Churchill Mortgage, a Brentwood, Tenn., provider of conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA residential mortgages across 48 states, has named industry veteran Darren Shaffer as its chief technology officer.
Shaffer will oversee Churchill's enterprise technology platform and services, leading the design, creation, and implementation of systems that better drive efficiency, support growth, and inspire retention and recruitment efforts, the company said.
"Our company has worked with Darren on a few projects in the past and we were instantly impressed with his attention to detail, positive attitude, and wealth of experience in developing superior tech systems," said Matt Clarke, Churchill’s chief operating officer. "We're confident he's the right person to have at the helm as we elevate the overall user experience and technology platforms at Churchill to new heights."
Shaffer's primary focus will be to spearhead a digital transformation that provides a highly personalized user experience for borrowers, loan officers, and operations staff. He plans to build on the company's existing partnerships and continue the evolution of a unified loan application experience with complete transparency from whatever device the borrower chooses, the company said.
Shaffer will oversee the entire technology team, including 18-year company veteran Dan Jones, who was recently promoted to chief information officer.
"Churchill's vision and foresight for how it can best revolutionize the borrower experience aligns with where I believe our industry is heading," Shaffer said. "The dedication to people, authenticity, culture, and education flows through every aspect of the company, which will enable Churchill to maneuver through this next phase of growth and evolution."
Over the span of his more than 30-year career, Shaffer has developed over 117 enterprise systems, some with millions of users worldwide. He's held senior technology positions at Wal-Mart Information Systems; Oracle; Navidec, and Microsoft, and most recently served as a thought-leading CTO in the mortgage industry. Shaffer is a six-time Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award winner and holds numerous certifications in both Microsoft's NET and Oracle's Java enterprise technology platforms.
Shaffer's hire coincides with the expansion of Churchill Mortgage across the country, the company said. Last year, Churchill's Pacific Northwest division grew to 24 locations across seven states and surpassed $1 billion in annual loan volume just two years after opening its first branch. The company also added 279 new employees in 2021.
Founded in 1992, Churchill Mortgage is privately owned by its more than 800 teammates. Churchill Mortgage is a wholly owned subsidiary of Churchill Holdings Inc.
