Category: Press
Assurance Financial Awarded at Total Expert’s 2024 Accelerate Conference
July 5, 2024
We’re proud to announce that Assurance Financial has been recognized in two categories at Total Expert’s 2024 Accelerate conference.
The fourth annual Expy Awards celebrate Total Expert customers for their ability to surpass the limits of what is possible to provide unparalleled customer experiences and drive the financial services industry forward. Winners are chosen for their utilization of the platform to the highest extent to drive business growth and build authentic customer connections. This year’s winners were announced at Total Expert’s 2024 Accelerate Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where financial services leaders gathered to share winning strategies.
- The Adopter: Without universal adoption, even the most innovative technology becomes shelfware. For Assurance Financial, the universal buy-in of the Total Expert platform into daily operations was a route to business growth and overall company success. They noted substantial increases in new loans, funded loans, email click-through rates, and task completion rates correlating to a growth in customer retention
- Firestarter – Director of Marketing Lindsi Flynn: A user who embodies innovation, growth, and industry disruption within their organizations. Firestarters are at the forefront of driving positive change, sparking innovation, and propelling their companies toward a dynamic future.
“Our Expy Award-winners are some of the most forward-thinking organizations in the industry, empowering their workforce with the resources to meet growing customer expectations,” said Joe Welu, founder and CEO of Total Expert. “They are one step ahead of the industry—changing the way their teams leverage data by clearly recognizing customer needs, improving the decision-making process, and establishing more personalized customer journeys. We’re proud to celebrate their success and inspiring dedication to customer-centric innovation through Total Expert.” Learn more here.
Assurance Financial Ranks in Top for Customer Satisfaction in 2023
BATON ROUGE, LA – June 14, 2024
Assurance Financial is proud to announce that we have been named the #1 Mortgage Company in our small division category for the 2023 Top Performers in Customer Satisfaction!
We’re also pleased to announce that six of our originators have been placed in the country’s top 1% of Loan Officers for customer satisfaction.
Merrell Johnson of Columbia, SC, Micah Garrett of Troy, AL, Rob Stewart of Lafayette, LA, Lauren Tylock of Lafayette, LA, Matthew Hunter of Aiken, SC, Willie Tucker of Huntsville, AL
Amongst the multitude of reviews from over 50,000 loan officers representing hundreds of companies nationwide on the Experience.com platform, Assurance Financial stands proud of our loan officers for their role in elevating our standing.
“While it’s an honor to have earned the #1 overall ranking for customer satisfaction in the 2023 Experience.com small division category, it comes as no surprise to me. We have a seasoned team of Mortgage Loan Officers and the best fulfillment team in the business, who take great pride in delivering a ‘second to none’ experience for our clients. For nearly 25 years, our success has been built on sales and operations working together in the best interest of the customer,” Assurance Financial CEO, Kenny Hodges, said. “Receiving this recognition is a rewarding testament to our team’s dedication.”
According to Experience.com, the results are based on survey completion rates, the number of reviews, and the star ratings submitted to the platform by verified customers.
Read more about the Experience.com 2023 Top Performer’s awards here.
Assurance Financial Announces Internal Promotions
to Drive Continued Growth and Excellence
November 27, 2023
Baton Rouge, LA – Assurance Financial, a leading provider of innovative mortgage solutions, is pleased to announce a series of internal promotions aimed at strengthening the company’s leadership team and supporting its commitment to excellence in the mortgage industry.
The following individuals have been promoted to key positions within the company:
- Steve Ward has been promoted to President, Chief Operating Officer. In Steve’s expanded role as President, he will lead the day-to-day operations of the company, including Risk, Underwriting, Servicing, Post-Closing, Compliance, Licensing and Fulfillment.
- Courtney Henson has been promoted to Chief Administrative Officer. In Courtney’s new role as CAO, the following departments will fall under her leadership: Human Resources, Marketing, IT, and Corporate Council.
