Janice Sand

TROY, Mich. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), announced today that Daniel A. Busch has joined the company as its chief financial officer (CFO). Busch brings more than two decades of financial leadership experience to the role, including extensive work in private equity environments, business transformation and data-driven operational performance.

PLANO, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Optimal Blue today released its November 2025 Market Advantage mortgage data report, which found that total mortgage rate-lock activity declined with normal late fall seasonality, yet still marked the strongest November in four years. Total lock volume fell 25% month over month (MoM) from October but remained up 17% year over year (YoY), buoyed by historically strong refinance demand and mortgage rates holding near 6%.

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Selected as one of the top applications from over 1,600 submissions, LearnWise AI wins the Bronze Award in the AI in Education category, recognized for its innovation, impact, and scalability in transforming the student experience for its all-in-one, integrated approach to student support, tutoring, and assessment.

PLANO, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Optimal Blue today announced the promotion of Lanny Rogers III, CPA, to chief financial officer (CFO) and Jeremy Moreno to chief revenue officer (CRO). Their combined experience and long track records of leadership position the company to advance its next stage of growth and client success with a dedicated financial strategy function and strengthened revenue oversight.

LADNER, B.C., Canada /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Author Hugh Greer announces the release of his new book, "2,300 Days of Travel: From Roughing it to Luxury Cruising" (ISBN: 978-1834183879), a witty and self-deprecating chronicle of his journeys from camping in the 1950s to luxury riverboats and ocean cruises later in life.

ATLANTA, Ga. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry's leading technology for connecting homebuyers with homebuyer assistance programs, today announced that Tim Higginson, partner solutions specialist, has been named to National Mortgage Professional Magazine's 40 Under 40 list for 2025.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- As the holidays bring moments of connection, AgingIN is recognizing the caregivers and elders who preserve the comfort and continuity of home in long-term care. AgingIN, home to THE GREEN HOUSE® Project and Pioneer Network, celebrates these families and the AgingIN-associated professional care teams that are built for person-directed living.

AUSTIN, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, today announced the appointment of Alex Sirpis as vice president of sales. In this role, Sirpis will lead the company's sales organization, refine the go-to-market strategy and drive revenue growth as FirstClose continues expanding its presence with mortgage and home equity lenders across the country.

LAKE ZURICH, Ill. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Dovenmuehle Mortgage, Inc. (DMI), a leading mortgage subservicing company, announced today that Rivermark Community Credit Union has expanded its partnership with DMI. Under this expanded relationship, Dovenmuehle will provide subservicing for Rivermark's growing portfolio of mortgage loans, supporting the credit union's expanding membership base and ensuring an exceptional servicing experience for members.

CLEVELAND, Ohio /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Top mortgage industry webcast The Big Picture, broadcast live every Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, announced a December lineup of trailblazing figures in loan origination technology, real estate and housing finance advocacy. Co-hosted by mortgage business consultant and executive coach Rich Swerbinsky and capital markets authority Rob Chrisman.

DES MOINES, Iowa /New York Netwire - National News/ -- iEmergent, a forecasting and advisory services firm for the financial services, mortgage and real estate industries, released a new analysis validating that its U.S. purchase mortgage origination forecasts continue to lead the industry in accuracy, outperforming other publicly available forecasts such as those published by Fannie Mae and the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) over the last six years.

QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Christmas at Schnepf Farms is back for the holidays, and this year's outdoor holiday experience is bigger and better than ever. When the gates opened on November 28, guests gained access to more than 30 acres of the East Valley farm and nearly 50 holiday-themed attractions. Christmas at Schnepf Farms runs Thursday through Sunday from November 28 through December 28, 2025.

ORLANDO, Fla. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Cole Engineering Services, Inc. (CESI), a By Light Company, has been competitively down selected to demonstrate the next evolution in live training modernization: the Force-on-Force Small Arms Appended Sensor Package (ASP). This hybrid system, which integrates laser, optical, and geo-pairing technologies, represents a significant leap forward in live training realism.

RALEIGH, N.C. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Sokal, a leading automotive advertising and digital marketing agency, proudly announces its move to a new Raleigh headquarters in the up-and-coming Ironworks facility. With a now 150+ strong team, offices in key regions, and specialized staff serving dealers coast‑to‑coast, Sokal continues its mission to deliver market-leading services to automotive clients.

AUSTIN, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, today announced the appointment of Adam Nicholson as director of professional services. Nicholson will lead the company's implementation operations, including project delivery, process optimization and cross-functional coordination to enhance the customer experience.

NEW ORLEANS, La. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Overdrive Digital Marketing, a leader in website development, SEO, and strategic online growth, has announced an expanded version of its Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Large Language Model (LLM) visibility system. This upgraded offering is built to help businesses appear directly inside AI powered answers across platforms like ChatGPT, Bing Copilot, Perplexity, and Google's emerging generative search features.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Move For Hunger, a national hunger relief nonprofit, successfully hosted its Music City Drop event in downtown Nashville, rallying the community and corporate partners to raise the equivalent of more than 680,000 meals for families in need.

AUSTIN, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, announced today that Lake Michigan Credit Union (LMCU) has implemented FirstClose's Equity Order Management to automate settlement workflows for its home equity lending operations.

SOUTH ST PAUL, Minn. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Anchor Roofing & Exteriors, a locally owned roofing and exterior contractor serving the Twin Cities since 2002, today announced it has reached 100 five-star Google reviews. The milestone reflects the company's strong community relationships and long-standing commitment to reliable, year-round service in Minnesota.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Just in time for the holiday season, the American Gem Society (AGS) is bringing back Find a Jeweler Week, running December 1-5. First launched in 2021, this annual campaign is held during the first week of December to help educate consumers on the importance of shopping with a credentialed AGS jeweler.