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 today that Shaun Simms, Director of the Project Management Office (PMO), has been selected by HousingWire magazine for its annual Insiders awards program.

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Informative Research (IR), a leading technology provider that offers data-driven credit and verification solutions to the lending industry, announced today that Elizabeth Campos, Director of Compliance, has been selected by HousingWire magazine for its annual Insiders awards program.

LAKE ZURICH, Ill. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Dovenmuehle Mortgage, Inc. (DMI), a leading mortgage subservicing company, announced today that its Vice President of Default Operations, Amber Cowan, has been honored among the 2025 HousingWire Insiders. Now in its seventh year, the award celebrates behind-the-scenes leaders whose operational excellence, innovation, and quiet influence are vital to their company's success.

TROY, Mich. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), announced today that Cristy Conolly, its executive vice president of quality control, has received a HousingWire 2025 Insider Award. HousingWire's editorial team selected the 2025 honorees based on the significance of their contributions, their leadership in execution and their overall impact on their companies and the industry.

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Informative Research (IR), a leading technology provider that offers data-driven credit and verification solutions to the lending industry, today announced its Executive Vice President of Business Process Management Mike Hall has been recognized as a 2025 HousingWire Insider. Recognizing operational all-stars, the award spotlights the indispensable individuals who transform internal processes and fuel organizational evolution.

BUFFALO, N.Y. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- LenderLogix, a leading provider of mortgage automation software and application programming interfaces (APIs), today announced its Director of Customer Success, Derrick Enderby, is a 2025 HousingWire Insider honoree. The award honors the unsung heroes of mortgage and real estate; the insiders who drive efficiency, compliance, and growth without seeking the spotlight.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced its newly promoted Chief Technology Officer, Vikas Rao, has been named to HousingWire's 2025 Insiders list. Now in its 10th year, the Insiders award honors the individuals whose strategic thinking and operational excellence keeps the housing ecosystem moving forward.

NEW YORK, N.Y. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- HitPaw Edimakor, the trusted AI-powered video editing platform for creators around the world, has officially launched Version 4.2.0, bringing a major leap forward in immersive content creation. This exciting update integrates Google Veo 3, allowing users to generate video, ambient sound, sound effects, character dialogue, and subtitles-all in one seamless process.

NEW YORK, N.Y. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Eight years ago, StarknightMT began with a simple idea: UTV/ATV owners shouldn't have to choose between quality and cost. Built for riders who push their machines every weekend - whether hauling, exploring, or working the land - StarknightMT has spent eight years growing alongside the community it serves.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- As global recognition of loneliness intensifies following a landmark World Health Organization (WHO) report identifying loneliness as a public health crisis, the Center for Innovation (CFI) is convening leaders from across the country to showcase bold, evidence-based solutions. At the 2025 CFI Conference, held August 11-14 in St. Louis, senior care innovators will explore how small home models, including the nationally recognized Green House Project, are working to reduce social disconnection through intentional design and urban innovation.

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Amsterdam-based education technology scaleup LearnWise AI, an AI platform for enhancing the student experience, has released an innovative AI solution to transform the way educators provide feedback and grades to students.

PLANO, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Optimal Blue today announced a new capability in its industry-leading product, pricing and eligibility (PPE) engine that fully automates the process for a lock desk user to execute best efforts locks directly with participating investors via API. By eliminating the last remaining manual step in the locking life cycle, Optimal Blue is delivering innovations and enhancements that will help significantly increase a lender's efficiency and profitability.

ATLANTA, Ga. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry authority on homebuyer assistance program data and solutions, today released its Q2 2025 Homeownership Program Index (HPI) report. The report finds 45 new programs launched in Q2, traditionally the busiest homebuying season, bringing the total number of available programs to 2,554 - a new record - and the number of program providers to 1,340.

TROY, Mich. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), announced today that its Elite Appraiser Panel, a groundbreaking program, has doubled in size during the past 12 months and is setting new standards for professional excellence. Class Valuation's exclusive, invitation-only Elite Panel now comprises hundreds of high-performing appraisers nationwide.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Amid one of the mortgage industry's most prolonged stretches of cost pressure and market uncertainty, the latest Pulse of the Network survey from The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC) reports that lenders are responding with creativity and nimble thinking, anchored by a clear commitment to long-term resilience.

WEST GROVE, Pa. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- The Simpson Foundation has awarded a total of $75,500 in employee scholarships to 25 dedicated team members across three Simpson communities: Jenner's Pond, Simpson Meadows, and Simpson House. The scholarship recipients - ranging from teens just beginning their academic journey to adult learners advancing their careers - were honored in ceremonies held in July at each respective campus.

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, announced two strategic hires today: Chris Simms has joined as head of strategic partnerships, and Gregory Buehler has joined as founding product manager. They bring over 35 years of combined experience in mortgage lending, product strategy and technology innovation.

ST. HELENA, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- COME TOGETHER -- A Community for Wine today announced that planning is underway for its highly anticipated second annual "Come Over October" campaign, building on the extraordinary success of 2024's inaugural initiative. The community-driven wine platform continues to demonstrate the power of authentic connection through wine appreciation, preparing to expand its reach and impact even further this fall.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- The Glancy Wine Education Foundation (GWEF) today announced the appointment of two new board members, Brandon Ford and Annie Shi, as the organization marks a leadership transition with the stepping down of Vice President Alder Yarrow after five years of dedicated service.

LONDON, U.K. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Xole AI, an AI image generation platform, today introduced a new suite of photo editing features aimed at enhancing creative workflows for both professionals and everyday users. The update includes twelve practical editing tools powered by artificial intelligence, offering efficient and high-quality image enhancement capabilities.