Tags Mortgage

Tag: Mortgage News - Page 2

Argyle’s investments in innovation spur over 50 lenders to switch to the mortgage industry’s highest-converting VOI/E platform | National News

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y., Dec. 20, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Argyle, a platform providing automated income and employment verifications for some of the largest lenders in the United States, closed a banner year of mortgage growth with 50 new IMB, credit union and bank customers. The payroll connectivity leader more than doubled the annual volume of income and employment verifications conducted on behalf of its customers to 1.5 million with the help of 15 of the top 100 mortgage lenders.

Depth 2023 growth drives key hires in strategic marketing and content development as residential mortgage and real estate industries poise for...

ATLANTA, Ga., Dec. 19, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Depth, a leading provider of consultative B2B marketing, public relations and reputation management services for technology companies in the residential mortgage finance, financial technology (fintech), real estate technology (REtech) and related regulatory technology (regtech) industries, will close 2023 with a significantly larger internal team and client roster in anticipation of continued rebound for mortgage and real estate volume.

Legacy Mutual Selects LenderLogix’s QuickQual to Improve Transparency and Responsiveness During Mortgage Borrowers’ Home Search | National News

BUFFALO, N.Y., Dec. 18, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- LenderLogix, a leading provider of mortgage point-of-sale and automation software for banks, credit unions, independent mortgage banks and brokers, today announced that Legacy Mutual Mortgage has selected its pre-approval letter generation tool QuickQual to provide borrowers with a white-labeled, digitally-driven entry point into their homebuying experience.

Down Payment Resource donates $10,000 to help an Atlantan buy a home this holiday season | National News

ATLANTA, Ga., Dec. 18, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry's leading technology for connecting home buyers with homebuyer assistance programs, today announced a $10,000 donation to the Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership to be used as a grant to help an eligible homebuyer working with the local nonprofit housing agency.

ACES Q2 2023 Mortgage QC Trends Report Finds Critical Defect Rate Declines for Third Consecutive Quarter | National News

DENVER, Colo., Dec. 14, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, announced the release of its quarterly ACES Mortgage QC Industry Trends Report covering the second quarter (Q2) of 2023. The latest report analyzes post-closing quality control data derived from ACES Quality Management & Control® software.

FormFree president Eric Lapin to speak on artificial intelligence at MISMO Winter Summit | National News

ATHENS, Ga., Dec. 12, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- FormFree® today announced its President Eric Lapin has been selected to speak at the MISMO Winter Summit taking place January 8-11, 2024, at The Woodlands Resort just outside of Houston, Texas. Lapin will speak on a panel titled "Demystifying Artificial Intelligence, Digital Identity and Blockchain" during a brown-bag lunch session on January 9 from 12:30 pm-1:25 pm CT. He will be joined by fellow panelists Devin Caster, principal, product solutions at CoreLogic; Rishi Godse, principal technical architect at USAA; and Shawn Jobe, vice president and head of business development at Informative Research.

Argyle partners with Dark Matter to bring seamless direct-source income and employment verifications to Empower LOS customers | National News

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y., Dec. 12, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Argyle, a platform providing automated income and employment verifications for some of the largest lenders in the United States, announced today its integration with the Exchange, an interconnected network of mortgage-specific service providers available to customers of the Empower® loan origination system (LOS) from Dark Matter Technologies. This collaboration simplifies the income and employment verification process for lenders, further amplifying the cost and time-saving benefits of digital borrower verification.

Enhanced integration between the Empower LOS and DocMagic adds support for home equity, wholesale channels | National News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Dec. 11, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter), an innovative new leader in mortgage technology backed by time-tested loan origination software and leadership, today announced significant enhancements to the integration between the comprehensive Empower® loan origination system (LOS) and DocMagic's document generation solution.

FormFree appoints Solvent CEO DIVINE as head of culture | National News

ATHENS, Ga., Dec. 6, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- FormFree® today announced the appointment of former hip-hop/rap recording artist-turned-techpreneur Victor D. Lombard, professionally known as DIVINE, as head of culture. DIVINE is the CEO and founder of Solvent, a fintech focused on financial empowerment for marginalized groups.

