The 2025 Thought Leader Award Winners Are …
We need industry thought leaders if mortgage lending is going to advance moving forward. Our existing awards all acknowledge the good work that executives are doing now, but we think it’s time to reward future work and initiatives. We need thought leaders that are not afraid to step forward and blaze a new trail. We need creativity. We need bold new ideas. As a result, for the 6th year in a row PROGRESS in Lending is honoring industry thought leaders.
In alphabetical order the 2025 Thought Leader Award Winners are:
Dawar Alimi
CEO & Co-Founder
Lender Price
Lender Price CEO Dawar Alimi sees today’s lending innovation landscape as one of rapid technological progress coupled with increasing strategic complexity. The industry has made significant strides toward digitization, automation, and data-driven decisioning, but many lenders still struggle to align new technologies with business strategy. Alimi believes the state of innovation in lending today is driven by the convergence of AI, open data architectures, and borrower-centric design, yet a gap remains between what’s possible and what’s actually implemented.
Too often, solutions prioritize automation over transparency or efficiency over personalization. Alimi points to Lender Price’s AI-driven, cloud-native pricing engine as an example of what next-generation innovation can look like—technology that automates intelligently, improves efficiency, and adapts to each lender through configurable workflows and a customizable UI. This empowers institutions to deliver a more personalized pricing experience, manage thousands of loan products with precision, and offer borrowers greater choice and transparency. For Alimi, true innovation lies not just in faster technology, but in creating seamless, adaptive lending experiences that empower lenders to make better, more equitable decisions and deliver superior outcomes for borrowers.
Reena Agrawal
Senior Research Economist
Veros Real Estate Solutions
Reena Agrawal, Veros Real Estate Solutions’ Senior Research Economist, sees innovation in lending moving at an incredible pace right now, driven by advances in technology, better use of data, and shifting expectations from borrowers. She says, “We are well past the days when credit decisions relied solely on FICO scores and paper applications. Artificial intelligence, automation, and new forms of data are completely changing how lenders assess risk and extend credit. Most borrowers today expect a digital first experience, and the industry has stepped up to deliver that. We’re seeing faster real estate loan approvals, online applications, and even instant underwriting. What’s exciting is how machine learning allows lenders to look beyond traditional metrics like cash-flow data, rent payments, and even utility bills are being factored in. That’s expanding credit access for people who may have been left out before. On top of that, open banking and API integrations are giving lenders real-time verification tools that make the process quicker and more transparent for everyone involved. Of course, with all this innovation comes responsibility. Regulations must evolve to keep up, and lenders need to make sure algorithms are explainable, fair, and respectful of data privacy. Automation can make things efficient, but it shouldn’t replace human oversight or ethical decision-making. The leaders in this space are the ones using technology not just to speed things up, but to make lending more inclusive and trustworthy. We are in a dynamic moment for the housing finance industry that is defined by smarter use of data, deeper digitization, and a growing focus on fairness. Looking ahead, I think the next big step will be building systems that use ethical AI and real-time analytics to make credit decisions that are not just faster, but also fairer and more sustainable.”
John Cady
CEO & President
Citywide Home Mortgage
John believes that innovation in mortgage lending is genuinely transforming how we work. AI and automation are handling document verification, credit assessments and routine communications with remarkable efficiency. These aren’t future promises—they’re current realities that are reshaping operations across the industry. That transformation is real and valuable. However, the innovation conversation has become narrowly focused on technology adoption while largely ignoring how we structure organizations to actually use these tools effectively. We’re investing heavily in platforms and systems while maintaining the same hierarchical structures and approval chains that slow everything down. John believes that the meaningful gap can be found in an all-too-common operational philosophy. Large institutions are adding sophisticated systems while simultaneously adding layers of management and compliance oversight. The result is technology that can process information instantly running through approval chains that take days. That’s an organizational design problem.
