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Mortgage NewsNews posted On November 02, 2026
SAN RAMON, CA — November 2, 2026 — CMG Financial is proud to announce that Paul Akinmade, Chief Strategy Officer, has been recognized by HousingWire as a 2026 Tech Trendsetter. The annual award honors technology leaders who are driving innovation and shaping the future of the housing industry. This marks Akinmade’s third Tech Trendsetters recognition by HousingWire, further highlighting his continued contributions to mortgage technology and innovation.
Over the past year, Akinmade has helped transform CMG's approach to mortgage technology, leading the company's transition to AI-native product development and accelerating the delivery of innovative solutions. Under Paul’s leadership, CMG's product and engineering teams adopted a new AI-powered development model that increased output per engineer by 53%, reduced rework, and improved median feature delivery time approximately threefold.
Akinmade also played a pivotal role in making CMG the first lender to bring Freddie Mac's new Income Calculator API into production through Omni Income, an internally developed AI-powered platform. By integrating automated income extraction and calculations directly into the origination workflow, the platform helps streamline complex income evaluations while providing transparency for loan officers and underwriters. In a side-by-side test involving complex borrower files, Omni Income reduced an 88-minute manual calculation process to just 11 minutes.
Beyond Omni Income, Akinmade has championed the development of CMG's expanding AI ecosystem, including tools that analyze bank statements, automate borrower documentation, and streamline loan application workflows. His leadership has also helped CMG maintain an IT cost per loan 31% below the Mortgage Bankers Association average, demonstrating how strategic technology investment can drive innovation while maintaining operational efficiency.
“Paul has been instrumental in transforming how we approach technology at CMG,” said Christopher M. George, Founder & CEO of CMG Financial. “His ability to turn emerging technologies into practical solutions is helping our teams work more efficiently, better serve our customers, and lead the way in mortgage innovation.”
Through his leadership and forward-thinking approach, Akinmade continues to advance CMG's commitment to building technology that empowers mortgage professionals and enhances the borrower experience. His focus on innovation, collaboration, and disciplined investment is helping shape a more efficient and connected future for mortgage lending.
Read more about Akinmade's recognition here.
About HousingWire
HousingWire is an information services company that provides unique data and research,
respected business journalism and must-attend events for housing leaders to use to advance their understanding and business outcomes. Our vision is a world in which housing leaders have a complete view of the housing market, and a broad community of peers with whom they can connect. We are committed to delivering the data, analytics, media, and events that advance this vision.
Because housing is too important for narrow perspectives and missed connections. Informed housing leaders are better housing leaders. A connected housing industry is a better housing industry. And the full picture always reveals new opportunities.
Explore more at www.housingwire.com.
About CMG Financial
CMG Financial is a well-capitalized mortgage lender founded in 1993. Founder and CEO, Christopher M. George, was Chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association in 2019. CMG makes its products and services available to the market through three distinct origination channels including retail lending, wholesale lending, and correspondent lending. CMG currently operates in all states, including the District of Columbia, and holds approvals with FNMA, FHLMC, and GNMA. CMG is widely known throughout the mortgage banking and housing markets for responsible lending practices, industry and consumer advocacy, product innovation, and operational efficiency. CMG Mortgage, Inc. NMLS ID# 1820 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org ; http://www.cmghomeloans.com).
Media Contact:
Alina Lundholm
Phone: (847) 380-1954
Email: alundholm@cmgfi.com
