MISMO Mic'd Up: Beyond the Standards

Brian Vieaux, President MISMO

MISMO Mic’d Up: Beyond the Standards brings you inside the work that quietly powers the housing finance ecosystem. Hosted by Brian Vieaux, President of MISMO, each episode features candid conversations with lenders, servicers, technology providers, regulators, and long-time MISMO volunteers who are building the data standards our industry runs on. You’ll learn: How MISMO workgroups actually operate Where standards reduce friction, risk, and cost How emerging tech (AI, POS, eClosing, consumer-permissioned data) connects to MISMO Practical ways to plug your team into the work

  1. 6d ago

    Why Copperlane Thinks AI Should Empower Loan Officers—Not Replace Them

    The mortgage industry is no stranger to new technology. But every once in a while, a company comes along that doesn't just automate an existing process—it challenges how we think about the work itself. On this episode of MISMO Mic'd Up, I sit down with Copperlane co-founders Athan Zhang and Brianna Lin, two young entrepreneurs who are bringing a fresh perspective to one of the industry's oldest challenges: helping loan officers spend less time on administrative work and more time serving borrowers. Despite being early in their careers, Athan and Brianna didn't stumble into mortgage by accident. Growing up with parents who worked within the GSE ecosystem gave them an appreciation for the full mortgage lifecycle—from origination all the way through the secondary market. That unique perspective helped them identify a problem many lenders have accepted as inevitable: too much time spent on repetitive, manual tasks that ultimately increase cost, create compliance risk, and distract loan officers from building relationships. Their solution is Penny, an AI-powered loan officer assistant designed to function less like software and more like another member of the lending team. Penny follows up with borrowers, reviews documents, answers questions, assists with quality control, and integrates directly into the systems lenders already use—all while keeping the human loan officer at the center of every relationship. We also dive into one of the most important conversations happening in mortgage today: responsible AI. Athan and Brianna explain how Copperlane approaches governance, testing, compliance, and lender oversight long before regulations require it. Their philosophy aligns closely with the industry's growing emphasis on AI governance, transparency, and trust. The conversation also explores Copperlane's recent $4.1 million seed funding round, what investors are seeing in mortgage technology, and why the founders believe success comes from spending as much time listening to customers as writing code. Their commitment to attending industry conferences, engaging directly with lenders, and learning how mortgage really works has helped shape both their product and their company culture. Perhaps the biggest takeaway from this episode is that the future of mortgage isn't about replacing people with AI. It's about giving people better tools so they can do what they do best—build trust, advise borrowers, and create better homeownership experiences. Whether you're a lender evaluating AI, a technology provider building for the industry, or simply curious about where mortgage innovation is headed, this conversation offers an optimistic look at what happens when next-generation entrepreneurs combine cutting-edge technology with a genuine respect for how this industry works. This is a conversation about innovation, responsible AI, and why the next generation of mortgage leaders may already be here.

    29 min

  2. Jun 19

    How AI Will Separate Mortgage Winners from Everyone Else

    In this episode of MISMO MIC’d Up, I sit down with Jagjit Singh from JazzX AI to discuss one of the most important questions facing mortgage lenders today: What will separate the lenders who merely experiment with AI from those who successfully operationalize it? While much of the industry remains focused on pilots, proofs of concept, and isolated use cases, Jagjit argues that the real opportunity lies in something much larger. The next generation of mortgage lenders won't simply use AI to accelerate individual tasks—they will redesign workflows, institutionalize knowledge, and embed intelligence across the entire lending lifecycle. Drawing on more than fifteen years of mortgage lending experience and his current role helping build AI-native mortgage technology, Jagjit shares his perspective on where the industry sits on the AI maturity curve and why many lenders are underestimating the organizational changes required to realize meaningful returns from AI investments. We explore the critical difference between workflow acceleration and true operational intelligence, and why successful AI adoption requires far more than deploying new technology. The conversation dives into the concept of institutionalizing intelligence—capturing the knowledge of top performers, embedding it into systems, and creating consistency across underwriting, processing, fulfillment, quality control, and post-close operations. Jagjit explains how AI has the potential to preserve and scale expertise across an organization, helping lenders make more consistent risk decisions while reducing dependence on tribal knowledge. We also discuss the importance of governance, change management, organizational trust, and leadership commitment. As Jagjit notes, the lenders that emerge as industry leaders won't necessarily be the ones with the most AI tools—they'll be the organizations that successfully integrate AI into the fabric of their operations and culture. Whether you're a lender actively evaluating AI initiatives or an executive trying to understand what comes next, this conversation offers practical insight into where the market is heading and what it will take to compete in an increasingly AI-enabled mortgage ecosystem.