Meanwhile, Cady believes, the operators who are actually benefiting from innovation are the ones who’ve figured out how to eliminate bureaucratic drag, empower front-line decision makers and use technology to handle administrative burden so their people can focus on client relationships. The technology amplifies their judgment and expertise rather than trying to replace it. John believes that technological capability is not always synonymous with actual innovation. The tools we use are increasingly impressive. But the real innovation—the kind that changes outcomes for borrowers and professionals—happens when organizations figure out how to deploy those tools without suffocating the human expertise that makes mortgage lending work. That’s where the industry is still finding its way, and it’s where the most important work needs to happen going forward.
Art Calhoun
VP, Strategic Partnerships
Sagent
Art Calhoun, VP of Strategic Partnerships at Sagent, stands at the forefront of transforming the mortgage servicing industry — an industry long overdue for change. With over two decades of experience across every corner of servicing, Art brings both the historical perspective and forward-looking vision needed to modernize how America’s $14 trillion mortgage market operates. Art sees a clear truth: while innovation in lending has surged, servicing has been left behind. Outdated systems, fragmented processes, and disconnected data have held servicers back from delivering the seamless, real-time experiences consumers now expect. But Art doesn’t see this as a setback — he sees it as a massive opportunity. At Sagent, Art is helping drive the industry’s modernization through Dara, the first truly real-time, end-to-end mortgage servicing platform. Dara doesn’t just make servicing faster — it reimagines how information flows between servicers, partners, and homeowners. By connecting stakeholders in one unified ecosystem, Dara is replacing delays, manual work, and legacy tech with automation, transparency, and connection.
Art’s mission is clear: make technology work for people — not the other way around. He believes AI and automation should empower professionals to do what they do best: build trust and serve customers. For Art, innovation is not just about efficiency — it’s about restoring the human side of servicing. As a connector and collaborator, Art leads from the center of the industry conversation, helping bring servicers, partners, and innovators together at Ignite, Sagent’s customer summit. There, leaders from across the ecosystem share ideas, pilot new technologies, and explore what’s next for servicing. Ignite embodies Art’s philosophy: that progress happens when people come together around a shared vision for better experiences and stronger relationships. Art knows that the future of servicing won’t be defined by systems alone — it will be defined by how those systems strengthen relationships. By eliminating friction and empowering connection, the servicing industry can finally match the pace of innovation seen in every other sector. In short, Art Calhoun sees the state of innovation in lending not as a finished product, but as a work in progress — one he’s actively leading. Through Dara’s real-time, people-first technology and Sagent’s growing network of partners, Art is helping to write the next chapter of mortgage servicing — one built on transparency, collaboration, and care.
Wendy Greenawalt
Senior Director, Operations
First American
Wendy Greenawalt views innovation in lending as being at a pivotal inflection point — one defined by both technological opportunity and widespread momentum. The lending industry, long governed by legacy systems and risk-averse practices, is being reshaped by advances in automation, analytics, and data transparency. Yet, as Wendy has identified, many organizations are still only scratching the surface of what true digital transformation can accomplish. Wendy is a seasoned Product Management Executive with over 20 years of experience driving innovation and growth across the financial services, mortgage, and title industries. With deep expertise in credit data and analytics, decision automation, and regulatory-compliant product development, Wendy has led the charge in delivering transformative solutions that enhance operational efficiency and customer experience. In her view, the next era of lending innovation will not be defined merely by digitizing manual processes but by reimagining how data, compliance, and customer experience intersect.
She sees the greatest potential in harnessing real-time credit and property data to enable smarter, faster, and more inclusive decision-making. Wendy believes innovation in lending today must focus on bridging silos — connecting lenders, title providers, and consumers in a more integrated ecosystem that prioritizes clarity, efficiency, and trust. Through her leadership at First American, Wendy has already demonstrated how forward-thinking design can modernize core operations. By championing platforms like Xtent and EquiRisk, she has proven that automation and analytics can succeed in partnership with regulatory rigor. Her perspective is that sustainable innovation requires balancing boldness with accountability — a mindset that’s transforming not just the tools lenders use, but the way they think about risk, equity, and customer value. Wendy exemplifies the spirit of a true thought leader — one who not only envisions the future of lending, but actively builds it. Her work at First American demonstrates that innovation is not just about technology, but about transforming how the industry thinks, collaborates, and serves its customers.
