Better Home & Finance Holding Company announced that its President and Chief Operating Officer, Chad Smith, has been named a 2025 Orange County Executive Leadership Awards honoree by LA Times Studios. This recognition celebrates his transformative leadership in the digital mortgage industry and his impactful contributions to Orange County’s business and civic communities.
Chad Smith named 2025 Orange County Executive Leadership honoree.
Leads AI-driven innovation at Better.com, enhancing mortgage processes.
Launched Betsy™, the first voice-based AI loan assistant in the industry.
Expanded Tinman™ platform, cutting costs by 35% and boosting efficiency.
Over 20 years of experience in mortgage and fintech leadership.
Advocates for youth and education through community involvement.
Chad Smith was recognized at the LA Times Studios’ 2025 Orange County Executive Leadership Awards ceremony on August 22, 2025, at the Marriott Irvine Spectrum Hotel. “Being recognized alongside such accomplished leaders in Orange County is truly an honor,” said Smith. “At Better, we’re reimagining the homebuying experience with technology that creates faster, simpler, and more affordable outcomes for customers.” His leadership has driven Better.com’s mission to revolutionize homeownership through AI-powered solutions.
Since joining Better in 2024, Smith has spearheaded initiatives to streamline operations and enhance the digital mortgage market. Under his guidance, Better launched Betsy™, the industry’s first voice-based AI loan assistant, and expanded the Tinman™ platform, which reduces manufacturing costs by 35% and improves loan fulfillment speed. These advancements have strengthened Better’s competitive edge, delivering faster and more affordable mortgage solutions to customers.
With over 20 years in mortgage and fintech, Smith has a proven track record of transforming customer-facing operations. Before Better, he served as CEO of Mission Loans and held executive roles at Caliber Home Loans, loanDepot, and LendingTree Loans, where he played a key role in its acquisition by Discover. His expertise in scaling high-performing teams has been instrumental in driving Better’s growth and innovation.
Beyond his professional achievements, Smith is deeply committed to community leadership. He serves on the JSerra Regents Board, supporting strategic initiatives at JSerra High School, and his family actively supports nonprofits like Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, KidWorks OC, and Unlimited Possibilities. These efforts focus on youth mentorship, education, and inclusive giving, reflecting his dedication to civic impact.
Chad Smith’s recognition in the 2025 Orange County Executive Leadership Awards highlights his role in advancing Better.com’s AI-driven mortgage solutions and fostering community growth. His leadership continues to shape the future of digital homeownership while making a lasting impact in Orange County.
Better Home & Finance Holding Company is the first AI-powered mortgage lender and first fintech to fund more than $100 billion in mortgage volume. Since 2016, Better has leveraged its industry-leading AI platform, Tinman™, to achieve a singular mission of making homeownership cheaper, faster, and easier for Americans. Tinman™ allows customers to see their rate options in seconds, get pre-approved in minutes, lock in rates, and close their loan in as little as three weeks. In addition, Betsy™, the first voice-based AI loan assistant built exclusively for the mortgage industry, revolutionizes the homebuying journey by delivering timely application status updates to consumers, answering questions, and moving their loan application along 24/7/365. Better's mortgage offerings include GSE-conforming mortgage loans, FHA and VA loans, and jumbo mortgage loans. In January 2023, Better launched "One Day Mortgage," allowing eligible customers to go from click to Commitment Letter within 24 hours.
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