From Navy SEAL to fintech CEO: Geno Paluso on modernizing mortgage servicing 

Sagent is on a mission to modernize mortgage servicing — and CEO Geno Paluso is leading the charge. In this exclusive HousingWire interview, Paluso explains what makes the Dara platform stand out in a crowded field and how AI is delivering real, measurable results across operations.

From enhancing borrower engagement to fostering regulatory agility, Paluso outlines how Sagent is addressing inefficiencies that have long plagued servicers. He also explains why a transparent, human-centered approach to technology is crucial for fostering trust and achieving long-term success.

“Mortgage servicing has relied on the same mainframe systems for decades,” Paluso said. “It’s expensive, it’s slow, and it’s full of patchwork solutions. We’re not just layering tech on top — we’re rebuilding it for the 21st century.”

At the center of that rebuild is Dara, Sagent’s cloud-native servicing platform. “We didn’t start with engineers. We started with servicing experts,” Paluso said. “People with decades of experience sat side-by-side with our developers to build the requirements for Dara, from scratch.”

Dara consists of six core modules:

• Dara Core: The central servicing system, equivalent to legacy platforms like LoanServ or L-SAMS.
  
• Dara Consumer: A real-time, self-service borrower interface.
  
• Dara AI Docs: The AI engine that reads, categorizes and learns from billions of servicing documents — already over 3 billion and counting.
  
• Dara Default: A modern system to handle loss mitigation, foreclosure, bankruptcy and claims.
  
• Dara Loan Movement: Automates onboarding and transfers.
  
• Dara Data: Unifies real-time data flow across the platform for insights and compliance.
  

All modules except Dara Core are already live in the market. Dara Core, the final piece, is scheduled to go into production this summer.

Paluso emphasized the real-time functionality of Dara. “Consumers today expect real-time everything,” he said. “You can track a package from Amazon in seconds, but a mortgage payment might not show up for 24–48 hours. That delay causes confusion, phone calls, and frustration.”

Reducing those inbound calls is one of Dara’s biggest benefits. “Call centers are expensive, and repeat calls often mean rising borrower dissatisfaction,” Paluso said. “If a borrower can get an answer before calling, that’s a win for everyone.”

Sagent is also integrating artificial intelligence in meaningful ways. Beyond AI Docs, Dara is being built to support borrower-facing features that can answer questions about escrow changes, insurance increases, or amortization issues. “It’s not about replacing people,” Paluso said. “It’s about empowering the borrower and freeing up human teams to focus on what matters most.”

As the mortgage servicing landscape continues to evolve for scale and efficiency, Paluso believes Sagent is positioned to lead the way. “The future of servicing depends on real-time data, AI-driven insights, and a vastly improved consumer experience,” he said. “That’s what Dara is delivering.”

With the final leg of Dara’s development underway, Paluso closed with a statement familiar to any leader building for the future. “The last 10% of any project is always the hardest. But we’re right there — and we’re ready.”