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News & Events

Good reads, good deeds and good people

You know those public service announcements that end with the familiar phrase, “The more you know . . .”? That’s how we look at our “News & Events” section. This is where you will find all sorts of useful information – from industry news to thought leadership in the form of blogs and videos, to company announcements highlighting innovative services, new members of our Star Appraisal family and more exciting news and events. All of which leave you, we hope, saying, “How about that – the more you know…”

NEW!  Changes to CreditXpert

As of 1/01/2025, CreditXpert introduced a NEW platform, offering updated technology alongside a new look and feel – combining the best features of Wayfinder and What-If Simulator into a single platform, along with additional value-added tools. Due to this significant change, CreditXpert is no longer sold directly through Credit Information Systems and Accurate Financial Services. 

This upgrade comes along with a new delivery business model based on a direct relationship CreditXpert has with lenders who use the service. What does this mean? Users will no longer purchase this service from Credit Information Systems/Accurate Financial Services, and your billing will be sent directly to you from CreditXpert.

We understand many of you rely on CreditXpert to help you find your clients’ potential, and you may wish to continue using this tool. If you wish to upgrade to the New CreditXpert, please reach out to your CX contact. You have different upgrade options depending on the size of your team:

For originators with 20 or fewer mortgage professionals, upgrading is simple and can be done entirely online.

  • Create a FREE account! No monthly commitments. Pay for plans as you go.
      • After enrolling online, your credit data will be connected seamlessly within 3-5 business days (often sooner).
    • To get started, either:

For originators with more than 20 mortgage professionals:

  • CreditXpert has a team of dedicated Upgrade Specialists who will assist you in transitioning to the new CreditXpert platform quickly.
      • This option requires a monthly subscription; and provides enhanced support and engagement options to ensure your success.
    • You may start the process online at: https://creditxpert.com/upgrade/.
      • After submitting your request an Upgrade Specialist will reach out to assist you. OR
      • Call 800-500-8553 and press option 2, OR
      • Email upgrade@creditxpert.com

Two Agreements will be required for this new Model:

  • CreditXpert will present you with a service agreement to execute before granting access to the new system. And, they offer a full vendor due diligence package for third-party service provider vetting purposes, too.
  • Credit Information Systems also requires a processing agreement to allow delivery of your credit report information to CreditXpert so they can utilize it in their new credit optimization too. Please contact your Credit Information Systems account manager for more information.

If needed, your Credit Information Systems Account Manager and/or Support Team can provide you with the CX account rep’s contact information to move forward.  Just send an email to Support@CreditInfoSystems.com. We’re Here to HELP!

Freddie Mac Updates LPA Feedback Messages

Eligibility Confirmation for ACE+PDRs Moved to New Location

Star Appraisal Management has been informed that Freddie Mac recently implemented new LPA Feedback Messages to ACE+PDR submissions. These updates included adjusting the location where the property’s ACE+PDR eligibility is shown and updates to the messaging feedback when orders are submitted through the bACE API. Please refer to Freddie Mac’s complete announcement and overview HERE.   

Since our service handles ACE+PDR submissions on your behalf, no action is needed from you at this time.

ACE+PDR submissions sent through the bACE API automatically reflect the eligibility location and messaging updates. Property eligibility can be found within the Property and Appraisal Messages section as opposed to the Assessment Summary section.

Upon submission, the Representation & Warranty Relief section will update from Not Eligible to Eligible.  NOTE: You will continue to receive representation and warrant relief after the ACE+PDR product has been submitted via the bACE API.

For questions or concerns, please contact your Freddie Mac representative. Or feel free to reach out to our Team at Star Appraisal Management.  We’re Here to Help!  support@starappraisalmc.com  |  800-875-7402

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225 S Main St
Council Bluffs, IA 51503

Email: support@starappraisalmc.com
Phone: 800-875-7402
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Amy Blubaugh, Marketing Director

402-320-2398
amy@creditinfosystems.com

Over the last thirty years, Amy Blubaugh has been honing her marketing skills while gathering experience and learning from each of her diverse career opportunities and co-workers.

