We are LendKey
We empower credit unions and community banks to better serve their consumers.
LendKey is a financial technology firm and leader in providing "lending-as-a-service" solutions to credit unions, community banks, and customers. We work with clients by providing digital loan origination and servicing capabilities, and delivering a loan trading marketplace platform for financial institutions and fintechs.
LendKey pioneered the concept of "digital lending networks," which harnesses the collaborative nature of community-based financial institutions to build standard lending programs for private student loans, student loan refinance, and home improvement loans. These programs utilize LendKey's lending-as-a-service platform to provide customer acquisition, online decisioning, loan origination, loan servicing, customer service, and back-office support.
ALIRO is LendKey's loan trading marketplace where financial institutions and other market participants can easily transact. Loans are offered for sale and purchased in either whole loan or fractional loan participation format, and the platform supports both one-time and forward-flow transactions. ALIRO delivers the technology, tools, and ongoing service that financial institutions need to evaluate, execute, and manage loan trades to optimize their balance sheet and risk, focusing on improving net interest income.
Since 2009, we have empowered more than 350 financial institutions to offer competitive loan programs and increase their digital presence across various customer acquisition channels and marketplaces, helping clients deploy more than $7 billion in loans and servicing more than $3.5 billion in consumer loans. Let us do the same for you.
Leadership Team
Vince Passione
Vince is the founder and CEO of LendKey, the market’s most advanced lending platform and network, and a veteran technologist for financial services companies. Before LendKey, Vince was the COO of DealerTrack, the nation’s first and largest automotive credit portal. He has also been the President of Ameritrade’s Institutional Client Division, the CEO of OnMoney.com, the CTO of Citigroup’s US Consumer Bank and a Business Unit Executive at IBM. Vince received his B.S. from Polytechnic University.
Mike Stallmeyer
As COO & CFO, Mike is responsible for all financial management, lending operations, credit and risk analytics, and client service. He brings 20 years of experience across financial services. Previously, Mike worked for a number of global organizations in investment banking, fixed income structured finance, portfolio management, and capital markets—including UBS where he served as Executive Director of the Investment Bank and as Vice President at Credit Suisse. Mike began his career in banking at Fifth Third and received his BA in economics from Duke University.
Michael Hawkins
Mike is the Chief Technology Officer. As CTO he leads LendKey’s product, product operations and technology teams. Prior to LendKey, Mike served as CTO of SoMoLend, a crowdfunding startup and Product Line Director for a General Electric business unit. He is the co-author of two patents in resource prioritization and electronic health records.
Bhanu Arora
Bhanu Arora is a seasoned executive leader with over 15 years of experience in Fintech Startups and Financial Services driving growth and managing risk in a dynamic, fast paced environment. As Chief Risk Officer at LendKey, Bhanu will be focusing on improving credit and fraud risk management practices, bolstering collections strategy and leading advanced analytics function. Prior to joining LendKey, Bhanu was the Chief Risk Officer at Avant. At Avant, Bhanu established strong credit and fraud risk management foundation built on data science, test-and-learn, strong collections strategy and recession readiness planning, drove innovation using machine learning and alternative data sources, and built robust risk analytics and monitoring. Prior to Avant, Bhanu was a VP of Financial Engineering at PIMCO. Bhanu has an MBA from University of Chicago Booth School of Business and B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Delhi.
LendKey is a pioneer of network lending and a trusted partner of hundreds of credit unions and small banks enabling them to compete with the national banks and larger fintechs in online lending. I am super excited to contribute my expertise to empowering these community financial institutions to better serve their consumers digitally while providing consumers access to low-cost and transparent borrowing options.
David Mark
David is responsible for managing all legal and regulatory affairs for LendKey, with an emphasis on consumer financial services. On the regulatory side, David’s focus is on compliance with consumer lending laws and regulations as they pertain to LendKey’s loan origination and servicing platform. David is an active member of the American Bar Association’s Consumer Financial Services Committee, Association of Corporate Counsel, and he serves as a Subject Matter Expert for the CUNA Councils Community (Regulatory/Legislative/Compliance Community). David is admitted to the New York Bar, and he holds a Bachelor of Arts degrees in Business Administration from the University of Florida, a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University, and a Juris Doctor degree from Florida International University College of Law.
