Category Archives: Finance

Ready for Next Tax Season? New TaxBird App Designed for People with Homes in More than One State

NAPLES, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- With this year's tax season in the rear-view mirror, there's no better time to start prepping for the next round. TaxBird - a new tax app developed by ware2now, LLC - helps people with homes in more than one state ensure they don't exceed their residency threshold. It's useful to tax professionals and estate planners too.

Tracking residency is more important than ever due to a new federal tax reform, which caps the amount taxpayers can deduct in state and local income, sales and property taxes to $10,000.

How does it work? Once downloaded to a smartphone, the app runs in the background and tracks location in real time. Throughout the year, updates and warnings are sent as users approach a threshold. At the end of the year, it generates a report that's easy to understand and valuable in case of an audit.

Jim Simon, co-founder of ware2now LLC and co-developer of TaxBird, resides in Westport, Conn. and Naples, Fla. He says this app came about when his business partner, Brian Ochs, learned that he was tracking this information in Excel. Brian said, "Let's build an app for that."

"It's been a lot of fun," Simon says. "We launched the app in October of last year and are already working on the next version, which will include a planning module."

Simon says there are some similar apps out there, but they're more complex and cost more too. TaxBird was designed with simplicity in mind, using bold fonts and straightforward displays. And, after a free 30-day trial, a subscription is only $19.99 per year.

Download the TaxBird app from iTunes (an Android version is being developed) and from https://www.taxbird.com/.

About ware2now, LLC:
Founded by successful tech entrepreneurs, Jim Simon and Brian Ochs, ware2now LLC developed TaxBird, a mobile application that tracks how many days people spend in each state for tax purposes. Previously, Simon and Ochs founded Spire, a data marketing and analytics company focused on grocery retailers and consumer packaged goods. They sold Spire in 2014 to Datalogix, which was acquired a year later by Oracle.

With this year's tax season in the rear-view mirror, there's no better time to start prepping for the next round. TaxBird - a new tax app developed by ware2now, LLC - helps people with homes in more than one state ensure they don't exceed their residency threshold. It's useful to tax professionals and estate planners too.

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

ACEC Business Insurance Trust looks to the future, appointing Greyling / EPIC as New Broker and Program Administrator

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Trustees of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Business Insurance Trust (BIT) and EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants announced today that Greyling Insurance Brokerage & Risk Consulting - a division of EPIC was selected as the broker and program administrator for the ACEC BIT Program effective January 1, 2018.

"Unlike other insurance brokers and consultants vying for the business of design professionals, Greyling/EPIC has built its business with the singular goal of thoroughly understanding the business of construction and design and providing unrivaled service to engineering firms," said Gary E. Loesch, P.E. DEE, Chair of the BIT Trustees.

Founded in 2005, Greyling/EPIC is now the 10th largest commercial insurance broker in the United States and is ranked among the top 20 brokers globally. Providing risk management and insurance protection to engineering firms across the country and internationally is Greyling's principle focus and expertise.

Greyling/EPIC is staffed with a diverse group of professionals with one thing in common - a dedicated focus on the engineering profession - and is the only insurance broker serving architects and engineers with:

* Attorneys on staff who have been in private practice, focused on construction law and general counsel for engineering and architecture firms
* A member of the American College of Construction Lawyers (ACCL)
* A former professional liability underwriter for engineering firms
* A licensed engineer who served on the risk management committee of one of the largest engineering firms in the country
* A former Brownfield developer and environmental consultant

Said Robin S. Greenleaf, P.E. LEED AP, Trustee, "The ACEC BIT program provides access to some of the very best risk management strategies and insurance products specifically designed by engineers for engineers. Nowhere else will you find a more comprehensive, cost-effective program engineered for peace of mind. We have long known and respected the team of top professionals at Greyling/EPIC and we are confident that they will help us take our Business Insurance Trust to new levels of excellence for the benefit of participating ACEC member firms."

For decades, Greyling/EPIC has been a proud member of ACEC National and has actively participated in the affairs of many state MOs. Greyling/EPIC leaders and team members provide valuable risk management training programs, support legislative issues and industry advocacy, and have invested personal time on committee work, sponsorship funding and PAC donations at both the National and State levels.

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:

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

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

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

Stephanie A. Wagner, P.E., P.L.S., LEED AP, BD+C, F.ACEC
Phone: 818.892.6565
Email: stephaniew@wesinc.org

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

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

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

About EPIC Brokers and Consultants:
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 Trustees of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Business Insurance Trust (BIT) and EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants announced today that Greyling Insurance Brokerage & Risk Consulting - a division of EPIC was selected as the broker and program administrator for the ACEC BIT Program effective January 1, 2018.

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

Cloudvirga Adds Award-Winning Appraisal Order Management from Mercury Network to Its Digital Mortgage Point-of-Sale Platform

IRVINE, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Cloudvirga(TM), a leading provider of digital mortgage point-of-sale (POS) software whose enterprise technology is powered by the Intelligent Mortgage Platform(R), today announced its completion of a fully automated, lights-out integration with Mercury Network, part of CoreLogic (NYSE: CLGX) and one of the industry's largest appraisal order management platforms. The integration makes appraisal ordering and management more efficient and compliant for Cloudvirga's lender customers, thereby reducing overall loan production costs.

Cloudvirga's intelligent appraisal engine ensures efficiency and compliance throughout the appraisal lifecycle by accurately determining which appraisal forms are required for a given property location, loan amount, loan type and loan program. The seamless integration allows Cloudvirga customers to place appraisal orders directly to Mercury Network without the lender or customer having to rekey information or leave Cloudvirga's POS platform.

Once the appraisal order is placed, appraisal documents and order statuses are automatically synced between Cloudvirga and Mercury Network, and the loan file is updated in real time. As soon as the appraisal report is complete, Cloudvirga alerts both the lender and the consumer and delivers the appraisal report via its secure portal. This unique, fully automated workflow reduces human effort while satisfying compliance requirements for appraisal delivery.

"Cloudvirga's integration with Mercury Network streamlines not just appraisal ordering, but the entire appraisal process for noticeable gains in origination efficiency," said Cloudvirga Product Manager Matt Howard. "Lenders can feel more confident than ever in the compliance of their collateral valuation thanks to Cloudvirga's careful analysis of myriad data points, including loan program details, to ensure the right appraisal forms are ordered the first time, every time."

"Mercury Network's product suite is used by almost 1,000 lenders and appraisal management companies nationwide," said Jennifer Miller, president of Mercury Network, CoreLogic. "We're proud to integrate with Cloudvirga to give our mutual customers a truly seamless integration that makes appraisal ordering and delivery faster with greater accuracy and enhanced overall lending efficiency."

About Cloudvirga(TM):

Cloudvirga's digital mortgage point-of-sale (POS) software, powered by the Intelligent Mortgage Platform(R), uniquely combine a world-class borrower experience with a truly digital lender platform that radically cuts overall loan costs, increases transparency and reduces the time to close a loan. Founded by top fintech veterans with a track record of building successful mortgage technologies, Cloudvirga's initial customer roster includes nine of the top 40 non-bank mortgage originators. To date, Cloudvirga has raised over $27 million from some of the country's top lenders and venture capital firms.

For more information, visit http://www.cloudvirga.com/ or follow Cloudvirga on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/7577062/.

About Mercury Network: https://www.mercuryvmp.com/

REF: NYSE:CLGX / CORELOGIC RG ( NY: CLGX )

Twitter: @cloudvirga @MercuryNetwork #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 its completion of a fully automated, lights-out integration with Mercury Network, part of CoreLogic (NYSE:CLGX) and one of the industry's largest appraisal order management platforms.

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

MCT Wins PROGRESS in Lending Association’s 2018 Innovation Award for its New Bid Auction Manager (BAM) Whole Loan Trading Technology

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced that PROGRESS in Lending Association, the industry's premier mortgage technology focused organization, presented the company with its annual Innovation Award for the rapid adoption and impact of its Bid Auction Manager(TM) (BAM) within the whole loan trading market.

Officially unveiled in July of 2017 at the Western Secondary Market Conference in San Francisco, BAM significantly enhances the industry's loan sale practices. The solution completely automates, centralizes, and streamlines what used to be an unsecure, fragmented, and largely manual process of exchanging, pricing, and analyzing bid tapes for loan sales. Lenders, investors, and MCT's team of mortgage loan traders benefit from a consistent process, greater transparency, and a centralized repository for bid tape management. BAM is easily and securely accessed by permissioned parties via MCT's award-winning capital market software platform, MCTlive!(TM).

Now in its eight year, the highly competitive annual Innovation Awards were presented to winners at a prestigious ceremony held by PROGRESS in Lending Association at the MBA's National Mortgage Technology Conference in Detroit, Michigan on Sunday, April 15. Judges scored applications using a weighted scale that focuses on achievements over a 12-month period for each innovation's overall industry significance, originality, positive change on the industry, intangible efficiencies gained, and hard return on investment.

"BAM is truly industry-altering fintech that is changing the way bulk bid loan tapes are transferred between lenders and investors," said Phil Rasori, COO at MCT and Chief Architect of BAM. "As we continue to add functionality and make the solution more robust, ultimately, what BAM is achieving is helping move the mortgage industry toward digital loan trading on the secondary market. We are extremely honored to have been recognized by PROGRESS in Lending as a 2018 Innovation Award winner."

Since launching BAM, functionality has been added for both lenders and correspondent investors, with several notable metrics that have been achieved:
* 100% adoption among the investor aggregator community
* 1,200+ bid tapes exchanged daily
* $7 billion+ in monthly committed loan volume
* 2+ hours saved by lenders on average per loan sale
* Shadow bidding facilitates identifying and testing new investors
* Commitment data writeback saves time and prevents data entry errors
* Live color reports put actionable data in the hands of sellers
* Timestamp analytics help measure and optimize operations.

"Using BAM saves us 2 to 4 hours every time we do loan sales. The convenience of communication and analysis has encouraged us to send bid tapes to our full set of investors more often rather than just the top-tier, resulting in a surprising pickup in some cases," said Timothy Leyoub, SVP of Capital Markets at Eustis Mortgage. "We used to bid out on a 15-day delivery, but now we've reduced that to 7-days. Working with MCT, I feel like we're in this together -reducing risk and achieving best execution."

