, announced that Jody Collup has been named to Mortgage Professional America (MPA) magazine's list of Elite Women in Mortgage for 2018. This is the second time that Collup has been honored with the award.

The Elite Women in Mortgage program recognizes successful women who are raising the bar on gender equality within the industry, making significant contributions, advancing their companies, and are consummate experts in their respective fields. MPA is now in its fifth year of offering the awards.

Jody has more than 25 years of successful marketing and management experience, with the bulk of her background being in the mortgage industry with a focus on technology. Since joining Global DMS in 2013, she has been instrumental in maturing the company's brand, successfully launching multiple new solutions and services, managing strategic alliances and partnerships, directing the marketing strategy, and also being very involved in the sales process as well as with large enterprise deals.

Currently, Jody has dual roles at Global DMS: she is the company's chief marketing officer, and also serves as it director of operations, where she where oversees the company's day-to-day operations, policies and procedures, budgeting, P&L, and long-term business strategy.

In early 2018, Jody helped launch Global DMS' EVO-Commercial (EVO-C) platform, a next-generation valuation management software solution for commercial lending. The end-to-end system delivers newfound flexibility, extreme configurability, speed and immense cost savings - replacing antiquated commercial lending technologies.

Over the years Jody has won multiple awards for her marketing prowess, contributions to the mortgage industry, and successes that she has had as a female executive making a difference in her field. She is an active member of the Mortgage Bankers Association, is involved with numerous industry focused trade shows and events, and serves as a regular technology thought leader in the mortgage media.

The complete list of winners can be found by visiting MPA's website: https://www.mpamag.com/rankings/elite-women-2018.

About Global DMS:

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, Global DMS is a leading provider of cloud-based commercial and residential real estate valuation solutions catering to lenders, servicers, AMCs, appraisers and other real estate entities. The company's solution set is cost effectively delivered on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) transactional basis that ensures compliance adherence, reduces costs, increases efficiencies and expedites the entire real estate appraisal process.

The company's solutions include its new EVO-Commercial (EVO-C) for commercial lending, eTrac valuation management platform for residential lending, eTrac WebForms, Global Kinex, AVMs, the MISMO Appraisal Review System (MARS), ATOM (Appraisal Tracking on Mobile), and AMCmatch.com. For more information, visit the company's web site http://www.globaldms.com/ or call (877) 866-2747.

About Mortgage Professional America:

Mortgage Professional America (MPA) is a trusted source of news, opinion and analysis created exclusively for the mortgage industry. The publication provides information to readers via its magazine, daily newsletter, and website. MPA is owned by Key Media, an international company that delivers relevant content through various multimedia channels in 6 geographical markets, which includes print, online, and events - operating 39 websites, 15 magazines, and more than 70 events globally. Visit MPA's website form more information at https://www.mpamag.com/.

Global DMS, a leading provider of cloud-based valuation management software, announced that Jody Collup has been named to Mortgage Professional America (MPA) magazine's list of Elite Women in Mortgage for 2018. This is the second time that Collup has been honored with the award.

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

iFOS Managing Consultants LLC selected as a BPA Provider of Grants Program Support Services for US Department of Transportation

COLUMBIA, Md. /ScoopCloud/ -- Intelligent Fiscal Optimal Solutions(R) (iFOS) Managing Consultants, LLC is pleased to announce the signing of a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) to provide Grant Program Support Services with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Office of the Secretary (OST) located in Washington, D.C. The BPA award performance period is authorized for up to five (5) years.

Under the BPA, iFOS will provide comprehensive grant support services to include process support and policy and program support in assisting with various aspects of the delivery and management of grant programs.

Additional servicing components include: policy development, program performance measurement, program management, stakeholder management, program communication, inquiry coordination and data analytics.

iFOS' President and CEO Tawanda M. Smith noted, "iFOS has a proven grants methodology and engagement approach specific to Federal customers, which has been used to support all aspects of the grants life cycle from pre-award activities to post award monitoring and oversight.

"We believe the best way for us to serve DOT is to provide a team of experienced professionals, who recognize risks and address potential issues as they occur, in order to provide the agency with the critical support required at a competitive price."

