Finance News – including banking, insurance, mortgage lenders, risk management, public companies, funding and investment services, and related financial news from the Send2Press Newswire service.
HAMMONTON, N.J., May 21, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Service First Information Solutions, LLC (Service 1st), a leading provider of credit reporting and verification solutions for the mortgage industry, announced today the addition of Joy Ziminskas as national sales director for the Southeast region to lead revenue growth and expand relationships with lenders, banks and financial institutions across Texas, Florida and surrounding markets.
SAN DIEGO, Calif., May 21, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation’s largest independent cooperative network for mortgage lenders, announced a strategic partnership with TheZebra.com, the easiest way to compare and buy insurance, that will give TMC’s lender members a direct way to connect borrowers with home insurance options at the point of mortgage origination.
BOULDER, Colo., May 20, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Floify, the mortgage industry’s leading point-of-sale (POS) solution, today announced that its Head of Marketing Courtney Dodd has been named a Women of Mortgage Tech award winner by Mortgage Women Magazine. The Women of Tech award recognizes individuals who are shaping the future of technology through innovation, leadership and community impact.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 20, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced that Leslie Cheshier, its chief client officer, has been named a 2026 Women of Mortgage Tech award winner by Mortgage Women Magazine. The award recognizes individuals who are shaping the future of mortgage technology through innovation, leadership and meaningful industry impact.
TROY, Mich., May 20, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), announced today that Audrey Clearwater, Senior Vice President of Sales Operations, has been named a Women of Mortgage Tech award winner by Mortgage Women Magazine. The award recognizes individuals who are shaping the future of mortgage technology through innovation, leadership and meaningful industry impact.
ATLANTA, Ga., May 20, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry’s leading technology for connecting homebuyers with homeownership programs, today announced that Kathy Gault, DPA Program Specialist, has been named a 2026 Women of Tech award winner by Mortgage Women Magazine, recognizing her impact on advancing mortgage technology and expanding access to affordable housing.
HAMMONTON, N.J., May 20, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Service First Information Solutions, LLC (Service 1st), a leading provider of credit reporting and verification solutions for the mortgage industry, announced today that Lisa Binkley, Chief Operations Officer, has been named a Women of Mortgage Tech award winner by Mortgage Women Magazine for 2026. The award recognizes individuals shaping the future of mortgage technology through innovation, leadership and meaningful industry impact.
GARDEN GROVE, Calif., May 20, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Informative Research (IR), a leading technology provider of data-driven credit and verification solutions for the lending industry, today announced that Corey Hampton, Vice President of Product Management, has been named among the 2026 Women of Tech by Mortgage Women Magazine (MWM). The award honors influential women who are driving innovation, advancing technology and shaping the future of the mortgage industry.
DENVER, Colo., May 20, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — ACES Quality Management® (ACES), a leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, announced the release of its quarterly ACES Mortgage QC Industry Trends Report covering Q4 2025 and the full calendar year (CY) 2025. The report analyzes post-closing quality control data derived from the ACES Quality Management & Control® software.
AUSTIN, Texas, May 20, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, announced today that Andria Lightfoot, vice president of client success, has been named a 2026 Mortgage Women Magazine (MWM) Women of Tech Award winner, recognizing her leadership, innovation and impact advancing mortgage technology and supporting women in the industry.
DENVER, Colo., May 19, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, today announced that it has been named one of the 2026 Best Places to Work in Financial Technology. The awards program was created in 2017 and is a project of Arizent and Best Companies Group.
HAMMONTON, N.J., May 18, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Service First Information Solutions, LLC (Service 1st), a leading provider of credit reporting and verification solutions for the mortgage industry, announced today the appointment of Lucas Jones as Senior Vice President of Operations. In this role, Jones will lead operational strategy and execution, with a focus on driving efficiency, enhancing customer experience, and supporting the company’s next phase of growth.
ST. LOUIS, Mo., May 18, 2026 (SENDPRESS NEWSWIRE) — OptiFunder today announced the launch of OptiExchange, a partner network designed to connect mortgage lenders with a curated ecosystem of technology providers, warehouse and capital partners, and service solutions across mortgage lending. By joining OptiExchange, partners gain access to a growing network of lenders, making it easier to build new relationships.
HUNT VALLEY, Md. and PUNE, India, May 18, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Hercules Portfolio of Andromeda Software Inc. (“Andromeda”), an operating group of Constellation Software Inc. (TSX: CSU), announced that it has acquired Peocit Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (“Peocit”). Founded in 2002, Peocit is a provider of core banking and lending software solutions and services with multi-lingual functionality, serving more than 4,000 cooperative societies, non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and other financial institutions across India.
