Mortgage automation is everywhere in lending right now. But most lenders have learned the hard way that buying mortgage technology is not the same thing as successfully implementing it.
The difference comes down to one thing: execution.
At Lender Toolkit, we build mortgage automation and Encompass automation tools that streamline the loan origination workflow. But we also know tools alone do not create mortgage operations efficiency. People do.
That’s why our We Are LTK campaign exists. We want to spotlight the humans behind the platform and the real expertise behind the results.
This month, we’re introducing Alex Kalika, a PSO Team Lead in our Professional Services Office (PSO). Alex will hit five years at Lender Toolkit in February, and his work helps lenders turn mortgage workflow automation into something real, measurable, and sustainable.
Alex Kalika, in Real Life (Yes, He’s Actually This Interesting)
Alex is based in Collinsville, Illinois, about 10 minutes outside St. Louis, Missouri. Outside of mortgage technology and consulting, he describes himself as “mostly a giant
geek,” in the best way possible. His hobbies include:
- Video gaming
- Duolingo French
- Reading and writing
- Building his own Dungeons and Dragons campaign
- Baking, cooking, and traveling
And Alex doesn’t just read. He commits. His bookshelf is filled with “horribly long, often dry tomes,” including works like The Iliad and the Bible.
In other words, he’s absolutely the kind of person you want leading complex mortgage tech implementation projects.
Caption: A few moments from our Epic Universe Summit last fall in Universal Studios.
Things You Probably Don’t Know About Alex
Alex has a background that is equal parts academic, adventurous, and unexpectedly perfect for consulting.
He traveled on a scientific expedition to Nepal with the National Science Foundation, contributing to the Manang Languages Project.
He’s also currently working on his second Master’s degree, this time in Classical Studies, focused on Ancient Greek and Roman culture at Villanova University.
And yes, he somehow does this while helping lenders optimize Encompass workflows.
Also, fun fact: Alex has been part of our event team for years because he once showed up to ICE Experience with an extra ticket and walked straight into the booth.
That is the most LTK-origin story imaginable.
Mortgage Runs in the Family (and It Shows)
Mortgage tech is not a random career path for Alex.
Consulting and mortgage industry experience were part of his world early. His mother works as a Lawson consultant. His father has decades of mortgage experience.
Alex spent much of high school traveling with one or the other parent, which made consulting feel normal. That familiarity shaped his professional path.
After finishing his MA in 2017, Alex started working alongside his father in Encompass consulting and never looked back.
But the biggest lesson he learned was not purely technical. “Consulting is not a technical business inasmuch as it is a people business.”
In mortgage process automation, technical skills matter. But long-term success depends on trust, relationships, and the ability to help teams adapt and evolve.
Alex also learned something else from watching a mortgage veteran up close: do not take clients for granted.
Maintaining strong long-term lender partnerships takes work, and Alex brings that mindset into every project.
What Does a PSO Team Lead Actually Do?
Alex is a Professional Services Office Team Lead, supporting the delivery side of Lender Toolkit’s mortgage automation and Encompass optimization services.
He describes it best:
“Being a PSO Lead is something akin to being an officer on a ship.”Alex leads a team of four PSO admins:
• Ross
• Chet
• Rachel
• Jay
His role includes:
- mentoring newer consultants
- coordinating execution across lender technology initiatives
- helping manage and structure mortgage automation projects
- jumping in wherever needed (project management, coaching, and yes, even coding)
This is what professional services looks like when it’s done right. This is how lenders go from “we bought automation tools” to “we actually changed outcomes in mortgage operations.”
What Customers Don’t See Behind the Scenes
The most visible parts of mortgage technology are dashboards, tools, and integrations. But in the real world, lenders need something else: alignment.
Alex spends a meaningful portion of his time working behind the scenes:
- coordinating internal PSO initiatives
- organizing meetings and project structure
- supporting collaboration with Implementation and other PSO teams
- advancing internal projects, including AI Agents designed to streamline repetitive processes
The result is a cleaner, more consistent customer experience and stronger execution during mortgage tech implementation.
What Makes Lender Toolkit Different (From Alex’s POV)
When asked what sets Lender Toolkit apart in the mortgage tech industry, Alex highlighted something lenders care about deeply:
Flexibility.
“Where some other companies approach every client the same, we do a good job of meeting them where they are.”
Mortgage lenders vary widely. So do their workflows, their tech stacks, and their internal readiness for change.
Some lenders need highly technical Encompass automation with advanced customization. Others need coaching, workflow cleanup, or modernization of legacy processes.
Alex believes the LTK approach is different because we can support the full range, from deep technical mortgage automation to practical operational consulting.
The Biggest Misconception About Mortgage Automation
Mortgage workflow automation is powerful, but it’s often misunderstood.
Alex sees one misconception repeatedly:
That lenders can automate “their” exact process as it exists today.
“A client’s process will need to change at least somewhat to permit automation.”
Many lenders fight automation because their loan origination workflow has been built on legacy habits and outdated customizations. But the goal of mortgage process automation is not to preserve every legacy step.
It’s to eliminate waste. When lenders embrace change, everything moves faster. And when they don’t, it becomes an uphill battle.
Alex’s top three challenges lenders face during implementation and optimization:
1. People who aren’t open to change
2. Legacy workflows
3. Unneeded legacy customizations in work flow or system
A Real Customer Turnaround Story
Alex shared a story we see often in the mortgage technology world.
A lender had approvals. They were ready to start. But their internal business team struggled to plan and execute the project.
The result was a standstill. PSO stepped in.
Alex and the PSO team aligned internally, presented unified direction to the customer, and worked through nearly continuous interaction for one to two weeks.
The result:
- agreement on timeline and structure
- stronger execution
- major acceleration
The lender went from stalled to moving toward completion of phase two by the end of March, which was a dramatic shift from where they were just months earlier.
This is why professional services matters. This is why mortgage tech implementation is not just technology. It’s leadership, structure, and follow-through.
Alex on Responsible Mortgage AI (Human-in-the-Loop Matters)
Alex’s definition of Responsible Mortgage AI™ is refreshingly practical.
“Responsible AI is primarily about quality control.”
AI can crunch numbers and handle repetitive legwork, but the human still needs to understand what is being done and why.
Otherwise, AI is leading the person, and in lending, that introduces too much risk and too much room for non-human error.
Alex also draws an important line:
Computers are great with data, but not people.
That is why our approach remains:
Powered by Responsible Mortgage AI. Guided by Mortgage Pros.
Rapid Fire: Alex in Four Lines
The best implementations succeed because:
Willingness to adapt to change, trust in the implementation team, and an openness to learn.
Most lenders don’t need more tech, they need:
To clean up their system and streamline their processes.
LTK is different because:
Employees are trusted to manage teams, projects, and execution without micromanagement.
My job is basically:
Adapting to the needs of clients and teammates and helping however I can, with a side of management.
We Are LTK: The People Behind the Mortgage Technology
Mortgage automation is only as powerful as the experts implementing it.
At Lender Toolkit, PSO is where strategy becomes execution and where automation becomes long-term operational improvement.
We’re proud to spotlight Alex Kalika because behind every smooth implementation, improved loan origination workflow, and scalable automation strategy is a human making it happen.
And Alex is absolutely one of them.
We are LTK.
Want help implementing mortgage automation in Encompass the right way?
Connect with our team to learn how PSO and Professional Services support successful Encompass optimization and lender workflow transformation.
