National News

AUSTIN, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- FirstClose™, Inc., a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, announced its Senior Vice President of Human Resources Katie Smith has been named a 2025 HousingWire Woman of Influence. The national award recognizes her exceptional leadership, commitment to company culture and impact on the fintech and mortgage lending industry.

PHOENIX, Ariz. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- The Black Chamber of Arizona, in partnership with the Millionaire Mastermind Academy, will kick off the third cohort of its signature Impact AZ 2025 business accelerator with a full-day launch event Tuesday, July 8, at the Better Business Bureau Innovation & Event Hub Center in Phoenix.

VICTORIA, B.C. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Tony Cond, a retired Royal Canadian Navy Marine Systems Engineer and lifelong sailor, shares a collection of personal stories in his new book, "Rigged: The Misadventures of a Classic Wooden Sailboat" (ISBN: 978-1779622808), released June 2025 through Tellwell Publishing. The book captures decades of misadventures, quiet triumphs, and family traditions centered around a classic 1947 wooden boat named Rufus.

CLEVELAND, Ohio /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Top mortgage industry webcast The Big Picture, broadcast live every Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, has unveiled its July guest lineup featuring five impressive leaders who will explore the power of analytics, interpret public policy signals, unpack the barriers to home ownership and deliver pragmatic capital markets perspective. Co-hosted by mortgage business consultant and executive coach Rich Swerbinsky and capital markets authority Rob Chrisman, author of the widely read Chrisman Commentary newsletter, the webcast delivers timely, thought-provoking conversations with mortgage professionals, innovators and thought leaders.

TROY, Mich. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), announced today that Executive Vice President, Head of Operations Melinda (Mindy) Lesinski has been named to HousingWire's 2025 Women of Influence list. HousingWire's Women of Influence program was launched in 2010 to recognize women making notable contributions to both their businesses and the industry at large, with a specific focus on contributions during the most recent 12 months.

NEW YORK, N.Y. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- As Americans gear up to celebrate Independence Day, StarknightMT is saluting the spirit of freedom with unbeatable deals for off-road enthusiasts. The company recently announced the launch of its 4th of July Sale, running from June 28 through July 10. And the excitement doesn't end there-StarknightMT' s Prime Day Sale kicks off July 5, bringing more deals to fuel your next adventure.

ORLANDO, Fla. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Cole Engineering Services, Inc. (CESI), a By Light Company, has been awarded a $62 million production contract by the U.S. Army's Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) to deliver more than 100 Stinger Training Systems (STS) over the next five years.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Street Media Group, a leading out-of-home advertising provider in northern Colorado, has been awarded a multi-year contract with the City of Fort Collins, Colorado. The agreement allows Street Media Group to market and sell out-of-home advertising space on Transfort's public transit amenities, including buses, bus stop shelters, and bus stop benches.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced it has established an integration with Uniform Collateral Data Portal® (UCDP®), a single portal jointly maintained by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the GSEs). This expansion positions Dark Matter as an early adopter of the technology needed to support the Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) 3.6 and Forms Redesign initiative.

SEATTLE, Wash. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- The National Pygmy Goat Association (NPGA) is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Champion Challenge held in Porterville, California June 20, 2025. Hosted by the Sequoia Pygmy Goat Association, How the West Was Won National Convention brought together the best animals from across the country for a chance to claim the top honor of national champion.

NEW YORK, N.Y. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- OneConv, known for its innovation in the multimedia industry, launches the new OneConv Netflix Video Downloader, giving users the ability to download high-quality Netflix shows in their original resolution with ease. This professional tool supports one-click downloads of entire seasons, offering a seamless way to enjoy Netflix content offline without any limitations.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced its CEO, Sean Dugan, has been named to Inman's 2025 Best of Finance list. Now in its third year, the award is a prestigious industry recognition honoring professionals in the mortgage and financial services sectors who demonstrate exceptional innovation, influence and impact on the residential real estate ecosystem.

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Argyle, a service provider automating income, employment and asset verifications for some of the largest lenders in the United States, today announced that its founder and CEO Shmulik Fishman has been named one of Inman's 2025 Best of Finance, his second consecutive appearance on the list. Inman's editorial team hand-selects distinguished professionals for their role in driving the mortgage and financial services industries forward through leadership, exceptional service and commitment to innovation.

BELLEVUE, Wash. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- In the specialized market of graphite and carbon materials, M. Brashem, Inc., headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, continues to set the standard for quality, reliability, and global distribution. Serving a diverse range of industries including steel production, aluminum smelting, chemical processing, and advanced manufacturing, M. Brashem offers a broad inventory of graphite electrodes, blocks, rods, and custom carbon products with worldwide reach.

FALLSTON, Md. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- As more homeowners and businesses in Harford County look to enhance the appearance and value of their properties, Coby Pros has become a go-to name for professional painting, drywall, and remodeling services. Based in Fallston, MD, Coby Pros is known for delivering dependable craftsmanship, clean work, and high-end finishes to residential and commercial spaces alike.

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Argyle, a service provider automating income and employment verifications for some of the largest lenders and tenant screening platforms in the United States, today announced the availability of verification of assets powered by Mastercard's open finance technology. The expanded offering enables lenders to confirm borrowers' balances, cash-to-close and cash-flow history alongside income and employment.

BOULDER, Colo. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Floify, the mortgage industry's leading point-of-sale (POS) solution, today announced that Sofia Rossato, its president and general manager, has been named a recipient of Inman's 2025 Best of Finance award. Unlike many awards where leaders are nominated by their companies, this award is managed entirely by the Inman editorial team to recognize leaders driving meaningful change in the lending industry independently.

PRESCOTT, Ariz. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Homeowners and businesses seeking dependable, licensed electrical services are turning to Sundog Electric LLC, a growing electrical contractor known for its skilled workmanship, honest pricing, and commitment to safety. Whether it's panel upgrades, whole-home rewiring, or energy-efficient lighting, Sundog Electric delivers quality electrical solutions backed by exceptional customer care.

CLAYMONT, Del. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- CleverFiles, the developer of leading data recovery software, announces the release of Disk Drill 6, the newest major version of its recovery solution for Mac and Windows. This update introduces breakthrough innovations, including the Advanced Camera Recovery module for fragmented video recovery, support for Microsoft's ReFS, targeted BitLocker recovery on Mac, and performance improvements that boost scan speeds by up to 25%.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah /New York Netwire - National News/ -- MMI (Mobility Market Intelligence), the sole provider of a unified mortgage technology solution for the lending and real estate finance industry, proudly announces that Kortney Lane-Schafers, Vice President of Growth & Client Advocacy, has been recognized as a 2025 Most Powerful Woman in Fintech by PROGRESS in Lending.