    27 min

  3. Jun 12

    Beyond the Appraisal: How UAD 3.6 Will Transform Mortgage Valuation

    The mortgage industry is rapidly approaching one of the most significant valuation transformations in decades. With the UAD 3.6 mandate on the horizon, lenders, appraisers, AMCs, and technology providers are preparing for a future built on structured data, greater automation, and new approaches to property valuation. On this episode of MISMO MIC'D UP, Brian Vieaux sits down with Brian Zitin, Founder and CEO of Reggora, to discuss what UAD 3.6 really means for the industry—and why the impact extends far beyond simply updating appraisal forms. Brian shares the story of how Reggora was founded, from an entrepreneurial college project to becoming one of the mortgage industry's leading appraisal management platforms, now facilitating nearly one out of every four appraisals in the country. The conversation explores how valuation technology has evolved, why appraisal logistics have historically been one of mortgage lending's biggest bottlenecks, and how better data can unlock new opportunities for lenders, investors, and consumers alike. The discussion dives deep into the industry's readiness for UAD 3.6, the challenges of coordinating lenders, appraisers, LOS providers, and technology vendors, and why the coming months may bring both innovation and disruption as implementation deadlines approach. Brian and Brian also examine the future of hybrid appraisals, the growing role of AI and computer vision in property inspections, and why the traditional appraisal process may look dramatically different over the next decade. From mobile data collection and automated quality control to appraisal waivers and emerging valuation products, this episode offers a forward-looking perspective on where mortgage valuation is headed. If you want to better understand the intersection of appraisal modernization, structured data, AI, and the future of mortgage lending, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

    22 min

  4. Jun 5

    From Capital Markets to Community: Amy Creason on Standards, Data, and Leadership

    On this episode of MISMO MIC’d Up, I sit down with Amy Creason for a conversation that blends mortgage innovation, industry collaboration, and leadership. We start with an important but often underappreciated topic inside the mortgage ecosystem: the Commitment File. Amy helps unpack why this work matters, the operational friction it aims to solve, and why standardization in this area has the potential to create meaningful efficiencies across the secondary market. We discuss the broader industry implications, including how lenders, investors, technology providers, warehouse banks, and capital markets participants all have a role to play in shaping and adopting this work. Amy shares perspective on why now is the right time for the industry to lean in, what success could look like if the Commitment File gains broad adoption, and why collaboration through MISMO remains critical to reducing complexity across the mortgage manufacturing process. The conversation also shifts to leadership, inclusion, and industry culture through Amy’s involvement with CapitalW Collective. We discuss the mission behind CapitalW and the organization’s work to support and elevate women in mortgage capital markets through education, visibility, networking, and advocacy. Amy talks candidly about the importance of representation, mentorship, and creating environments where more voices are welcomed into the conversation. We also explore how stronger diversity of thought ultimately leads to a healthier, more innovative mortgage industry. This episode is a reminder that progress in mortgage banking does not happen in silos. Whether it is standards development, operational modernization, or building a more inclusive future for the industry, the best outcomes happen when people come together to do the work. If you care about the future of mortgage capital markets, industry interoperability, and creating a stronger ecosystem for the next generation of leaders, this is an episode you will not want to miss.

