Engaging fireside discussion alongside Joe Welu will highlight AI’s transformative role in mortgage lending and the housing industry
MINNEAPOLIS—September 22, 2025—Total Expert, the FinServ leader in customer engagement software, announced today that Clayton Collins, Founder and CEO of HW Media, will join Total Expert Founder and CEO Joe Welu for a featured fireside chat at Accelerate 2025, the company’s premier customer conference taking place November 4–6, 2025, in Denver, Colorado.
The session will explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the mortgage and housing industries and provide leaders with strategies to prepare for the year ahead. Central to the discussion will be Total Expert’s AI Sales Assistant, the first voice-enabled AI purpose-built for mortgage lending. Using Agentic AI technology, the solution gives lending teams a process and workflow that identifies customers to engage, automates repetitive, low-impact tasks like cold calls and follow-ups, and surfaces opportunities to originators—allowing them to focus on high-value conversations.
“AI has the power to fundamentally transform how lenders interact with customers and deliver value to the customer journey,” said Welu. “We’re thrilled to add Clayton’s perspective to Accelerate for his unique lens on the housing industry. His expertise will help guide leaders beyond hype and educate our attendees on where mortgage AI is headed—helping them prepare for the future, improve customer experiences, and drive business growth.”
Clayton Collins leads HW Media, the parent company of HousingWire, a trusted news and media source for mortgage lending, real estate, and capital markets professionals. Since acquiring HousingWire in 2016, Collins has turned the publication into the leading source of news, data, and intelligence for housing professionals. Under his leadership, the company delivers proprietary market insights and convenes industry leaders at high-impact events that shape the conversation on housing finance and real estate.
“In just a year, AI has transformed from a distant promise to an integral part of our daily operations. We're no longer speculating on what AI could enable; we're witnessing its impact firsthand,” said Collins. “While the products and capabilities are still in their infancy, there's not a serious operator who isn't integrating AI into some aspect of their business workflow. Mortgage executives are actively seeking efficiency and enhanced customer experiences, and AI is facilitating that future—right now. From mortgage origination to servicing, AI is revolutionizing processes, driving efficiency, and improving customer interactions across the board.”
Accelerate 2025 will bring together hundreds of financial services leaders for three days of keynotes, strategy sessions, and hands-on learning. This year’s theme focuses on innovation, trust, and customer experience, with AI at the forefront of driving growth and operational excellence.
For more details on Accelerate 2025 and to register, visit TotalExpert.com/Accelerate.
About Total Expert
Total Expert is the purpose-built customer engagement platform trusted by more than 200 financial enterprises. Total Expert unifies data, marketing, sales, and compliance solutions to deliver the perfect customer journey across every financial milestone—in any market. Total Expert turns customer insights into actions that increase loyalty and drive growth for modern banks, lenders, credit unions, and insurance companies.
