The Most Trusted Banking Technology Solution Providers to Watch in 2022

WWW.THEENTERPRISEWORLD.COM | EUROPE EDITION | MARCH 2022 adorsys Establishing trust with innovation!







From Editor’s Desk Banking institutions have today moved on from being a manual, scale-constrained environment to now being automated with technological processes and systems in place. Technology in banking was not much of a welcome idea considering the sensitivity of the banking environment. But with the apt use of technology, banking has scaled up to new heights. Featuring for The Enterprise World’s this issue of The Most Trusted Banking Technology Solution Providers to Watch in 2022 are some of such companies who have changed the banking processes with their technology. Featuring for the Cover Story is- adorsys is one of the pioneers, and a leading Banking Technology solution provider. Their services are precise, efficient, and flawless enabling banks, insurance, and financial companies to offer their clients the best products. They are highly acclaimed and they are always a step ahead of the competition. Their high level of client service, along with a team of industry experts, makes them one of the most trusted banking technology solution providers in 2021! With a vision to enhance the future of the Banking and FinTech industry, adorsys began its journey in 2006. The team at adorsys have built up decades of combined experience in the Finance industry under many roles. This versatile experience, packed with their industry-leading skills and knowledge enabled adorsys to create solutions that enable Banks, Insurance institutions, and third-party providers to improve their customer experience and build bridges to new growth areas, such as Fintech companies, etc. West Gate Bank Correspondent Mortgage focuses on developing third party relationships with community banks and credit unions with a desire to grow their mortgage presence. They offer secondary market mortgage and portfolio products to enhance an institution’s housing menu. West Gate not only purchases secondary market loans, but also services these loans locally and offer a non-solicitation agreement. A few differentiators are their ability to implement new products quickly, a streamlined manufacturing process with minimal overlays, and access to all staff for a white glove approach. Amy and the BuyNowTeam started their journey with the SouthState Bank in December 2019. They were lucky enough to have a staff that supported them and their team from the very beginning. SouthState Bank’s mission is to make the mortgage process easy. They aim to achieve this by ensuring that loan officers are working closely with the client every step of the way. Amy and her team don’t look at a customer as an application, they find it important to be with a company that is as supportive and cares about the customer’s experience. The Covid-19 pandemic brought drastic changes to all the industries and the Financial Services industry was not spared either. But the SouthState Bank fully utilized this time to outshine and set themselves apart to provide their clients with a more efficient experience through improved technology. The face-to-face aspect of the Financial Services industry is still evolving, and SouthState Bank has been able to thrive in this new environment with its exceptional technology features and personalized customer services to each client.As now, more than ever, the client deserves to feel a more personal connection to their financial institution, and Amy and her team are proud to provide that in each aspect of SouthState Bank. Shalmali Shalmali W.

High Street North, East Ham, England GB Follow Us On: For Editorial Concerns: [email protected] For Sales & Branding Enquiries: [email protected] For Subscription: [email protected] Publisher The Enterprise World Creative Content Editor Shalmali W. | Adeeb Marketing Coordinator(USA) Peter J. PR & Marketing Coordinator James H. Business Development Executive Emily Creative Design Head: Sushant K. Social Media Manager Narendra S. Digital Circulation Manager Amanda V. This list is NOT a ranking. The companies on listed in magazine serve different aspects of the market, making ranking them in any order except revenue impossible and unfair. We try to bring a perfect platform for business organization to showcase their valued products/ services. Copyrights © The Enterprise World | 2019. All Rights Reserved. The images and content included in this magazine should not be copied, transferred or reproduced in any form or by any means, electronics, mechanical, photocopying, recording, otherwise, without proper permission from The Enterprise World. The Enterprise World solely owns all the reprint rights.