Keith Frank
Keith is the Chief Information Security Officer at LendKey and leads his team to develop and implement leading security initiatives that prioritize data loss risk, enhance business performance, and strengthen business offerings. Prior to LendKey. Keith worked as Business Information Risk Manager at Conduent and Director of Information Security at Xerox Services.
He holds Bachelor of Arts Computer Animation from Ohio State University and holds a CISSP certification.
Karen French
Karen is LendKey’s head of Product and will lead our product strategy and roadmap, with a focus on developing innovative lending solutions and enhancing customer experiences. Before LendKey, Karen had over a decade of experience in launching multi-billion dollar lending programs at Citizens and Customers Bank along with a proven track record of partnering with fintechs to innovate and expand financial products. Karen holds a J.D. from Boston College and a B.A. from Duke University.
Dorothy Chan
Dorothy oversees the LendKey Engineering, Production Support and QA team, bringing a leadership style focused on setting vision and outcome expectations while embracing transparency, accessibility, and team empowerment. Her past, extensive experience with software engineering, data/analytics and product management spans start-up, mid-size, and multinational Fortune 50 size organization across multiple industries including the higher education online learning space. Dorothy believes in exploiting emerging trends and technologies to create innovative, leading-edge products that deliver high experience, outcomes, and value.
Dorothy received her Executive MBA from Washington State University and her Bachelor’s in Information System and Operation Management from the University of Toledo. She also served on the advisory boards of a couple SaaS platforms supporting Financial and Education industries
Ryan Giffin
Ryan oversees the Client Success team, comprised of account management, client services, and implementations. These teams are responsible for the growth, development, and on-going support of our lending partners to ensure program success and profitability. Ryan has spent his career in financial services and was a credit union lending executive prior to joining LendKey. Ryan majored in finance at Indiana University, Bloomington, and received his Master’s in Business Administration from Ohio State University.
Sara Robertson
Sara is responsible for LendKey’s people strategy running point on strategic human resources initiatives that improve performance, growth and engagement. She has over 15 years of experience, most recently as a Global HR Business Partner with GE and Luxottica Retail. Sara received her Bachelor of the Arts in Personnel and Industrial Relations from the University of Cincinnati and is certified as a Sr. Professional in Human Resources through HRCI.
Broc Sleek
Broc is responsible for originations operations and customer acquisition for education lending. Broc manages our direct customer acquisition channels, helping connect our lenders with new borrowers and serve their existing customers.
Prior to LendKey, Broc worked as Chief Digital Officer at CHROME Federal Credit Union and multiple start-ups focused on fintech and consumer lending. He holds a business degree from the University of Pittsburgh and an MBA from Salisbury University.
Will Sneed
Will leads LendKey’s lender partnerships team where he helps clients to execute profitable digital lending and capital distribution strategies. Will joined LendKey as one of the first employees where he served as a business analyst and later manager. Will has been instrumental in creating LendKey’s partnerships throughout the financial services industry and growing LendKey’s client base of community banks and credit unions. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Real Estate and Mortgage Finance with a minor in Economics from Mississippi State University.
Anoop Thyagarajan
As one of the founders of LendKey, Anoop leads Platform Engineering, Information and Data Security, and Infrastructure. With over two decades of technology and leadership expertise, he plays a crucial role in steering the organization’s technical operations and initiatives. Anoop holds a Bachelor of Computer Engineering degree.
Amanda Bardonner
Amanda leads LendKey’s account management team which is responsible for providing our lending partners with ongoing strategic support and program development to ensure performance and profitability. Prior to joining LendKey, Amanda worked as AVP, Marketing and Communication at TruStone Financial Federal Credit Union and Director, Product Development at Connexus Credit Union. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business from St. Cloud State University.
Bruce Hounsell
Bruce Hounsell is a finance and fintech veteran with 35 years of experience, specializing in revolutionizing loan trading. As the Founder of DebtX and Executive VP, he transformed the industry with an online marketplace. Now, as CTO of ALIRO at LendKey, Bruce leads the development of a cutting-edge loan trading platform. With a BA in Economics from the University of New Hampshire and an MBA in Finance from the University of Colorado, Bruce combines academic expertise with practical innovation.