SEATTLE, Wash., May 15, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Friday Harbor, an AI pre-underwriting platform that helps loan officers assemble complete and compliant loan files in real time, is the first mortgage technology provider to receive an AI governance compliance attestation from mortgage banking and financial services law firm Brody Gapp LLP. The attestation follows a formal compliance review of Friday Harbor’s platform, which uses AI to analyze borrower documents.
ADDISON, Texas, May 15, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Click n’ Close, a multi-state mortgage lender, announced strategic engagement of Christy Soukhamneut and Launch Point Advisory Group to support the expansion of its Whole Loan Trading division. The move is part of a broader initiative to grow Click n’ Close’s secondary market presence and offer whole loan trading opportunities across its government and specialty loan programs.
SEATTLE, Wash., May 14, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — NewFed Mortgage Corp., a full-service residential mortgage lender operating across more than 20 states, today announced the companywide rollout of Friday Harbor’s AI pre-underwriting platform following a successful pilot program that demonstrated measurable gains in fulfillment productivity and underwriting throughput. Since implementing Friday Harbor, NewFed processors handle 36% more files per month while underwriters review 35% more loans.
SAN DIEGO, Calif., May 14, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation’s largest independent cooperative network for mortgage lenders, announced the formation of the Mortgage AI Council, a standing committee under TMC’s lender member board of directors. The council will give community banks, credit unions and independent mortgage bankers the governance frameworks, peer intelligence and collective voice needed to adopt artificial intelligence responsibly as the technology reshapes how lenders originate loans, assess risk and serve borrowers.
ST. LOUIS, Mo., May 14, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — OptiFunder®, the mortgage industry leader in warehouse management automation, announced a new integration with LendingPad, the award-winning, cloud-native loan origination system. The integration brings LendingPad and Genesis by OptiFunder together, creating a direct connection between loan origination and warehouse funding operations. The platforms align the loan lifecycle from origination through funding, reconciliation, and execution in the capital markets.
AUSTIN, Texas, May 13, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Watkins Insurance Group, a leading independent insurance agency in Texas, has announced the addition of Patrick McFadden as a Private Client Insurance Advisor. McFadden brings 30 years of insurance experience and holds the LUTC and FSCP professional designations. His hire reflects the agency’s continued commitment to serving the Austin metro market and specifically the growing segment of individuals and families whose lifestyles and assets require a more tailored approach to coverage strategy and personal service.
ST. LOUIS, Mo., May 12, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — OptiFunder®, the mortgage industry pioneer in warehouse management automation, has partnered with Vesta, the AI-native loan origination system and agent platform, to connect loan origination and warehouse funding workflows. The integration links origination, funding, and sale to the capital markets, eliminating fragmented systems and manual handoffs that have historically slowed execution and increased risk.
PLANO, Texas, May 12, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Optimal Blue today released its April 2026 Market Advantage mortgage data report, which found that mortgage lock activity pulled back after a strong first quarter. Total rate-lock volume declined 9% month over month (MoM) but remained 11% higher year over year (YoY). Purchase lock volume declined just under 2% from March but increased more than 9% from April 2025, continuing to lead production as refinance activity cooled.
AUSTIN, Texas, May 11, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, today announced SmartDocs, a new disclosure intelligence capability available through its XpressEquity point-of-sale platform. SmartDocs functions as the intelligence layer that determines when disclosure obligations begin and initiates the appropriate workflow based on lender-configured rules, helping standardize timing and delivery across programs and jurisdictions.
TORRANCE, Calif., May 7, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — DocMagic, Inc. (DocMagic®) announced today that it has received two new certifications from MISMO®, the Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization. MISMO’s eVault System Certification covers SmartSAFE®, DocMagic’s core eVault for managing eNote workflows and MERS® eRegistry activity, and SmartSAFE XL™, an API-first eVault designed for enterprise environments that require flexible deployments and support for a broader range of digital assets.
NOVI, Mich., May 7, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Vice Capital Markets, a leading mortgage hedge advisory firm for independent lenders, banks and credit unions, today announced the public release of the Vice Capital Par Note Rate, a proprietary daily mortgage rate benchmark designed to provide a distinct, market-based view of mortgage pricing. Available via an online tracker, the benchmark provides lenders, analysts and other market participants with daily data, long-term trend analysis and custom charting dating back to 2008.
DENVER, Colo., May 6, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — ACES Quality Management® (ACES), a leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, announced today that Romina Cusenza, vice president of marketing, has been named a 2026 Trailblazers in Sales, Marketing and PR award winner by Progress in Lending. The award recognizes mortgage industry professionals who have made a meaningful positive impact on their company and the broader industry through sales, marketing and public relations initiatives.