Leaders in Spotlight Adorsys is one of the pioneers, and a are their ability to implement new products quickly, a leading Banking Technology solution streamlined manufacturing process with minimal provider. Their services are precise, overlays, and access to all staff for a white glove efficient, and flawless enabling banks, insurance, approach. and financial companies to offer their clients the best products. They are highly acclaimed and they Amy and the BuyNowTeam started their journey with are always a step ahead of the competition. Their the SouthState Bank in December 2019. They were high level of client service, along with a team of lucky enough to have a staff that supported them and industry experts, makes them one of the most their team from the very beginning. trusted banking technology solution providers in 2021! SouthState Bank's mission is to make the mortgage process easy. They aim to achieve this by ensuring that With a vision to enhance the future of the Banking loan officers are working closely with the client every and FinTech industry, adorsys began its journey in step of the way. Amy and her team don't look at a 2006. The team at adorsys have built up decades of customer as an application, they find it important to be combined experience in the Finance industry under with a company that is as supportive and cares about many roles. This versatile experience, packed with the customer's experience. their industry-leading skills and knowledge enabled adorsys to create solutions that enable Banks, The Covid-19 pandemic brought drastic changes to all Insurance institutions, and third-party providers to the industries and the Financial Services industry was improve their customer experience and build not spared either. But the SouthState Bank fully utilized bridges to new growth areas, such as Fintech this time to outshine and set themselves apart to companies, etc. provide their clients with a more efficient experience through improved technology. West Gate Bank Correspondent Mortgage focuses on developing third party relationships with The face-to-face aspect of the Financial Services community banks and credit unions with a desire to industry is still evolving, and SouthState Bank has been grow their mortgage presence. They offer secondary able to thrive in this new environment with its market mortgage and portfolio products to enhance exceptional technology features and personalized an institution's housing menu. customer services to each client. As now, more than ever, the client deserves to feel a more personal West Gate not only purchases secondary market connection to their financial institution, and Amy and loans, but also services these loans locally and offer her team are proud to provide that in each aspect of a non-solicitation agreement. A few differentiators SouthState Bank.

10. adorsys

CONTENTS 20. West Gate Bank 34. South State Bank 28 Keeping The American Dream Alive With Flexible Rent ARTICLES