    33 min

  5. May 29

    Introduction to FRAME: Framework for Responsible use of AI in Mortgage Ecosystem

    On this special edition of MISMO MIC’d UP, Rick Hill joins Brian Vieaux for an important industry conversation introducing MISMO FRAME — the Framework for Responsible AI in the Mortgage Ecosystem. Built by the industry, for the industry, FRAME is designed to help lenders, servicers, technology providers, and other mortgage stakeholders confidently navigate the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence while maintaining trust, transparency, and responsible governance. Throughout the episode, Brian and Rick break down why the mortgage industry urgently needs a practical, mortgage-specific AI framework. As AI adoption accelerates across underwriting, document recognition, customer engagement, compliance monitoring, servicing, quality control, and marketing, many organizations are struggling with key questions around ownership, governance, risk management, vendor oversight, and regulatory readiness. FRAME was developed to address those concerns with a scalable, implementable approach tailored specifically to the realities of mortgage lending. The conversation explores the growing complexity of AI usage inside organizations — including tools already embedded inside vendor platforms, CRMs, email systems, note-taking software, and consumer-facing applications. Rick explains why many lenders are already using AI without fully understanding where it exists, how it operates, or what risks may accompany it. The episode highlights how FRAME helps organizations create visibility into their AI ecosystem, establish governance structures, assess use cases consistently, and prepare for increasing scrutiny from regulators, investors, GSEs, and state agencies. Brian and Rick also walk listeners through the core components of FRAME, including: AI inventory management Governance policies Risk assessments Incident and change logging Performance and fairness testing Risk tiering and oversight structures Vendor accountability and documentation practices Listeners will hear why FRAME was intentionally designed to be practical and flexible — not a rigid compliance mandate. Instead, it serves as a common operational framework that organizations of all sizes can adopt and scale over time. The discussion also explains how FRAME aligns with broader frameworks like NIST while simplifying implementation specifically for mortgage industry participants. In addition, the episode provides insight into the collaborative work happening inside the MISMO AI Community of Practice and the broader industry effort to establish responsible guardrails for AI adoption before formal regulations fully mature. Brian and Rick emphasize that this work is not about slowing innovation — it is about enabling the industry to innovate responsibly and confidently. Whether you are a lender executive, compliance leader, technologist, risk officer, vendor partner, or simply trying to understand how AI governance is rapidly becoming a business necessity in mortgage lending, this episode offers a timely and practical look at one of the most important industry initiatives currently underway. If AI is already in your organization — and chances are it is — this is a conversation you do not want to miss.

    50 min

  6. May 22

    2. Cruises, Advocacy & AI: Dustin Owen on the Next Era of the Loan Officer

    In this episode of MISMO MIC’d Up, Dustin Owen joins Brian Vieaux for whatstarts as a conversation about the upcoming TLOP Unite Caribbean TakeoverCruise… and quickly evolves into a wide-ranging discussion on the future of themortgage industry, the power of advocacy, and why every Loan Officer shouldunderstand the role MISMO plays in their daily business. Dustin shares the inspiration behind launching the TLOP Cruise, afirst-of-its-kind industry event designed to combine networking, collaboration,coaching, and community-building in a more authentic and relationship-drivenenvironment than the traditional conference model. Rather than three straightdays sitting in ballrooms, Dustin explains his vision for creating meaningfulconversations between originators, coaches, executives, and industry leaderswhile literally sailing through the Caribbean. The conversation then pivots into an important and surprisingly candiddiscussion around MISMO itself. Dustin openly admits that, despite being a 20+year mortgage veteran and CMB, he didn’t fully understand what MISMO actuallydid until Brian stepped into the President role and began bringing theorganization’s story directly to Loan Officers and front-line mortgageprofessionals. Together, they break down how MISMO standards quietly powernearly every piece of mortgage technology used across the industry today—fromLOS integrations and APIs to the “MISMO file” brokers upload every day withoutfully realizing the infrastructure behind it. Brian also provides an inside look at how MISMO operates as a nonprofitstandards organization, explaining the work behind maintaining more than 100published standards and an 8,000-term mortgage business glossary that serves asfoundational infrastructure for the entire housing finance ecosystem. Thediscussion highlights the importance of industry participation and the need forlenders and technology providers to invest in the standards they rely on everysingle day. Another major theme throughout the episode is advocacy. Dustin passionatelyexplains why every mortgage professional—from newly licensed originators toCEOs of billion-dollar IMBs—should join the Mortgage Action Alliance and maketheir voice heard on Capitol Hill. The conversation emphasizes how grassrootsadvocacy directly impacts housing policy, trigger leads, affordabilityinitiatives, and the future of the mortgage profession itself. Listeners also get a personal update from Dustin on his career evolution. Heshares why he recently retired from loan production after building abillion-dollar division and why he’s now fully focused on coaching, mentoring,and shaping the next generation of mortgage professionals through TLOP. The episode closes with an insightful discussion around the future of theLoan Officer profession, reacting to recent industry commentary suggesting thata small percentage of originators may eventually control the overwhelmingmajority of production volume. Dustin offers his perspective on what today’sLoan Officers must do to remain relevant in an AI-driven, relationship-centeredmortgage landscape, emphasizing influence, community presence, trust, emotionalintelligence, and authentic human connection as the true differentiators movingforward. This episode is equal parts industry education, career advice, advocacyrally cry, and behind-the-scenes conversation between two longtime mortgageprofessionals who care deeply about the future of housing finance and thepeople who make it work.

