WILTON, Conn. (CitizenWire) — Key mortgage technology developers and business services providers have launched PROGRESS In Lending Association (PROGRESS), to provide a collaborative forum and content platform for mortgage lending business process innovation. Created to fill an under-served mortgage industry segment and purpose, PROGRESS is lead by an all-volunteer executive team comprised of high-profile mortgage professionals with more than 100 years’ combined industry experience.
“PROGRESS provides a venue for thoughts and ideas related to the future of the mortgage industry to flow freely,” said Roger Gudobba, PROGRESS CEO. “It’s more productive to move things forward in concert as a group. PROGRESS is a ‘home base’ for industry participants to explore the improvements technology can make in the mortgage lending process.”
“Technology will play an increasingly critical role in mortgage lenders’ compliance with new regulation, competitiveness, profitability, and ability to serve borrowers working toward the American Dream,” said PROGRESS In Lending founder and chairman Tony Garritano. “Ensuring the future viability and economic contribution of the mortgage industry is at the heart of why this association has formed.”
The passage of Dodd-Frank financial reform underscores the relevance of industry collaboration on business process improvements including technology and finely tuned intelligence-based business strategy.
“In 2010 alone the mortgage industry has had to adapt to an unprecedented change in business climate caused by regulations like MDIA and RESPA, for example. All of these challenges call for automated responses,” said PROGRESS chief strategy officer Michael Hammond. “Dodd-Frank will create its own challenges for our industry.”
“PROGRESS is built on thought leadership over bureaucracy,” said Kelly Purcell, chief information officer at PROGRESS. “I am proud to be associated with people who share my passion and commitment for restoring credibility and respect to the mortgage industry.”
“Many passionate individuals want to participate at an industry level to improve the mortgage lending process. PROGRESS is our opportunity to go to the next level,” said Gabe Minton, chief technology officer at PROGRESS. “By providing a virtual conference room to explore the convergence of business with technology and solve real problems, PROGRESS enables participants to formulate and document consensus-based opinions applicable to lenders’ current issues.”
“For the mortgage industry, technology thought leadership can make all the difference,” said Michael Blair, chief operations officer at PROGRESS. “We want to make a difference. What we’re doing here is an industry effort. Through PROGRESS we can all come together and improve the mortgage space.”
About PROGRESS in Lending Association:
PROGRESS in Lending Association believes that business process re-thinking and optimization can make all the difference. This association is about educating mortgage industry participants about real business problems and overcoming them through technology innovation. PROGRESS seeks to reshape the mortgage marketplace for the better. Find out more about PROGRESS in Lending Association at http://www.progressinlending.com.
About PROGRESS in Lending Association’s Executive Team:
Chairman and Founder Tony Garritano has focused on informing executives about leveraging technology as a tool to further business objectives for almost a decade.
CEO Roger Gudobba, with more than 20 years’ mortgage experience is also chief strategy officer at technology vendor Compliance Systems
Chief Strategy Officer Michael Hammond is also the founder and president of NexLevel Advisors. He has almost two decades of leadership, management, marketing, sales and technical product experience.
CIO Kelly Purcell is also executive vice president, global sales and marketing for e-signing and e-vaulting vendor eSignSystems, a division of Wave Systems Corp. She was co-founder of eSignSystems and has more than 25 years’ mortgage and technology experience.
CTO Gabe Minton is also chief strategy officer for business intelligence provider Motivity Solutions. He has been the recipient of multiple technology awards, is an innovator of data standards having helped found MISMO.
COO Michael Blair has more than 15 years’ financial services industry experience, including President at Allpointe Mortgage, where he oversaw the lending operations and marketing. several senior management positions in this space.
More information: www.progressinlending.com.