As a college student studying communications and public relations in the early 1990s, Amy worked as a research phone representative at a radio station. It was with this job, and through several other tasks assigned at the station, Amy noticed she was drawn to events and messages generating a response.

Upon college graduation from the University of Nebraska Omaha in 1993, Amy accepted a Sales Assistant position for KEZO-FM (later, Journal Broadcast Group). Eager to support the sales team with communication to clients and office management, she was also excited to help with station events and programming needs. Her dedication and the talents she observed from her co-workers helped her learn to listen to the customer’s needs and create turnkey marketing programs.

In early 1995, Amy moved on to Redstone Communications as a Media Buyer. Broadening her media knowledge, she was invigorated by people with the same goal of garnering a response by delivering the right message to the right customer via the right mix of media.

After a short return to radio, Amy found herself taking her marketing knowhow to the finance industry as a Product Manager for First National Bank Omaha’s bank card division. Working for eight years with direct mail, event marketing, operations and emerging forms of electronic media was a great way to learn to project profitability, measure response and properly analyze results.

As both the Partnership Marketing Manager and Acquisition Manager for Omaha Steaks, Amy spent the next ten years working with various companies throughout the country developing marketing programs to sell product, acquire new customers, and generate leads and awareness of the business. It was with this position Amy was able to improve both her marketing analyst and creative abilities, producing reports to track real time results and make tweaks to print and digital ads to improve marketing efforts.

Amy began her four years at Mutual of Omaha in late 2015 managing product launches, applying process to all areas of marketing, testing print and online campaigns and maneuvering marketing projects in a very regulated industry.

Excited to be the first marketing-focused member of the Credit Information Systems team and work within the business-to-business area, Amy joined as Marketing Director in December of 2019.

Mike Osbourne, Senior Account Manager

402-660-0060
mike@creditinfosystems.com

For Mike Osbourne, his 28-year career in the credit reporting industry began October 1990 in a sales role for CSC Credit Services. As an Account Manager for CSC, Mike opened a brand-new sales territory in Western Iowa and developed new and existing accounts in Eastern Nebraska. CSC was acquired by Equifax and Mike continued to work successfully at various sales roles within the new organization for his midwestern clients. Mike joined Credit Information Systems as a Senior Account Manager April 2021.

Mike has a passion for the financial services industry both personally and professionally. Mike has served on several credit industry boards and continues to facilitate financial literacy though Financial Peace University.

Mike grew up in Northwestern Illinois and received his Management degree from Millikin University in 1985. He moved to the Omaha in 1987. Eventually, he went on to earn his MBA from the University of Phoenix. Mike is excited to now be part of the customer-focused sales team at Credit Information Systems.

Shane Hoelscher, Senior Account Manager

712-308-0030
shane@creditinfosystems.com

Shane Hoelscher received his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics in 1991 from Texas A&M University. He followed that up with a Master of Agriculture in Agricultural Economics – Agribusiness emphasis in 1994. Shortly thereafter he entered a management training program with Terminix Pest Control engaging in all aspects of the professional environment.

Shane began his 23-plus year career in the credit industry after leaving Terminix to join CSC Credit Services as an Account Manager. He managed the relationships and was responsible for revenue-growth with various resellers in the auto, mortgage, tenant, and employment screening industries. In addition to his account management role, Shane was also a member of a new business development team and eventually led a trio of representatives engaged selling credit reporting services to all types of industries.

Shane continued with Equifax as a Channel Manager after they acquired CSC Credit Services in 2012. His primary focus was on the small-to-mid-sized resellers of Equifax products and services before he separated from Equifax in 2020.

Shane joined Credit Information Systems in April, 2020 as a Senior Account Manager and is looking forward to continued growth for the company.

