Longbridge hires Azita Guzzo to head up tech innovation efforts

Longbridge Financial, one of the nation’s leading reverse mortgage lenders, on Tuesday announced the hiring of Azita Guzzo as its new head of technology innovation.

Guzzo will fill a newly created role at Longbridge. She’s being tasked with the development of advanced technology solutions for enhanced customer service and improved operational efficiency.

“Azita’s deep expertise and inventive spirit make her the ideal leader to help us continue building on the success of our technology initiatives and expand our suite of smart digital solutions,” Bill Packer, the company chief operating officer, said in a statement.

“Her visionary leadership will help ensure that as we innovate, we keep older homeowners and our partners at the center, delivering solutions that are transparent, trustworthy, and truly helpful.”

Guzzo has more than 20 years of prior experience in leading technology initiatives in the mortgage lending, automotive finance, health care and software industries. She’s a recognized leader in artificial intelligence (AI), robotic process automation and advanced analytics.

“I’m honored to join Longbridge Financial at a pivotal moment for the company and this industry,” Guzzo said. “I look forward to advancing the company’s technology platform to improve the accessibility of our product by enhancing the borrowing and servicing experience for older homeowners.”

Guzzo will report to Packer and will work closely alongside Nicole Taylor, the company’s vice president of technology.

“Azita is an inspiring leader whose dedication to technology-driven problem solving will help us continue to propel Longbridge to the next stage of digital innovation, and I look forward to partnering with her to deliver breakthrough solutions,” Taylor said.

In two recent interviews with Reverse Mortgage Daily, Packer shared his vision for how Longbridge is incorporating AI into its daily business activities. The company believes that AI must be more inclusive of seniors, and it’s seeing rapid improvement in productivity, especially among its servicing team.