For Chris Karageorge, Lender Toolkit’s VP of Sales, a successful mortgage technology partnership comes down to what happens when lenders finally get to use it.
He recently joined an enterprise lender’s first implementation call after installing Prism, one of Lender Toolkit’s mortgage automation solutions. The partnership had taken 18 months to work through security reviews, compliance reviews, and negotiations. Then, the users pressed a button.
“The way everyone’s eyes lit up is something I’ll never forget,” Chris says. “It was a simple push of a button, but it represented so much more.”
That moment captures what motivates him: helping mortgage teams move from talking about automation to experiencing what it can make possible.
Ahead of MBA Annual in Chicago, we’re introducing the person behind those conversations, including his approach to lender partnerships, his perspective on technology adoption, and his very reasonable preference for deep dish followed by an early bedtime.
From Mortgage Experience to Mortgage Technology
Chris had already spent approximately 20 years serving the mortgage industry when the emergence of ChatGPT sparked a deeper interest in AI.
He saw an opportunity to bring new technology into an industry still working through the limitations of outdated systems and manual processes. He wanted to help shape that change while staying connected to the mortgage business he knew.
“Working at Lender Toolkit is kind of the perfect match,” he says. “I get to be at the forefront of AI and automation innovation, and I get to do it specifically for the mortgage industry.”
That experience informs how he works with lenders today. He understands the operational realities behind a technology decision, along with the work required to turn that investment into everyday value.
What Lenders Want From Mortgage Automation
In Chris’s conversations with lenders, the focus has shifted. Two years ago, much of the discussion centered on understanding AI and deciding whether automation made sense. Today, lenders are asking how to move forward and whom to trust.
“It’s not a question of ‘Do we need to automate?’” he says. “It’s a question of ‘Who is the best automation partner for us?’”
The business priorities are clear: reduce manual work, lower the cost to produce, and build the capacity to handle more lending volume without continually adding operational headcount.
For Chris, those priorities make the first conversation especially important. Before discussing solutions, he wants to understand the challenges a lender is trying to solve and how prepared the organization is to change.
“Investing in technology is only the beginning,” he says. “The real work begins after implementation. Can you adopt it? Do you really want to change?”
Those candid conversations help establish what successful adoption will require from both teams.
How Lender Toolkit Supports Encompass Lenders
Asked how he explains Lender Toolkit to someone who recognizes the name but doesn’t know the offering, Chris starts with the relationship.
“Think of LTK as your in-house technology and development team.”
Lender Toolkit brings together mortgage automation solutions, including Prism, Disclosure Automation, Post-Close Automation, and PowerTools, with Professional Services that extend a lender’s Encompass team.
That combination gives lenders access to both technology and the mortgage expertise needed to put it to work.
“We’re mortgage people first,” Chris says. “That matters.”
A Technology Partnership That Continues After Implementation
Chris knows the period after a sale can feel uncertain. A lender has made an investment, committed internal resources, and placed trust in a new partner. Now, the team needs support as it starts working differently.
“The client is thinking, ‘Are they going to disappear on me?’ Sometimes that comes from past experiences,” he says.
His approach is to define post-sale and post-deployment support early, with care from LTK’s implementation team, support desk, and account management team.
“My mentality is, if you’re our customer, I’ve got you.”
That commitment also begins well before implementation. Some of the partnerships he is proudest of required extensive procurement, security, and compliance reviews involving dozens of stakeholders.
One lender had been in conversations with LTK for approximately five years. The relationship finally moved forward after the team spent 12 months completing the reviews the lender needed.
For Chris, helping a customer navigate those requirements is part of building the partnership.
Beyond Mortgage Technology: Travel, Basketball, and Deep Dish
Outside work, Chris and his wife love to travel. Over 20 years together, they’ve visited 13 countries and explored plenty of new food along the way.
There are limits.
“I draw the line at bone marrow.”
A few more things to know about Chris:
- First job: McDonald’s in 1995.
- A topic he could discuss for hours: ’90s NBA basketball.
- Conference survival advice: Have a specific meeting place and be on texting terms with your clients. “‘Meet me near the fountain around noon’ isn’t really a meeting.”
- Ideal Chicago evening: Deep dish and bed by 9 p.m.
Connect With Chris at MBA Annual in Chicago
For Chris, one of the best parts of MBA Annual will be meeting customers he has worked closely with but hasn’t yet met in person.
Remote work makes those relationships possible. Getting together adds another dimension, especially after spending months navigating decisions and implementation together.
His invitation to lenders is straightforward:
“Come find me if you want to have an engaging conversation about AI and automation in the mortgage space with someone who has lived it on both sides of the fence.”
If your team is exploring mortgage automation, looking to get more from Encompass, or planning how to grow capacity, Chris would welcome the conversation.
Schedule a consultation with the Lender Toolkit team at MBA Annual.
Join Us at The Industry Party
You can also connect with Chris and the Lender Toolkit team beyond the meeting room at The Industry party in Chicago, which we’re proud to sponsor alongside LodeStar and fellow industry partners. Join us for an evening inspired by the Roaring Twenties, with craft cocktails, exceptional food, music, a Glambot, and plenty of conversation. Explore every room. You never know what’s around the next corner.
