This year’s 2020 list of HousingWire Tech Trendsetters certainly earned their status as the housing industry was met with incredible challenges and new opportunities.
This diverse group of tech professionals helped to bring about the long-awaited modernization of the housing industry. Some would even say that it’s tech trendsetters like these who have helped to not only stabilize, but propel the housing economy even in the worst of circumstances. Navigating through stay-at-home orders, rising unemployment and record low interest rates, these tech professionals drove forward the tech solutions that not only helped the housing market stay afloat but drove it to flourish.
Many of this year’s winners stepped forward to navigate the “new normal” as COVID-19 hit last spring. One of the 2020 Tech Trendsetters, Kallol Das worked quickly to shift digital lending tech provider Blend’s product roadmap to its rapidly-changing client needs. Within 72 hours, Blend developed a digital portal with M&T Bank to enable lenders to accept Paycheck Protection Program applications from small businesses through the CARES Act. Blend’s platform funded nearly 100% of the requests received, assisting 718,000 employees in the U.S.
This year’s list also included HousingWire’s first “internal callout,” recognizing FinLedger’s Managing Editor, Mary Ann Azevedo. Azevedo began her role in August 2020 and has since built a team of fintech journalists to keep the industry up-to-date on timely fintech topics like banktech, insurtech, proptech and payments.
These Tech Trendsetters earned their way on the list with their blood sweat and tears and helped keep the housing market afloat during a chaotic time.
Samir Agarwal, Vice President and Segment Leader, GRC Community Banking, Wolters Kluwer
Paul Akinmade, Chief Strategy Officer, CMG Financial
Jeff Allen, Executive Vice President, Innovation Labs, Clear Capital
Paul Anastos, CEO, Chief Innovation Officer, Gateless, Guaranteed Rate
Mary Ann Azevedo, Managing Editor, FinLedger
Lindsay Bhandari, Vice President, Capital Markets and Treasury Technology Management, Fannie Mae
Mark Birschbach, Senior Vice President, Strategic Business, Innovation and Technology, National Association of Realtors
Lori Brewer, Founder and CEO, LBA Ware
Charlotte Brown, Director of Product, Qualia
Katherine Campbell, Chief Digital Officer, Assurance Financial
Dan Catinella, Chief Digital Officer, Finance of America Mortgage
Brent Chandler, Founder and CEO, FormFree
Court Cunningham, Cofounder and CEO, Orchard
Kallol Das, Head of Engineering, Blend
Jesse Decker, Executive Vice President of Customer Success, Sagent Lending
Brian Donnellan, President and CEO, Bright MLS
Jeff Douglas, CEO, Wyndham Capital Mortgage
Charlie Epperson, Chief Technology Officer, Evolve Mortgage Services
Sean Faries, CEO, Land Gorilla
Jack Friend, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, Insellerate
Justin Glass, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, United Wholesale Mortgage
Andy Higginbotham, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Single-Family division, Freddie Mac
Tracie Hunter, Managing Director, Production Business Technology, PennyMac Loan Services
Marc-Olivier Huynh, Senior Leader of Software Development and Technology, CoreLogic
Briana Ings, Director of Product, Snapdocs
Kyle Kamrooz, Cofounder, Cloudvirga
Pat Kinsel, Founder and CEO, Notarize
Harsha Kommanapalli, Director of AI and Analytics, Tavant
Alex Kutsishin, CEO, Sales Boomerang
Jane Mason, Founder and CEO, Clarifire
JJ McCarthy, Vice President of Product, HomeLight
Dan Mugge, Chief Technology Officer, ClosingCorp
Charles Myslinsky, Chief Product Officer, OJO Labs
Olivia Nicholson, BI and Analytics Manager, Richey May
John Paasonen, Cofounder and CEO, Maxwell
Brian Pannell, Chief eServices Executive, DocMagic
Jim Portner, Vice President, Product and Strategy, First American
Suzanne Powell, Senior Vice President, Digital Client Experience, Radian
Joseph Puthur, President and Chief Product Officer, Mortgage Coach
Perry Rahbar, Founder and CEO, dv01
Jason Regalbuto, Chief Technology Officer and CEO, OpenClose
Nile Roberts, IT Director, Infrastructure and End User Services, Genworth Mortgage Insurance
Patrick Sells, Chief Innovation Officer, Quontic
Henry Smith, Director of Notary Operations, NotaryCam
Andy Taylor, General Manager, Credit Karma
Todd Teta, Chief Product and Technology Officer, ATTOM Data Solutions
Nick Thomas, Chief Innovation Officer, Finicity
John Tobison, Chief Information Officer, eXp World Holdings
Ginger Wilcox, Chief Experience Officer, Home Point Financial
Guy Wolcott, Founder, Homesnap
Brian Zitin, Cofounder and CEO, Reggora