Lenders and correspondent investors interested in learning how BAM can improve their whole loan trading processes are encouraged to request a demonstration at the upcoming National Secondary Conference in New York City, where new features are expected to be announced.

About MCT:

Founded in 2001, Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT) has grown from a boutique mortgage pipeline hedging firm into the industry's leading provider of fully-integrated capital markets services and technology. MCT offers an array of best-in-class services and software covering mortgage pipeline hedging, best execution loan sales, outsourced lock desk solutions, MSR portfolio valuations, business intelligence analytics, mark to market services, and an award-winning comprehensive capital markets software platform called MCTlive! MCT supports independent mortgage bankers, depositories, credit unions, warehouse lenders, and correspondent investors of all sizes.

Headquartered in San Diego, California, MCT also has offices in Philadelphia, Santa Rosa, Los Angeles and Dallas. MCT is well known for its team of capital markets experts and senior traders who continue to provide the boutique-style hands-on engagement clients love. For more information, visit https://mct-trading.com/ or call (619) 543-5111.

Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, announced that PROGRESS in Lending Association, the industry's premier mortgage technology focused organization, presented the company with its annual Innovation Award for the rapid adoption and impact of its Bid Auction Manager(TM) (BAM) within the whole loan trading market.

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

Matic Marks Commitment to Compliance with Appointment of Shaz Kojouri to Senior Management Team

SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Matic, a digital insurance agency whose technology enables borrowers to purchase homeowner's insurance during the mortgage transaction, today announced it has tapped Shahrzad "Shaz" Kojouri as vice president of legal and compliance.

A licensed attorney with more than 15 years' experience in corporate compliance, Kojouri will have responsibility over corporate governance, regulatory compliance and vendor management at Matic. Prior to joining Matic, Kojouri was assistant general counsel for nonprofit student loan provider AccessLex Institute.

Before that, Kojouri oversaw regulatory compliance testing and Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) readiness for national mortgage lender New Penn Financial. She first joined New Penn in 2009, in the immediate aftermath of the subprime mortgage crisis, and guided the lender through a time of intense regulatory change.

"Matic's strategic partners count on us to hold ourselves to the highest standards in regulatory compliance and corporate governance, and we take that commitment very seriously," said Matic CEO Aaron Schiff. "We welcome Shaz to the team and look forward to working with her to deliver an even higher level of compliance assurance to our customers."

"Spending much of the last 10 years inside a top national lender has allowed me to bring a thorough and nuanced understanding of mortgage regulations to my work with Matic," said Kojouri, who officially joined in the Matic team in January. "I look forward to helping Matic and its clients navigate these complex regulations with confidence."

About Matic:

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

For more information, visit http://matic.com or follow Matic on LinkedIn.

Matic, a digital insurance agency whose technology enables borrowers to purchase homeowner's insurance during the mortgage transaction, today announced it has tapped Shahrzad "Shaz" Kojouri as VP of legal and compliance. Prior to joining Matic, Kojouri was assistant general counsel for nonprofit student loan provider AccessLex Institute.

Related link: https://maticinsurance.com/

ReverseVision Vice President of Sales and Marketing Wendy Peel Honored with MBA Insights 2018 Tech All-Star

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- ReverseVision, the leading provider of technology and training for the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) industry, announced today that Vice President of Sales and Marketing Wendy Peel has been honored with the MBA Insights 2018 Tech All-Star Award.

Peel accepted her award this morning during the opening session of the Mortgage Bankers Association's Technology Solutions Conference & Expo 2018 in Detroit. This is the seventeenth year the MBA has recognized outstanding leaders in mortgage technology with its Tech All-Star Award. Peel, who was also recently named a HousingWire Woman of Influence and one of Mortgage Professional America's Hot 100, was recognized not only for her contributions to ReverseVision's growth and success as a provider of HECM technology, but also for her profound impact on the mortgage industry as a whole as a driving force behind the "normalization" of HECM loans.

"Long misunderstood and underappreciated, the HECM has finally come into its own as a loan product that enables lenders to optimally serve seniors' home-equity needs," said ReverseVision President and CEO John Button. "By emphasizing lender and borrower education, Wendy has changed hearts and minds when it comes to HECM lending, increasing adoption of ReverseVision technology and benefitting the mortgage industry at large."

Under Peel's tenure, more than 2,500 lenders and brokers joined ReverseVision's RV Exchange (RVX) platform, which now serves all 10 of the top-10 HECM lenders and has more than 10,000 active users. In 2016, Peel launched ReverseVision's inaugural user conference, RV UserCon. The third annual RV UserCon, which took place this past February, was a sold-out event attended by more than 80 companies.

"My job is bigger than simply leading the sales and marketing efforts of ReverseVision," said Peel. "I've made it a priority to right the reputation of the HECM and encourage mortgage lenders of every stripe to add HECMs to their product mix in order to serve the generational mortgage needs of the full spectrum of homeowners. I am honored to be recognized for this work among such a prestigious group of industry peers."

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 TECH10o(TM) company, ReverseVision has also been recognized in Deloitte's Technology Fast 500(TM) listing. ReverseVision's annual user conference, the only event of its kind in the industry, brings together more than 200 lenders, vendors and educators each year to advance HECM lending. The company continues to build on its technology's pioneering capabilities with frequent enhancements aimed at boosting users' HECM volume, workflow efficiency and data analysis capabilities.

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

ReverseVision, the leading provider of technology and training for the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) industry, announced today that Vice President of Sales and Marketing Wendy Peel has been honored with the MBA Insights 2018 Tech All-Star Award.

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

Veros and IDS Partner on Integrated Solution for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac UCD Data Submissions

SANTA ANA, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Veros Real Estate Solutions (Veros(R)), a leading developer of enterprise risk management, collateral valuation, and predictive analytics services, and mortgage document preparation vendor International Document Services, Inc. (IDS) announced today that they have partnered to provide lenders with a fully integrated automated delivery solution for submitting the Uniform Closing Dataset (UCD) to the Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs).

The Veros and IDS partnership creates a fully integrated UCD data file creation solution and submission solution. By offering lenders a single, integrated solution - similar to the Uniform Collateral Data Portal (UCDP) - and combining IDS's UCD XML file creation capability with Veros' Pathway UCD submission system, both Veros and IDS ensure full compliance with the GSEs' June 25, 2018 mandate.

"IDS is widely recognized as a leader in the mortgage document preparation space, and we are pleased to partner with them to provide lenders with a single, integrated solution to ensure compliance with the GSEs' upcoming UCD data submission requirement changes," said Robert Walker, CMB, CMT and Vice President of Sales at Veros.

According to a January 30, 2018 joint announcement made by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, warning UCD edits in the GSEs' respective delivery systems related to non-submission or unsuccessful UCD submission will become critical or fatal effective June 25, 2018. In addition to the edits that will turn fatal in the GSEs' delivery systems, the UCD warning edit for embedding the PDF will also convert to fatal, resulting in a "Not Successful" status, as of the June mandate.

Both GSEs are recommending that lenders prepare for the change by submitting "Successful" UCD files prior to delivering their loans, as appropriate. In response to the joint announcement from January, IDS has updated its proprietary idsDoc platform to support the directive and issued a press release on April 11, 2018 urging lenders to begin troubleshooting UCD files that resulted in a "Not Successful" status.

"IDS has been gathering feedback from our clients in an effort to error-proof the UCD submission process before the upcoming changes," added Matthew Mackey, Director of Sales and Marketing at IDS. "Veros' expertise in working with automation and providing the technology powering the UCDP make them an excellent partner not only in this endeavor, but also in our overall goal to make idsDoc as seamless and efficient as possible for our clients."

For more information about the IDS and Veros UCD solution, contact Matthew Mackey at 800-554-1872, ext. 134 or matthew@idsdoc.com.

About Veros Real Estate Solutions:

Mortgage technology innovators since 2001, Veros is a proven leader in enterprise risk management and collateral valuation services. The firm combines the power of predictive technology, data analytics, and industry expertise to deliver advanced automated solutions that control risk and increase profits throughout the mortgage industry, from loan origination to servicing and securitization. Veros' services include automated valuation, fraud and risk detection, portfolio analysis, forecasting, and next-generation collateral risk management platforms. Veros is also the primary architect and technology provider of the GSEs' Uniform Collateral Data Portal (UCDP) and FHA's Electronic Appraisal Delivery portal (EAD). For more information, visit http://www.veros.com/ or call 866-458-3767.

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. Learn more at: http://info.idsdoc.com/.

Veros Real Estate Solutions (Veros), a leading developer of enterprise risk management, collateral valuation, and predictive analytics services, and mortgage document preparation vendor International Document Services, Inc. (IDS) announced today that they have partnered to provide lenders with a fully integrated automated delivery solution for submitting the Uniform Closing Dataset (UCD) to the Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs).

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

IDS Adds Hybrid eClosing Capabilities to Its Mortgage Doc Prep Platform

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage document preparation vendor International Document Services, Inc. (IDS), announced that its clients now have the capabilities to conduct hybrid electronic mortgage closings through its flagship mortgage document preparation platform, idsDoc. Hybrid eClosings allow for faster, more seamless mortgage real estate closing transactions, which can help lenders meet the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) "Know Before You Owe" mandate to improve the borrower experience for consumers.

"IDS's philosophy has always been to provide solutions that help our clients meet the challenges they face today while planning for the challenges they could face tomorrow," said IDS Vice President and General Manager Mark Mackey. "Now that investors are starting to accept hybrid eClosings, we felt the timing was finally right to add that capability to idsDoc so that our clients are able to keep pace with industry acceptance of electronic processes along the eMortgage continuum."

Through this new functionality, lenders will be able to have borrowers electronically sign and execute the majority of closing documents through the idsDoc eSign room. The promissory note and any documents requiring notarization will still need to be wet-signed, though IDS plans to add eNotarization and remote notarization capabilities as those processes become legal in more states.

"Even though 21 states allow some form of eNotarization, investors are still wary of accepting loans with electronically notarized documents. In addition, only three states - Nevada, Texas and Virginia - have enacted legislation allowing remote notarizations," Mackey explained. "Once eNotarization and remote notarization become reality for the vast majority of IDS customers, we will be ready with the functionality to allow them to meet this new challenge head on."

