Craig Bennett is the Chief Executive Officer of Ascribe, leading the company’s mission to be the most trusted partner in appraisal, valuation, property inspection, and asset management services. He brings nearly two decades of technology and product leadership, with a track record of building scalable platforms, driving operational efficiency, and elevating client service.
Craig previously served as Vice President of Technology at StoicLane, a permanent capital investment firm focused on finance, insurance, and real estate, and held senior product roles at Amount, Avant, Enova International, Orbitz Worldwide, and CareerBuilder. Earlier in his career, he gained deep expertise in valuation as part of HVS International, a global leader in hospitality valuation and consulting.
He holds an MBA in Finance from DePaul University’s Driehaus College of Business, and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Illinois-Chicago.
James Smith is a results-driven operations executive with 20+ years of leadership experience spanning customer experience, mortgage servicing, real estate operations, and asset management. Mr. Smith has held senior roles with Auction.com, Altisource, VRM Mortgage Services, and GMAC ResCap, where he built and led high-performing teams across the U.S. and globally. Throughout his career, Mr. Smith has been recognized for driving operational excellence, implementing scalable processes, and delivering measurable improvements in efficiency, compliance, and customer satisfaction. He is known for his ability to champion change management, foster cross-functional collaboration, and deliver innovative solutions that align with business goals and customer needs.
Jason is the CTO of Ascribe and brings a wealth of experience building data, engineering, and infrastructure teams in the tech industry for companies such as Arity, Reverb, and Trunk Club. At Ascribe, he leads the Product and Engineering teams, fostering innovation and excellence in translating complex concepts into strategic solutions. He previously built StoicLane’s technology team and continues to serve as its Head of Data and guide policy. Holding a Ph.D. in Differential Psychology from Northwestern University, he envisions a future where the careful analysis and solid engineering practices can transform any industry.
Jill brings nearly 25 years of experience in the mortgage services industry, with a proven track record of leadership across Fortune 500 companies, technology innovators, and high-growth startups. As Chief Operations Officer, she leads the company’s valuation operations, overseeing daily business activities and driving process improvements to support strategic objectives. Prior to joining Ascribe, Jill held key leadership roles at RealEC, Xome, and Lender Processing Services (now ServiceLink).
Jim Jendzurski has over 25 years of experience in the mortgage industry. He currently leads the Ascribe fulfillment team responsible for assignment and service delivery. Jim started his career as an Atlanta-based field appraiser, then transitioned to firm management, where he handled complex service matters for C-Level clients. His desire to serve lenders and appraisers in a truly world class fashion led him to join Triserv at the inception of the company. Jim served as the Chief Appraiser and COO at Triserv and was instrumental in delivering the customer experience and overseeing the operations process.
Jim Young is a Certified Residential Appraiser with over 35 years of appraisal experience with both nationwide lenders and AMCs. He has managed production, review, and secondary market loan sales. In these roles, he has overseen all aspects of the appraisal process from assignment to review, providing guidance to appraisers, reviewers, and clients throughout the development and delivery of a report. Jim’s focus is on providing excellent customer service while maintaining the highest level of appraisal quality and offering solutions that comply with AIR and investor requirements.
Kelly Taylor leads the sales, marketing, and account management team and is responsible for the company’s revenue generation strategy, execution, and go to market approach. He has over 25 years’ experience in the mortgage industry of challenging the status quo by finding innovative solutions that build partnerships based on integrity, trust, and executing at a high level. Taylor has held sales executive roles with Assurant, SettlementOne, and StreetLinks.
Mark Johnson has more than 20 years of executive experience working for various Fortune 500 companies within the mortgage services industry. As Vice Chairman, he provides overall leadership and direction for the company’s operations. Prior to LRES, Mark was Division President of Mr. Cooper, and was previously Division President of Black Knight (formerly Lender Processing Services).
Sean Kennelly is a highly experienced Certified Public Accountant with a background in audit and consulting serving both Fortune 500 and midsized companies. Sean is responsible for overseeing Ascribe’s financial activities and accounting practices as well as directing financial strategy and implementing strong fiscal discipline.