COVER STORY ador Establishing trust 10 MARCH 2022

rsys with innovation! www.theenterpriseworld.com 11

COVER STORY Andrew J Zeller Thilo Rottach Co-CEO Co-CEO 12 MARCH 2022

With a heavy emphasis on Fintech companies, the One of the reasons behind the success of adorsys is a strong financial industry is growing. This rapid growth foundation, including management and investors. Another success has brought many problems and challenging factor is their strong lasting relationship with their clients, creating scenarios for companies in the finance field, including value on both sides. finding partners that provide thorough and industry-leading products and services. Next is the question of reliability and The team of adorsys is provided with a range of professional and trust, and if one feels their money is not safe, they will education development opportunities. For instance, the employees never put their trust in that bank or institution. can spend three percent of their annual salary on training and education. Furthermore, they have created communities and adorsys is one of the pioneers, and a leading Banking initiatives which enable knowledge sharing and informal education. Technology solution provider. Their services are precise, These are run as workshops and input from every employee is efficient, and flawless enabling banks, insurance, and welcome. This empowers the team to be ready for any market trend financial companies to offer their clients the best products. and technology changes. They are highly acclaimed and they are always a step ahead of the competition. Their high level of client service, along The next step is to bring their superior client service to more with a team of industry experts, makes them one of the most international customers. To achieve this, they have created an trusted banking technology solution providers in 2021! International Business Division to drive further growth. The Company, the Journey Services offered by adorsys, and how adorsys goes a step further With a vision to enhance the future of the Banking and FinTech industry, adorsys began its journey in 2006. The As an integration and technology partner, adorsys covers the entire team at adorsys have built up decades of combined innovation lifecycle and digital transformation process. From a experience in the Finance industry under many roles. This technology perspective, their focus is on state-of-the-art modular, versatile experience, packed with their industry-leading flexible, and secure architectures which are based on API and cloud skills and knowledge enabled adorsys to create solutions technology. that enable Banks, Insurance institutions, and third-party providers to improve their customer experience and build They have already made more than 100 banks compliant with new bridges to new growth areas, such as Fintech companies, EU regulations. All these factors make them one of the most etc. reliable and highly sought-after companies in the banking technology space. During the initial stages, adorsys never backed down from any challenge. With support from the leadership team and As the team is always steaming ahead, providing breakthrough with a positive mindset, challenges enabled growth, services in every step, they are striving day in and out to improve personally and as a company. and evolve their services. In terms of digital and open finance, adorsys also integrates crypto payments and prepares its clients for From the onset, they wanted to make sure they are leaders the new digital currencies that are taking off in Europe, the UK and of the pack, and their breakthrough services are unrivaled in the US. the market. Having built various wallets and with a strong background in adorsys was one of the first companies to introduce banking and payments, they are optimally positioned to create, innovative Banking Tech solutions such as cloud store, manage and transact digital assets. engineering, data-driven intelligent technologies, Fintech Go-to-market services, dominating and staying ahead of the By executing in the crypto assets, blockchains and smart contracts pack. space, adorsys is capturing the next frontier in Financial Services. Their new strategic building block “Tokenize everything” will Factors establishing the long-standing success of adorsys further shape the digital transformation of the financial industry. It is the client-centric approach of adorsys which has led it Internationally-driven, they’ve set their focus on the three pillars: to become one of the best Banking tech solution providers. Ÿ Cloud Engineering Their focus on the transformation of business models and Ÿ Data-driven intelligent technologies which include Blockchain the digitization of businesses is one of the major drivers of Ÿ Fintech Go-to-market the company’s growth. They guarantee end-to-end digital support which starts from the customer journey and ends with security topics. www.theenterpriseworld.com 13

COVER STORY INTEGRATION AND TE 14 MARCH 2022

ECHNOLOGY PARTNER www.theenterpriseworld.com 15

COVER STORY They see an increased demand in these spaces. Opening new He likes to build bridges and lead the teams to go the extra avenues to customers and markets will help them and their mile in the organization. Injecting creative energy, and at the clients to grow and unlock value through technology and data. same time instilling a curiosity to learn and listen from his teams. New additions to the Service Arsenal “I love to see people having success” – Andre Achtstaetter, adorsys is always looking for new ways to enhance its service Co-COO, adorsys offering. Through client feedback, new practices and technology advances, the team is always prepared for any What makes the team of adorsys unique is its diversity. change in the market. Diversity not only brings people of different cultures together but also inspires a sense of harmony and a cordial For example, they recently created a service that optimizes environment. Since the company is inclined to high-value customer journey and internal processes for Banks, Insurance, execution and discipline towards its clients, these values are and Fintech companies. This is aimed to save costs, increase shared by the team and are dedicated to providing nothing revenue, and reduce carbon emissions at the same time with a less than exceptional services. Also, the learning culture and Project ROI shorter than one year. learning opportunities, and encouragement help the team grow on a personal and professional level. All this culminates They deliver all this with their “execution team” within 3 in a team that is organised, dedicated, and understanding months! towards their fellow peers and clients. Leadership at adorsys Andre’s take on the responsibilities of an entrepreneur A company like adorsys which is oriented towards innovation “The world moves and what was true only a few months ago and staying ahead of the game requires a team of leaders who may not be true anymore. The responsibility of an are visionary and skilled experts in the field. entrepreneur, thus, is to stay on top of the game for our customers, our employees, our partners, and investors. adorsys has been blessed with an acclaimed leadership team, Through this, we achieve integrity and it lays the foundation which is always managing, encouraging, and leading the for trust and respect which leads to great execution skills in services ahead with tenacity and top-notch standards. our teams.”. Andre Achtstaetter is the Co-Chief Operating Officer at Andre’s take on constant vigilance- a need or a strategy? adorsys. “Constant and total focus to make better decisions under Andre is ramping up the Operations World in adorsys in order pressure. I would rather call it a habit in my case.” to better meet the expansion efforts, but also the changed requirements of their customers. Special experience with clients He brings a lot of international experience and expertise with As adorsys is all about enabling and helping its clients, there Fintech, Banking, Software and IT, Insurance as well as are too many special experiences to highlight. independent financial advisory background to adorsys, including managing international growth, turnaround and In general, what they see is that there are lots of companies international post-merger situations. that are willing to digitize but are stuck in the technological past. This is where adorsys comes in, builds and manages Andre has also gained Management and Project experience in: digital platforms, or helps them to integrate into the cloud. Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, Austria, USA, France, Poland, Romania, Slovakia & Czech Republic. In addition, he also The good news is that a lot of companies are willing to take brings to the table entrepreneurial experience in Fintech, this step but the execution is missing. Here, adorsys executes Coaching and Consulting. on the highest technological level, which is their strength! Andre’s employee relations and the Team of adorsys “Always choose execution and do it with a cool head and a warm heart” - Andre likes to quote the mental coach Alfred Andre is all about promoting a learning atmosphere, Kaune (who sadly passed away in 2012) encouraging the team to grow, not only on a professional but also on a personal level. Feedback from Andre's team is that he inspires with his positive and forward-driven energy. 16 MARCH 2022