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.

Learn more at: https://info.idsdoc.com/.

Mortgage document preparation vendor International Document Services, Inc. (IDS), announced that its clients now have the capabilities to conduct hybrid electronic mortgage closings through its flagship mortgage document preparation platform, idsDoc. Hybrid eClosings allow for faster, more seamless mortgage real estate closing transactions, which can help lenders meet the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) "Know Before You Owe" mandate to improve the borrower experience for consumers.

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

EPIC’s Chuck Simpson to Present at AESC Safety, Wireline, Trucking Conference and Tradeshow

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Senior Risk Control Consultant Chuck Simpson will present at the Association of Energy Service Companies (AESC) Safety, Wireline, Trucking Conference & Tradeshow on Wed., April 18 at 10 a.m. at the Dallas/Fort Worth Marriot Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas.

Simpson will present on "Update - ANSI Z390 Hydrogen Sulfide Training Requirements." A recognized expert in Hydrogen Sulfide safety practices and training, Simpson led the revision effort as the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Hydrogen Sulfide Safety Training Committee's Chairman. Simpson served as Vice-Chairman of the committee from 1994 until his appointment as Chairman in 2015.

Click here to see the full agenda (PDF): http://www.aesc.net/images/Safety_Trucking_Promo.pdf

About the Association of Energy Service Companies (AESC):

The Association of Energy Service Companies (AESC) is the premier association of the energy service industry. It provides information and assistance to members in many important areas of the industry including management and safety conferences, cooperation with industry organizations, safety and training materials, technology developments, meetings with government officials, safety statistics program and more.

About Chuck Simpson, senior risk control consultant:

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

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

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

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

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

About EPIC:

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

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

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

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

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 Senior Risk Control Consultant Chuck Simpson will present at the Association of Energy Service Companies (AESC) Safety, Wireline, Trucking Conference & Tradeshow on Wed., April 18 at 10 a.m. at the Dallas/Fort Worth Marriot Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas.

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

Cloudvirga and Freddie Mac Team Up to Deliver a Better Borrower Experience, Maximize Fungibility

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 launched single-click submission of loan data to both GSEs' automated underwriting systems (AUS) in a collaborative effort with Freddie Mac, delivering on the industry need for greater transactional ease.

The dual-AUS submission and review process allows lenders to maximize loan fungibility in the secondary market and improve loan quality through automation. Cloudvirga works behind the scenes to automate review of each GSEs' AUS' findings report, applying rules-based logic and predictive analytics to determine the best path for a loan without adding manual review tasks or interfering with a loan team's preferred origination workflow.

"We're empowering loan officers and back-office teams with data and augmented intelligence and making it effortless to deliver the best possible borrower experience while maximizing loan performance in the secondary market," said Kyle Kamrooz, Cloudvirga Co-founder.

Running loan data through both AUSs up front allows loan officers to identify opportunities to help borrowers save money and close loans faster. For example, a loan may not qualify for an automated appraisal waiver from both GSEs. Avoiding the need for an appraisal can save borrowers anywhere from $300 to over a thousand dollars and shorten loan cycle times by days or weeks. Dual-AUS submission will ensure loan officers have a full picture of the options available for their borrowers and can provide the best borrower experience.

"Freddie Mac is committed to helping all lenders maximize loan fungibility while maintaining transactional ease, reducing origination costs and improving the borrower experience," said Rick Lang, Vice President, Loan Advisor Suite Strategy and Integration for the Single-Family business at Freddie Mac. "We're confident Cloudvirga's 'AUS agnostic' submission will demonstrate that selecting Loan Product Advisor on a per-loan basis will add value for both lenders and borrowers."

The functionality will be available to Cloudvirga customers with Freddie Mac Loan Product Advisor's 4.8 release. Loan Product Advisor 4.8 also adds new support for automated validation of borrower asset and income data.

About Cloudvirga(TM):

Cloudvirga's digital mortgage point-of-sale (POS) software, powered by the intelligent Mortgage Platform(r), uniquely combines a world-class borrower experience with a truly automated lender workflow that radically cuts overall loan costs, increases transparency and reduces the time to close a loan. Founded by top fintech veterans with a track record of building successful mortgage technologies, Cloudvirga's initial customer roster includes nine of the top 40 non-bank mortgage originators. To date, Cloudvirga has raised over $27 million from some of the country's top lenders and venture capital firms.

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

REF: OTCMKTS:FMCC / OTC:FMCC

Cloudvirga, a leading provider of digital mortgage point-of-sale (POS) software whose enterprise technology is powered by the intelligent Mortgage Platform, today launched single-click submission of loan data to both GSEs' automated underwriting systems (AUS) in a collaborative effort with Freddie Mac (OTCMKTS: FMCC), delivering on the industry need for greater transactional ease.

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

MQMR Advises Mortgage Lenders to Supplement Resources for Compliance Guidance

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage Quality Management and Research, LLC (MQMR) President Michael Steer today urged lenders to seek additional resources for compliance advice to ensure total compliance with regulatory requirements.

"Lenders cannot afford a knowledge gap in compliance - it's far too mission-critical. The sheer number of regulatory rules that must be monitored from the federal level down is enough to overwhelm even the most experienced mortgage compliance professional. It can take years to properly educate and acclimate individuals in the nuances of mortgage compliance," Steer said. "As our industry's most seasoned compliance professionals inch toward retirement, lenders would be well served to shore up their compliance programs with third-party compliance expertise."

Rising origination costs and overall declining margins are forcing many lenders to scale back or sideline additional expenses. However, Steer notes, the cost of a regulatory misstep could be far more detrimental to their bottom line.

"Regulatory fines for compliance violations can easily reach six figures. Factor fines alongside investor buyback requests on non-compliant loans, and the impact of non-compliance outstrips any expenses lenders incur to ensure their compliance," Steer explained. "Cutting compliance support would be a penny-wise but pound-foolish business decision for mortgage lenders at precisely this time."

MQMR assists lenders in the creation and maintenance of a comprehensive compliance program to mitigate regulatory risk exposure. Its compliance services suite offers lenders a flat-fee monthly compliance support program, giving lenders discretionary direct access to MQMR's compliance experts. Included in this service are:

* Federal, state and loan-level questions;
* Customized policies and procedures review and development;
* Thorough assessment of advertising and marketing materials;
* Detailed website reviews;
* Regulatory intel and investor interpretations;
* State examination assistance; and
* Recommendations on overall best practices.

"Anyone can read a statute or regulation," Steer said. "When a lender has a compliance question that their internal team cannot answer, they need real advice, not a regurgitation of the statute, and they need it as soon as possible."

"Our flat-fee monthly compliance program ensures lenders have access to specific and actionable advice on their time-sensitive compliance questions without them feeling 'nickeled-and-dimed' or spending ridiculous amounts of time on the hunt for answers," he added.

For MBA Legal Issues & Regulatory Compliance Attendees:

MQMR executives are attending the MBA's Legal Issues & Regulatory Compliance Conference 2018, April 29 - May 2 at the JW Marriott LA Live, Los Angeles, Calif. If you'd like to set up a meeting about our Compliance services, or other services from our family of companies, contact Info@MQMResearch.com.

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

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

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

MQMR (Mortgage Quality Management and Research) President Michael Steer today urged lenders to seek additional resources for compliance advice to ensure total compliance with regulatory requirements.

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

IDS, Inc. Advises Mortgage Lenders to Address UCD Warnings Prior to June 25 Deadline

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage document preparation vendor, International Document Services, Inc. (IDS), has announced it is advising all lenders to begin troubleshooting warnings from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's Uniform Closing Dataset (UCD) portal regarding missing information in their UCD files. Effective June 25, 2018, the GSEs will fire a fatal edit in their Loan Delivery systems if the UCD status is "Not Successful" or a UCD was not submitted.

"IDS has been monitoring our users' experience with the UCD XML file submission process closely since UCD went into effect last September, and the announcement of the June enforcement date has only enhanced our focus," said IDS Vice President and General Manager Mark Mackey. "Because edit messages can vary from lender to lender, we are encouraging our customers to reach out as quickly as possible and notify us of the edit messages they're receiving so that we can best advise them on the adjustments that need to be made."

While Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac utilize the same XML file format for UCD delivery, lenders may observe differences in the warnings they receive from each, Mackey explains, and should address warnings from each separately.

"The more feedback we receive from our customers on this, the better we're able to address these issues early so that the loan process continues to run smoothly," Mackey added. "In many of the early cases we've seen, data entry errors are the most common trigger, though data mapping issues between loan origination systems and idsDoc may also be a possible trigger. As an added layer of protection, IDS can add audits, notes and/or notifications to idsDoc to help lenders ensure successful submission of their UCD XML files."

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. Learn more at: https://info.idsdoc.com/.

Mortgage document preparation vendor, International Document Services, Inc. (IDS), has announced it is advising all lenders to begin troubleshooting warnings from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's Uniform Closing Dataset (UCD) portal regarding missing information in their UCD files. Effective June 25, 2018, the GSEs will fire a fatal edit in their Loan Delivery systems if the UCD status is "Not Successful" or a UCD was not submitted. (UPDATED)

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

FinKube Launches New Website for Innovative Chatbot

DALLAS, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- FinKube, a company that provides AI-powered Platform-as-a-Service solutions for a range of industries, announced today that it has launched a new website for its intelligent, conversational chatbot, ELSA. The arrival of the new site, which can be found at www.elsabot.com, coincides with FinKube's expanding role as an AI provider for industries beyond US financial services.

ELSA stands for Electronic Loan Services Assistant and was initially developed to serve as the brain behind FinKube's new Digital Lending Platform. She is the financial services industry's first intelligent assistant and uses AI and machine learning to enhance the origination process from origination to close.

"We built ELSA because generic chatbots will never meet the needs of the complex mortgage lending industry," said Jorge Sauri, founder and CEO of FinKube. "We needed AI that was powerful enough to understand the lending industry and learn as things changed. What we developed was a chatbot that can learn incredibly quickly and be configured to gather information that meets any industry's compliance requirements. ELSA is much more powerful than we initially imagined and so we're not going to limit her to banking services offered to US consumers."