About Intelligent Fiscal Optimal Solutions (iFOS)(R), LLC:

iFOS Managing Consultants, LLC is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) consulting firm specializing in audit and assurance, advisory and consulting services. The firm is certified under the Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) and 8(m) programs and provides services to public and private organizations under its General Services Administration (GSA) Professional Support Services (PSS) Schedule GS-23F-0102X.

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

Intelligent Fiscal Optimal Solutions (iFOS) Managing Consultants, LLC is pleased to announce the signing of a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) to provide Grant Program Support Services with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Office of the Secretary (OST) located in Washington, D.C. The BPA award performance period is authorized for up to five (5) years.

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

ReverseVision Expands Support for Proprietary Reverse Mortgage Products

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- ReverseVision, the leading provider of technology and training for the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) industry, today announced that it is offering a combination of enhanced software functionality and professional services to help mortgage lenders launch proprietary reverse mortgage products.

ReverseVision's release of enhanced proprietary product support comes in response to an uptick in lender interest in proprietary reverse products following last October's changes to the HECM program by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

"In the current market, well over nine out of 10 reverse mortgages are HUD-insured HECMs, which leaves a lot of room for growth in proprietary products," said Wendy Peel, vice president of sales and marketing at ReverseVision. "After several consecutive years of responding to HECM program changes, lenders are eager for an opportunity to stabilize their operations and fill borrower needs not addressed by the HECM program. The double-digit growth we're currently witnessing in the proprietary products niche of senior lending closely resembles the trajectory of non-QM lending in the traditional mortgage space."

ReverseVision says innovative lenders are reinvigorating their reverse mortgage businesses by developing counterparts to forward proprietary loan programs that target gaps in the market. For instance, though HECMs allow senior homeowners to tap into their home equity wealth at very low cost over the long term, upfront fees can be prohibitive - especially since October 2017 regulatory changes. Proprietary reverse mortgages can help seniors secure a reverse mortgage loan with lower upfront costs.

Proprietary reverse mortgages can expand access to home equity for seniors with home values much greater than the HECM maximum claim amount of $679,650. Proprietary products also have more flexibility for condominiums than HECMs and provide opportunities to lend to borrowers younger than HECM's minimum age of 62. Designers of proprietary reverse mortgages have even begun adding options like monthly term payments to their products.

"We've designed our system for flexibility so that we can configure almost any proprietary product without a major software release," said Jeff Birdsell, vice president of professional services at ReverseVision.

The lender process for submitting a new proprietary product to ReverseVision is simple. Once a lender has designed a proprietary product and its accompanying document package, the lender need only submit a completed proprietary products questionnaire to ReverseVision to initiate the setup.

Once the proprietary product and associated documents have been configured within ReverseVision's flagship RV Exchange (RVX) loan origination system - a process that takes an average of eight to ten weeks, soup to nuts - lenders gain full transparency into the product setup and can even change certain settings, such as product names and lender margins, at will. A support staff that specializes in assisting lenders with proprietary products is available to perform more complex adjustments and answer customer inquiries.

"Pioneering proprietary products have the potential to elevate reverse mortgages beyond the complexities, caps and limitations of HUD's HECM program," said Birdsell. "They'll also create some stability in the industry where sudden government changes to the HECM program have sent reverse lenders into emergency response mode. These new products could also drive loan production by competing more directly with traditional loans and serving a broader range of customer needs."

If you are interested in creating a proprietary product, please contact ReverseVision at proservices@reversevision.com.

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 three-time HousingWire TECH100(TM) company, ReverseVision has also been recognized in Deloitte's Technology Fast 500(TM) listing. ReverseVision's annual user conference, the only event of its kind in the industry, brings together more than 200 lenders, vendors and educators each year to advance 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/.

Twitter: @ReverseVision #reversemortgage #proprietaryloans

ReverseVision, the leading provider of technology and training for the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) industry, today announced that it is offering a combination of enhanced software functionality and professional services to help mortgage lenders launch proprietary reverse mortgage products.

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

Pendo Once Again Named as Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies in Kansas City and Top 5000 Nationally

LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. /ScoopCloud/ -- Pendo, a nationwide appraisal management company (AMC), has been named to the Ingram's Corporate 100 list for fastest growing companies in Kansas City and the Inc. 5000 list for fastest growing companies nationally. Both lists recognize companies who have achieved significant revenue growth over a three-year period. This marks Pendo's fifth consecutive year on both lists.