The good news is that a lot of companies are willing to take this step but the execution is missing. Here, adorsys executes on the highest technological level, which is their strength! “Always choose execution and do it with a cool head and a warm heart” - Andre likes to quote the mental coach Alfred Kaune Andre Achtstaetter Co-COO www.theenterpriseworld.com 17





SVP, Correspondent Mortgage Channel Manager West Gate Bank 20 MARCH 2022

DANA BRASHEAR An Exceptional Mortgage Expert The success of a correspondent lender relies mostly on the public image they create for themselves. The first thing important for a correspondent lender is his/her research. This gives you an upper hand on your customers, because the mortgage industry is and will always remain a competitive space for anyone entering. Communication counts to everything when you are a correspondent lender. Good contacts with your lenders are bound to give you prospective new clients. Featuring for the Cover Story of The Enterprise World's this issue of Enterprising Women of the Year is one such entrepreneur, who with her dedicated efforts has made mortgage look like a piece of cake to everyone. Dana Brashear, with her zeal to succeed is today recognized as one of the exceptional mortgage experts! Unmatched Leadership of Dana Brashear- “First and foremost an entrepreneur is responsible for leadership.” An entrepreneur initiates and oversees almost all activities across business lines, creating jobs, fulfilling opportunities, and managing risk. Secondly, they must ensure the business is operating efficiently and taking care of their staff. Thirdly, they engage with the community, being a change agent and aiding in achieving their goals. Overall, improving lives while making a profit for everyone involved. www.theenterpriseworld.com 21