ELSA includes AI that is powerful enough to gather borrower information, render decisions, automate time-consuming tasks and help lenders produce fully compliant mortgage loans in as few as 20 days, though she is well versed in any form of consumer lending. However, ELSA's skill set can easily be applied to other tasks in other industries. The speed with which ELSA can be configured and deployed along with the wide range of applications has made the chatbot attractive to companies both outside of the lending industry and even outside of the country.

FinKube was founded by Jorge Sauri, an industry veteran with nearly 20 years of experience developing IT solutions and technology platforms for banks, lenders and real estate companies. He developed the mortgage industry's first cloud-based software for underwriting subprime mortgages at Arc Systems and then developed a completely cloud-based LOS called MortgageDashboard.

See the new website and learn more about ELSA at https://elsabot.com/.

For a quick introduction to ELSA, follow this link: https://www.slideshare.net/FinKube/introducing-elsa-an-intelligent-conversational-chat-bot

About FinKube:

FinKube is the first lending technology developer to incorporate Artificial Intelligence at the core to provide Intelligence Augmentation (IA) to human loan officers and deliver its platform under a cloud-based, Platform-as-a-Service model. ELSA, the Electronic Lending Services Assistant, is Artificial Intelligence specifically developed for compliant consumer lending and is the brains behind a platform that can help lenders originate any type of consumer loan product.

ELSA learns and adjusts to any origination model, chats with consumers to gather information and provide services, and provides lenders with the industry's most flexible solution to meet their own lending needs.

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

FinKube, a company that provides AI-powered Platform-as-a-Service solutions for a range of industries, announced today that it has launched a new website for its intelligent, conversational chatbot, ELSA. The arrival of the new site coincides with FinKube's expanding role as an AI provider for industries beyond US financial services.

Related link: https://finkube.com/

Alterra Home Loans Selects LBA Ware’s CompenSafe to Increase Mortgage Origination Productivity, Contain Operating Costs

MACON, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- LBA Ware(TM), a leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lenders, today announced that top ranking Nevada-based retail mortgage lender, Alterra Home Loans has chosen CompenSafe(TM) to automate commissions for its 65 branch offices licensed to operate in 30 states and deliver operational insights to executive management on its branches and sales staff.

"As a growing lender, the commissions accounting process was becoming increasingly manually intensive for us; however, we also see the ability to be more creative and customized with compensation and commission as a competitive advantage in retaining top talent," said Jason Madeido, CEO of Alterra Home Loans. "We chose to implement CompenSafe because it directly addressed our two main concerns: increasing productivity to keep manufacturing costs down and increasing customization to enable us to create a better compensation experience for our loan officers."

CompenSafe integrates with Alterra's loan origination system (LOS) and accounting software to obtain loan pipeline information and automatically calculate each employee's custom commissions compensation plan. CompenSafe's online portal increases transparency across the organization by allowing loan originators to gauge their pay and performance and provides company leaders with a wealth of insight into branch and staff production and productivity.

"Everybody in my shoes is thinking about how we can improve productivity, stay very competitive, customize compensation within regulatory bounds, correctly document employee compensation and still make our sales people very happy," said Madiedo. "CompenSafe has helped us manage all of that while providing a transparent window into the process and that's been great."

"In today's competitive market, there's more demand on lenders than ever before to maximize the efficiency of loan production, but that demand has to be balanced with keeping sales staff motivated," said Lori Brewer, founder and CEO of LBA Ware. "CompenSafe helps lenders strike a balance between profitability and productivity, and It's extremely gratifying to be able to provide a growing lender like Alterra with the tools it needs to advance its success in the marketplace."

About Alterra Home Loans:

Alterra Home Loans is a minority-owned, top U.S. mortgage bank and one of the largest Hispanic-owned mortgage companies in the country. With loan coverage in 30 U.S. states, Alterra strives to represent the underserved in the mortgage industry, specifically serving the diverse markets to help build wealth through homeownership.

About LBA Ware(TM):

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

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

LBA Ware(TM), a leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lenders, today announced that top ranking Nevada-based retail mortgage lender, Alterra Home Loans has chosen CompenSafe(TM) to automate commissions for its 65 branch offices licensed to operate in 30 states and deliver operational insights to executive management on its branches and sales staff.

Related link: http://lbaware.com/

Bank of Southern California NA Expands Commercial Banking Team to Serve Orange County and Los Angeles Region

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 the hiring of two seasoned banking and lending professionals to further support the Bank's expansion in Southern California.

Sam Tuyen - Vice President, Commercial Real Estate and SBA Lending:

Mr. Tuyen has joined Bank of Southern California as Vice President, Commercial Real Estate and SBA Lending and will be responsible for providing SBA and commercial lending solutions to businesses in Southern California. Mr. Tuyen brings twenty years of experience most recently as a Senior Commercial Lender at CDC Small Business Finance in Orange County. He holds degrees in economics and business management from the University of California, Irvine.

Stephen Whang - Vice President, Business Development Manager:

Mr. Whang has joined the company as Vice President, Business Development Manager and will be responsible for serving the financial needs of businesses and entrepreneurs in Orange County and Los Angeles. He brings a wealth of business lending and relationship management expertise, with more than fifteen years of experience assisting Southern California businesses meet their company's financial goals. Prior to joining Bank of Southern California, Mr. Whang held a similar role at Bank of the West. He holds a bachelor's degree from University of California, Los Angeles.

"We are extremely pleased to have these outstanding bankers join Bank of Southern California. They bring a comprehensive understanding of the Los Angeles and Orange County business community, and they both offer a wide range of expertise that will enable us to best serve the financial needs of business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals in those markets," said Tony DiVita, Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer.

"The addition of Sam and Stephen are another great example of the quality of experienced banking professionals we're recruiting as part of the bank's growth and expansion in Southern California," concluded DiVita.

About Bank of Southern California:

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

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

Bank of Southern California, N.A. Ticker: OTC Pink:BCAL / OTC:BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL / OP: BCAL

Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink:BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL), a community business bank headquartered in San Diego, is pleased to announce the hiring of two seasoned banking and lending professionals to further support the Bank's expansion in Southern California.

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

EPIC Adds Steve Denton as President of Parent EPIC Holdings Inc.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC (Edgewood Partners Insurance Center dba EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants) today announced the addition of insurance industry veteran Steve Denton as President of its parent company EPIC Holdings, Inc. reporting to EPIC Holdings CEO John Hahn. Denton will join EPIC as of May 1, 2018.

Denton brings to EPIC more than 30 years of risk management, insurance brokerage strategic operations, mergers & acquisitions, business development, and executive leadership experience.

As President of EPIC Holdings, Inc., Denton will partner with John Hahn, Pete Garvey, EPIC's Regional Presidents and other senior leaders across the country to drive growth, diversification, and differentiation in EPIC's core retail brokerage business as well as the firm's Specialty Programs and Products groups.

Regarding EPIC's retail insurance brokerage and consulting business transacted by EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants under the leadership of CEO Pete Garvey, Denton will support the execution of EPIC's strategy to become one of the country's largest, most respected insurance brokers and consultants.

Denton will also focus on assessing existing operations inside EPIC to determine specialty capabilities that should be expanded across the platform. He will also identify further opportunities to invest in both industry and product specialty groups across the country.

"Steve has challenged conventional wisdom in our business his entire career and more often than not, he's been right" said John Hahn, CEO of EPIC Holdings. "He is exactly the kind of free thinking strategist and strong leader we value. EPIC is not about building a 'copycat' business model and Steve will help to further drive creativity, innovation and growth for the benefit of our clients and EPIC team members."

Denton will join EPIC's Executive Leadership Team in the ongoing execution of the EPIC 3.0 national expansion strategy, in partnership with EPIC's sponsor investor Oak Hill Capital Partners, as well as becoming a member of EPIC's Executive Committee.

"I have long been an admirer of the way John Hahn and his team have gone about building EPIC," said Denton. "Their 'clients and employees first' mandate and other core values resonate strongly as deeply held beliefs of my own. I am excited to have this opportunity to build on what we have in common and to help realize the EPIC vision of excellence, celebration, success and fun, as we continue to grow across the country."

Prior to joining EPIC, Denton was CEO of national broker Beecher Carlson (a Brown & Brown subsidiary acquired in 2013). Earlier in his career he held a range of leadership positions across the country with brokers Marsh & McLennan Company and Aon Risk Services.

Denton attended the University of Georgia where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Risk Management. Denton will be based in Atlanta, Ga. and can be reached at: 404 606-5503.

About EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants:

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

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

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

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

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

EPIC (Edgewood Partners Insurance Center dba EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants) today announced the addition of insurance industry veteran Steve Denton as President of its parent company EPIC Holdings, Inc. reporting to EPIC Holdings CEO John Hahn. Denton will join EPIC as of May 1, 2018.

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

Community Bank Helps Foster Future Leaders with Support of ‘Leader In Me Program’

OSCEOLA, Iowa /ScoopCloud/ -- Clarke County State Bank, through the John T. Vucurevich Foundation, continues to support Clarke Elementary School as an official school in "The Leader in Me" program. Since 2012, CCSB has been a strong contributor to the program providing the base funding for its launch with foundation grants and bank donations.

Collaborating with Randy Bolton, Clarke Elementary's Assistant Principal on the integration and promotion of the program and making sure resources are available for the kids involved was the basis for the success that has been achieved.

"When we first applied for the Leader in Me program grant in 2011, it was our goal to increase our support of Clarke Community Schools through the Covey program," said Dave Selene, Bank President. "Providing the kids in our community access to these leadership skills has shown impressive results - from better grades and success rates to students taking part in leadership roles throughout the community."

Based on the Franklin Covey book "Seven Habits of Highly Successful People," The Leader in Me is a program designed specifically for elementary students. The program teaches students important life skills that they can utilize every day in the hallways and classrooms, boosting their independence and self-confidence.

The Seven Habits teach students to take initiative in life and responsibility for their choices, how to set life goals, how best to prioritize the week's tasks, to strive for a win-win solution in all relationships, to understand and be understood, to combine the strengths of the group for the benefit of all, and that renewing resources, energy and health is essential for success. By starting in Elementary school, this program provides life-long "habits" and processes to stay organized and to be successful in all business and personal relationships.

