JEFF COURY
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Mr. Coury is the Chief Executive Officer at Mortgage Connect. He has over 20 years’ leadership experience within the mortgage services industry. His unwavering passion and drive for operational excellence and building a strong customer service culture is the foundation that grew Mortgage Connect into the nation’s largest independent mortgage services provider. With an exceptional ability to provide clients with customer-centric and customizable solutions, he has a commitment to achieving exemplary success in the areas of increasing revenue, streamlining operational processes, creating strategic partnerships and improving profit margins. Prior to taking the helm at Mortgage Connect in 2012, Mr. Coury began his profession in the mortgage services industry with ServiceLink in 1997 upon the company’s founding. Named as the Chief Executive Officer in 2002, he grew the company to a national, multi-platform organization more than tripling revenue and headcount. In 2005, he spearheaded ServiceLink’s sale to Fidelity National Financial, where he remained as the company’s chief executive until 2011. During his tenure, he quadrupled the company’s revenue through acquisition and organic growth. Under Mr. Coury’s leadership, ServiceLink became the industry’s largest, most respected mortgage services provider in the country, strategically partnered with the top lenders in the nation. Mr. Coury’s business acumen has also enabled him to perform successful consulting engagements across numerous industries during his career as President of The Coury Financial Group. He is a distinguished client advocate and management executive with unique, problem-resolution capabilities and is well-respected for his leadership. Mr. Coury earned his B.S. in Business Administration with a major in Finance and Economics from Duquesne University. Mr. Coury currently resides in Pittsburgh, PA with his wife and 7 children.
“The new market requires renewed confidence in the way loans are processed. We redefine mortgage settlement services to ensure just that.”
BOB FRANCO
PRESIDENT, ORIGINATION SOLUTIONS | VALUATION SOLUTIONS
Mr. Franco is the President of Mortgage Connect’s Originations and Valuation Solutions Divisions and provides strategic oversight in the Company’s growth initiatives. An industry veteran with over 27 years’ experience in the Title, Close and Appraisal Vendor Management Industry, he has held leadership positions with LSI, Prudential, Merrill Lynch, EFS, FNF, First American and USAA. He is experienced in starting and building successful organizations from the ground up and has a unique background and perspective with experience as both the lender and as a service provider. Most recently, he was a founding member, owner and the former President of ULS. ULS was sold to USAA Real Estate Company in 2011 and Mr. Franco continued to lead the organization and maintained a role on the ULS/USAA Real Estate Company Board of Directors for 6 years. He is well known for building centralized production platforms designed to out think, out work and outperform with a strong commitment and a continued focus on the consumer experience. Simply put, his management style is designed to think more and react less. He is six sigma green belt certified and is well known as an effective problem solver with a can-do attitude. Mr. Franco earned his BSBA in Finance and a minor in Quantitative Business Analysis from Robert Morris University. Mr. Franco currently resides in Beaver County with his wife and 3 children.
“We proactively examine how we can help our partners enhance the loan experience for their consumers while simultaneously creating efficiencies and reducing risk.”
CRISTY WARD
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER
Cristy Ward has led as Chief Strategy Officer at Mortgage Connect since 2012 with oversight of Strategy and Revenue. She is also the President and Founder of Women Empowering Women Council. Cristy has more than 20 years’ industry experience working with top ten lenders to develop strategy, product solutions, and streamlined processes to maximize operational efficiencies and mitigate risk.
As the architect of the industry’s first Enhanced Closing Model, she takes a comprehensive approach to the consumer experience through digitization, education, and communication within the Mortgage process. She has earned a reputation as a problem-solver who develops innovative, tailored solutions to manage today’s complex issues, including managing capacity, improving quality, keeping abreast of regulatory standards, improving loan transparency, and meeting the challenges of shifting to the centralization of vendors for third-party oversight.
Prior to Mortgage Connect, Ms. Ward held key leadership positions with noteworthy companies including Stewart Title. She was the Executive Vice President of Sales at National Real Estate Information Services (NREIS), where she developed new business models and supporting infrastructure that led her team to triple the company’s new sales volume and played a pivotal role in the company’s sale to a Fortress Investment Group in 2011.