ADDISON, Texas, May 6, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Click n’ Close, a multi-state mortgage lender, today announced the appointment of Amy Azorandia as chief compliance officer. In this role, Azorandia will lead the company’s compliance strategy, governance framework and risk management infrastructure as Click n’ Close continues to scale its national platform and expand its lending programs. [UPDATED]
DENVER, Colo., May 5, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — DealCycl, Inc. today announced the general availability of DealCycl Company, the cap table management and corporate governance platform for private companies. DealCycl Company is available immediately across four pricing tiers – Free, Starter, Growth, and Scale – with no waitlist, no sales calls, and no per-stakeholder pricing.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 30, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Secured Signing, a global leader in Digital Signature and Remote Online Notarization (RON) technology, recently sat down with industry innovators Tall Poppy Real Estate to discuss the successful, large-scale integration of the Secured Signing API into their core proprietary platform. By embedding high-security digital signatures directly into its internal workflows, Tall Poppy is effectively redefining the benchmarks for transparency, efficiency, and trust within the international real estate market.
DES MOINES, Iowa, April 29, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — iEmergent, a forecasting and advisory services firm for the financial services, mortgage and real estate industries, has released its analysis of 2025 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data in Mortgage MarketSmart. Presented by iEmergent CEO Laird Nossuli, the findings point to a market that is regaining momentum after a prolonged downturn.
ATLANTA, Ga., April 29, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry authority on homeownership program data and solutions, today released its Q1 2026 Homeownership Program Index (HPI) report, identifying 2,679 programs nationwide. This represents a 2% increase from the previous quarter (2,619 programs), reflecting continued expansion of resources designed to improve affordability and access to homeownership.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, April 28, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — BoomTax reports that, as the IRS targets retirement of the Filing Information Returns Electronically (FIRE) system at the end of 2026 and continues developing a process for corrections to original FIRE submissions, payroll, accounting, and enterprise filing teams face an unresolved 2027 transition question.
TROY, Mich., April 28, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), today announced the official launch of Class Valuation Underwriting Engine (CVUE), an underwriting and appraisal assurance program designed to reduce lender risk, lower operational costs and accelerate loan closings.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 23, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — A widespread shift in business technology is driving organizations across legal, financial services, staffing, governments, life science, and corporate sectors to rethink how they manage data, workflows, and document execution, says Secured Signing. As companies migrate from legacy systems, integrated all-in-one e-Signature and online notary solutions are emerging as a critical component of modern operations.
SAN DIEGO, Calif., April 21, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation’s largest independent cooperative network for mortgage lenders, will host its act Tech Summit on Aug. 12-13, bringing together mortgage industry leaders, technology providers and decision-makers for an affordable, high-value opportunity to evaluate technology partners and solutions in a single setting. The event will be held at The Highland Dallas, Curio Collection by Hilton in Dallas, Texas.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 17, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Secured Signing, a global leader in Digital Signing and Remote Online Notarization (RON), announced a 45% month-on-month increase in adoption of Realify, its AI-powered deepfake detection feature, among independent and in-house notaries. The surge reflects growing awareness among legal and notarial professionals of the escalating threat posed by AI-generated synthetic media in video-based identity verification and online meetings.
DALLAS, Texas and BURLINGTON, Ontario, Canada, April 17, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — HostPapa, Inc., a leading global web hosting and cloud service provider, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Tailor Made Servers (“TMS”), a Dallas, Texas-based dedicated server hosting provider that has been serving businesses and resellers since 2003.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., April 16, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced the appointment of Vikas Rao as chief executive officer. Rao, who has served as chief technology officer since 2025, succeeds Sean Dugan and will lead the company’s next phase with a focus on translating its technology leadership into stronger growth.
TROY, Mich., April 16, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), announced today that it has acquired Lauritano Appraisal Services (LAS), a highly respected New York-based residential appraisal firm with more than 30 years of experience delivering high-quality valuation services.
PLANO, Texas, April 14, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Optimal Blue today released its March 2026 Market Advantage mortgage data report, reflecting resilient mortgage activity as purchase demand strengthened despite higher rates. Total rate-lock volume rose 13% month over month (MoM) and 26% year over year (YoY). Purchase activity led the month, with purchase lock volume up 38% from February and 20% from March 2025. Cash-out refinance volume increased 9% MoM and 21% YoY, while rate-and-term refinance volume declined 34% from February but remained more than 66% higher YoY.