"This was a huge undertaking for a school our size," said Randy Bolton, Clarke Elementary School's Assistant Principal. "With CCSB's support we were able to build the core processing language these kids need to succeed as they move on through middle school and high school."

At Clarke Elementary, students are given leadership roles and responsibilities in the classroom. This teaches the students to be invested in the classroom and that their choices can truly affect their school experience. Students are afforded the opportunity to feel an ownership in their school and their own education through setting their own academic, social and attendance goals.

Clarke County State Bank, through the John T. Vucurevich Foundation, secured a grant of $33,000 to fund The Leader in Me program at Clarke Elementary. CCSB has been a consistent advocate of developing leaders in Osceola and Clarke County who will use those skills to better their local communities.

The Leader in Me continues to equip students with the self-confidence and life skills necessary to be successful today and well into the future. For more information about The Leader in Me, contact Clarke Elementary Principal Jill Kiger or Assistant Principal Randy Bolton.

For more information, you can go to https://www.clarkebank.com/ or follow Clarke County State Bank on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Clarke-County-State-Bank-171725632886859. You can also contact the bank directly at: 641-342-6581 or email: info@clarkebank.com.

Clarke County State Bank (CCSB), through the John T. Vucurevich Foundation, continues to support Clarke Elementary School as an official school in "The Leader in Me" program. Since 2012, CCSB has been a strong contributor to the program providing the base funding for its launch with foundation grants and bank donations.

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

Patrick Macdonald-King Joins Hyperion Media Group as Strategic Advisor

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Exiting his role as Prime Focus Technologies President after completing his earn out and the roll-out of the company's award-winning DAX Platform, Patrick Macdonald-King has agreed to join the Advisory Board of film and technology finance firm Hyperion Media Group to help create a fund focused on content, and the intersection of content and technology.

"My mission to help drive global change in how people produce, distribute and consume content by way of innovation and cloud technologies is in synch with Hyperion's direction," said Macdonald-King. "Among the new challenges I'll be exploring now, I look forward to working with Hyperion on creating a fund to support this trend."

Macdonald-King leaves PFT after merging the company he founded, DAX, with the India-based company in 2014. Under his leadership, DAX secured multiple patents, and became the most widely used production asset management SaaS technology in the industry including the Primetime Emmy(r) award winning Digital Dailies(r) solution, the industry standard in television production.

The acquisition signaled PFT's strategic expansion in North America, with offices in Hollywood, New York and Toronto. Customers include major studios and broadcast networks (Warner Bros. Television Studios, CBS Television Studios, 20th Century Fox Television Studios, A&E, Showtime, Starz, Turner and Lionsgate) and many independent production and distribution companies.

Hyperion Media Group is an independent multimedia company that finances, produces and develops film and television content, and invests in technology focused on the convergence of media and technology for a global audience since 2005. Its investment portfolio includes Legendary Pictures, DAX, Bandito Bros and Open Drives.

Learn more at: http://hyperionmediagroup.com/ - or contact: assistant@hyperionmediagroup.com.

Exiting his role as Prime Focus Technologies President after completing his earn out and the roll-out of the company's award-winning DAX Platform, Patrick Macdonald-King has agreed to join the Advisory Board of film and technology finance firm Hyperion Media Group to help create a fund focused on content, and the intersection of content and technology.

Related link: http://hyperionmediagroup.com/

Worldwide Broker Network, Member Host EPIC Announce 58th Global Conference in San Antonio Texas

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Worldwide Broker Network(TM) (WBN), the world's largest fully integrated international network of independent Property & Casualty and Employee Benefits brokers, has announced its 58th Global Conference on April 11-14, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. Partnering with Member Host EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, the 2018 Global Conference will include more than 300 brokers, carrier sponsors, and speakers from more than 100 countries for discussions on compliance, client engagement, specialty industry coverage, and disruptive business.

This year's program will focus on key global trends and how WBN members can comply with the European Union's imminent GDPR rules on data privacy while understanding the effects of the continuing threat of cyber and related risks across economic sectors and innovative new programs in the employee benefits arena.

The Conference and hosting partnership coincide with the appointment of EPIC Southwest Region President Jim Watt as Chairman of the Board of WBN, effective April 12, 2018. Mr. Watt, who currently serves as WBN's Treasurer, will be the first board chair of WBN from an employee-benefits background.

"I'm happy to welcome colleagues from around the globe to my home state of Texas," said Watt. "WBN's 58th Annual Conference will be its best ever, with more attendees, workshops, and opportunities to collaborate on global business partnerships than ever before. I'm particularly pleased to see so much participation by WBN clients, companies whose experience working with us to solve their most challenging cross-border needs proves WBN's value proposition year in and year out."

The thriving independent global network generates more than $5.25 billion in annual revenue - making it the fourth-largest broker network in the world. Since its founding in 1989, WBN has empowered brokers across six continents, in more than 500 cities around the globe, to conduct business internationally with maximum flexibility, innovation and success. WBN Members, clients, prospects and insurer partners meet in Global Conferences twice a year to collaborate, learn and maintain professional relationships and personal friendships.

About The Worldwide Broker Network(TM):

Founded in 1989, WBN has grown from nine firms in Western Europe to more than 100 firms spanning the globe and serving clients through 500+ offices in six continents. Today, as an important part of the insurance industry's distribution network, WBN generates over $5.25 billion in P&C and employee benefits revenue annually. For more information please visit https://wbnglobal.com/.

About EPIC:

EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property and casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. 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 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/.

The Worldwide Broker Network (WBN), the world's largest fully integrated international network of independent Property & Casualty and Employee Benefits brokers, has announced its 58th Global Conference on April 11-14, 2018 in San Antonio. Partnering with Member Host EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, the 2018 Global Conference will include more than 300 brokers, carrier sponsors, and speakers from more than 100 countries.

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

FormFree Selected to Showcase at MBA Technology Solutions Conference and Expo 2018 in Detroit

ATHENS, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- Automated verification provider FormFree(R) announced that it has been selected to present at the Mortgage Bankers Association's Technology Solutions Conference & Expo 2018, taking place April 15-18 at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center.

The conference's Technology Showcase sessions will feature live, six-minute demos of the industry's hottest products and newest innovations. FormFree will present the advanced income and employment analytics behind its Passport(TM) all-in-one verification solution during Technology Showcase II, beginning at 11:45 a.m. on Monday, April 16, in the General Session Room. Chief Technology Officer Brian Francis and Director of Enterprise Architecture Doug Brewer will lead FormFree's demo.

"Passport by FormFree gives lenders a new and better way of verifying borrower income and employment using a combination of direct-source asset data, third-party employment intelligence and advanced analytics," said Brian Francis, Chief Technology Officer for FormFree. "We are honored to give MBA Tech 2018 attendees a sneak peek of this solution, which will enable the trifecta of automated asset, income and employment verification for practically any borrower who is a W-2 employee."

Francis will also join speakers from Tavant Technologies, American Financial Resources and CoreLogic as a panelist in a breakout session titled "Artificial Intelligence: The Promise and the Peril." This panel discussion will explore real-world applications of artificial intelligence in the mortgage industry. The session begins at 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday, April 17, in the Emerging Technologies track room.

FormFree encourages attendees to visit its booth #419 in THE INNOVATION HUB during Sunday's opening reception or during exhibition hours on Monday (10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.) and Tuesday (10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.).

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) is the leading national trade association for the mortgage industry. The MBA's Technology Solutions Conference & Expo is the premier tradeshow focusing on technology solutions for residential and commercial/multi-family real estate finance professionals. It brings together mortgage lenders and vendors to strategize for the future and learn about the technologies that can help them grow their businesses.

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

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

Automated verification provider FormFree(R) announced that it has been selected to present at the Mortgage Bankers Association's Technology Solutions Conference & Expo 2018, taking place April 15-18 at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center.

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

National Mortgage Professional Magazine Designates Quandis a 2018 Top Mortgage Employer

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Quandis, Inc., a leading default management mortgage technology provider, announced that it was named to National Mortgage Professional magazine's (NMP) Top Mortgage Employers list for 2018. Quandis was one of only ten companies to be included in the publication's 'Services Providers' award category.

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

"We are honored to be recognized as a top mortgage employer by National Mortgage Professional magazine," said Scott Stoddard, CEO at Quandis. "Our incredibly dedicated and talented staff is the backbone of our ongoing company success. Being acknowledged by NMP with this award is the direct result of and a testament to the hard work and determination of Quandis employees."

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

About Quandis:
Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, Quandis is a leading default management software provider specializing in web-based solutions for the mortgage industry. Quandis' solutions include foreclosure process automation, short sale portals, skip tracing systems, a valuations hub, military search services, bankruptcy status searches, collection solutions, vendor solutions, as well custom application development. The company's clients range from servicers, to foreclosure attorneys, lenders, banks, GSEs outsourced service providers, and agents and brokers.

For more information, please visit http://www.quandis.com/ or call (949) 525-9000.

Quandis, Inc., a leading default management mortgage technology provider, announced that it was named to National Mortgage Professional magazine's (NMP) Top Mortgage Employers list for 2018. Quandis was one of only ten companies to be included in the publication's 'Services Providers' award category.

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

IDS Advises Mortgage Lenders to Address UCD Warnings Prior to June 25 Deadline

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Mortgage document preparation vendor International Document Services, Inc. (IDS), announced it is advising all lenders to begin troubleshooting warnings from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's Uniform Closing Dataset (UCD) portal regarding missing information in their UCD files. Beginning June 25, UCD files that trigger a warning will not be accepted by the GSEs.

"IDS has been monitoring our users' experience with the UCD XML file submission process closely since UCD went into effect last September, and the announcement of the June enforcement date for 'error-free' UCD files has only enhanced our focus," said IDS Vice President and General Manager Mark Mackey. "Because warnings can vary from lender to lender, we are encouraging our customers to reach out as quickly as possible and notify us of the warnings they're receiving and the triggers for those warnings so that we can best advise them on the adjustments that need to be made."

While Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac utilize the same XML file format for UCD delivery, the organizations differ in their methods of extracting the data from the file. As such, Mackey explains, lenders may also observe differences in the warnings they receive from each and should address warnings from each separately.