According to Ingram's, the Corporate Report 100 recognizes the region's fastest-growing companies. The report showcases companies that are headquartered in Kansas City's 22-county metro area and have at least $200,000 in sales year one and $1 million by year three.

"Each year it gets harder and harder to make these lists," noted Mike Peck, co-founder. "We are thrilled to have made both lists five years in a row. Our team just gets better each year and continues to raise the bar."

The Inc. 5000 list honors real achievement by founders who built something great from scratch and showcase significant revenue growth in a three-year period. Companies that are selected must generate a minimum of $100,000 in year one and a minimum of $2 million by year three.

"Pendo's continued success comes from having a strong team of people who believe in our core values - entrepreneurship, leadership, dedication, efficiency and respect," said Jeff Sandman, co-founder. "We continue to strive to be the best in our industry and we couldn't accomplish that without a strong network of appraisers and clients who have the same passion and drive. We are truly honored to be recognized once again for our company growth and success."

About Pendo:

Pendo is a nationwide appraisal management company based in Lee's Summit, Missouri. The company was co-founded by two successful tech professionals, Jeff Sandman and Mike Peck, specifically to disrupt the appraisal management segment using advanced technology and severely elevated service standards.

The company's proprietary QC technology boasts numerous unique features that assure the highest levels of quality and compliance, while also reducing wait times, elevating service levels, boosting client engagement, and minimizing redundant activities. Pendo was founded in 2009 and is licensed to conduct business in all 50 states.

For more information, visit https://www.pendomanagement.com/, email contact@pendomanagment.com or call 816 332 6627.

Pendo, a nationwide appraisal management company (AMC), has been named to the Ingram's Corporate 100 list for fastest growing companies in Kansas City and the Inc. 5000 list for fastest growing companies nationally. Both lists recognize companies who have achieved significant revenue growth over a three-year period. This marks Pendo's fifth consecutive year on both lists.

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

EPIC Insurance Brokers Honored by American Heart Association for Workplace Health Achievement

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that EPIC's Houston office and New York-based Frenkel & Company - an EPIC Company have received Bronze level recognitions in the American Heart Association's Workplace Health Achievement Index. This is Frenkel's 11th recognition and both offices were acknowledged for taking significant steps to build a culture of health in the workplace.

"At EPIC, we are committed to building a workplace culture that promotes a healthy lifestyle for our employees, so it's an honor to be recognized for that effort," said John Hahn, CEO of EPIC. "We truly believe that a healthy employee is a happy, engaged, and productive employee. We place a strong emphasis on promoting health and wellness in the workplace to increase productivity, boost morale, reduce stress and increase our connectivity with the community."

The American Heart Association created the Index with its CEO Roundtable members, a leadership collaborative of more than 40 CEOs from some of America's largest companies who are committed to applying evidence-based approaches to improve their employees' overall health. The Index uses science-based best practices to evaluate the overall quality and comprehensiveness of their workplace health programs. A unique feature of the Index is that it calculates an average heart health score for employees of participating companies that securely submit aggregate health data.

More than 1,000 companies completed the Index assessment this year and, of those companies, 75 percent received either Gold, Silver or Bronze recognition. Companies receive benchmarking reports, which allow them to identify potential areas of improvement so that they can advance their annual performance and recognition in the Index and help their workforce move toward ideal heart health.

Click here to see the complete Index: https://www.heart.org/-/media/files/professional/workplace-health/2018-index-recognitions-v2.pdf

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/.

About the American Heart Association:

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke - the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke.

To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit https://www.heart.org/ or call any of our offices around the country.

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants announced today that EPIC's Houston office and New York-based Frenkel & Company - an EPIC Company have received Bronze level recognitions in the American Heart Association's Workplace Health Achievement Index.

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

EPIC Recognized Among Inc. Magazine’s 37th Annual List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that it has been ranked No. 2746 on Inc. Magazine's 37th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies.