Dana started in finance as a bank teller almost 20 years ago. processes was and continues to be an obstacle, in some She took the traditional path of moving up through an respects. As the industry moves to leverage more technology, organization within the mortgage department becoming a archaic processes become obsolete, this causes a shift in processor, originator and eventually management. Through moral as employees feel insecure and afraid of the unknown. her network, she had an opportunity present itself to aid a de novo correspondent channel grow. Another hurdle the team had to overcome was securing the available resources and expertise to fill in gaps within their “Through this avenue, I began building high performance tech team and servicing. Over the past several years, they teams and entered project management and I haven't looked identified and hired some amazing talent helping to bring the back since.” company's goals to fruition. Coping with the rat race that the industry is, Dana says that “We've built the necessary infrastructure that has allowed us she has chosen what to give her attention to and then to overhaul our servicing platform, creating a dynamic, prioritize her work accordingly. It can be extremely paperless solution as well as create our own technology overwhelming with the amount of knowledge and changes processes without relying on a third party. This has been that is being thrown at you daily. invaluable to maintaining growth without the additional cost.” “I stick to my strategy and if it doesn't align, I table it.” Being a project manager helps me compartmentalize fortunately. However, there are times when Dana finds herself chasing the new shiny thing because it's intriguing. But at the end of the day, where you put your knowledge and how it is capitalized matters the most! West Gate Bank- Always Thriving for End-to-End Fulfilment- Chartered in 1968, West Gate Bank is a family-owned community bank based out of Lincoln, Nebraska. WGB Correspondent has been helping community banks and credit unions provide home ownership to their customers across the nation. Offering Delegated, Non-Delegated, and “Full Service” Broker relationships, providing end-to-end fulfilment, we offer the right products at the right price, in a fast and efficient manner. “Our overriding philosophy is for our partners to keep their borrower/member relationship.” To guarantee that philosophy, we institute a non-solicitation commitment clause in our contract. They retain servicing of nearly all mortgage loans in their Servicing Center located in Lincoln, Nebraska to ensure borrowers/members receive the best customer care available. Cutting Through the Complexities- There were a variety of challenges, especially when ramping up our strategic plan. One common challenge all the contemporaries share in this industry is how fast you pivot and adapt to the changing market. Being a small community bank, nimbleness was not an issue. However, employees shifting their paradigms and learning new 22 MARCH 2022

The talent acquisition along with the technological abilities West Gate not only purchases secondary market loans, but West Gate Bank now possesses allowed them to tweak their also services these loans locally and offer a non-solicitation plans and realize what they, as a company, were truly able agreement. A few differentiators are their ability to to accomplish. This was a major turning point and implement new products quickly, a streamlined triggered new product and process development. They were manufacturing process with minimal overlays, and access to also able to expand their product offering and execute more all sta fffor a white glove approach. efficiently. In turn, they are able to compete with larger aggregators leading to an influx of partnerships and The Changing Graphs and A Bright Future- increased volume. Inception occurred in 2011, however, let's go back to 2015. The Products and Services- For the past six years, the company has managed to increase their correspondent partnerships by 74% and triple West Gate Bank Correspondent Mortgage focuses on the production volume. While 2020 was a bit of an developing third party relationships with community banks anomaly, Dana is extremely proud of the team and what and credit unions with a desire to grow their mortgage they have been able to accomplish in such a short period of presence. They offer secondary market mortgage and time. portfolio products to enhance an institution's housing menu. www.theenterpriseworld.com 23





“We continue to grow our network of relationships, create government products. This will be a key factor in their brand awareness across the nation and manage an ability to complete over the next few years. With housing increasing pipeline.” inventory drying up and mergers and acquisitions shrinking the current pool of investors, competition for community Dana firmly believes that the long-standing success is due financial institutions will be fierce. to the commitment the team has to the community banks and credit unions. West Gate prides themselves on West Gate is also looking at a variety of affordable housing maintaining service levels no matter the market products that align with the current administration's goals. environment and are also willing, as you can see in 2020, to As funding becomes available for various community slow growth where needed so that they do not sacrifice the grants and bonds, they are partnering with local housing relationships they have cultivated. agencies to help facilitate their secondary market loan opportunities. “WGBM believes in a true partnership, building communities together, and that's what we service.” Currently, the company is weighing their pricing execution options to offer better margins on both agency and 26 MARCH 2022