"The more feedback we receive from our customers on this, the better we're able to address these issues early so that the loan process continues to run smoothly," Mackey added. "In many of the early cases we've seen, data entry error is the most common trigger for a warning, though data mapping issues between loan origination systems and idsDoc may also be a possible trigger. As an added layer of protection, IDS can add audits, notes and/or notifications to idsDoc to help lenders ensure successful submission of their UCD XML files."

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.

Learn more at: http://info.idsdoc.com/.

Mortgage document preparation vendor International Document Services, Inc. (IDS), announced it is advising all lenders to begin troubleshooting warnings from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's Uniform Closing Dataset (UCD) portal regarding missing information in their UCD files. Beginning June 25, UCD files that trigger a warning will not be accepted by the GSEs.

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

HousingWire Honors Matic as Top Innovator in Housing Tech

SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- SHERMAN OAKS, Calif., April 4, 2018 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Matic, a fintech company whose technology enables borrowers to purchase homeowner's insurance during the mortgage transaction, today announced it has been named to HousingWire's 2018 Tech100 list of the most innovative tech providers in the housing industry.

Los Angeles-based Matic, which recently announced plans to add 50 jobs to its regional office in Columbus, Ohio, was recognized for its groundbreaking technology that gives loan officers, mortgage servicers and borrowers on-demand access to a digital homeowner's insurance marketplace.

Matic analyzes borrower and property data from the mortgage loan origination system to calculate the amount of coverage needed, then makes more than a dozen A-rated carriers bid on the policy. Securing a policy with Matic takes seconds instead of days, improving the borrower experience and helping lenders close more loans in less time and at a lower cost. Matic also works with real estate portals and mortgage servicers to help their customers find the best policy at a competitive price.

"Matic works with companies across the housing ecosystem - from real estate agents to mortgage originators to mortgage servicers - to transform homeowner's insurance into an integrated part of the mortgage process," said Matic CEO Aaron Schiff. "We are honored to be named among HousingWire's Tech100, which similarly spans the entire housing economy and recognizes the pioneering companies that are ushering in our industry's future."

The fifth annual HW Tech100(TM) recognizes leading innovators in U.S. real estate, mortgage lending, mortgage servicing and investment technology. HousingWire received hundreds of applicants for this year's program. Of the 100 companies selected by HousingWire, more than half - including Matic - are new to the list in 2018.

"Companies in the 2018 Tech100 represent the leading edge of solutions and services that will propel mortgage companies toward success," said HousingWire Magazine Editor Sarah Wheeler.

For a full list of honorees, see the April issue of HousingWire magazine or visit https://www.housingwire.com/articles/42985-the-2018-hw-tech100.

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

About HousingWire:
HousingWire is the nation's most influential source of news and information for U.S. mortgage markets, boasting a readership that spans lending, servicing, investments and real estate market participants as well as financial market professionals. Winner of numerous awards, including a 2012 Eddie Award for national editorial excellence in the B-to-B Banking/Business/Finance, HousingWire has been recognized for excellence in journalism by the Society of Business Editors and Writers, the American Society of Business Press Editors, the National Association of Real Estate Editors, and Trade Association Business Publications International.

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

@maticinsurance @HousingWire #2018HWTech100

Matic, a fintech company whose technology enables borrowers to purchase homeowner's insurance during the mortgage transaction, today announced it has been named to HousingWire's 2018 Tech100 list of the most innovative tech providers in the housing industry.

Related link: https://maticinsurance.com/

HousingWire Names ReverseVision to Its TECH100 List of Housing’s Most Innovative Tech Companies for a Third Year

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- ReverseVision, the leading provider of technology and training for the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) industry, today announced it has been named to HousingWire's HW Tech100(TM) list of innovative housing technology companies for a third time. Previously recognized in 2015 and 2017, ReverseVision is the only provider of Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) technology to receive this distinction.

Now in its fifth year, the HW Tech100 recognizes the most innovative technology companies in U.S. real estate, mortgage lending, mortgage servicing and investments. HousingWire received hundreds of applicants for the 2018 awards program. Of the 100 companies HousingWire recognized this year, more than half are new to the list.

"It's an honor for ReverseVision to be recognized among HousingWire's Tech100 for a third time - particularly in a year when so many coveted spots on the list went to industry newcomers," said John Button, president and CEO of ReverseVision. "This award is a testament to ReverseVision's ongoing commitment to bringing innovation solutions to the HECM space."

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

For a full list of honorees, see the April issue of HousingWire magazine or visit https://www.housingwire.com/articles/42985-the-2018-hw-tech100.

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.

About HousingWire:

HousingWire is the nation's most influential source of news and information for U.S. mortgage markets, boasting a readership that spans lending, servicing, investments and real estate market participants as well as financial market professionals. Winner of numerous awards, including a 2012 Eddie Award for national editorial excellence in the B-to-B Banking/Business/Finance, HousingWire has been recognized for excellence in journalism by the Society of Business Editors and Writers, the American Society of Business Press Editors, the National Association of Real Estate Editors, and Trade Association Business Publications International.

Learn more at http://www.housingwire.com.

ReverseVision, the leading provider of technology and training for the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) industry, today announced it has been named to HousingWire's HW Tech100(TM) list of innovative housing technology companies for a third time. Previously recognized in 2015 and 2017, ReverseVision is the only provider of Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) technology to receive this distinction.

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

Cloudvirga Named to HousingWire’s TECH100 List of Most Innovative Tech Companies in Real Estate and Housing

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 it has been named to HousingWire's 2018 TECH100 list of the most innovative technology companies in U.S. real estate, mortgage lending, mortgage servicing and investments.

Cloudvirga was recognized for its digital mortgage POS platforms, which uniquely combine a compelling consumer experience with automation that helps lenders cut their loan production costs and close loans faster.

"Tackling the mortgage cost-to-produce problem requires new ways of thinking and technology that enables new ways of doing business," said Cloudvirga Co-Founder Kyle Kamrooz. "We're incredibly proud to be at the forefront of a digital sea change in mortgage technology as one of the new names on this year's HousingWire Tech 100."

"Companies in the 2018 Tech100 represent the leading edge of solutions and services that will propel mortgage companies toward success," said HousingWire Magazine Editor Sarah Wheeler.

"These companies provide innovative solutions and are moving the housing finance industry forward as technology rapidly changes how the landscape operates," added HousingWire Online Editor Caroline Basile.

For a full list of honorees, see the April issue of HousingWire magazine or visit https://www.housingwire.com/articles/42985-the-2018-hw-tech100.

About Cloudvirga(TM):

Cloudvirga's digital mortgage point-of-sale (POS) software, powered by the intelligent Mortgage Platform(R), uniquely combines a world-class borrower experience with a truly automated lender workflow that radically cuts overall loan costs, increases transparency and reduces the time to close a loan. Founded by top fintech veterans with a track record of building successful mortgage technologies, Cloudvirga's initial customer roster includes eight of the top 40 non-bank mortgage originators. To date, Cloudvirga has raised over $27 million from some of the country's top lenders and venture capital firms.

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

About HousingWire:

HousingWire is the nation's most influential source of news and information for U.S. mortgage markets, boasting a readership that spans lending, servicing, investments and real estate market participants as well as financial market professionals. Winner of numerous awards, including a 2012 Eddie Award for national editorial excellence in the B-to-B Banking/Business/Finance, HousingWire has been recognized for excellence in journalism by the Society of Business Editors and Writers, the American Society of Business Press Editors, the National Association of Real Estate Editors, and Trade Association Business Publications International.

Learn more at http://www.housingwire.com.

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 it has been named to HousingWire's 2018 TECH100 list of the most innovative technology companies in U.S. real estate, mortgage lending, mortgage servicing and investments.

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

Simplifile Recognized as an Innovative Mortgage Technology Company on 2018 HW Tech100

PROVO, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents, and counties, announced that it has been included on the fifth annual HW Tech100 list published by housing and mortgage industry trade magazine HousingWire. This year marks the third consecutive year Simplifile has made the Tech100 list, which recognizes, "the most innovative technology companies in the U.S. housing economy, spanning real estate, mortgage lending, mortgage servicing, and investments."

In its profile on Simplifile in the April issue, HousingWire focused on the integration of Simplifile's services, including e-notarization and e-recording, with mortgage document and technology provider Docutech's Solex e-closing solution to deliver a more streamlined digital platform to lenders, settlement agents, and borrowers.

"Simplifile is committed to helping lenders and settlement agents make each mortgage transaction as 'e' as it can be, and by combining our suite of services that automate key portions of the real estate process, like document collaboration, post-closing and recording, with complementary platforms like Docutech's, we are better able to make our goal of facilitating eMortgages a reality," said Simplifile President Paul Clifford. "On behalf of Simplifile, I'd like to thank the HousingWire editorial staff for judging our efforts in this area worthy of recognition on this year's Tech100 list."

The level of competition for the 2018 HW Tech100 was higher than in previous years, the magazine's editorial staff noted, citing in its announcement of this year's winners a significant increase in the number of applicants and the presence of 55 first-time winners on this year's list.

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

"These companies provide innovative solutions and are moving the housing finance industry forward as technology rapidly changes how the landscape operates," said HousingWire Online Editor Caroline Basile.

The full list of this year's winners is available at https://www.housingwire.com/articles/42985-the-2018-hw-tech100.

About HousingWire:

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

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

About Simplifile:

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

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

Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents, and counties, announced that it has been included on the fifth annual HW Tech100 list published by housing and mortgage industry trade magazine HousingWire. This year marks the third consecutive year Simplifile has made the Tech100 list, which recognizes, "the most innovative technology companies in the U.S. housing economy, spanning real estate, mortgage lending, mortgage servicing, and investments."

Related link: https://simplifile.com/

Maxwell Recognized by HousingWire as one of the Most Innovative Technology Companies in Real Estate

DENVER, Colo. /ScoopCloud/ -- Maxwell, the emerging leader of digital mortgage automation software, announced today that it has been recognized for the second year in a row as one of HousingWire's TECH100(TM) for 2018.

The HW TECH100(TM) is a list of the housing economy's 100 most innovative companies. It is the only list of its kind that evaluates tech innovation across the entire U.S. housing economy, spanning real estate to mortgage lending, servicing, and investments.