Floify launches comprehensive lending platform for mortgage brokers | National News

BOULDER, Colo., Dec. 4, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Floify, the mortgage industry's leading point-of-sale (POS), today announced the launch of Floify Broker Edition, an easy-to-use, one-stop lending platform for mortgage brokers. Built on the foundation of the classic Floify POS platform, Broker Edition has been thoughtfully configured to make managing loans simpler at an accessible price point.

Argyle CEO Shmulik Fishman named a 2023 HousingWire Tech Trendsetter | National News

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y., Dec. 1, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Argyle, a platform providing automated income and employment verifications for some of the largest lenders in the United States, announced today that CEO Shmulik Fishman has been named to HousingWire's list of 2023 Tech Trendsetters. Now in its fifth year, the Tech Trendsetters award honors the 50 most impactful executives, product leaders and professionals shaping innovation in the mortgage and real estate industries.

LenderLogix Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer Scott Falbo named a 2023 HousingWire Tech Trendsetter | National News

BUFFALO, N.Y., Dec. 1, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- LenderLogix, a leading provider of mortgage point-of-sale and automation software for banks, credit unions, independent mortgage banks and brokers, today announced Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Scott Falbo has been selected by HousingWire as a 2023 Tech Trendsetter Award winner. In its fifth year, HousingWire's Tech Trendsetters award recognizes the most impactful and innovative technology leaders serving the housing economy.

Encompass Lending Group Adds LiteSpeed and QuickQual from LenderLogix to Its Digital Mortgage Tech Stack | National News

BUFFALO, N.Y., Nov. 28, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- LenderLogix, a leading provider of mortgage point-of-sale and automation software for banks, credit unions, independent mortgage banks, and brokers, today announced that Encompass Lending Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fathom Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: FTHM), has selected its streamlined point-of-sale (POS) platform LiteSpeed and QuickQual, a loan origination system (LOS) add-on that allows prospective borrowers and real estate agents to run payment and closing costs scenarios.

Publix Employees Federal Credit Union inks contract with Dark Matter Technologies to modernize mortgage operations | National News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Nov. 28, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter), an innovative new leader in mortgage technology backed by time-tested loan origination software and leadership, today announced a contract with Lakeland, Florida-based Publix Employees Federal Credit Union (PEFCU). The signing is the first under Dark Matter's new corporate structure and reflects the growing footprint of the company's popular Empower(r) Loan Origination Platform in the credit union sector.

FormFree welcomes MX Founder and Executive Chair Ryan Caldwell to its board of directors | National News

ATHENS, Ga., Nov. 28, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- FormFree® today announced the appointment of MX Technologies, Inc. (MX) Founder and Executive Chair Ryan Caldwell to its board of directors. Caldwell brings more than 20 years of experience in financial services and fintech, helping organizations around the world harness the power of financial data to improve business and consumer outcomes.

Floify taps Courtney Dodd as head of marketing to reinvigorate brand presence | National News

BOULDER, Colo., Nov. 27, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Floify, the mortgage industry's leading point-of-sale solution, today announced that Courtney Dodd has joined its team as head of marketing. With 12 years of experience in the mortgage sector, Dodd is set to spearhead Floify's marketing initiatives and reinforce its position as an innovator in the field.

Baird Joins Agile’s Growing Broker-Dealer Network | National News

PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Oct. 17, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Agile, a groundbreaking fintech bringing mortgage lenders and broker-dealers onto a single electronic platform, is excited to announce that Baird, an international financial services firm, has joined Agile's broker-dealer network.

CUSO Home Lending rolls out Dark Matter’s Empower LOS to support mortgage and home equity products | National News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Nov. 16, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- CUSO Home Lending has made Empower LOS, a cloud-based loan origination system from Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter), available to its credit union owners. CUSO Home Lending is the first credit union service organization to leverage Empower's newly developed joint-venture feature, which allows credit unions to offer individualized branding, products and pricing while taking advantage of the efficiency and cost savings of their CUSO's shared services model.

MMI names Brian McKray as its new Vice President of Product | National News

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Nov. 14, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Mobility Market Intelligence (MMI), a leader in data intelligence and market insight tools for the mortgage and real estate industries, today announced Brian McKray has been promoted to Vice President of Product.