The Inc. list represents a "who's who" of the country's most thriving companies. This year, EPIC was recognized as an Inc. 5000 Hall of Fame member, honored as such for its 5th year of fastest growing private company recognition. To make the list again this year, EPIC generated three-year growth of 151 percent, pushing total 2017 year-end revenue to $386.5 million.

"We are honored and proud to be included in the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies in America for a fifth year," said John Hahn, CEO of EPIC. "We are focused on providing innovative solutions and significant value to our clients, and we have combined that with a unique 'people first' culture that continues to attract and retain the best talent in the industry. This continues to be a recipe for success and strong organic growth."

Not only have the companies on the 2018 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but the list as a whole shows staggering growth compared with prior lists. The 2018 Inc. 5000 achieved an astounding three-year average growth of 538.2 percent. The Inc. 5000's aggregate revenue was $206.1 billion in 2017, accounting for 664,095 jobs over the past three years.

"If your company is on the Inc. 5000, it's unparalleled recognition of your years of hard work and sacrifice," says Inc. editor in chief James Ledbetter. "The lines of business may come and go, or come and stay. What doesn't change is the way entrepreneurs create and accelerate the forces that shape our lives."

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at https://www.inc.com/inc5000/index.html.

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 it has been ranked No. 2746 on Inc. Magazine's 37th annual Inc. 5000 for 2018, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies.

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

In Memoriam: John Klingenstein

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- The members and employees of Klingenstein Fields Wealth Advisors are deeply saddened by the passing of John Klingenstein, one of our founding members and a Principal of the firm.

Together with his brother Frederick A. Klingenstein, and colleague, Kenneth H. Fields, he founded Klingenstein Fields & Company, L.L.C., now known as Klingenstein Fields Wealth Advisors (KFWA), in 1989, to provide investment advice and guidance to high-net-worth individuals and families.

John Klingenstein was also deeply committed to the community and giving back. He served as President of The Esther A. & Joseph Klingenstein Fund for over forty years and was President Emeritus of the Fund at the time of his death.

He was also a trustee of Teachers College, Columbia University, Trustee Emeritus of The Rensselaerville Institute and on the Executive Committee of the Rockefeller University Council.

Mr. Klingenstein graduated from Yale University with a B.E. in Engineering and received an M.S.E. from the University of Michigan. He is survived by his wife Pat Klingenstein, and children, Tom, Nancy, Andy and Sally, ten grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

The members and employees of Klingenstein Fields Wealth Advisors are deeply saddened by the passing of John Klingenstein, one of our founding members and a Principal of the firm. He is survived by his wife Pat Klingenstein, and children, Tom, Nancy, Andy and Sally, ten grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

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

Bank of Southern California, N.A. Expands Los Angeles Banking Team with the Addition of Three Branch Managers

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL), a community business bank headquartered in San Diego, Calif., announced the addition of three tenured Branch Managers to support the company's recent expansion into Los Angeles County.

Sergio Gomez - Vice President, Branch Manager, Santa Fe Springs and Commerce:
Mr. Gomez has joined Bank of Southern California as Vice President, Branch Manager and will focus on deposit acquisition, sales and relationship development for the Santa Fe Springs and Commerce offices. He brings 23 years of local banking experience, specializing in business banking, internal branch operations and branch management. Mr. Gomez was formerly Vice President, Branch Manager for a regional bank's Montebello and Downey offices.

Carlos Huiza - Vice President, Branch Manager, Lancaster:
Mr. Huiza has joined the company as Vice President, Branch Manager and will oversee deposit growth, sales and profitability for the Lancaster branch. He has more than 18 years of experience working for business banks in the Los Angeles market. Mr. Huiza was previously Vice President, Branch Manager for a California-based bank in Woodland Hills and Calabasas. He holds a bachelor's degree from University of Phoenix.

Stuart Cano - Vice President, Branch Manager, Glendale:
Mr. Cano has joined the Bank as Vice President, Branch Manager and will be responsible for the customer service, performance and profitability of the Glendale branch, as well as staff development. With 25 years of banking experience, he is a well-known and respected banking professional with a commitment to delivering superior service. Prior to joining the Bank, he held a similar role at a California-based business bank. Active in the community, Mr. Cano is involved in numerous philanthropic organizations and serves as Board Chair for New Horizons Charter Academy. He holds a bachelor's degree from Instituto Latino Americano in Honduras.

