News & Events

Good reads, good deeds and good people

You know those public service announcements that end with the familiar phrase, “The more you know . . .”? That’s how we look at our “News & Events” section. This is where you will find all sorts of useful information – from industry news to thought leadership in the form of blogs and videos, to company announcements highlighting innovative services, new members of our CIS family and more exciting news and events. All of which leave you, we hope, saying, “How about that – the more you know…”

The Credit Information Systems Team Volunteers at Food Bank for the Heartland

Volunteering in the Community: Helping Those in Need

The Team at Credit Information Systems is the heart of our organization and beyond. This February, several dedicated Team Members shared their time at Food Bank For The Heartland, assembling food packages for those in need.  Food Bank For The Heartland sees the fight against hunger as an ongoing, collaborative

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New Website Launch for Credit Industry Leader

If you want to know more about a client-focused company that’s been in business for more than 100 years, go now to the new website for Credit Information Systems, https://unruffled-turing.66-175-232-200.plesk.page/. This new website, which launched on June 1st, tells the story of Credit Information Systems, a third-generation family-owned company, dedicated

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We're PROUD to ANNOUNCE!

Our Family’s New Partnership

The Team at Credit Information Systems is pleased to announce a new partnership with David Stephenson of CDS, Credit Data Systems.

As the 3rd generation owner of CDS, serving the Southeastern United States financial industry since 1926, David will continue to meet the needs of his loyal customers while offering them the additional products and services needed to compete in the current market. He will also work to expand the Credit Information Systems footprint within this important region he calls home.

Heather Russell-Schroeder, the President of Credit Information Systems, leads the 110-year-old company (est. 1915) and is a 3rd generation owner. Known amongst her peers for her strong business sense and her determination to see her clients excel and grow, Heather announced, “I am thrilled to expand our reach and better serve the financial industry. This marks an exciting milestone in our company’s growth, reflecting our shared commitment to excellence, innovation, and teamwork. We look forward to bringing our collective vision to life!”

And, with so much in common, especially the strong values and comparable earned industry-wide respect, this partnership will only make each company stronger as they align to deliver the stellar service that has helped both remain successful in an ever-changing environment.

David shared, “We are excited about partnering with and joining the Credit Information Systems family, a long-standing, like-minded company that will further solidify our presence in the financial services industry.  We look forward to working with Heather and her dedicated team to serve all customer information needs for years to come!”

As we welcome David and his team, combining the knowledge, experience, and customer commitment of these two attentive entities, no one in the industry can better, or work harder to, meet the needs of a lender, big or small, more effectively and efficiently… all with a smile and a desire to help clients close more loans!

David can be reached at David@CreditInfoSystems.com and/or 601-703-1500.



Changes to CreditXpert

As of 1/01/2025, CreditXpert introduced a NEW platform, offering updated technology alongside a new look and feel – combining the best features of Wayfinder and What-If Simulator into a single platform, along with additional value-added tools. Due to this significant change, CreditXpert is no longer sold directly through Credit Information Systems and Accurate Financial Services. 

This upgrade comes along with a new delivery business model based on a direct relationship CreditXpert has with lenders who use the service. What does this mean? Users will no longer purchase this service from Credit Information Systems/Accurate Financial Services, and your billing will be sent directly to you from CreditXpert.

We understand many of you rely on CreditXpert to help you find your clients’ potential, and you may wish to continue using this tool. If you wish to upgrade to the New CreditXpert, please reach out to your CX contact. You have different upgrade options depending on the size of your team:

For originators with 20 or fewer mortgage professionals, upgrading is simple and can be done entirely online.

  • Create a FREE account! No monthly commitments. Pay for plans as you go.
      • After enrolling online, your credit data will be connected seamlessly within 3-5 business days (often sooner).
    • To get started, either:

For originators with more than 20 mortgage professionals:

  • CreditXpert has a team of dedicated Upgrade Specialists who will assist you in transitioning to the new CreditXpert platform quickly.
      • This option requires a monthly subscription; and provides enhanced support and engagement options to ensure your success.
    • You may start the process online at: https://creditxpert.com/upgrade/.
      • After submitting your request an Upgrade Specialist will reach out to assist you. OR
      • Call 800-500-8553 and press option 2, OR
      • Email upgrade@creditxpert.com

Two Agreements will be required for this new Model:

  • CreditXpert will present you with a service agreement to execute before granting access to the new system. And, they offer a full vendor due diligence package for third-party service provider vetting purposes, too.
  • Credit Information Systems also requires a processing agreement to allow delivery of your credit report information to CreditXpert so they can utilize it in their new credit optimization too. Please contact your Credit Information Systems account manager for more information.

