Bits & Banks - With Victoria Tabler - Episode 14
- Corridor Platforms
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
One of the most interesting mortgage lending models we've come across belongs to Star One Credit Union.
In the latest episode of Bits & Banks, Victoria Tabler, SVP of Real Estate Lending at Star One Credit Union, shared how Star One has built a successful mortgage business without traditional loan officers - while maintaining a relentless focus on member relationships, and long-term growth.
A few insights that stood out:
🔹 The no-loan-officer model in practice.
Rather than relying on a traditional sales force, Star One's processors and underwriters work directly with members and realtors. The result is fewer handoffs, direct access to expertise, and relationships built by the people making lending decisions.
🔹 Investing in people creates organizational flexibility.
At Star One, team members are trained to wear multiple hats - loan officer, processor, underwriter, document specialist, and counselor! That investment in talent has created a workforce that can adapt quickly as market conditions shift, whether it's a refinance boom, a purchase-heavy market, or changing member expectations.
🔹 AI should do the paperwork. Humans should build the trust.
Victoria sees AI's role in validating documents, identifying exceptions, and automating workflows. The objective is simple: free up time for employees to guide members through the most important financial decisions of their lives.
🔹 Prepare for the rainy day while you're planning for growth.One of the strongest points Victoria made was around risk management. As rates rose sharply, prior hedging decisions helped protect margins and navigate a challenging environment. Growth matters, but resilience matters just as much.
🔹 The future of member experience is flexibility.
Some members want a chatbot. Some want a phone call. Some want to sit down and review every line item in a closing disclosure. Winning institutions won't force members into a single channel, they'll meet members where they are.
Thank you, Victoria, for offering a candid look at how Star One is leveraging technology, investing in its people, and managing risk to deliver long-term value for its members.
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