All Systems Go: How Tower FCU Unified Its Mortgage Systems

Meet Tower Federal Credit Union

Tower Federal Credit Union is the largest federal credit union in Maryland, serving over 220,000 members across Maryland, D.C., and Virginia. Founded in 1953 to serve military and government employees, Tower has grown into a $4.7+ billion institution known for its member-centric services and innovation. The credit union prides itself on embracing technology to improve operational efficiency. But until recently, Tower’s mortgage operations were held back by disconnected systems that made even simple tasks frustratingly slow.

Picture this: A loan officer finalizes a member’s mortgage in Mortgage Cadence Loan Fulfillment Center (LFC), only to spend the next hour re-keying the same details into Tower’s Fiserv DNA core banking system. Meanwhile, in another department, an employee manually transfers that loan data into FICS MortgageServicer for servicing. Every mortgage meant duplicate (even triplicate) data entry, introducing delays and the risk of typos along the way. Even as a tech-forward institution, Tower faced an ironic roadblock: critical systems that couldn’t automatically talk to each other, making staff act as go-betweens.

The Integration Challenges

Tower’s mortgage team dealt with two major integration gaps. First, the LOS (Mortgage Cadence LFC) wasn’t integrated with the core banking platform (Fiserv DNA). Every new loan or update had to be manually entered into the core, slowing down loan boarding and occasionally leading to mismatches or errors. Second, the LOS wasn’t linked to the mortgage servicing system (FICS MortgageServicer), meaning servicing staff had to re-enter loan data to set up payment schedules, escrow accounts, and reports.

The consequences of this disconnect were clear:

• Duplicate manual entry of mortgage records across systems
• Delays in loan boarding and servicing setup, impacting member experience
• Typos or inconsistencies that had to be corrected later
• Reporting discrepancies that posed compliance risks
• Staff frustration as hours were spent copying data rather than serving members

Tower’s leadership recognized that solving these integration gaps was mission-critical. In a fast-paced lending market, they could not afford back-office bottlenecks. The credit union set out to find a solution that would eliminate manual re-entry and unify their mortgage data flow from origination through servicing.

How Tower Fixed It – A Unified Solution

To tackle the issue, Tower Federal Credit Union turned to MortgageExchange® by Access Business Technologies (Mortgage Workspace). MortgageExchange is specifically designed to bridge disparate systems – connecting loan origination, core banking, and servicing software with real-time, rules-based data syncing. For Tower, it was the perfect fit: a managed service to automate data flow between Mortgage Cadence LFC, Fiserv DNA, and FICS MortgageServicer.

MortgageExchange Deployment at Tower FCU: Mortgage Workspace’s team worked with Tower to configure connectors between all three systems. Once in place, the platform began shuttling data seamlessly among the LOS, core, and servicing environments. Here’s how it works behind the scenes:

• Automatic loan boarding: When a mortgage closes in Mortgage Cadence LFC, MortgageExchange automatically transmits the loan data into Fiserv DNA to create or update the member’s accounts – no manual re-keying required. Simultaneously, it sends the data into FICS MortgageServicer, so the servicing department has everything set up instantly.
• Two-way synchronization: If member or loan details get updated in one system (say a borrower’s address change in the core), MortgageExchange updates the other systems in real time. This bi-directional sync keeps LOS, core, and servicing records consistent without human intervention.
• Built-in data validation: The platform uses a rules-based engine to validate and standardize information as it moves between systems. This means only clean, accurate data flows through – catching discrepancies that used to slip through manual processes.
• Cloud-managed and secure: MortgageExchange runs in the cloud (Microsoft Azure), with bank-grade encryption in transit and at rest. Tower’s sensitive member data stays secure, and the integration scales effortlessly as volume grows. There’s no on-premise hardware to maintain.
• Fully managed service: Because MortgageExchange is a cloud-managed service by ABT, Tower’s IT team doesn’t have to worry about maintaining code or fixing integrations every time a vendor updates their software. The heavy lifting is handled by the provider, so the solution is always up-to-date and reliable.

In short, MortgageExchange became the integration “glue” holding Tower’s mortgage systems together. What once were isolated platforms now operate as one cohesive mortgage ecosystem. Data now travels instantly from the point of origination all the way through to servicing and core accounting. Tower’s ethos of innovation truly came to life with this project, as they leveraged technology to solve a long-standing operational headache.

The Big Wins

• No more double data entry: Staff no longer waste time entering the same mortgage information in three different places. MortgageExchange eliminated manual re-entry completely, freeing employees from hours of clerical work each week.
• Real-time updates and faster loan boarding: Loans now appear in Tower’s core banking and servicing systems as soon as they close in the LOS. Members see accounts instantly, and servicing begins without delay.
• Improved data accuracy: Automation replaced manual keying, dramatically reducing typos and mismatches. Everyone from staff to auditors sees the same, single source of truth.
• Enhanced compliance and reporting: LOS, core, and servicing stay in sync, giving regulators and auditors audit-ready data without discrepancies. Timestamped transfers provide a full audit trail.
• Time savings and staff productivity: Cutting repetitive tasks saves significant staff hours per mortgage cycle. Tower can handle more volume without adding headcount.
• Scalable, secure infrastructure: Cloud-based integration scales effortlessly as Tower grows. Data is secured by Azure protections and monitored by experts.

Why It Matters

For Tower Federal Credit Union, fixing these integration gaps wasn’t just an IT upgrade – it was a strategic transformation. By connecting its LOS, core, and servicing systems, Tower eliminated a source of friction that had quietly been dragging down efficiency and increasing operational risk. Now, employees are no longer bogged down by redundant work and can devote their energy to members and strategic initiatives. Members, in turn, enjoy faster account updates and a more seamless mortgage experience, reinforcing Tower’s reputation for excellent service. Compliance and reporting are stronger, as data is uniform and readily available across the organization. Importantly, Tower has positioned itself to scale its mortgage operations without a commensurate rise in back-office workload. In a competitive lending market, that agility is a game-changer.

Tower’s journey underscores a powerful point: integration can be innovation. By investing in MortgageExchange to unify systems, Tower FCU turned a behind-the-scenes bottleneck into a source of strength and speed. The credit union can confidently pursue growth, knowing its technology foundation will support the mission every step of the way.

Takeaway

MortgageExchange gave Tower Federal Credit Union a seamless, secure way to keep its mortgage origination, core banking, and servicing platforms in lockstep. What was once a slow, error-prone process is now a fast, automated workflow. Tower gained accuracy, efficiency and scalability – all while freeing its staff to focus on what matters most: serving members and building a stronger financial future.

Further Reading

Explore more MortgageExchange case studies to see how financial institutions nationwide are streamlining post-closing and eliminating manual re-entry.