    35 min

  7. May 15

    From Scale to Service: How Lenders One Is Helping Local Lenders Compete Smarter

    This week on MISMO MIC’D UP, Brian Vieaux sits down with Rick Seehausen, newly appointed President of Lenders One, for a candid and forward-looking conversation about the evolving role of collaboration, scale, and innovation in mortgage lending. Just ten weeks into his tenure, Rick shares his early impressions of the Lenders One culture, the power of the cooperative model, and why the organization’s collaborative spirit continues to stand out in an increasingly competitive market. Brian and Rick revisit the origins of Lenders One and explore how the cooperative has evolved from a capital markets-focused organization into a broad-based ecosystem supporting lenders through preferred partnerships, technology solutions, vendor management, and operational efficiency. Rick discusses how Lenders One’s 250-member network—representing roughly 20% of all mortgages originated in America—creates meaningful buying power and strategic advantages for independent mortgage banks, banks, and credit unions alike. A major focus of the conversation centers on the future of non-agency lending and the growing opportunity around non-QM products. Rick explains how Lenders One is working to create more standardized, technology-enabled delivery processes between lenders and investors, reducing friction in a market that has historically lacked consistency outside the GSE ecosystem. The discussion naturally connects to the importance of MISMO standards and the operational efficiencies that standardization can unlock across the secondary market. The episode also dives deep into artificial intelligence and what AI adoption means for lenders of all sizes. Rick shares his perspective on the widening gap that could emerge between large institutions successfully operationalizing AI and smaller lenders struggling to keep pace. He outlines how Lenders One is helping bridge that gap by bringing AI-enabled provider solutions to members while simultaneously expanding its outsourced fulfillment capabilities into a fully managed, private-label operating platform. Throughout the conversation, both Brian and Rick reinforce a shared belief in the value of local lenders and originators as trusted financial advisors within their communities. From first-time homebuyer guidance to operational modernization, the discussion highlights how cooperative scale, responsible innovation, and industry collaboration can empower smaller institutions to compete effectively while continuing to deliver the personalized service consumers value most. The episode closes with a look ahead at what’s next for Lenders One, including expanded roundtables, additional regional engagement opportunities, and the possibility of bringing back two annual summits as the cooperative continues to strengthen its role as a connector and catalyst across the mortgage ecosystem.

    23 min

  8. May 8

    Behind the Tri-Merge: Why Credit’s Middle Layer Matters More Than You Think

    🎙️ Detailed Show Description In this episode of MISMO MIC’D Up, Brian Vieaux sits down with Samantha Markwood to explore the often misunderstood—but absolutely critical—role of credit reporting agencies in the mortgage ecosystem. Fresh into her new role as Chief Strategy & Brand Officer at Birchwood Credit Services, Samantha shares her perspective on why now is the right time for organizations in the credit space to double down on strategy, relationships, and brand clarity amid a rapidly evolving market. With more than two decades of experience, she brings a grounded, behind-the-scenes view of how credit data actually flows through the mortgage process—and why that matters more than ever. The conversation breaks down the mechanics of the credit ecosystem in a way that both industry veterans and newcomers can appreciate. Samantha explains how credit reporting agencies act as the connective tissue between the “big three” bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—and mortgage lenders, transforming fragmented datasets into a single, actionable tri-merge credit report. Without this layer, lenders would be left piecing together multiple reports manually, creating inefficiencies and increasing the risk of inconsistency. Beyond the tri-merge, Samantha highlights the broader suite of verification and risk tools that support loan manufacturing—from employment and income validation to fraud and flood services—painting a picture of a highly integrated ecosystem designed to drive smarter, faster lending decisions. But what truly sets Birchwood apart? According to Samantha, it’s not just technology—it’s the boutique, relationship-first approach. Rather than competing solely on price, Birchwood leans into deep client engagement, taking the time to understand lender workflows, technology stacks, and pain points to co-create more efficient, tailored solutions. The episode wraps with a forward-looking discussion on Samantha’s new role and what excites her most: getting back out into the industry, listening to clients, and bringing those insights home to drive innovation. It’s a reminder that in a data-driven world, relationships—and the willingness to truly understand your partners—are still the ultimate differentiator. Whether you're a lender, technologist, or simply trying to better understand how credit data powers mortgage decisions, this episode delivers clarity, context, and a fresh perspective on a foundational piece of the lending process.

    15 min
See All (30)

About

MISMO Mic’d Up: Beyond the Standards brings you inside the work that quietly powers the housing finance ecosystem. Hosted by Brian Vieaux, President of MISMO, each episode features candid conversations with lenders, servicers, technology providers, regulators, and long-time MISMO volunteers who are building the data standards our industry runs on. You’ll learn: How MISMO workgroups actually operate Where standards reduce friction, risk, and cost How emerging tech (AI, POS, eClosing, consumer-permissioned data) connects to MISMO Practical ways to plug your team into the work

Information