Team Work Makes the Dream Work- “I always ask to look beyond the job at hand and how this will improve their life in the future.” “I build teams that have different skill sets and viewpoints.” These subtle changes and challenges of her leadership have Dana wholeheartedly believes in collaboration. She feels presented Dana with tons of achievements throughout her that collaboration in diversity makes the team more rounded entrepreneurial journey. The one that she recalls, which was and facilitates an environment for learning of different probably her best achievement was her team receiving viewpoints and also cultures. The sta ffneed to always agree promotions and recognitions professionally. All her sta ffhas with the boss! elevated in their career, whether those on her current team or the past one. Witnessing their growth and seeing them achieve Dana encourages her team to challenge her thought process their goals has been the highlight of her career, says Dana. and offer better suggestions. She has also cultivated a habit of holding them accountable for their actions. There is no Probably the best achievement, is when I experience my team failure, only learning opportunities. This approach gives the receiving promotions and recognition professionally. All my sta ffthe confidence to develop their own ideas and sta ffhave elevated in their career, whether those on my methods. current team or past teams. www.theenterpriseworld.com 27

Keepin Amer Dream Al Flexibl Rent Now Pay La Possibilities For La 28 MARCH 2022

ng The rican live With le Rent ater Creates Infinite andlords and Renters www.theenterpriseworld.com 29

Homeownership: Is The American Dream Now Throughout 2019 to 2021, we have seen a steep Unattainable? deterioration of on time payments. These were only interrupted only by the months when the big stimulus Since the birth of our nation, homeownership has been checks which allowed more households to make timely rent considered as a core component of the American dream, it payments. is, after all, one of the biggest investments many people plan for in their lifetime. It symbolizes autonomy, A Common Anxiety Causes a Gap Between Landlords achievement, and upward mobility to the middle-class. A and Renters big part of that dream is to become a landlord and build wealth through real estate. Though the global pandemic affected each party in different ways, fear and uncertainty is mutual among renters and Despite the fact that a majority of Americans are working landlords. towards homeownership, they worry about the hurdles that make homeownership seem impossible– like saving up for While renters find ways to balance their paychecks, a down payment, their crippling student loan debt, and low landlords still face the pressure to sustain collections and credit scores that make it hard to access credit. maintain growth and fear they need to make increased capital investments, diminishing their cap rate over time. U.S. Home Prices Are Soaring, but Income Has Remained Relatively Flat The sad truth is that both sides are dealing with the same problem. But are there mutually beneficial solutions to ease their shared anxiety? Closing The Landlord-Tenant Gap What landlords do not realize is that renters value flexible payments and that they are willing to pay more for the convenience. For the mom and pop landlords who manage to afford In a survey done with renters and landlords, over half of investment property, things haven't been too easy either. renters in our survey said they'd pay more for flexible payment options in a rental property. Less than a quarter of During the pandemic, the massive job-loss, stay-at-home landlords thought renters would pay more. mandates and eviction moratoria affected the landlord's ability to collect rent and they saw a big drop in on-time Letus brings Flexible Rent And Financial payments. Empowerment with Rent Now, Pay Later Landlords Struggle To Pay Bills The financial uncertainty brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need to have a budget, however small it may be. Saving every penny has become more important than ever before. 30 MARCH 2022

