“It’s something that you’re so excited to wake up for and come back every single day and say, I get to make a difference today. I get to change something. I get to be I get to be part of a solution. We’re helping people. The greatest wealth builder is home ownership, and we’re able to help people every day”

– Kristin Ankeny Bickenbach

Leading Lenders, presented by Polly, features Kristin Ankeny Bickenbach of New American Funding, sharing how the company is leveraging innovation to lead in a tightening mortgage landscape. Bickenbach, the EVP of Secondary Marketing at NAF outlines how NAF is using strategic technology and automation to empower their loan officers in a competitive market. With fewer origination opportunities and volatile rates, precision and speed are no longer optional — they are essential. 

With Polly’s pricing at the core, NAF is redefining how loan officers engage with crucial parts of the mortgage process, including the lock desk, secondary marketing and customer service. From intuitive pricing systems to high-touch lock desk support, NAF’s strategy prioritizes speed, accuracy and adaptability while staying rooted in its people-first values. This spotlight interview highlights how leading lenders, such as Kristin, are scaling their operations without compromising service.  

Each episode of Leading Lenders: Risk, Reward, and Reinvention dives into how industry leaders are embracing change, overcoming challenges, and driving innovation in today’s market. Click here to navigate to the series page for videos 1-4. 

Episode 1 of Leading Lenders: Risk, Reward, and Reinvention is powered by Polly.