If needed, your Credit Information Systems Account Manager and/or Support Team can provide you with the CX account rep’s contact information to move forward.  Just send an email to Support@CreditInfoSystems.com. We’re Here to HELP!


An Efficient and Low-Cost Opportunity to Order IRS Tax Transcripts & Income Verifications

Credit Information Systems has a new business relationship with Halcyon allowing our clients to order TAX TRANSCRIPTS and IRS WAGE & INCOME VERIFICATIONS more efficiently and with fewer IRS turndowns than the current 4506C process.  This will help you close loans faster for a fraction of the cost.

What does that mean for our clients?  Now that Credit Information Systems is Powered by Halcyon, the only authorized income verification solution with a GSE-accepted 8821 tool, our clients can get the tax data they need, the way they need it!

  • Faster Processing Times. Tax transcripts for loan origination are fulfilled 70% faster, are 100% accurate & are a fraction of the cost of traditional methods. 
  • Enhanced Accuracy. Leverage modernized IRS 8821 forms and use a proprietary & direct connection with the IRS to retrieve accurate data with unparalleled precision, reducing the risk of errors and discrepancies. Less than a 1% rejection rate. 
  • Fannie Mae’s Day 1 Certainty. Enjoy peace of mind with relief from representations & warranties on validated loan components. 
  • API, Web Portal or LOS/POS integration. Halcyon IRS VOI’s tech stack is API driven, provides quick & secure integrations with POS/LOS & 3rd party services, and scales volume without limits while maintaining high performance & low cost. 
  • Available Formats: PDF & JSON.                    
  • Get data mapped directly to your income calculator.

Plus, Halcyon is now an official authorized tax transcript report supplier for Fannie Mae’s Desktop Underwriter® (DU®) Validation Service!  Their integration with the DU® validation service allows us to offer seamless access to tax transcript reports, which are essential for verifying borrower information, quickly and accurately.

Learn More?  QUESTIONS?  Schedule a Demo?  Contact us TODAY!  support@creditinfosystems.com  |  800-782-9094

We are here to support YOU as we continue to expand the breadth of products & services we offer, so YOU can better serve your customers and remain compliant.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS!

FHFA NEWS RELEASE (7/11/2024):

FHFA Announces Release of Historical VantageScore® Credit Score by the Enterprises

As your business partner, Credit Information Systems knows how credit reporting and lending risk mitigation solutions help YOU efficiently manage your business. And we are here to support YOU with personalized experiences, expert advice, industry updates and innovative solutions that go above & beyond your expectations.

To help YOU remain current on changes impacting your business, we wanted to share an announcement published today, July 11, 2024, from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) are making historical VantageScore® 4.0 credit scores available to approved users to support the transition to updated credit score and credit report requirements.

This comprehensive release is associated with single-family loans purchased by the Enterprise from April 2013 through March 2023, reflecting the period for which trended consumer credit data is reliably available across the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies.

These scores will provide market participants with the ability to better analyze and understand the new credit score models that have been validated and approved for use by Enterprises. The historical credit scores are available for download at the Enterprises’ respective websites. 

Click Here to link to the official News Release.

If you have any questions or need assistance,  please contact your Account Manager at 800-782-9094.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS!  We are here to support YOU as we continue to expand the breadth of products & services we offer, so YOU can better serve your customers and remain compliant.

Nebraska Mortgage Association

Credit Information Systems Represents

Please join us in congratulating Credit Information Systems Senior Account Manager, Mike Osbourne, as he was recently elected to the Nebraska Mortgage Association’s (NMA) Board of Directors and will begin serving a three-year term in January 2024. The NMA is a non-profit trade association representing the mortgage lending interests of banks, mortgage bankers, mortgage brokers, credit unions, and commercial lenders for 40+ years. The NMA works on behalf of its members to improve communications, generate goodwill, and create an informed and ethical membership among mortgage lenders. Mike will be a great addition to this very appreciated and effective group of professionals, and the team at Credit Information Systems and Star Appraisal Management are happy to support him in his new position.

