Janice Sand

BOULDER, Colo. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Floify, the mortgage industry's leading point-of-sale (POS) solution, today announced that Sydney Barber, 33, head of product, has been named a 2026 HousingWire Rising Star. Barber joins 74 other young professionals on this year's list.

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Protective apparel manufacturer Kappler®, Inc. marks its 50th anniversary on April 1, with a twist of corporate irony around the company's April Fools' founding date in 1976. As millions of emergency responders and safety professionals can attest, Kappler's innovative chemical suits are no joking matter.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced Ask Aiva®, a conversational AI assistant natively embedded within the Empower® loan origination system (LOS) that allows lenders to query their origination environment in plain language, receive instant answers to see how those answers were derived.

SEATTLE, Wash. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Friday Harbor today announced a new integration with the Calyx Path Platform that brings AI-powered pre-underwriting directly into the flow of the loan. Instead of waiting until underwriting to uncover issues, lenders can now review borrower documents, surface potential problems and resolve them earlier while maintaining consistent, reliable loan data throughout the lifecycle.

ATLANTA, Ga. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- This Financial Literacy Awareness Month, kids and families are invited to meet the Money Buddies, a lovable and irreverent cast of puppet characters on a mission to make learning about money fun, memorable, and easy to understand. Created and powered by Alliance Group, Money Buddies officially debuts the first two episodes of its seven-episode educational series on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Argyle, a leading provider of direct-source, consumer-permissioned income, employment and asset verifications, today announced a new integration with Vesta, an AI-native loan origination system (LOS) and agent platform built to automate and accelerate mortgage operations.

TAMPA, Fla. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- What if the smallest act of kindness could change the world? That's the question at the heart of "My Ripple Effect," a bold new faith and family film from JC Films and Joshuacord - hitting screens this week and starring fan favorites Dean Cain, Kevin Sorbo, Eddie McClintock and Michael Sigler.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation's largest independent cooperative network for mortgage lenders, will send its Advocacy Committee to Washington, D.C. on April 16 to meet with federal policymakers and housing agencies to discuss mortgage lending, regulatory reform and housing affordability.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- GeekyAnts, a ​​global technology consulting and product development company, today announced the formal launch of GeekyAnts AI and AI Pods, a two-tier delivery program built to take enterprise AI systems from proof of concept to production, addressing the infrastructure and accountability failures that have stalled most AI pilot programs in 2026.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- As marketers navigate fluctuating digital costs and crowded online environments, new industry research shows direct mail standing out for its consistency, engagement, and ability to drive measurable action. Commissioned by Franklin Madison Direct and conducted by research firm Circlebox, the 2026 Direct Mail Marketing Benchmark Report analyzes national survey data from U.S. marketers and consumers to assess direct mail performance and its role within today's omnichannel strategies.

EDINBURGH, UK /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Today, we at FAXVIN are proud to mark 16 years in business. Since our founding on March 26, 2010, we have focused on one core mission: helping buyers, sellers, and automotive businesses make more informed decisions by giving them easier access to vehicle history information.

MILFORD, Mass. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- We're proud that Total Cal® Multichannel was recognized by TWICE as one of the standout innovations at CES 2026, Total Sonics announced today. Total Cal Multichannel brings professional-grade multichannel room calibration to everyday audio products - making immersive, accurate sound faster, simpler, and more affordable than ever.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- In just three years, a global effort to document the world's oldest vineyards has reached a major milestone. The Old Vine Registry, the world's leading public database dedicated to historic vineyards, announced today that it has surpassed 10,000 registered vineyards worldwide, achieving a goal originally set for 2027 more than a year ahead of schedule.

CORONA, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Macfox is excited to announce a limited-time Easter Sale. During this event, customers purchasing select Macfox electric bikes can enjoy the following offers: the X7, X1S, X1S x Bs.zay, and X2 models are eligible for a $100 discount and a free mirror set, while the M16 model qualifies for a $50 discount.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- In his powerful new book, "Home Service Empire: How I Built, Scaled, and Sold a Family of Businesses Worth Over $100 Million" (ISBN: 978-196833-852 paperback; 978-1968339869 ebook; 978-1968339845 hardcover; Legacy Launch Pad Publishing), entrepreneur Cameron Bawden shares the battle-tested blueprint behind building one of Arizona's largest privately owned home service companies-and exiting on his terms.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Secured Signing, a leading provider of tamperproof Digital Signatures and Online Notary solutions, is proud to announce its official approval as a trusted provider for Remote Online Notarization (RON) and In Person Electronic Notarization (IPEN) in nearly 40 U.S. states.

LONDON, UK /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Coda One has built two tools that probably shouldn't exist in the same company. One rewrites AI-generated text so it reads like a person wrote it. The other scans any text and tells you exactly how much of it looks machine-made. Both are free. Neither requires an account.

VICTORIA, Australia /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Leaving military service can be one of the most significant transitions in a person's life, filled with both uncertainty and opportunity. In his debut guide, "Mission Alpha: Take Flight in Your Career Transition" (Paperback ISBN: 978-1779622709) published March 2026 by Tellwell Publishing, author and veteran advocate Aaron Jones delivers a clear, practical, and empowering roadmap to help current and former Australian Defence Force (ADF) members thrive in their civilian careers.

SEATTLE, Wash. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Friday Harbor, an AI-powered platform that helps loan officers assemble complete and compliant loan files in real time, today announced that Waterstone Mortgage has implemented its AI pre-underwriting platform to strengthen file quality and expand underwriting capacity across the lender's nationwide retail operation.

HOUSTON, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Hann Builders and Collaborative Design Group Architecture and Interiors will open the doors of the Ivanhoe Modern Home, located in Houston's Afton Oaks neighborhood, on March 28 as part of the 2026 Houston Modern Home Tour, a self-guided showcase of five of the city's most compelling contemporary residences.