Enter LetUs by RentMoola, a FinTech company easing And all this can be done without complicated logins. a common anxiety and closing the renter-landlord gap. Renters and landlords can simply sign up on their own and Their platform is the first to offer Rent Now, Pay Later transact as if making a venmo payment. at checkout. From Burden To Benefit Rent and rent-related payments have long been seen as a “As renters and landlords ourselves, the LetUs team burden and a deterrent to financial stability. “Our goal is to has a deep understanding of the anxieties that affect empower renters and give them a stepping stone to their both sides of the equation,” shares Manimozhi. “We next financial goal–whether it's to save for a downpayment, are the first company to combine rent with financial to increase their credit score, or to simply be able to balance services. It just makes perfect sense, since rent their paychecks,” continues Manimozhi. “And for payments are typically a household's largest expense.” landlords, LetUs empowers them to not only stabilize their collections, but also increase the value of their holdings.” Rent Now, Pay Later benefits both the landlords and LetUs is shifting the way the rental industry has operated the tenants since the service allows landlords to collect for decades. And during a time when renters and landlords in full and on time while providing renters with the have felt the strain the most, the company has provided flexibility of an interest-free line of credit at checkout. relief and hope. But there is a lot more that can be done to put landlords and renters in better financial standing. www.theenterpriseworld.com 31 Because landlords and property management companies aren't considered creditors, they do not automatically report your payment history to the three major consumer credit reporting bureaus. This means renters could be missing out on the easiest way to build their credit without debt. Reporting rent to the credit bureaus can be beneficial to everyone–not just for individuals who are starting out or have had a hit in their score. Reporting rent payments to the credit bureaus is perhaps the easiest way to build credit without debt and it can be done directly on the letus platform. “We know a favorable score can give potential homebuyers an advantage in securing a mortgage” shares Manimozhi. “Instead of being a deterrent to their dream, rent can be a tool to reach their next financial goal. That's why we make it simple and accessible.” Ultimate Flexibility With Zero-Login 360° Payments At letus, payment flexibility is at the core of their business and goes beyond their Rent Now, Pay Later service. The platform makes rent payment convenient, simple, and inclusive for both renters and landlords by offering the most extensive payment options to accommodate renters across all demographics and payment habits with the LetUs Wallet. Renters have the flexibility to pay with any payment method they prefer, from cash to checks, debit and credit cards, bank transfers, Rent Now Pay Later, pay by text, digital wallet, and even crypto.





Amy Buynoski, VP Builder Service Manager 34 MARCH 2022

SouthState Bank Mortgage Unveiling the new era of Financial Services www.theenterpriseworld.com 35

There are many names in the Banking field, only some have outclassed the others. It is their exceptional leadership attributes and vision that leaps times ahead. Amy Buynoski is another name in that spot. She is an extraordinary leader, an exceptional entrepreneur, and a charismatic personality. She is an expert in her field, inspiring and motivating her team and budding entrepreneurs. Amy Buynoski is the VP Builder Service Manager at SouthState Bank. She is a leading name in the banking field and is heading the bank to a new level. Amy understands the needs of today's borrowers. With the SouthState Bank, Amy and her team make sure that their clients receive the best of services and relentless support. She is not only changing many norms but also setting benchmarks in the Banking field! The Company Amy and the BuyNowTeam started their journey with the South State in December 2019. They were lucky enough to have a sta ffthat supported them and their team from the very beginning. South State Bank's mission is to make the mortgage process easy. They aim to achieve this by ensuring that loan officers are working closely with the client every step of the way. Amy and her team don't look at a customer as an application, they find it important to be with a company that is as supportive and cares about the customer's experience. The Covid-19 pandemic brought drastic changes to all the industries and the Financial Services industry was not spared either. But the South State Bank fully utilized this time to outshine and set themselves apart to provide their clients with a more efficient experience through improved technology. 36 MARCH 2022

