eLEND's High-Speed Overhaul: Rebranding Amidst Market Volatility

PARSIPPANY, N.J. – January 06, 2026 – In a year defined by cautious optimism and persistent volatility in the mortgage industry, national lender eLEND has emerged from a period of intense, high-speed transformation. Reflecting on a pivotal 2025, the company, formerly known as American Financial Resources (AFR) and AFR Wholesale, has not only changed its name but has fundamentally re-engineered its operational and technological core, a move its leadership describes as both challenging and necessary for future growth.

The company's journey through 2025 was a calculated bet on innovation during a period when many in the industry adopted a "survive until 2025" mentality. While the market anticipated an easing cycle from the Federal Reserve, mortgage rates remained a source of uncertainty, and affordability issues constrained a full-throttle recovery. It was against this backdrop that eLEND initiated a comprehensive overhaul, from its brand identity to the very tools its partners use daily.

"We didn't slow down to make these changes, we made them while driving 90 miles per hour," said Michael Brenning, eLEND's Chief Operating Officer. This rapid pace, as the company candidly admits, came with its share of difficulties. "And while growth at that pace comes with its share of challenges, we believe in owning those moments, learning from them, and continuing to push forward with purpose."

More Than a Name: A Strategic Rebrand Earned by Innovation

The most visible change of 2025 was the transition from the long-standing AFR Wholesale name to eLEND TPO. Officially unveiled at the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts' (AIME) Fuse conference in October 2025, the rebrand was positioned as far more than a cosmetic update. It was the culmination of a deliberate, multi-year strategy to align the company's identity with its deep investments in technology and infrastructure.

According to company leadership, the new name had to be earned. In an industry where rebranding can sometimes mask a lack of substantive change, eLEND's CEO and President, Robert Pieklo, emphasized that the shift came only after an 18-month development cycle for a new, proprietary technology platform. The goal was to embody a "modern, innovative, and efficient mortgage experience" that the old brand no longer fully represented.

This strategic pivot was timed to address the evolving needs of the Third-Party Originator (TPO) channel. As brokers and correspondent lenders navigated a complex market, the demand for efficiency, transparency, and robust technological support became paramount. By rebranding to eLEND TPO, the wholesale division aimed to send a clear message: it was a tech-forward partner committed to empowering brokers with competitive pricing, a broad product suite, and streamlined digital workflows.

Building a New Engine: Technology and Operational Overhaul

At the heart of eLEND's transformation is a significant investment in its technological and operational engine. The company's 2025 initiatives were designed to move beyond incremental improvements and deliver a tangibly better experience for its partners. This involved a multi-faceted approach to streamlining the entire loan lifecycle.

A key development was the creation of a custom-built digital 1003 loan application. This platform not only serves the company's direct-to-consumer channel but is also designed to be a white-label solution that TPO clients can rebrand and deploy for their own borrowers, providing a seamless and modern application experience.

Furthermore, eLEND focused heavily on enhancing pricing transparency and capital markets access for its partners. By integrating with technology partners like the pricing engine Polly, the company aims to bring capital markets intelligence closer to brokers, enabling more competitive and strategic pricing for borrowers. This was complemented by an expansion of its Correspondent Lending Department, announced in September 2025, to better support a wider range of mortgage bankers and investors.

Operational enhancements went hand-in-hand with the tech rollout. The company reported a focus on refining workflows to eliminate bottlenecks and accelerate turnaround times from submission to closing. In October 2025, it also unveiled new loan communication technology specifically designed to streamline the broker experience, improving visibility and reducing friction in the process. These efforts are supported by a diverse product menu that includes conventional and government loans, renovation financing, and manufactured housing solutions, giving partners the flexibility to serve a broad spectrum of borrowers.

Embracing the 'Growing Pains' of Rapid Progress

eLEND's leadership has been notably transparent about the difficulties inherent in such a rapid and sweeping transformation. The "growing pains" mentioned by COO Michael Brenning point to the internal complexities of executing a large-scale technological and operational shift while maintaining daily business functions.

While specific public reports of service disruptions are scarce, CEO Robert Pieklo has alluded to the real-world execution challenges, noting that even with a significant technology budget, getting simple things done in a timely manner during the build-out was difficult. This candor suggests the "pains" were primarily internal struggles related to process integration, system development, and managing change across the organization—the inevitable friction of rebuilding an engine while the car is still moving.

The company has framed these challenges not as setbacks, but as integral parts of its "climb." "Progress isn't always perfect," Brenning added in the company's year-end reflection. "But transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement are non-negotiable for us." This philosophy appears to be a core tenet of the new eLEND culture, one that acknowledges imperfection as a byproduct of ambitious growth and uses those lessons to refine its processes and strengthen its foundation.

A New Leadership Team for the Climb Ahead

Steering this transformation is a strategically reshaped leadership team. The momentum began to build following an acquisition by new ownership in February 2024. This was followed by key appointments in April 2025, with Robert Pieklo, who had a long history with the company and the original "eLEND" brand concept, being promoted to CEO, and Michael Brenning becoming COO.

This leadership core was further strengthened in November 2025 with the appointment of Bobbi MacPherson as the company's new Chief Risk Officer. Her role, overseeing Risk, Underwriting, Post Closing, Process Improvement, and Product Development, signals a strong focus on building a resilient and compliant operational framework to support the company's growth ambitions.

Looking to 2026, eLEND plans to continue its upward trajectory with a focus on refining products, enhancing technology, and deepening partner relationships. As the mortgage industry continues its dynamic evolution, the company's intensive 2025 overhaul was a decisive move to secure its footing for the future.

"We're proud of how far we've come," Pieklo concluded. "And we're even more excited about where we're headed, with the clients, partners, and relationships that make this journey possible."