- Scott Alexander has been promoted to Chief Risk Officer. Scott’s essential job functions will include managing all company risk policies, as well as overseeing all company products and programs. He will also oversee the Underwriting, Compliance and Construction departments.
Kenny Hodges, Chief Executive Officer, stated, “These leadership changes reflect Assurance Financial’s commitment to deliver exceptional service, innovative solutions, and a best-in-class mortgage experience to the clients we serve.”
Download the press release here. For media inquiries, please contact Lindsi Flynn, Director of Marketing at lflynn@assurancemortgage.com
Assurance Financial Originators are in Experience.com’s Top 1% for Customer Satisfaction in 2022
BATON ROUGE, LA – August 21, 2023
Assurance Financial is proud to announce that six of our originators have been placed in the country’s top 1% of Loan Officers for customer satisfaction.
- Barbara Gaston of Florence, AL
- Damian Cook of Atlanta, GA
- Lauren Tylock of Lafayette, LA
- Renee Carughi of Baton Rouge, LA
- Stephen Magyar of Shreveport, LA
- Willie Tucker of Huntsville, AL
Amongst the multitude of reviews from over 50,000 loan officers representing hundreds of companies nationwide on the Experience.com platform, Assurance Financial stands proud of our loan officers for their role in elevating our standing.
“While most lenders boast great technology and the ability to close loans promptly, what truly distinguishes the Top Performers is their willingness and eagerness to remain accessible. They are dedicated to doing whatever it takes to ensure that their borrowers and referral partners are well-informed about every aspect of the transaction,” Assurance Financial CEO, Kenny Hodges, said. “I take pride in knowing that our team collaborates harmoniously to provide an exceptional customer experience.”
According to Experience.com, the results are based on survey completion rates, the number of reviews, and the star ratings submitted to the platform by verified customers.
Read more about the Experience.com 2022 Top Performer’s awards here.
For the second year in a row, Assurance Financial made the National Mortgage News list of the top 50 Best Mortgage Companies to Work For! We value our workplace culture, and it shows.
Consideration for this award was based on an employee questionnaire that included topics like role satisfaction, work environment, pay and benefits, training and resources, leadership, and more.
Assurance Financial Reduces Cost Per Loan and Improves Borrower Satisfaction with Appraisal Automation from Reggora
Reggora, an appraisal management software company that is modernizing residential real estate valuation for mortgage lenders, announces outstanding business results with Assurance Financial. By automating its appraisal order management process, Assurance Financial has significantly reduced operating costs and increased borrower satisfaction.
Working with Reggora’s mortgage solutions team Assurance Financial reduced their cost per loan by $150, while also resolving the borrower’s long-standing issues with the appraisal experience — paying for the appraisal, scheduling the inspection, missing escrow deadlines and more. The average turn-time to deliver the appraisal dropped by 7 days, and borrowers rated their appraisal experience an average of 4.3 out of 5 stars.
“Many operations managers may resist the need for digitizing the appraisal process if internal teams are effective,” said Katherine Campbell, Chief Digital Officer at Assurance Financial. “They may think, ‘There is no issue, so if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.’ However, this is the bridge that we lenders need to all cross. Regardless of how effective your team is, rote behavior should be replaced by technology. It raises the quality of the employees’ work, which often creates more satisfaction.”
Right now, mortgage interest rates are rising and every day counts when lenders are trying to secure the lowest interest rate possible for their borrowers. Assurance Financial determined that this is the perfect time to implement appraisal management technology to improve operations, reduce cost and increase consumer confidence.
“A fast, convenient digital mortgage is a key part of providing a great borrower experience and our aim is to support that through eliminating pain points in the appraisal process,” said Brian Zitin, CEO and Co-founder of Reggora. “And what’s better for the borrower is also better for the lender. We can improve margins on each loan by eliminating unnecessary costs in a lender’s appraisal operation.”
To learn more about the success that Assurance Financial achieved with Reggora, click here.