Down Payment Resource highlights 61 down payment assistance programs offering up to $120,000 in funds for Veterans and service members |...

ATLANTA, Ga., Nov. 10, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry authority on homebuyer assistance program data and solutions, is highlighting homebuyer assistance programs to support Veterans, service members and their surviving spouses in conjunction with Veterans Day and Military Family Appreciation Month, both observed in November.

Mortgage Machine Appoints Crystal Stanton to manage Customer Success and Onboarding | National News

ADDISON, Texas, Nov. 9, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Mortgage Machine Services, an industry leader in digital origination technology to residential mortgage lenders, today announced its appointment of Crystal Stanton to manage customer success and onboarding. Crystal brings more than 20 years of customer success experience to her role, with over a decade dedicated to the mortgage industry.

Down Payment Resource reports housing authorities rolled out 54 homebuyer assistance programs in Q3 and are funding buydowns to offset home...

ATLANTA, Ga., Nov. 8, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry authority on homebuyer assistance program data and solutions, reports that homebuyer assistance program administrators are responding to the mounting home affordability crisis by rapidly rolling out new homebuyer assistance programs and funding buydowns.

MMI Ranked 427th Fastest-Growing Company in North America on the 2023 Deloitte Technology Fast 500™ | National News

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Nov. 8, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Mobility Market Intelligence (MMI), a leader in data intelligence and market insight tools for the mortgage and real estate industries, today announced it ranked No. 427 on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500™, a ranking of the fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, fintech and energy tech companies in North America, now in its 29th year. MMI grew 285% during this period.

Dovenmuehle Adds Loss Draft Notification and Secure Messaging Features to Its Borrower-Facing Mortgage Subservicing Platform | National News

LAKE ZURICH, Ill., Nov. 8, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Dovenmuehle Mortgage, Inc. (Dovenmuehle), a leading mortgage subservicing company, announced today that it has released two new features that provide transparency and improve communication through the company's borrower-facing web and mobile applications.
MCT - Mortgage Capital Trading

Mortgage Volume Continues Downward Trend in Q4/2023 in Latest MCT November Indices Report

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT®), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing software firm, reported today a drop of 17.76% in mortgage lock volume over the prior month. Loan originations for October continued to dip as mortgage rates hovered around 8% and lack of housing supply continues to slow origination volume. While overall mortgage lock volume dropped more than 17% in October, cash out refinances did see a boost.

HilltopSecurities Joins Agile’s Growing Broker-Dealer Network | National News

PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Oct. 26, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Agile, a groundbreaking fintech bringing mortgage lenders and broker-dealers onto a single electronic platform, is excited to announce that HilltopSecurities, a full-service investment bank and wealth advisory firm, has joined Agile's broker-dealer network.

LenderLogix Q3 2023 Homebuyer Intelligence Report Data Shows Slight Decline in Home Buying Activity | National News

BUFFALO, N.Y., Oct. 25, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- LenderLogix, a leading provider of mortgage point-of-sale and automation software for banks, credit unions, independent mortgage banks, and brokers, today announced the latest release of the Homebuyer Intelligence Report, a quarterly summary of insights into borrower behavior during the home buying process based on data collected by the LenderLogix suite of tools.

Click n’ Close Appoints Kara Lamphere as COO to Accelerate Growth of Business Lines | National News

ADDISON, Texas, Oct. 23, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Click n' Close, a multi-state mortgage lender serving consumers and mortgage originators through its wholesale and correspondent channels, today announced Kara Lamphere has joined the organization as Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Down Payment Resource highlights 42 Native American homebuyer assistance programs in honor of Native American Heritage Month | National News

ATLANTA, Ga., Oct. 23, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry's leading technology for connecting home buyers with homebuyer assistance programs, is highlighting 42 U.S. homebuyer assistance programs in 14 states that are specifically designed to support Native Americans (American Indians and Alaska Natives) in conjunction with Native American Heritage month.