"We built Maxwell on the premise that technology should empower humans, not replace them," said Maxwell CEO John Paasonen. "We believe that personal guidance is critical to the mortgage process and with the right technology mortgage lenders can create the most delightful experience for the borrower. This award, along with the $1B we facilitate every month, affirm our core philosophy."

Maxwell enables mortgage lenders across the nation to collaborate with their homebuyers in a modern digital workspace, on any device, with connectivity to thousands of financial institutions to automate documents and with integrations into other leading mortgage technology providers. Maxwell's proprietary algorithms, built on its network of data aggregated across loans, enable its lenders to move efficiently by accelerating processing and underwriting. Today, lenders using Maxwell are closing loans more than 45 percent faster than the national average.

In late 2017, Maxwell announced its most recent funding round, led by the investment arm of Anthemis Group, with participation from Route66 Ventures and Assurant Inc., along with its existing investors. The new round brings the total capital raised to date by the company to $5 million.

About HousingWire:
HousingWire is the nation's most influential industry news source covering the U.S. housing economy, spanning residential mortgage lending, servicing, investments, and real estate operations. The company's news, commentary, magazine content, industry directories, and events give more than one million industry professionals each year the insight they need to make better, more informed business decisions. Winner of numerous awards, including a 2012 Eddie Award for national editorial excellence in the B2B Banking/Business/Finance category, HousingWire has been recognized for excellence in journalism by the Society of Business Editors and Writers, the American Society of Business Press Editors, the National Association of Real Estate Editors, and Trade Association Business Publications International.

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

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

Maxwell, the emerging leader of digital mortgage automation software, announced today that it has been recognized for the second year in a row as one of HousingWire's TECH100(TM) for 2018.

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

LBA Ware Named to 2018 HW Tech100 List of Innovative Housing, Mortgage Technology Companies

MACON, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- LBA Ware(TM), a leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lenders, today announced that it has been named to the 2018 HW Tech100(TM) list published by housing and mortgage industry trade magazine HousingWire. The HW Tech100, which is in its fifth year of existence, recognizes, "the most innovative technology companies in the U.S. housing economy, spanning real estate, mortgage lending, mortgage servicing and investments."

This is the fourth consecutive year that LBA Ware has been recognized for its flagship automated compensation platform CompenSafe. In its profile on LBA Ware in the April issue, HousingWire's editorial staff noted the continued growth and success of CompenSafe in 2017, including reaching nearly $1.5 billion in lifetime compensation calculations. Other year-over-year growth statistics include an 80 percent increase in CompenSafe clients, a 71 percent increase in the number of applications and volume tracked for pipeline reporting within the system, a 67 percent increase in the number of loans processed for compensation and a 152 percent increase in the total processed compensation.

"Compressing margins and the overall decline in origination volume are driving lenders to seek more innovative solutions to control expenses and improve profitability," said Lori Brewer, founder and CEO of LBA Ware. "CompenSafe empowers lenders to incent sales and operations staff using compliantly designed, automatically calculated compensation plans that align efficiency and performance metrics to fuel origination growth, and we are truly honored to have the HousingWire editorial staff acknowledge our efforts to address this critical industry need by including LBA Ware on this year's Tech100."

In its announcement of this year's winners, HousingWire acknowledged the enhanced level of competition over previous years, citing a significant increase in the number of applicants for this year's list and the fact that more than half of this year's honorees are first-time winners.

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

"These companies provide innovative solutions and are moving the housing finance industry forward as technology rapidly changes how the landscape operates," said HousingWire Online Editor Caroline Basile.

The full list of this year's winners is available at https://www.housingwire.com/articles/42985-the-2018-hw-tech100.

About HousingWire:

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

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

About LBA Ware(TM):

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

LBA Ware(TM), a leading provider of automated compensation software and systems integration solutions for mortgage lenders, today announced that it has been named to the 2018 HW Tech100(TM) list published by housing and mortgage industry trade magazine HousingWire. The HW Tech100, which is in its fifth year of existence, recognizes, "the most innovative technology companies in the U.S. housing economy, spanning real estate, mortgage lending, mortgage servicing and investments."

Related link: http://lbaware.com/

BeSmartee and FormFree Integration Gets Loans to Initial Underwriting Faster

ATHENS, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- Automated verification provider FormFree(R) today announced that its flagship AccountChek(R) automated asset verification service is now part of BeSmartee's next-generation mortgage point-of-sale (POS) platform. The integration will make BeSmartee's already-streamlined digital loan process even speedier thanks to faster and more accurate assessment of borrowers' ability to pay from FormFree.

BeSmartee's customizable, web-based platform gives loan officers a more efficient digital origination process and improves the mortgage experience for borrowers by giving them greater guidance and control.

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

BeSmartee's flexible integration with FormFree allows lenders to customize where they bring AccountChek into the origination workflow. The AccountChek Asset Report can be ordered by loan officers with a single click, or borrowers can initiate asset verification as an easy, self-service process.

"By incorporating AccountChek as a point-of-sale process, BeSmartee helps lenders move loans into initial underwriting very quickly, which can cut days off time-to-close," said BeSmartee co-founder Arvin Sahakian. "And because our partnerships with trusted Day 1 Certainty vendors like FormFree are ready out-of-the-box, BeSmartee's onboarding process is weeks shorter than competitors'."

Fannie Mae chose AccountChek by FormFree as its first designated vendor for asset validation as part of Day 1 Certainty(TM). Lenders who use AccountChek and submit their casefiles for validation through Fannie Mae's Desktop Underwriter(R) (DU(R)) automated underwriting system receive freedom from representations and warrants for the validated components of the loan.

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

"FormFree makes lending simpler, safer and faster by streamlining the loan origination process and providing better intelligence on borrowers' ability to pay," said FormFree founder and CEO Brent Chandler. "We're delighted to work with BeSmartee to put AccountChek in borrowers' hands at the point of sale and give loans the shortest possible path from initial contact to underwriting."

About FormFree(R):

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

About BeSmartee:

BeSmartee has developed an automated mortgage origination technology the company private labels and licenses to lenders. By utilizing artificial intelligence, BeSmartee's process enables lenders to take their borrowers from the initial contact into underwriting in 20 minutes with a complete loan application, credit report, income/asset documents, eSigned/eDelivered disclosures and paid appraisal. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Huntington Beach, Calif., the BeSmartee team has worked on the front and back-end of mortgage originations for over a decade, applying their knowledge to develop a truly unrivaled user experience, with an array of tools and features catering to the specific needs of lenders and their customers.

Automated verification provider FormFree(R) today announced that its flagship AccountChek(R) automated asset verification service is now part of BeSmartee's next-generation mortgage point-of-sale (POS) platform. The integration will make BeSmartee's already-streamlined digital loan process even speedier thanks to faster and more accurate assessment of borrowers' ability to pay from FormFree.

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

MortgageHippo Picks Matic for Integrated Homeowner’s Insurance That Helps Lenders and Consumers Save Money

SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Matic, a digital insurance agency whose technology enables borrowers to purchase homeowner's insurance during the mortgage transaction, today announced the availability of its one-click "get quote" button within MortgageHippo, a cloud-based digital mortgage platform that guides consumers through a modern, lender-branded borrowing experience.

By integrating with Matic, MortgageHippo makes it easy for borrowers to secure the homeowner's insurance required for a residential mortgage loan closing at a competitive price. Matic uses loan and property data furnished by MortgageHippo to determine precisely how much coverage is needed, then scans the market to compare policies from multiple top-rated carriers.

"Consumers want suitable homeowner's insurance at a fair price - but comparison shopping is difficult and time-consuming," said Ben Madick, COO of Matic. "Meanwhile, it takes loan processors about an hour of effort and a day or two in turnaround time per loan to verify a policy and update the closing disclosure. Matic eliminates the pain on both sides of the equation. Borrowers get a great policy at a great price, and lenders improve their bottom line by compressing a two-day process into two minutes."

"Matic delivers an exceptional consumer experience and gives mortgage lenders a real edge when it comes to lending efficiency and borrower conversion," said Valentin Saportas, CEO of MortgageHippo. "We're proud to partner with a company that exemplifies MortgageHippo's commitment to helping top-producing loan teams future-proof their organizations with early access to the best tech solutions in today's market."

MortgageHippo customers who are interested in enabling Matic can reach out to their account manager to turn on the integration.

About Matic:

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

About MortgageHippo:

MortgageHippo works with lenders to devise and implement their digital mortgage strategies using its borrower-centric digital lending platform. The MortgageHippo platform allows lenders to deliver a modern borrowing experience, improve borrower conversions, significantly reduce origination costs and integrate with other innovative technologies. MortgageHippo's platform is fully customizable to lender preferences and configurable to lenders' workflows and processes. For more, visit https://www.mortgagehippo.com.

Matic Insurance, a digital insurance agency whose technology enables borrowers to purchase homeowner's insurance during the mortgage transaction, today announced the availability of its one-click "get quote" button within MortgageHippo, a cloud-based digital mortgage platform that guides consumers through a modern, lender-branded borrowing experience.

Related link: https://maticinsurance.com/

Minor Metals Rebound, with Growing Opportunities

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- A new market study by Thintri, Inc., shows how minor metals, having endured a period of slack demand for many commodities, are now facing a brighter future with improving markets. In some cases the metals face rapid growth in demand in some of today's hottest markets while others will track the overall economy, and a few will see declining demand.

"Minor" metals are anything but. Many are critical materials in aerospace, defense, electronics, photonics and telecommunications, medicine and general industry. Like any large, diverse group of materials, their properties, applications and market opportunities vary widely.

Minor metals are generally defined as those metals that are not sourced directly but rather occur as byproducts of sourcing base metals.

The Thintri study covers the minor metals excluding rare earths, precious metals and platinum group metals:
* Antimony
* Arsenic
* Beryllium
* Bismuth
* Cadmium
* Chromium
* Cobalt
* Gallium
* Germanium
* Hafnium
* Indium
* Lithium
* Magnesium
* Manganese
* Mercury
* Molybdenum
* Niobium
* Selenium
* Silicon
* Tantalum
* Tellurium
* Titanium
* Tungsten
* Vanadium
* Zirconium

Some minor metals, such as chromium, magnesium, titanium and tungsten, are critical constituents in heavy industry, while others, such as indium and cobalt, are fueling today's hottest markets. A few, including mercury and arsenic, face steadily declining markets and increased legislative restriction due to their toxicity.