Twyla Hankins
Chief Operating Officer
American Financial Network, Inc.
Twyla Hankins, Chief Operating Officer for American Financial Network, Inc. (AFN), has a decades-long history of keeping innovation and technology at the forefront of growth and market-share expansion plans. With each technological breakthrough, Hankins has led an automation team to build the next great platform, minimizing workflow time and expediting each milestone in the loan process, enabling operations to handle a larger workload without increasing staff. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and its budding infiltration into the mortgage lending arena, Hankins finds herself at the helm, once again, on a great expedition into uncharted territory.
Not one who is wary of the unknown, Hankins enthusiastically collaborates with the company’s CEO, Information Technology (IT) team, the Loan Origination System (LOS) administration team, and trusted department heads to ensure that all aspects of operations are considered when planning the company’s best, most prudent, and most effective use of AI. As with other technologies, AI is sure to come with regulatory mandates at the state and federal levels; therefore, Hankins also collaborates with the company’s compliance team to ensure that AFN’s deployment of each new phase of AI technology is solidly compliant when it is ready to go live. Hankins believes it is a great time to be in the industry. Technological advances, once deployed, will make the result of all the time, money, and energy invested in building the next lending platform well worth the effort. It will be rewarding and satisfying as a thought leader when homebuyers, sales teams, real estate agents, the operations team, and other behind-the-scenes employees who keep the company humming are introduced to the latest technology, which makes their tasks easier to manage and more timely executed.
Kurt Leverson
Chief Operations Leader
National General Lender Services
Since being named Chief Operations Leader at National General Lender Services (NGLS) in 2023, Kurt Leverson has championed a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence. Over his 15 years with NGLS, he has led major platform migrations, system upgrades, and process redesigns that reduced friction, improved turnaround times, and elevated the experience for both lenders and borrowers. By championing ISO 9001-certified workflows, Kurt ensures consistent, high-quality support in every borrower interaction. Kurt sees the state of innovation in our industry at an inflection point.
He says, “While technology has accelerated operations, in many cases it has not yet delivered true transformation. Automation and digitization have improved speed, but often processes still result in borrower friction.” To Kurt, this gap marks the difference between operational efficiency and genuine innovation. Kurt believes the next wave of innovation must reimagine the borrower experience from the ground up. Advances in automation should make interactions more intuitive, not just faster or more accurate. The opportunity ahead is to build systems that anticipate intent and deliver clarity and confidence in every step.
Erik Morin
CEO
Atlas VMS
Erik Morin is a powerhouse in the valuation space, having worked in the industry for more than 25 years in numerous executive roles. Morin has been an equity partner in multiple national mortgage lenders and a partner in three appraisal management companies. He was the founder and CEO of Landmark Network, a national AMC that made the Inc. 5000 list four times before it was sold to Class Valuation in 2018. Morin served as a partner and COO of Specialty Teams at Class before selling his interest and launching his own consulting firm. Now, Morin is back in the appraisal space with the launch of Atlas VMS. Since its founding in 2023, Atlas VMS has surpassed 400% growth year over year and has expanded operations to nearly all 50 states, bringing a unique, client-centric value proposition to the valuation space.
The value proposition that Erik brings to the lending industry with Atlas VMS is specific. He aims to provide a high-touch, client-centric appraisal experience that will streamline the valuation process for lenders and borrowers. As someone who has worked in the lending space in various capacities for many years, Morin has seen the market thrive and prosper, and he’s seen it challenged and weakened. But throughout all these ups and downs, his professional ethos has never waivered. For Morin, it’s all about building personal relationships, something he has valued throughout his career and has served him well as he guided the launch of Atlas. It is through these relationships, Morin says, that collaboration occurs. Right now, Morin recognizes an industry that is challenged, but one that is also ripe for innovation. He believes that the path forward will be designed by forward-thinking industry leaders who are open to new ideas that will generate a better experience for lenders and borrowers alike.