Mortgage Machine Services Director of Sales, Dan McGrew, Speaking at the North Carolina eMortgage Closing Conference | National News

ADDISON, Texas, Oct. 20, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Mortgage Machine Services, an industry leader in digital origination technology to residential mortgage lenders, today announced Dan McGrew, its Director of Sales will be speaking at the North Carolina eMortgage Closing Conference on Tuesday, Oct. 24 beginning at 2 p.m.
The Mortgage Collaborative

The Mortgage Collaborative Announces its Selected 2024 Board of Directors and Advisory Council

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation's largest independent cooperative network serving the mortgage industry, today announced its 2024 Board of Directors and Advisory Council.

Dark Matter Technologies adds mortgage technology veteran Stephanie Durflinger as chief product officer | National News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 16, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter), an innovative new leader in mortgage technology backed by time-tested loan origination software and leadership, today announced the appointment of Stephanie Durflinger as chief product officer. Durflinger, a 15-year mortgage technology veteran, comes to Dark Matter from ICE Mortgage Technology, where she most recently served as senior vice president of product development.

Jenny Moss joins fintech FormFree as director of marketing | National News

ATHENS, Ga., Oct. 16, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- FormFree® today announced the appointment of Jenny Moss as its new director of marketing. The timing of the move comes just as the company is launching its Passport® portable financial ID on October 20 and the FormFree Exchange (FFX), an online marketplace where lenders compete for the business of Passport users, later this year.

Six mortgage lenders inked deals with Down Payment Resource in September to support homebuyers with affordable pathways to homeownership | National...

ATLANTA, Ga., Oct. 16, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry's leading technology for connecting home buyers with homebuyer assistance programs, today announced it has onboarded six mortgage lenders this September. DPR's expanded client base includes Elevations Credit Union, Embrace Home Loans, Homeowners Financial Group, HomeStreet Bank, RWM Home Loans and a regional bank. This significant milestone reflects the growing need for solutions that promote accessible and sustainable homeownership.

Mortgage Bankers Association honors iEmergent for leadership in diversity, equity and inclusion at its Annual Convention and Expo | National News

DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 15, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- iEmergent, a forecasting and advisory services firm for the financial services, mortgage and real estate industries, has been named the winner of the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) 2023 Residential Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Leadership Award for Market Outreach Strategies - Non-Lender. Laird Nossuli, iEmergent's CEO, accepted the award at MBA's Annual Convention & Expo today in Philadelphia.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Original ‘Shark Tank’ shark comes to MBA Annual | National News

PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Oct. 13, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Kevin Harrington of "Shark Tank" fame will host a meet-and-greet with attending mortgage professionals and trade press before taking the stage during the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Annual Convention & Expo to introduce Passport®, FormFree's portable financial ID for consumers launching October 20, and the FormFree Exchange (FFX®), the online marketplace where lenders compete for the business of Passport users.

FormFree announces first-of-a-kind exchange to connect lenders with qualified borrowers | National News

ATHENS, Ga., Oct. 13, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- FormFree today announced the fourth quarter debut of FormFree Exchange (FFX®), a dynamic online marketplace that matches lenders with qualified borrowers for a faster, better and fairer lending experience. FFX has been meticulously designed to address the challenges facing lenders and borrowers in the modern financial landscape.

Depth promotes Lindsey Neal and Leslie Colley to executive vice president roles | National News

ATLANTA, Ga., Oct. 12, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Depth, a leading provider of consultative B2B marketing, public relations and reputation management services for technology companies within the residential mortgage finance, financial technology (fintech) and regulatory technology (regtech) industries, announced the promotions of Lindsey Neal and Leslie Colley to executive vice president.

Mortgage Machine Services Enhances Digital Mortgage LOS with Addition of AI-Powered Document Management System | National News

ADDISON, Texas, Oct. 12, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Mortgage Machine Services, an industry leader in digital origination technology to residential mortgage lenders, today announced the addition of Click n' File, an innovative document management system, to its namesake, all-in-one loan origination system (LOS) Mortgage Machine™. The system leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to automate document management tasks like sorting, stacking, classification and indexing, eliminating monotonous manual data entry and improving overall operational efficiency.

LenderLogix Co-Founder and CEO Patrick O’Brien named a 2023 HousingWire Vanguard honoree | National News

BUFFALO, N.Y., Oct. 11, 2023 (SENDPRESS NEWSWIRE) -- LenderLogix, a leading provider of mortgage point-of-sale and automation software for banks, credit unions, independent mortgage banks and brokers, today announced Co-founder and CEO Patrick O'Brien has been selected by HousingWire as a 2023 Vanguard Award winner.

