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SunTrust Banks in Atlanta has agreed to buy the multifamily lending business of Pillar Financial in New York.

Stewart Information Services Corp. is reshaping its board by adding three independent directors and its CEO to the panel as part of a settlement with its biggest shareholder, activist investor Starboard Value.

Mortgage Contracting Services has acquired title insurance and settlement services provider Lenders Title Solutions.

The Internal Revenue Service's indefinite delay of a deadline for a new authentication procedure has headed off concerns about potential interruptions in mortgage production.

Lenders and servicers haven't faced the same scrutiny over data security as their peers in retail and other financial services sectors. But mortgage companies must remain vigilant, as the extensive data they collect can expose consumers to identity theft if it got in the wrong hands.

By decreasing costs through technology, outsourcing and scale, servicers not only can give their margins a much-needed boost, but also set themselves up to reap rewards in the future.

Shifting demographics are leading to a rise in the number of millennials and minorities, but homeownership rates among these groups remain depressed. One contributing factor is the lack of mortgage industry hiring and marketing focused on these demographics.

New American Funding and Alterra Home Loans have selected Radian Group as the preferred private mortgage insurance providers for their Your Path loan program.

A leader who surrounds herself with diverse thought and talent, Nikki Groff of Wallick & Volk Mortgage Bankers, formed a team that helped propel her to Top Producer status from a small Arizona town.

David Schneider, who became Ditech Financial's president in February, is no longer with the lender as parent company Walter Investment Management streamlines leadership under its new CEO, Anthony Renzi.