Paul Borghi
Paul is the general manager of LendKey’s nationwide home improvement loan program and point-of-sale financing efforts. He is responsible for overseeing program development, business development, HIL operations, and contractor partnerships. Paul joined LendKey in 2012 and served in various roles over his tenure, including playing an integral part in the launch of LendKey’s home improvement program. Prior to re-joining LendKey in 2020, Paul served as the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for Kapitus. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration from Pace University – Lubin School of Business.
Matthew Duffey
As the Vice President of Client Services, Matthew assumes a pivotal role overseeing the Client Services Support team, ensuring the delivery of unparalleled service to our lending partners. His leadership extends from previously heading Learning and Development, Loan Origination, and Loan Servicing departments at LendKey.
Before joining LendKey, Matthew served as an Assistant Vice President at Fifth Third Bank, where he effectively managed diverse teams within collections, covering areas such as credit card, mortgage, home equity, and default support. His wealth of experience contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the financial industry. Matthew holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Shawnee State University.
Jon Enders
As VP of Finance & Accounting at LendKey, Jon is responsible for all finance and accounting functions, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and overseeing accounting operations.
Jon has a passion for analyzing financial performance, discovering operational efficiencies, and developing his team.
Prior to joining the team at LendKey, Jon worked in public accounting, where he obtained his CPA and CFE credentials.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science in business from Xavier University.
Devin Hughes
A ten+ year veteran of LendKey, Devin leads direction and growth for ALIRO, the company’s innovative loan trading network that seamlessly enables financial institutions and Fintechs to buy, sell and broker loans. Devin is dedicated to creating sustainable and scalable networked lending programs across all asset classes by leveraging best in class technology and winning partnerships between hundreds of financial institutions and marketplace lenders.
A seasoned business development leader, Devin previously drove partnerships and growth for an education technology company and currently acts as advisor to several Fintechs. Devin holds a degree in Finance with a focus in Entrepreneurship from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington.
Jiten Pai
Jiten leads the data engineering team at LendKey. This team is responsible for building and maintaining the data platform that drives LendKey’s analytics and machine learning capabilities. Crunching data from disparate sources, the data platform empowers LendKey and their partners in making informed decisions and measuring the effects of these decisions. He holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Oregon State University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Osmania University.
Kemba Penn
Kemba leads LendKey’s Loan Originations team, which includes the Loan Analyst and Contact Center teams. These teams support applicants during the process of applying for educational and home improvement loans, including all steps from pre-application to taking and analyzing applications, through the disbursement of funds.
Kemba has over 20 years of management experience. Prior to joining LendKey, she worked at Citi where she led various teams, including customer service, sales, collections, and recovery teams. Kemba holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati.
Mike Wyers
As the Vice President of Loan Servicing at LendKey, Mike leads the post-origination customer service and collections, dedicated to providing a best-in-class customer experience for consumers. His focus is on assisting borrowers with all their needs, ensuring a seamless and positive interaction throughout the servicing process.
Bringing over 25 years of experience in Financial Services, Mike’s professional journey includes holding senior leadership positions in Servicing, Collections, Contact Centers, Customer Support, and Vendor Management. He has contributed his expertise to notable companies such as US Bank, Navient, JP Morgan, and Synchrony. Mike earned a BS degree from both the University of Akron and the University of Phoenix, underscoring his commitment to excellence in financial management and customer care.
Vince Passione
CEO & Founder
Vince is the founder and CEO of LendKey, the market’s most advanced lending platform and network, and a veteran technologist for financial services companies. Before LendKey, Vince was the COO of DealerTrack, the nation’s first and largest automotive credit portal. He has also been the President of Ameritrade’s Institutional Client Division, the CEO of OnMoney.com, the CTO of Citigroup’s US Consumer Bank and a Business Unit Executive at IBM. Vince received his B.S. from Polytechnic University.
Josh Stein
Threshold
Josh Stein is a co-founder of Threshold, an early-stage venture capital firm that focuses on conviction investment strategy. His background includes management consulting, strategic analysis, product management and founder level experience in various industries. Josh currently holds board responsibilities at Chartbeat, Databook, LaunchDarkly, LendKey, Sanity, and Talkdesk and the Kauffman Fellows Program, the leading educational fellowship for venture capital. Josh was named by Forbes to its annual Midas List of top technology investors in three consecutive years and was twice recognized as a “top VC investor” by New York Times / CB Insights in their annual rankings. He was also a recipient of the Deloitte Fast 500 Venture Capitalist of the Year award.
