Since becoming president and CEO in 2013, Sean Buckner has made it possible for Informative Research to save the lending industry millions of dollars in credit expenses and to streamline the loan process for more than 3,000 mortgage lenders and their borrowers.
For the past 39 years, Buckner has led Informative Research with the vision to modernize and digitize business in the mortgage space, creating solutions that positively impact both the lender and consumer experiences. Under his direction, Informative Research has seen organic growth of more than 30% annually for the last three years.
Buckner’s approach to technology solutions has driven new, cost-effective products to the market within the last year, including SoftQual, which cuts the cost of a credit report almost in half for lenders. SoftQual is a more affordable mortgage-scored, mortgage trade-lined soft inquiry credit report that features either one or two FICO scores.
Additionally, Buckner’s initiative to make the loan process even easier with IR’s Verification Bundle has proven to help lenders increase sales and save thousands of dollars thanks to the efficiency improvements and cost savings it provides. As compliance and data safety continue to be an overwhelming concern in the industry, Informative Research has also taken dramatic precautions to ensure that its security is best-in-class. With its Merge Logic and Buckner’s dedication to customer protection, Informative Research is the only provider in its space to achieve EI3PA and PCI certifications.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
“I was once told to learn how to practice quiet and contemplative listening. I didn’t really grasp the importance of that until I shifted into more leadership roles and received more responsibility over the years.”