"The Bank's recent expansion into Los Angeles through our acquisition of Americas United Bank, makes this is a natural time to grow and strengthen our branch banking team," said Nathan Rogge, President and Chief Executive Officer. "The addition of these three experienced and proven leaders will allow us to further develop the Los Angeles market and reinforce our commitment to the Southern California community," noted Rogge.

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

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

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

Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL), a community business bank headquartered in San Diego, Calif., announced the addition of three tenured Branch Managers to support the company's recent expansion into Los Angeles County.

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

The Cooksey Team Included in Dallas Business Journal’s ‘2018 Best Places to Work’

DALLAS, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- The Cooksey Team, a top producing retail branch of Mid America Mortgage, Inc., announced today it has been recognized for a second straight year by Dallas Business Journal as one of its "Best Places to Work." The branch was one of only 100 companies recognized in this year's list.

"Being recognized last year as one of the best places to work in the Dallas-Forth Worth area was truly an honor; to have it happen a second time reaffirms the approach we've taken in creating an entrepreneurial environment where our loan officers are empowered to succeed," said Michael Cooksey, founder of The Cooksey Team. "This achievement doesn't happen without our team of dedicated employees so I want to extend my sincerest thanks to them for making this possible."

More than 500 companies entered Dallas Business Journal's "2018 Best Places to Work" awards program, which is now in its 16th year of existence. According to the publication, "Each of these companies rose to the tops of their categories based on an indexed score created via employee responses to a survey conducted by Quantum Workplace."

Companies were also ranked within their respective categories, and the results will be announced at an event at Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas on Thursday, October 18.

To view the full list of "2018 Best Places to Work," visit https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2018/07/23/2018-best-places-to-work-winners-announced.html.

About The Cooksey Team:

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

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

About Mid America Mortgage, Inc.:

Mid America Mortgage, Inc., Addison, Texas, is a multi-state, full-service mortgage lender serving consumers and mortgage originators through its retail, wholesale and correspondent channels. In operation since 1940, Mid America has thrived by retaining its entrepreneurial spirit and leading the market in innovation, including its adoption of eClosings and eNotes. The company offers a wide range of residential home loan programs to meet the needs of most home buyers and homeowners and are also the nation's leading provider of Section 184 home loans for Native Americans. Learn more at https://www.midamericamortgage.com/.

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

Twitter: @midamericamtge @TheCookseyTeam

The Cooksey Team, a top producing retail branch of Mid America Mortgage, Inc., announced today it has been recognized for a second straight year by Dallas Business Journal as one of its 2018 'Best Places to Work.'

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

The ACEC Business Insurance Trust Announces Leadership Changes and New Trustee Appointments

WASHINGTON, D.C. /ScoopCloud/ -- The American Council of Engineering Companies Business Insurance Trust (BIT) and Greyling/EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants announced today leadership changes within the Trust as well as new Trustee appointments. Current Trustees Robin S. Greenleaf, P.E., LEED AP, Robert A. Overfield, P.E., and Michael D. Klingner, P.E. have assumed new leadership roles for the ACEC BIT. Robin will serve as Chair of the BIT Trustees, Robert as Vice Chair, and Michael as Treasurer. Former Chair Gary Loesch, P.E., DEE, will remain involved with the Trust as Trustee Emeritus.

Additionally, Armando Ramos, P.E., LEED AP and Richard Humann, P.E., have been appointed Trustees for the ACEC BIT. "We are very pleased to welcome new Trustees Armando and Rich. With their extensive experience in managing engineering firms in California and the northeastern US, they bring a balanced perspective to the Trust and a thorough understanding of the risks and challenges facing engineering firms today," said Robin.

Armando Ramos is President of Ramos CS, a multi-service infrastructure consulting firm specializing in engineering, program, and construction management. Mr. Ramos has over 22 years of experience working on large-scale transit and transportation systems, international airport expansions, and federal and municipal facilities.

Mr. Ramos started his career as a Structural Engineer, where he was responsible for the design of several federal facilities and structures, including the Metro Gold Line underground tunnels and bridges in the Los Angeles area. Armando has held many ACEC leadership roles, with his most recent being ACEC Los Angeles President (2018-2019).