As a sought-after contributor, she has served on numerous industry panels and provides editorial contributions for several of the industry’s premier publications. She is an expert in Title Insurance & Closing Models as well as regulatory policies and procedures. Her achievements have been recognized through several awards including the prestigious MBA Doc Jore Award for Excellent Service and a Top 40 Leading Lady in U.S. Housing by MReport. She has also been named a 2021 NEXT Powerhouse Partner Award Winner and twice named one of HousingWire’s Women of Influence (2020 & 2021).
“From the initial appraisal to post loan closing we deliver innovative solutions centered around an exceptional experience for the consumer and operational excellence for our clients.”
BOB DUNN
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Mr. Dunn is Chief Financial Officer at Mortgage Connect responsible for managing financial activities of the company including accounting operations, financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting. He has over 40 years of experience and held executive leadership positions throughout the majority of his career. Prior to Mortgage Connect, Mr. Dunn served as CFO of Golden Eagle Construction Company based in Uniontown PA, bringing operational efficiencies and financial auditing processes to improve revenue performance. His role as COO/CFO of Pioneer Supply Company and National Real Estate Information Services encompassed responsibilities to streamline operations and stabilizing company financial and reporting capabilities. He was the President of Southern Pines Trucking, a subsidiary of PGT Trucking, managing all business operations, sales activities and strategic oversight. Mr. Dunn has held positions of CFO/EVP of Finance and HR for ServiceLink, CFO and later President of Pittsburgh Logistics Systems and CFO of Thomson Newspapers with oversight of all financial operations and reporting activities for various business units. He is a CPA and graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Accounting and has an MBA from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA.
MEGHAN JONES-ROLLA
CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER
Ms. Jones-Rolla is Chief Legal Officer and Chief Operating Officer, Servicing and Capital Markets for Mortgage Connect. She has spent more than 17 years in the legal profession with the last 10 years focused on providing legal advice to financial services providers. Prior to joining Mortgage Connect, Meghan spent 8 years with ServiceLink where she was Assistant General Counsel and Division Counsel for the Default Services division. Meghan’s work at ServiceLink included drafting and negotiating contracts with clients and vendors, managing and resolving all litigation and claims for the default business units, and providing regulatory, compliance, and strategic advice on ServiceLink’s products, services, and new business initiatives. Prior to her career with ServiceLink, Meghan was a partner with the law firm of Meyer Darragh Buckler Bebenek & Eck, P.L.L.C, where she was a litigator and provided legal advice to financial services companies on regulatory compliance issues.
GABE MINTON
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER
Mr. Minton serves as Mortgage Connect’s Chief Information Officer and is the Executive Vice President of Information Technology. In this role, he provides leadership and vision for the technology and information strategy, including the development of next generation digital platforms to facilitate a seamless experience between the consumer and client and to maximize operational efficiencies. Mr. Minton has more than 25 years in leadership roles with mortgage and technology companies, with a focus on developing software systems, products and standards. Throughout his career, he has led strategy and execution, communications and vendor relations. Most recently he served as chief information officer at Guild Mortgage, where he led its technology and information strategy, including business systems, architecture, infrastructure and product and services technology. Mr. Minton also served in senior management, strategy and technology positions with Black Knight’s ServiceLink, Motivity Solutions, Accenture Mortgage Cadence and the Mortgage Bankers Association. He was one of the leading architects and founding members of MISMO, the Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organizations (a subsidiary of the MBA). He earned a B.S. with a double-major in computer science and statistics, and minor in mathematics from Radford University in Virginia, and a Master of software engineering degree from the University of Maryland.
ASHWINI PEDNEKAR
DIRECTOR, PEOPLE & CULTURE
apednekar@MortgageConnectLP.com
Ashwini Pednekar serves as Director of People & Culture at Mortgage Connect, which includes oversight of talent acquisition, onboarding, employee relations, internal communications, HRIS, total rewards, and employee development. Ashwini joined Mortgage Connect as Human Resources Business Partner and later became the company’s Director of Employee Experience.
Prior to joining Mortgage Connect, Ashwini held several positions in the HR field in various industries ranging from online sales to education. With a strong focus on people and communication, Ashwini’s goal is to support the organization while cultivating a culture of growth and inclusivity. Ashwini holds an M.B.A in Human Resource Management, a certification in Conflict Resolution, and is a certified HR Professional.
