SINGLE-FAMILY TRACK: High Tech, High Touch: The Future of the Mortgage Experience
Technology is transforming the mortgage process, but homeownership remains one of life’s most personal financial decisions. This session explores how lenders are harnessing AI and automation while preserving the human touch to balance efficiency, empathy, excellent service, and, ultimately, hospitality.
Speakers
Moderator
Neena Vlamis is a respected mortgage executive, entrepreneur, founder and CEO of A and N Mortgage, a 100 percent woman owned independent mortgage bank known for innovation, service excellence, and community impact. With more than two decades of industry experience, Neena has built and scaled high performing lending. Neena is a frequent speaker at national conferences and a trusted voice on leadership, growth strategy, and sustainable mortgage banking. She serves on industry boards and is deeply committed to mentorship, education, and expanding access to homeownership. Recognized for her integrity, vision, and results driven leadership, Neena continues to shape the future of mortgage lending while empowering the next generation of leaders.
Speakers
Garth Graham heads STRATMOR’s Sales, Marketing and M&A practices. Garth has over 30 years of experience in origination, from Fortune 500 companies to successful startups, including management of two of the most successful e-commerce platforms. Strategy Consulting - helping banks and independent mortgage bankers determine profitability, risks and opportunities for various business channels. Mergers and Acquisitions - We help companies choose the right investment partners, leveraging our years of experience and rich data set. STRATMOR is best known for its ongoing partnership with the MBA in conducting the MBA/STRATMOR Peer Group Benchmarking Program, providing insight to top mortgage firms since 1998.
Mike Vough is senior vice president of corporate strategy at Optimal Blue. In this role, he focuses on business development to support the company’s integration partner network, as well as corporate development to drive its acquisition strategy. Mike also drives the continued growth of Optimal Blue’s data business, including the company’s data reseller partners. Prior to his role in corporate strategy, Mike led product strategy for Optimal Blue’s hedging and trading products. Mike joined Optimal Blue in 2021 following the company’s acquisition of Compass Analytics. At that time, he served as the product manager of Compass’s suite of MSR products and advised many servicers, investors, and MSR brokers on how to leverage Compass’s MSR model and general MSR strategies. Prior to that role, Mike worked on Compass’s trading desk providing strategic and tactical advice to a number of lenders, including hedging, position management, profit and loss reconciliation, hedge cost, and margin strategy. Mike earned his Bachelor of Science in finance from the Pennsylvania State University.