For each minor metal, the Thintri study discusses sourcing and production; health, safety and nutrition issues; applications; and market analysis, including market volume and pricing forecasts going out to 2024.

About Thintri, Inc.:
Founded in 1996, Thintri, Inc. (www.thintri.com), is a full-service consulting firm, based in New York and directed by J. Scott Moore, Ph.D.

Thintri's services include business intelligence, market research, technology transfer and technology assessment, and in-depth, off-the-shelf market studies on promising emerging technologies. Topics of focus have included medical and industrial imaging, optical networks, materials and coatings, semiconductor devices, manufacturing, industrial logistics, security, thermal management, energy, and a host of others.

For more information, visit http://www.thintri.com or call 914-242-4615.

Media Contact:
J. Scott Moore
+1-914-242-4615
smoore@thintri.com

A new market study by Thintri, Inc., shows how minor metals, having endured a period of slack demand for many commodities, are now facing a brighter future with improving markets. In some cases the metals face rapid growth in demand in some of today's hottest markets while others will track the overall economy, and a few will see declining demand.

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

The Mortgage Collaborative Welcomes Partners Credit and Verification Solutions to Preferred Partner Network

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- SAN DIEGO, Calif., April 2, 2018 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- The Mortgage Collaborative, the nation's only independent mortgage cooperative, today announced the addition of credit and verification solutions firm Partners Credit & Verification Solutions to its Preferred Partner network. Partners Credit offers TMC members a suite of comprehensive and customized credit related products and services.

"We're excited to have such a flexible and tech-savvy provider like Partners Credit joining our preferred partner network," said Rich Swerbinsky, Chief Operating Officer of The Mortgage Collaborative. "Our members stand to immensely benefit from a personalized offering as it relates to their credit and verifications needs as a result of the addition of Partners Credit to TMC's preferred partner network."

Partners Credit & Verification Solutions is the preferred provider of innovative verification and credit-related services for thousands of mortgage professionals. Partners Credit helps accomplish more through their suite of comprehensive, easy-to-use products and services. By seamlessly facilitating a client's lending process, Partners Credit helps assure compliance and reduce the number of third parties engaged in their client's workflow. This all-in-one streamlined approach enables clients of Partners Credit to spend less time managing vendors and more time focusing on what really matters: the borrower.

"We're honored to join the TMC family," said Blake Matheson, CEO and Managing Partner of Partners Credit & Verification Solutions. "The mortgage business is more dynamic than ever and full of new challenges and opportunities. We look forward to ensuring TMC's members have the tools needed to close more loans efficiently, compliantly and at low cost."

The Mortgage Collaborative network is more than 130 lenders strong, with an aggregate annual origination volume of over $220 billion. The lender network is supported by a preferred partner network of organizations that specialize within each facet of the mortgage life cycle. The Mortgage Collaborative is rewriting the playbook on the cooperative model and their network caters to lenders of all sizes, with a strong mix of independent mortgage brokers and community banks and depositories.

About The Mortgage Collaborative:

Based in San Diego, The Mortgage Collaborative was founded in 2013 to empower mortgage lenders across the country with better financial execution, reduced costs, enhanced expertise, improved compliance, and to help its members access the dynamic and changing consumer base in America. The association is managed by its founding members: John Robbins, CMB; David Kittle, CMB; Gary Acosta, CEO of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP); and Jim Park, former chair of the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA). Robbins and Kittle are former chairmen of the Mortgage Bankers Association of America (MBA).

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

About Partners Credit & Verification Solutions:

Based in Chicago Illinois and Monterey California, Partners Credit was founded in 1994 by two old friends and football coaches. Tor Matheson and Terry Donahue became close as teammates on UCLA's 1966 Rose Bowl Championship Team. Years later, after a stint running a regional collection agency and credit bureau, Tor asked Terry (who would soon become the most winning college football coach in Pac-10 conference history) to partner with him in a novel venture: a technology-driven credit reporting company that would utilize emerging, web-based solutions to deliver borrower credit data for mortgage banking. Today Partners offers a full suite of customizable underwriting and due diligence tools for mortgage origination, loan portfolio review, and risk mitigation. Since its inception, Partners has dedicated itself to three values: service, innovation, and integrity.

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

The Mortgage Collaborative (;TMC'), the nation's only independent mortgage cooperative, today announced the addition of credit and verification solutions firm Partners Credit & Verification Solutions to its Preferred Partner network. Partners Credit offers TMC members a suite of comprehensive and customized credit related products and services.

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

Bank of Southern California NA Successfully Completes $26 Million Capital Offering

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL) announced today the completion of a capital raise of approximately $26 million through the issuance of common stock in a private placement to institutional and accredited individual investors at a price of $14.75 per share.

A portion of the capital raised will be utilized to complete the Bank's recent announcement to acquire Americas United Bank (AUNB), Glendale, Calif. Bank of Southern California entered into a definitive agreement with Americas United Bank on February 21, 2018 with an expected close in the third quarter of 2018, subject to customary closing conditions.

The additional capital raised will further support the Bank's successful strategy of driving both organic growth and increasing its geographic footprint in Southern California.

Nathan Rogge, President and CEO of Bank of Southern California, stated that proceeds from the offering strengthens the Bank's balance sheet and further supports the company's expansion.

"This successful capital offering was completed in a very short time," Rogge added. "The strong interest that we received from individual and institutional investors demonstrates the investment community's endorsement and confidence in Bank of Southern California's performance and future value."

The Bank was represented by MJC Partners, LLC, who served as the sole placement agent for the offering.

About Bank of Southern California:

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

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

About MJC Partners, LLC:

MJC Partners is a leading Los Angeles-based boutique investment banking and advisory firm providing a full range of strategic, transactional, and valuation-related services to clients across multiple industry groups with a focus on financial services.

For more information about MJC Partners, visit: http://mjcpartners.com/.

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

Bank of Southern California, N.A. Ticker: OTC Pink:BCAL / OTC:BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL / OP: BCAL

Bank of Southern California, N.A. ( OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL ) announced today the completion of a capital raise of approximately $26 million through the issuance of common stock in a private placement to institutional and accredited individual investors at a price of $14.75 per share.

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

Simplifile Reaches $100K in Donations through Simplifile Cares

PROVO, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents, and counties, announced that it has reached the $100,000 mark in charitable donations made through its philanthropic initiative Simplifile Cares.

Started in 2015, Simplifile Cares was created to enable Simplifile and its employees to give back to the community and support housing-related charities. To date, Simplifile has raised a total of $100,749 for a variety of charitable organizations, including its primary beneficiary Habitat for Humanity. Simplifile has donated to 116 Habitat chapters throughout the U.S., and its employees have contributed 308 volunteer hours. In total, charities in 37 states have benefitted from Simplifile Cares' fundraising and volunteer efforts.

"Each year, Simplifile travels to hundreds of real estate, title, mortgage, and county association events throughout the country, and we thought, 'What better way to give back than to contribute to local organizations in the areas where we're doing business,' and thus Simplifile Cares was born," said Simplifile President Paul Clifford.

"To see this idea grow into such a success is immensely rewarding, and I'm proud of the positive impact our company and employees are making not just in our home state of Utah, but throughout the U.S."

About Simplifile:

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

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

*PHOTO for Media: Send2Press.com/300dpi/18-0329s2p-simplifile-cares-300dpi.jpg
*Photo Caption: Simplifile employees volunteering at a Habitat for Humanity of Utah County home build.

Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents, and counties, announced that it has reached the $100,000 mark in charitable donations made through its philanthropic initiative Simplifile Cares.

Related link: https://simplifile.com/

Deutsche Bank Implements DocMagic’s eVault Technology

TORRANCE, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- DocMagic, Inc., the premier provider of fully-compliant loan document preparation, regulatory compliance and comprehensive eMortgage services, announced that Deutsche Bank has successfully implemented and is actively utilizing its proprietary eVault technology.

"Deutsche Bank has an international footprint in multiple forms of lending and servicing, and having a company of their size select our eVault to safely and securely store sensitive loan documents speaks volumes about the bank's confidence in our technology," said Dominic Iannitti, president and CEO of DocMagic, Inc. "We are very pleased to partner with Deutsche Bank on a long-term basis to help achieve its servicing goals with our eVault."

Using the DocMagic eVault, Deutsche Bank's document custody group is now empowered to take full possession of electronically originated assets for clients as the loan market continues to transition to a paperless process. DocMagic establishes a legally compliant method to securely move original electronic files from one custodian to another, while preserving unique authoritative digital ownership.

Further, the eVault ensures authentication of original documents passing between owners, irrespective of how many duplicate electronic files there may be of the same record. The repository system within DocMagic's eVault relies upon digital tamper-proof seals and a detailed, well-documented audit trail that ensures compliance and provides detailed reporting.

DocMagic also made available to Deutsche Bank the ability to leverage a unique dual-option solution that accesses its on-premise eVault installation to provide a gateway to seamlessly and securely connect to MERS via any browser, as well as by way of a direct VPN connection.

As a result of partnering with DocMagic, Deutsche Bank is now well-positioned to easily, compliantly and securely service loans housed in the eVault, creating newfound efficiencies and a competitive advantage for the bank. By providing eVault services to Deutsche Bank's clients, they further cement themselves as a leader, innovator and provider of excellence in loan servicing.

Of note is that DocMagic has been at the forefront of developing award-winning technology that facilitates a complete eMortgage solution for the entire supply chain that fully supports an end-to-end, completely paperless digital mortgage process. This includes from the point-of-sale through eClosing, eWarehouse lending, secondary marketing and even servicing.

DocMagic's eVault has been thoroughly vetted and officially approved by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and MERS(r) to compliantly support eVaulting services.

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

For more information on DocMagic, visit https://www.docmagic.com/.

DocMagic, Inc., the premier provider of fully-compliant loan document preparation, regulatory compliance and comprehensive eMortgage services, announced that Deutsche Bank has successfully implemented and is actively utilizing its proprietary eVault technology.

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