Chad Hartnett, Chief Financial Officer

chad@creditinfosystems.com

Chad has over 29 years of finance leadership experience in industries that include professional services, vertically integrated supply chain, franchise and public accounting.

After graduating in 1992 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in Accounting, Chad spent 6 years in public accounting as a consultant and auditor with companies that included Deloitte & Touche and Ernst & Young.

Chad then worked 16 years at HDR, Inc., one of the country’s largest engineering and architecture firms, in various roles including leading the company’s mergers and acquisitions division. He spent his final 7 years as the company’s Treasurer and Corporate Controller.

Chad then worked for 4 years as the Chief Financial Officer of Scooter’s, one of the fastest growing vertically integrated franchise companies in the country before joining Credit Information Systems in 2020 as their Chief Financial Officer and member of the board of directors.

Helen M. Meyers, Senior Executive Vice President

helen@creditinfosystems.com

With a Credit Reporting career spanning more than forty years, Helen Meyers started at Credit Bureau of Council Bluffs (1975-1979) learning the business and providing service to customers by reading their credit reports to them over the phone, verifying tradelines and gaining certification to interview consumers during a time when consumer files were handwritten.

In 1980, Helen accepted a customer service position in the installment loan department of Council Bluffs Savings Bank. Before she left the bank in 1995, she had worked her way up to Assistant Vice President/Loan Officer.

Returning to the Credit Bureau of Council Bluffs (d/b/a Credit Information Systems) in 1996, Helen has spent the last twenty-five years overseeing all mortgage loan customer service staff members, ensuring happy clients and a smooth flow of the company’s day-to-day operations. She also manages compliance with the Repositories as well as with state and federal laws.

Helen also served on the board of the National Consumer Reporting Association (NCRA) from 2018–2020.

Heather Russell-Schroeder, President

Heather Russell-Schroeder
800-782-9094
heather@creditinfosystems.com

Heather Russell-Schroeder began her 35 plus year career in the Credit Reporting industry as a high school and college student working part-time answering phones, entering data, handling consumer disputes and public record bulletins for her family’s business, Credit Bureau of Council Bluffs.

After graduating from the University of Nebraska Lincoln with a Master of Arts Degree in Deaf Education in 1997, Heather spent two years teaching 1st grade at Crete Elementary and managing their Deaf Education program.

Heather returned to the Credit Bureau of Council Bluffs in 2000 as Compliance Officer – Executive Vice President, holding that position for eight years.

Heather has been the Credit Bureau of Council Bluffs, President and the President of Performance Data Systems, Inc since 2008. Beginning in 2009, Heather was the Co-Owner Credit Bureau of Council Bluffs, Inc and Performance Data Systems, Inc.

Currently, Heather is the third generation Owner Credit Bureau of Council Bluffs, Inc and Performance Data Systems, Inc.

Lee H. Volmer, Vice President Sales

402-714-0856
lee@creditinfosystems.com

In 1979, Lee Volmer’s Credit Reporting industry career launched with the Credit Bureau of Rockford, Illinois, where he was involved in automation to the Chilton System. After the Credit Bureau was purchased by Parker Business Systems, Lee was promoted to General Manager and led the Bureau’s conversion to the TransUnion System.

Lee was transferred to Seattle, Washington in 1982 to automate and market Washington and Oregon as an affiliate of the TransUnion System. Parker Business sold the franchise to TransUnion in 1985 and Lee took on the role as sales manager of Chilton’s Dallas, Texas operation. Promoted to General Manager of Chilton’s Omaha, Nebraska location in 1986, Lee’s duties included management of a 5-state area. Lee left TRW (formerly Chilton) in 1994 and worked with CSC Credit on special projects.

The Credit Bureau of Council Bluffs added Lee to the team as Vice President of Sales in 1995, a position he currently holds along with being a trusted resource to many in the credit reporting industry.