Mr. Richard Humann is Chairman, President, and CEO of H2M architects + engineers; H2M Associates, Inc.; and H2M Architects & Engineers, Inc., where he first started as an engineering intern in 1987. Rich became the CEO in 2013, and since been responsible for the overall performance of the firm, driving the corporate mission, vision, and values of the firm to create a working environment that promotes growth, engagement, and positive culture. "Building sustainable communities since 1933" is H2M's mission, marshalled by Rich in how he motivates and encourages all employees to make sustainable design the foundation of the firm. Rich sits on several charitable, business, and academic boards, including the Engineering Advisory Boards at Stony Brook University and the New York Institute of Technology, and the Corporate Advisory Board of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

The ACEC BIT is responsible for providing quality business insurance responsive to engineering firms' unique needs, delivering exceptional service to ACEC members, and offering valuable and relevant member benefits. The Trustees strive to meet and exceed member firms' expectations and are committed to helping the Program keep pace with changes in the profession.

For additional information regarding the ACEC BIT Program, please contact Jeff Connelly at Greyling/EPIC (833-223-2248 or jeff.connelly@greyling.com) or any of the following BIT Trustees:

Robin S. Greenleaf, P.E., LEED AP, F.ACEC
Phone: 617.542.0810
Email: rgreenleaf@arcengrs.com

Robert A. Overfield, P.E.
Phone: 307.587.4911
Email: robertov@eaengineers.com

Michael D. Klingner, P.E.
Phone: 217.223.3670
Email: mdk@klingner.com

Doris I. Willmer, P.E., LEED AP, F.ACEC
Phone: 770.939.9904
Email: dwillmer@willmerengineering.com

Rachel Hayden, P.E.
Phone: 214.753.8100
Email: Rachel@haydenconsultants.com

Armando Ramos, P.E., LEED AP
Phone: 626.993.6786
Email: aramos@ramoscs.com

Richard Humann, P.E.
Phone: 631.756.8000
Email: rhumann@h2m.com

Marc Alper, P.E., S.E., F.ACEC
Phone: 314.432.8600
Email: marc.alper@alperaudi.com

Gary E. Loesch, P.E. DEE
Phone: 631.756.8000, ext. 1140
Email: gloesch@h2m.com

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

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

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

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

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

The American Council of Engineering Companies Business Insurance Trust (BIT) and Greyling/EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants announced today leadership changes within the Trust as well as new Trustee appointments. Current Trustees Robin S. Greenleaf, P.E., LEED AP, Robert A. Overfield, P.E., and Michael D. Klingner, P.E. have assumed new leadership roles for the ACEC BIT.

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

EPIC Insurance Brokers adds Anthony Craig Morelos in Austin TX

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

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

Morelos joins EPIC from USI Insurance Services in Austin, Texas, where he was Vice President, Property & Casualty. Previously, Morelos also held positions with Dean & Draper Insurance Agency.

"We are excited to further expand EPIC's property casualty operations in the Southwest region with Craig's addition," said KJ Wagner. "He brings a strong risk management background that will support our clients and our organization as a whole. Craig will be a terrific addition as we continue to build and strengthen our exceptional EPIC team in the Southwest and across the country."

Morelos attended Southwest Texas State University where he studied Business Administration and Management. He is a member of the Associated General Contractors of America Association.

Craig Morelos can be reached at craig.morelos@epicbrokers.com or 281-224-8900.

About EPIC:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EPIC Insurance Brokers adds Sam Siddons in Austin Texas

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

Siddons will be responsible for new business development, the design, placement and management of property/casualty insurance programs; and providing risk management strategies and solutions for mid-market and large clients across a range of industries. His primary area of focus is in construction and commercial real estate.

Siddons joins EPIC from USI Insurance Services in Austin, Texas, where he was a Sales Executive. Previously, Siddons held positions with Frank Siddons Insurance Agency in Austin, Texas.

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

Siddons attended New Mexico Military Institute and Texas Tech University.

Sam Siddons can be reached at sam.siddons@epicbrokers.com or 512-751-1721.

About EPIC:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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