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Joe has been delivering credit reporting and verification services nationally for over 30 years.

He believes in building relationships with lenders for the goal of making the process of home ownership a reality.

Active in Rotary and Knights of Columbus, Joe also enjoys golfing, cycling and spending time with family and friends.

As Chief Compliance Officer, Jackie brings 22 years of consumer reporting experience to Credit Information Systems and to our clients. Jackie has been a frequent speaker and trainer throughout the industry. In addition to having worked in CRA Reseller compliance, she has also spent years originating residential mortgages for various national mortgage companies and operated All in Compliance, an industry compliance consulting firm. While managing “AIC”, Jackie wrote and marketed a consumer reporting compliance certification program designed to educate and offer certification for industry professionals. Jackie earned a BS in Marketing from Quinnipiac University. When not working she loves to spend time with her family and enjoys a great love for all animals, big and small.

Mike Osbourne, Senior Account Manager

For Mike Osbourne, his 28-year career in the credit reporting industry began October 1990 in a sales role for CSC Credit Services. As an Account Manager for CSC, Mike opened a brand-new sales territory in Western Iowa and developed new and existing accounts in Eastern Nebraska. CSC was acquired by Equifax and Mike continued to work successfully at various sales roles within the new organization for his midwestern clients. Mike joined Credit Information Systems as a Senior Account Manager April 2021.

Mike has a passion for the financial services industry both personally and professionally. Mike has served on several credit industry boards and continues to facilitate financial literacy though Financial Peace University.

Mike grew up in Northwestern Illinois and received his Management degree from Millikin University in 1985. He moved to the Omaha in 1987. Eventually, he went on to earn his MBA from the University of Phoenix. Mike is excited to now be part of the customer-focused sales team at Credit Information Systems.

Amy Blubaugh, Marketing Director

Over the last thirty years, Amy Blubaugh has been honing her marketing skills while gathering experience and learning from each of her diverse career opportunities and co-workers.

As a college student studying communications and public relations in the early 1990s, Amy worked as a research phone representative at a radio station. It was with this job, and through several other tasks assigned at the station, Amy noticed she was drawn to events and messages generating a response.

Upon college graduation from the University of Nebraska Omaha in 1993, Amy accepted a Sales Assistant position for KEZO-FM (later, Journal Broadcast Group). Eager to support the sales team with communication to clients and office management, she was also excited to help with station events and programming needs. Her dedication and the talents she observed from her co-workers helped her learn to listen to the customer’s needs and create turnkey marketing programs.

In early 1995, Amy moved on to Redstone Communications as a Media Buyer. Broadening her media knowledge, she was invigorated by people with the same goal of garnering a response by delivering the right message to the right customer via the right mix of media.

After a short return to radio, Amy found herself taking her marketing knowhow to the finance industry as a Product Manager for First National Bank Omaha’s bank card division. Working for eight years with direct mail, event marketing, operations and emerging forms of electronic media was a great way to learn to project profitability, measure response and properly analyze results.

As both the Partnership Marketing Manager and Acquisition Manager for Omaha Steaks, Amy spent the next ten years working with various companies throughout the country developing marketing programs to sell product, acquire new customers, and generate leads and awareness of the business. It was with this position Amy was able to improve both her marketing analyst and creative abilities, producing reports to track real time results and make tweaks to print and digital ads to improve marketing efforts.

Amy began her four years at Mutual of Omaha in late 2015 managing product launches, applying process to all areas of marketing, testing print and online campaigns and maneuvering marketing projects in a very regulated industry.

Excited to be the first marketing-focused member of the Credit Information Systems team and work within the business-to-business area, Amy joined as Marketing Director in December of 2019.

Shane Hoelscher, Senior Account Manager

Shane Hoelscher received his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics in 1991 from Texas A&M University. He followed that up with a Master of Agriculture in Agricultural Economics – Agribusiness emphasis in 1994. Shortly thereafter he entered a management training program with Terminix Pest Control engaging in all aspects of the professional environment.

