HighTechLending Hires Industry Veterans to Drive National Expansion of Flexible HELOC

IRVINE, CA – February 05, 2026 – HighTechLending, Inc. is making a significant move to reshape the home equity market, announcing the strategic hires of two industry heavyweights, Gina Donaldson and David Yslas. The duo, both former top-producing account executives from First Tech Federal Credit Union, will spearhead the national expansion of HighTechLending's innovative EquitySelect™ Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) platform.

The move signals an aggressive growth phase for the Irvine-based lender, which aims to unlock billions in trapped home equity for homeowners often sidelined by traditional lending models. By bringing on seasoned professionals known for their deep expertise and strong broker relationships, HighTechLending is betting that its flexible, equity-focused product can fill a critical gap in the financial landscape.

A Strategic Acquisition of Talent

The recruitment of Gina Donaldson and David Yslas is more than a routine expansion; it's a clear statement of intent. Both executives arrive with stellar reputations from their tenure at First Tech Federal Credit Union, where they were recognized for consistently generating new business in the competitive HELOC space. Their combined decades of experience in both home equity and non-qualified mortgage (non-QM) lending make them uniquely suited to champion a product designed to challenge the status quo.

"Gina and David are exactly the type of professionals we're fortunate to have join us as EquitySelect continues to gain traction," said David Peskin, CEO of HighTechLending, in a statement. "They are seasoned, highly respected HELOC experts who understand both how these products work and who they are meant to serve."

The hires are a cornerstone of the platform's national rollout. Eric Ellsworth, the company's Chief Revenue Officer and EVP of Sales, noted the significance of the move. "Bringing on professionals of this caliber marks an important milestone for the platform's national rollout and further validates the significant opportunity we're seeing for EquitySelect," he stated. HighTechLending is positioning these hires as essential to scaling support across its distribution channels as it takes its full suite of EquitySelect products live.

Redefining Access to Home Equity

At the heart of this expansion is the EquitySelect™ HELOC itself, a product engineered to solve a persistent problem in the mortgage industry: the rigid, one-size-fits-all underwriting that disqualifies many creditworthy homeowners. Unlike traditional HELOCs that lean heavily on strict debt-to-income (DTI) ratios and predictable income streams, EquitySelect employs what the company calls "equity-driven underwriting."

This approach prioritizes a homeowner's accumulated equity over inflexible income calculations. The product includes several features that differentiate it starkly from conventional offerings:

• Flexible Payments: Borrowers can make minimum monthly payments as low as 1% of the annual loan balance, with a built-in cap for predictability. This structure provides cash-flow flexibility, allowing homeowners to pay more when they can and a manageable minimum when needed.
• Non-Recourse Protection: A critical feature that protects borrowers and their heirs from ever owing more than the home's value, a significant risk mitigator in a fluctuating housing market.
• Extended Term: The product features a 40-year term, longer than the typical 15-30 years for traditional HELOCs, which can result in lower required payments.
• First and Second-Lien Options: The availability of a second-lien HELOC is particularly crucial in the current environment, allowing homeowners to tap equity without surrendering the historically low interest rates on their existing first mortgages.

This design directly addresses the pain points that have left many "house-rich, cash-strapped" homeowners unable to access their own wealth.

Serving the Underserved Market

HighTechLending's strategy targets a large and growing demographic of homeowners who have been systematically underserved. Research indicates that nearly half of the nation's home equity is held by homeowners aged 61 or older, a group that often struggles to meet the income requirements of traditional loans despite holding significant assets. Similarly, the estimated 62 million freelance and gig economy workers in the U.S. often face loan denials due to fluctuating incomes.

Gina Donaldson, one of the new EquitySelect HELOC Account Executives, pointed to this disconnect as a primary motivator for her move. "I've specialized in the HELOC and non-QM space for many years, and it became clear there was a meaningful gap in the market," she said. "Equity-rich homeowners were often being declined due to one-size-fits-all underwriting. EquitySelect is an important innovation... designed to better align underwriting with real-world borrower cash-flow profiles."

Her colleague, David Yslas, echoed this sentiment, drawing on his direct experience. "I've seen thousands of loans declined over the years under more traditional underwriting frameworks, despite significant home equity and a borrower's ability to repay," he added. "I'm excited to introduce EquitySelect to my broker and lending partners and to represent HighTechLending with a solution that brings logic and flexibility back into home-equity lending."

From Niche Product to Wholesale Powerhouse

Perhaps the most significant aspect of HighTechLending's strategy is its plan to transform EquitySelect from a direct-to-consumer offering into a mainstream product available on a wholesale platform. By making both first- and second-lien versions available to mortgage brokers, smaller banks, and credit unions across the country, the company is aiming for mass adoption.

This strategic shift empowers thousands of loan officers who regularly encounter DTI-challenged applicants to offer a viable solution instead of a denial. It positions HighTechLending not just as a direct lender but as a key enabler for the broader mortgage industry, providing a critical tool to serve a wider swath of the public.

The timing for this expansion appears favorable. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) forecasts nearly 10% year-over-year growth for HELOC debt in 2025, and with interest rates expected to continue their decline in 2026, tapping home equity is becoming an increasingly attractive option for consumers looking to fund renovations, consolidate debt, or build a financial safety net. By providing a more flexible and accessible path to this capital, HighTechLending is poised to capture a significant share of this growing market.