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38 MARCH 2022

The face-to-face aspect of the Financial Services industry is The Services and what sets them apart still evolving, and South State has been able to thrive in this new environment with its exceptional technology features Amy and the BuyNowTeam at South State Bank offer local, and personalized customer services to each client. As now, in-house processing, underwriting, closing, marketing, and more than ever, the client deserves to feel a more personal mortgage headquarters in Atlanta. They offer Conventional, connection to their financial institution, and Amy and her FHA, Refinance, USDA, VA, investment property loans, team are proud to provide that in each aspect of their bank. and construction loans. “COVID hit and we had to adjust our normal way of What sets the institution apart is its Buyers Advantage going about doing loans, but through the thick of Program. This in-house program includes 100% financing COVID, we were supported and given the best tools to with at least a 640 credit score. SouthState understands that end 2020 on a great note. South State gave us all the borrowers' needs today are not one size fits all and this tools we needed to be able to continue with our work. program puts the borrower's needs first. We found ways to communicate without being in the same office as other staff. Through zoom, teams, and the The team at SouthState comprises experts in the residential good old fashion telephone we kept open communication lending industry who keep their borrowers informed with everyone. We stayed competitive with rates by throughout the process, so they know what is happening at following the market and keeping up with the day-to- each step. As a team, they think outside the box when day news”, Amy adds. solving problems for borrowers. What makes SouthState bank successful and sought- They offer complimentary second opinions for borrowers to after compare lenders and ensure they have made the best financial decision for themselves and their families. In the next few years, South State is growing and evolving to establish itself as one of the leading banks throughout the With a diverse set of mortgage loan products to fit almost South. They are constantly working and working on finding every borrower's needs and competitive rates, it is no the next direction in how to better the Bank. The bank has wonder the institution receives so many positive letters and already witnessed phenomenal growth in the past two years, emails from customers after they have closed on their new doubling its members, and is not planning to stop anytime home. soon. Amy and her team have open communication with their The Financial Services industry is growing more complex clients from the very beginning. They call their clients and and more competitive with each passing day and South make sure they understand all their options. They also State is striving to leave its mark for the long-term in this provide detailed emails with reminders of things to do and industry. As cutthroat as the business may be, it cannot not to do including 10 Commandments of Home Buying, replace how you treat people and the service you provide whiteboard videos, and in-process milestone emails. clients. Partners will remember the process and how they were treated. Customer service and experience will win “We are not the transaction team. We view it as being a every time. part of someone's story and the impact it has on them, their family, and their future. We love connecting with People will want to work with people they can trust and people. In addition, my team and I have years of they know care about them and their future. SouthState experience which has allowed us lots of experience to Bank proves itself to be such a great institution, where its know how to navigate through almost every situation”, members are acknowledged, respected, provided with every Amy adds. opportunity, and the best service possible. The team is highly dedicated and striving hard to go a mile ahead and Also the constant effort and dedication of the team to provide the best services and care. improving their services, always going a step beyond for their clients is something that establishes trust and earns them high recognition and a rightful position in the market. www.theenterpriseworld.com 39

The dynamic leader - Amy Buynoski listen and answer all questions. It is important to Amy that the process goes well because she understands how the Amy has over a decade of success in the mortgage industry home buying process affects people's lives. It is the largest and is recognized as a top producing loan officer in the state purchase most people make and Amy wants to help of GA. She is a source of strength for homeowners borrowers through the process. purchasing a new home. Amy Buynoski has been in the mortgage industry for 18 Amy makes sure they are comfortable and informed years. She initially took a class to be an appraiser and through the mortgage process and is always available to quickly realized that she wanted to have more day-to-day 40 MARCH 2022

What motivates Amy to strive harder and provide more for her clients Having a customer's perspective in the process is so important. Whether it is connecting and being excited about their wedding date or first child. Fighting for a customer when they are working on rebuilding and starting over. Being able to give back to veterans that have served our country who we are so thankful for. To have a sentence in someone's chapter is so rewarding. I am thankful that I have a career that allows me to make a difference in someone's life. I am also thankful that my career has allowed me to meet so many wonderful people and the friendships I have built over the years. Amy's views on the rat race in the market and how she handles it “I have almost 20 years of success in the mortgage industry and have been recognized as a top producing mortgage banker in the state of Georgia. I go out of my way to be professional and communicative which is evident from the many letters and emails of thanks I have received from my customers after they have closed on their new home.” “I am probably not the only one who has had this for the last year. The biggest accomplishment is that my kids and I survived digital learning and we are still smiling! The last year has reminded me to slow down and appreciate the small things in life. From one day to the next unexpected things can change.” contact with people. This has been Amy's only career. Once she started she fell in love with helping people and making the dream of homeownership a reality. Amy's key achievement has been moving her team to South State Bank while keeping up with their level of service during covid and receiving the 2021 Agents Choice Award. This was a huge accomplishment moving banks and rebranding and having their partners trust their leadership with their clients as much as they did. All this during covid! www.theenterpriseworld.com 41