Danny Schultz
Gotham Ventures
Danny Schultz is a Co-Founder and Managing Director of Gotham Ventures, a venture capital firm established in 2000, during the early days of the NYC tech boom. Over the last two decades he has worked closely with technology companies at all stages of growth with investments ranging from digital media and e-commerce to mobile tech and enterprise software startups. Danny seeks out creative and energetic entrepreneurs on a mission to disrupt the status quo and currently leads Gotham Venture’s investment in both LendKey and Yipit, (ad descriptor of Yipit). He was also responsible for a number of Gotham’s successful exits including XOsoft, acquired by CA, Pivot, acquired by the CME Group and Massive, acquired by Microsoft. Some of his other successful investments include SMARTS, acquired by EMC; Insulair, acquired by Georgia Pacific and Active Impulse Systems, acquired by Phillips. Danny ran Lehman Brothers equity private placement business just prior to co-founding his own start-up venture fund, Atlantic Venture Partners, the predecessor to Gotham Ventures. He is a frequent speaker at startup and tech events and also enjoys mentoring young VCs and entrepreneurs. Danny is active with the Kauffman Fellows Program and Endeavor Global and was Co-chair of INGENUITY 2012, New York’s premier startup venture conference.
Ira Cohen
Updata Capital
Ira Cohen is the co-founder and operating partner of Updata Capital, define Updata. With 30 years of experience in the technology industry as a CFO, private equity investor and investment banker, he has advised on more than 200 M&A transactions and has extensive experience within the IT services and various software sectors. Prior to founding Updata, Mr. Cohen was the CFO and Treasurer of CGA Computer, Inc. Tridex Corporation and Computer Magnetics, Inc. CGA was a public software and services company which Mr. Cohen helped to take private in a management buyout in 1984. Prior to CGA, he guided Tridex and Computer Magnetics, publicly traded components and systems manufacturers, through acquisitions, divestitures, financings and an IPO.
Mark Morrissette
North Atlantic Capital / Stifel Financial
Mark Morrissette is the managing director of North Atlantic Capital and has been in the venture capital industry since 1995. Prior to joining North Atlantic Capital in 2000, he worked at Advent International in Boston, and in consulting at CSC Index in Cambridge, MA. He earned a BA from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Mark is a past President of the Board of the Northeast Regional Association of Small Business Investment Companies.
Joe Proto
Transactis
Joe Proto serves as EVP Senior Advisor for Mastercard and brings over four decades of entrepreneurial experience honed through the launch of several multi-million-dollar tech companies. Through his work as chairman and CEO of Transactis, Proto facilitated the successful acquisition of the company by Mastercard in 2019 and prior to that, he oversaw REMITCO, acquired by First Data in 2000 and CashFlex, which was acquired by CoreStates in 1992, now part of Wells Fargo. He is also a founder of Windham Ventures, a medical technology VC. Proto formerly served on LendKey’s advisory board and currently serves as the chairman for Dade Systems, a leading fintech provider of integrated accounts receivables solutions.
Board Observers
Alex Otero
Updata Capital
Alex Otero is a Vice President of Updata Partners. Prior to joining Updata Partners, Alex was an Associate at AGC Partners, a technology focused investment banking firm. He has advised on transactions that range from sell-side M&A mandates to capital raising financings across Software, Cybersecurity, and Tech-Enabled Services sectors.
Tom Smith
TTV
Tom is a co-founder and a Managing Partner of TTV, description of TTV, and brings over 18 years of venture capital experience. Tom was one of the first venture investors to recognize the transformative impact of technology on financials services and was an early adopter of advances like alternative and mobile payments, services for the underbanked, alternative loan origination and payments-as-a-service. Prior to founding TTV, Tom spent 30 years at IBM in marketing as well as selling and implementation of information technology projects.
Vaidyanathan Chandrashekhar (Chandy)
Former Senior Partner of Strategy& PwC
Chandy is a recently retired Senior Partner of Strategy&, the global strategy consulting team at PwC. With over 30 years working with top consulting groups like Strategy&, Booz Allen, and Boston Consulting Group, Chandy has advised leading global financial institutions on strategy, performance improvement and transformation. He also spent over four years at Goldman Sachs in a strategy and planning role. More recently, he is investing in, and advising fintech companies on strategy and growth topics.