CIO Chris Ortega Automates Lake Michigan Credit Union

Why It Matters

Accelerating mortgage approvals gives LMCU a competitive edge in a crowded market and demonstrates how credit unions can adopt advanced automation without sacrificing member service. The initiative signals broader fintech trends toward AI‑driven, staff‑augmented workflows.

Key Takeaways

• RPA cut loan processing from 55 to 10 hours
• Automation handled 15% rise in mortgage applications
• UIPath partnership drives seamless RPA and AI integration
• Center of Excellence fosters emerging tech adoption
• Agentic AI proof‑of‑concept launched for mortgage decisions

Pulse Analysis

Mortgage origination remains one of the most labor‑intensive functions in banking, with underwriters juggling credit scores, income verification, property appraisals, and regulatory disclosures. For members, delays translate into missed purchase windows and higher opportunity costs, while lenders risk losing business to faster competitors. Lake Michigan Credit Union, originally a teachers’ credit union and now a regional powerhouse expanding into Florida, recognized that traditional manual workflows could not sustain its growth ambitions or its commitment to equal‑housing lending. By targeting the bottleneck in loan processing, LMCU set the stage for a technology‑led transformation.

The credit union’s CIO, Chris Ortega, deployed robotic process automation from UIPath to extract, validate, and populate standardized data fields, cutting average processing time from 55 hours to just 10. The RPA layer absorbed a 15 % increase in application volume without adding headcount, freeing staff to focus on complex underwriting judgments. Building on that foundation, LMCU launched a proof‑of‑concept for agentic AI that can auto‑approve routine decisions under predefined rules, while a newly created Center of Excellence ensures governance, skill development, and rapid scaling of emerging tools across the organization.

Ortega’s approach illustrates a broader shift in the financial services sector: automation is no longer a back‑office cost‑saver but a front‑line differentiator that enhances member experience and supports inclusive credit policies. The emphasis on cultural alignment with vendors, such as UIPath’s collaborative stance, highlights the growing importance of partnership dynamics in successful digital initiatives. As credit unions and community banks grapple with talent shortages and regulatory pressure, LMCU’s model—combining RPA efficiency, AI‑driven decision support, and a dedicated innovation hub—offers a replicable roadmap for sustainable, technology‑enabled growth.