Franco Terango
Chief Executive Officer
Certainty Home Lending
Innovation in mortgage lending has become oddly narrow. Too many lenders have convinced themselves that “innovation” begins and ends with automation. Terango says, “Somewhere along the way, technology has evolved from being a tool that empowers people to a substitute for actual human expertise — and that tells me we’re missing the point of what borrowers truly value in the homebuying experience. Don’t get me wrong — we should absolutely embrace the extraordinary technological advances of the last few years. AI isn’t a fad. Automation isn’t optional. However, the real problem is that the most critical areas of innovation — people development, leadership, and organizational structure — remain decades behind. Yes, we’ve found ways to process loans faster and collect documents digitally. However, we haven’t rethought how we develop leaders, grow talent, or build organizations that can make informed decisions quickly and consistently.
“There’s a pattern the industry falls back into every time the market tightens: we cut costs, automate everything in sight, and unintentionally commoditize one of the most relationship-driven transactions in a person’s life. It’s innovation in reverse. Everyone ends up offering the same tech stack, chasing the same “speed to close,” while stripping away the human elements that truly differentiate the lending experience. At the heart of the issue is the role of the loan officer,” Terango continues. “We’re still operating with a mindset that treats LOs like product salespeople rather than trusted financial advisors. Compensation structures, support models, and career paths haven’t evolved in any meaningful way, and younger generations won’t build long-term careers in an industry that offers nothing beyond commission splits. But the most significant innovation gap is leadership. Other industries have adopted distributed decision-making, real accountability paired with empowerment, and two-way communication. Mortgage lending is still built around hierarchical, top-down structures that slow everything down and stifle agility. Bottom line: most of our “innovation” focuses on shaving seconds off a process instead of reimagining how we build teams, how we serve families, and how we balance cutting-edge technology with the irreplaceable value of trusted human guidance. The boldest ideas aren’t about faster apps — they’re about rethinking how our organizations operate and how we develop people who can elevate the borrower experience beyond anything technology alone can deliver.”
Ryan Varner
Head of Client Success
Mortgage Cadence, an Accenture Co.
If you ask Ryan Varner, Head of Client Success at Mortgage Cadence, what drives innovation, he won’t say technology. He’ll point to the people. Not developers or technology salespeople, although they certainly play their roles. No, for Ryan, it comes down to users. True innovation isn’t defined by the newest product release or latest AI feature. It is defined by adoption. Even the most impressive technological innovation amounts to nothing if it isn’t embraced and used by the people it was designed to support. Ryan’s perspective reframes innovation not as a technology challenge, but as a people challenge, and solving it requires a partner committed to user success. He believes that without a dedicated customer success team, even the most promising innovations fall short. Too often, technology providers claim to focus on customer outcomes, yet prioritize their own goals over their clients’ success. In Ryan’s view, innovation fails when technology companies stop listening to their users and deliver software instead of delivering value. That philosophy has guided the evolution of Mortgage Cadence’s Client Success organization.
Under Ryan’s leadership, the team doesn’t just support clients; they partner with them. They work hand-in-hand with lenders to ensure that every solution, every feature, and every workflow truly fits the client’s lending model and long-term strategy. This collaborative approach transforms technology into true business transformation. By translating client needs into action and ensuring continuous alignment across Product, IT, and Support, Ryan’s group plays a central role in how innovation comes to life across Mortgage Cadence. He also believes that the state of innovation in lending is at a crossroads. Technology has advanced rapidly, but adoption hasn’t kept pace. Many lenders feel overwhelmed by complexity or under-supported by vendors who treat them as accounts instead of partners. Ryan sees that as an opportunity and a call to action for the industry to double down on people, not just platforms. It’s a tough problem to solve, but Ryan has proven it can be done. He built the Mortgage Cadence Client Success team from the ground up to ensure lenders have a true partner in their journey toward modernization. His belief is simple but powerful: technology alone doesn’t change lending, people do.
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