Shane began his 23-plus year career in the credit industry after leaving Terminix to join CSC Credit Services as an Account Manager. He managed the relationships and was responsible for revenue-growth with various resellers in the auto, mortgage, tenant, and employment screening industries. In addition to his account management role, Shane was also a member of a new business development team and eventually led a trio of representatives engaged selling credit reporting services to all types of industries.

Shane continued with Equifax as a Channel Manager after they acquired CSC Credit Services in 2012. His primary focus was on the small-to-mid-sized resellers of Equifax products and services before he separated from Equifax in 2020.

Shane joined Credit Information Systems in April, 2020 as a Senior Account Manager and is looking forward to continued growth for the company.

Chad Hartnett, Chief Financial Officer

Chad has over 29 years of finance leadership experience in industries that include professional services, vertically integrated supply chain, franchise and public accounting.

After graduating in 1992 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in Accounting, Chad spent 6 years in public accounting as a consultant and auditor with companies that included Deloitte & Touche and Ernst & Young.

Chad then worked 16 years at HDR, Inc., one of the country’s largest engineering and architecture firms, in various roles including leading the company’s mergers and acquisitions division. He spent his final 7 years as the company’s Treasurer and Corporate Controller.

Chad then worked for 4 years as the Chief Financial Officer of Scooter’s, one of the fastest growing vertically integrated franchise companies in the country before joining Credit Information Systems in 2020 as their Chief Financial Officer and member of the board of directors.

Helen M. Meyers, Senior Executive Vice President

With a Credit Reporting career spanning more than forty years, Helen Meyers started at Credit Bureau of Council Bluffs (1975-1979) learning the business and providing service to customers by reading their credit reports to them over the phone, verifying tradelines and gaining certification to interview consumers during a time when consumer files were handwritten.

In 1980, Helen accepted a customer service position in the installment loan department of Council Bluffs Savings Bank. Before she left the bank in 1995, she had worked her way up to Assistant Vice President/Loan Officer.

Returning to the Credit Bureau of Council Bluffs (d/b/a Credit Information Systems) in 1996, Helen has spent the last twenty-five years overseeing all mortgage loan customer service staff members, ensuring happy clients and a smooth flow of the company’s day-to-day operations. She also manages compliance with the Repositories as well as with state and federal laws.

Helen also served on the board of the National Consumer Reporting Association (NCRA) from 2018–2020.

Lee H. Volmer, Vice President Sales

In 1979, Lee Volmer’s Credit Reporting industry career launched with the Credit Bureau of Rockford, Illinois, where he was involved in automation to the Chilton System. After the Credit Bureau was purchased by Parker Business Systems, Lee was promoted to General Manager and led the Bureau’s conversion to the TransUnion System.

Lee was transferred to Seattle, Washington in 1982 to automate and market Washington and Oregon as an affiliate of the TransUnion System. Parker Business sold the franchise to TransUnion in 1985 and Lee took on the role as sales manager of Chilton’s Dallas, Texas operation. Promoted to General Manager of Chilton’s Omaha, Nebraska location in 1986, Lee’s duties included management of a 5-state area. Lee left TRW (formerly Chilton) in 1994 and worked with CSC Credit on special projects.

The Credit Bureau of Council Bluffs added Lee to the team as Vice President of Sales in 1995, a position he currently holds along with being a trusted resource to many in the credit reporting industry.

Heather Russell-Schroeder, President

Heather Russell-Schroeder began her 35 plus year career in the Credit Reporting industry as a high school and college student working part-time answering phones, entering data, handling consumer disputes and public record bulletins for her family’s business, Credit Bureau of Council Bluffs.

After graduating from the University of Nebraska Lincoln with a Master of Arts Degree in Deaf Education in 1997, Heather spent two years teaching 1st grade at Crete Elementary and managing their Deaf Education program.

Heather returned to the Credit Bureau of Council Bluffs in 2000 as Compliance Officer – Executive Vice President, holding that position for eight years.

Heather has been the Credit Bureau of Council Bluffs, President and the President of Performance Data Systems, Inc since 2008. Beginning in 2009, Heather was the Co-Owner Credit Bureau of Council Bluffs, Inc and Performance Data Systems, Inc.

Currently, Heather is the third generation Owner Credit Bureau of Council Bluffs, Inc and Performance Data Systems, Inc.