ACES Quality Management President Phillip McCall named a HW Vanguard | National News

DENVER, Colo., Oct. 11, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, announced that HousingWire magazine has selected Phillip McCall in its annual Vanguard award program.

Dark Matter Technologies adds mortgage technology veteran Michael Housch as chief risk and information security officer | National News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 10, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter), an innovative new leader in mortgage technology backed by time-tested loan origination software and leadership, today announced the appointment of Michael Housch as chief risk and information security officer. Housch, a C-suite and information security veteran of two and a half decades, joins Dark Matter following an eight-year stint with Black Knight, Inc (acquired by Intercontinental Exchange).

ACES Quality Management Announces Preliminary Speaker Lineup for ACES ENGAGE 2024 | National News

DENVER, Colo., Oct. 5, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, has announced its speaker lineup for the upcoming ACES ENGAGE conference, taking place at the Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain hotel in Tucson, Ariz., May 19 - 21, 2024.

FormFree partners with original ‘Shark’ and iconic entrepreneur Kevin Harrington to launch Passport portable financial ID | National News

ATHENS, Ga., Oct. 4, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- FormFree® has partnered with serial entrepreneur Kevin Harrington of "Shark Tank" fame to promote Passport®, a free service that makes it easy for consumers to quantify their borrowing power and share their verified assets, employment, annual and residual income and rent payment history with their preferred lender in just minutes from any web-enabled device.

Dark Matter Technologies joins ACUMA as an affiliate member | National News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 3, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter), an innovative new leader in mortgage technology backed by time-tested loan origination software and leadership, has joined the American Credit Union Mortgage Association (ACUMA) as an affiliate member. Through its membership, Dark Matter aims to help credit unions increase loan origination, improve loan quality and enhance member satisfaction.

MMI expands Custom Dashboard Hub with Community Reinvestment Act and low-to-moderate income data analytics capabilities | National News

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 28, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Mobility Market Intelligence (MMI), a leader in data intelligence and market insight tools for the mortgage and real estate industries, today announced the addition of a suite of new dashboards to its growing Custom Dashboard Hub. The six new dashboards allow lenders to penetrate areas of high growth and increase the span of actionable insights and applications for users.

Dovenmuehle appoints Robert Howerton as CIO to oversee the company’s IT infrastructure | National News

LAKE ZURICH, Ill., Sept. 26, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Dovenmuehle Mortgage, Inc. (Dovenmuehle), a leading mortgage subservicing company, announced today that Robert Howerton has joined the organization as Chief Information Officer. In this role, his responsibilities include maintaining and expanding Dovenmuehle's current information technology (IT) infrastructure.

Mortgage Machine Services taps Digital Mortgage Expert Dan McGrew to Lead Company’s Go-to-Market Strategy | National News

ADDISON, Texas, Sept. 26, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Mortgage Machine™ Services, an industry leader in digital origination technology to residential mortgage lenders, announced Dan McGrew has joined the company as Director of Sales. In this role, McGrew will be responsible for bringing the company's digital mortgage innovations to market, including the company's flagship loan origination system (LOS) Mortgage Machine.

ACES Q1 2023 Mortgage QC Trends Report Finds Critical Defect Rate Declines for Second Consecutive Quarter | National News

DENVER, Colo., Sept. 21, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, announced the release of its quarterly ACES Mortgage QC Industry Trends Report covering the first quarter (Q1) of 2023. The latest report analyzes post-closing quality control data derived from ACES Quality Management & Control® software.

Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union Selects LenderLogix’s QuickQual to Improve Transparency and Responsiveness During Mortgage Borrowers’ Home Search | National News

BUFFALO, N.Y., Sept. 21, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- LenderLogix, a leading provider of mortgage point-of-sale and automation software for banks, credit unions, independent mortgage banks and brokers, today announced that Minnesota-based Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union (Affinity Plus) has selected its pre-approval letter generation tool QuickQual to provide borrowers with a white-labeled, digitally-driven entry point into their homebuying experience.

FEATURED STORIES