CONNECT by California MBA

Lenders are spending more on technology than ever — and getting less return than they expected. Why? Because most of them don't know what they have, what it costs to run it, or whether it's actually delivering. In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Vince Furey, who leads the mortgage vertical at MeridianLink, for a wide-ranging conversation on technology stra...

Lenders cut to the bone. Volume stalled. And now the next cycle is coming — are you operationally ready for it? In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Mike Brown of Gateless, a company helping lenders rethink how work gets done across the entire mortgage loan lifecycle. Mike brings deep operational expertise — from Black Knight's loan origination group to lead...

The regulatory and compliance landscape for mortgage lenders has never been more complex — and the risks hiding in the rearview mirror may be bigger than the ones ahead. In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with James W. Brody, Esq., Founder and Managing Partner of Brody Gapp LLP, for a wide-ranging conversation on the current legal risk environment, where litiga...

Nobody originates a loan hoping it becomes a legal strategy session — but in the real world, defaults happen, projects stall, and lenders need a plan. In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Steven Ernest of Forta Law for a practical, no-nonsense conversation on managing defaults, protecting collateral, and maximizing recovery as a private lender in California....

Mortgage lenders track rates, volume, and affordability. But are they paying close enough attention to what's happening in real estate — and how it directly affects their business? In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Coby Hakalir, SVP/Managing Director of Mortgage & Core Services at T3 Sixty, a firm helping real estate leaders think through strategy, broker...

One out of every four loans in 2026 will be non-agency. Are you positioned to compete for all of them — or just three out of four? In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Tom Davis, Chief Sales Officer at Deephaven Mortgage, for a data-heavy, no-fluff conversation on where the non-QM and non-agency markets are headed, why the equity opportunity is generational,...

The mortgage production environment is as competitive as ever — tight margins, volume pressure, and a flood of technology promises. So what actually separates the lenders managing through it well from those that are struggling? In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Steve Kolker, Managing Director and Chief Production Officer at AmeriHome Mortgage, a Western A...

The mortgage industry has been talking about AI and automation for years — but where is it actually delivering results today? In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Neil Armstrong, newly appointed Chief Revenue Officer of Indecomm, to dig into the real-world mechanics of operational automation in mortgage lending. Neil brings a rare perspective — 20+ years in...

The mortgage borrower has changed — but most lenders' engagement strategies haven't. In this episode of Connect, Paul Gigliotti, CEO of the California MBA, sits down with Bob Jennings, CEO of TrustEngine, to unpack what it really takes to win and retain borrowers in today's volatile, hyper-competitive lending landscape. From the dangers of AI-dependent borrowers walking in misinformed, to the unta...

Closing isn't just a moment at the end of a loan—it’s the highest leverage integration point in the entire mortgage lifecycle. In this episode of Connect, Paul Gigliotti, CEO of the California MBA, sits down with Michael Sachdev, CEO of Snapdocs, to discuss why the industry must stop treating closing like a simple "feature" and start seeing it as a critical end-to-end value chain. Michael shares h...

In this episode of the Connect Podcast, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with John Hedlund, Vice Chair of ICE, Vice Chairman of the National MBA, and California MBA Board Member. John shares powerful insights from ICE Experience “Win” event in Las Vegas and breaks down the biggest shifts facing mortgage finance today: • Interest rate forecasts and the realistic chances of a refi boom •...

In this episode of the INSIDE THE IMPACT Podcast from the California MBA, host Paul Gigliotti, CEO of the California MBA, sits down with Nick Pabarcus, Managing Director of Non-QM Sales at PennyMac, to break down California bill AB1018 and its potential impact on automated decision systems—including AI—in mortgage lending. AI has powered mortgage efficiency since 1997 with Automated Underwriting S...

Join Paul Gigliotti, CEO of California MBA, on Connect for Episode 254 with Tom Morelli from Wilco! Discover how Wilco is transforming mortgage origination with Charlie – a groundbreaking Production Optimization Platform (POP) that unites POS, LOS, AI, and business intelligence into one seamless system. Key topics: - Why traditional LOS/POS silos are broken and costing lenders $11-13K per loan - M...

In this powerful episode of the Connect Podcast by California MBA, host and CEO Paul Gigliotti, sits down with Sasha Stair, CMB®, CMO at Xactus, to unpack the massive shift happening in mortgage verification. Say goodbye to outdated, manual, paper-based processes — Xactus 360 delivers dynamic, data-driven verification that adapts in real time. Powered by strategic partnerships with Plaid (bank dat...

In this episode of the IMPACT Podcast, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Chuck Iverson to break down California’s proposed Community Reinvestment Act (AB 801) and what it means for the industry heading into 2026. While the intent behind new legislation is often to help, Paul and Chuck discuss why policy must be grounded in operational reality to avoid unintended consequences for hou...

In this episode of Connect by California MBA, host Paul Gigliotti sits down with Vik Kasparin from Rams Mortgage Capital for an in-depth look at the secondary mortgage market. Rams specializes in mortgage asset valuation, training, advisory services, and whole loan trading—focusing on post-closing strategies for lenders, banks, and portfolio holders. They help market and sell specialized assets in...

Join us on the Connect Podcast as CEO of the California MBA, Paul, sits down with John Rothfield, a seasoned economist and advisor at Derivative Logic, for a deep dive into the current financial landscape, managing market volatility, and turning economic uncertainty into a clear vision for the future. John brings a wealth of experience from institutions like Bank of America and CalPERS to the tabl...

Digital mortgages aren't the future — they're here. Tune in to the latest episode of the Connect Podcast, presented by the California MBA, to hear how the industry is making the shift to fully digital closings! This week, the CEO of the California MBA Paul Gigliotti, sits down with Leah Sommerville, Director of Sales at DocMagic and 2025 HousingWire Rising Star, to dive deep into the world of mort...

In this special edition of the Connect podcast, outgoing CEO Susan Milazzo sits down with her successor, Paul Gigliotti, to discuss the future of the California MBA (California Mortgage Bankers Association) Susan celebrates her 21 years of service while Paul, a veteran mortgage leader with a deep background in mortgage technology, outlines his vision for the association. Get an inside look at Gigl...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers and shakers in the mortgage industry. This week we welcome Mark Wilson, CEO, Advisent Episode discussion topics: How you got into the mortgage industry? You have big news that just launched – the rebranding of your company. What was CWDL is now Advisent! Why a rebrand and what has been the journey to Advisent...

Connect with Lee Gillispie, Senior Managing Principal, Paradatec | Episode 244 by The California MBA

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers and shakers in the mortgage industry. This week we welcome Susanne Livingston Owner/Chief Strategy Officer, RWM Home Loans and Jimson Tharayil VP Strategic Partnerships, Acrisure. Episode discussion topics: 
What’s really driving the spike in homeowners insurance rates in California? What can homeowners — and...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers and shakers in the mortgage industry. This week we welcome Kenon Chen, EVP Strategy and Growth, Clear Capital. Episode discussion topics: Tell us how you got into the mortgage industry? I believe Clear Capital has been involved with the California MBA since its very early days, which is more than 20 years! Wh...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers and shakers in the mortgage industry. This week we welcome Daniel Ceniceros, Founder & CEO, Connect Media Episode discussion topics: 1:59 - What innovative marketing techniques should people be thinking about to get their name out there? 4:37 - What innovative things is Connect doing as a company in this chal...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers and shakers in the mortgage industry. This week we welcome Cody Charfauros, Principal/Managing Director, Slatt Capital Episode discussion topics: What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the CRE market since then? When you were last on Connect, we talked about the adoption of technology in CRE. Whe...