Reverse Focus co-founder and HECMWorld editor Shannon Hicks to join HighTechLending

Reverse Focus co-founder and longtime HECMWorld editor Shannon Hicks announced Thursday that he will leave the reverse mortgage technology and media firm on May 1 to become chief content officer at HighTechLending.

Hicks has spent the past 15 years helping to build HECMWorld into an education and marketing platform focused on Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs), according to a company announcement. Through commentary, podcasts and market analysis, he has been a visible industry voice helping reverse mortgage professionals communicate with borrowers and explain complex retirement and housing decisions.

As a co-founder of ReverseFocus.com Inc., Hicks also contributed to the development of the company’s Sales Engine CRM and turnkey reverse mortgage website platform, tools used by lenders and originators nationwide for borrower outreach, workflow and campaign management.

“We are grateful for Shannon’s many contributions to Reverse Focus and HECMWorld,” Eric Hiatt, CEO of Reverse Focus, said in the announcement. “His passion for clear, practical education has left a lasting impact on the industry. We wish him continued success in his new role at HighTechLending, where he will focus on broader consumer education across home equity and reverse mortgage products.”

Hicks said the move marks a new phase in his work around borrower education and communication.

“As I begin this next chapter, I want to sincerely thank the listeners, viewers, partners and advertisers who have supported our work over the past 15 years,” Hicks said. “HECMWorld started as a small educational project and grew into a platform that allowed me to engage with a national audience. I’m deeply grateful for the trust and community that formed around that work, and for the many friendships built along the way.”

“Shannon has built his career translating complex financial products into clear, confident decisions for both lenders and the consumers they serve,” David Peskin, president and CEO of HighTechLending, told HousingWire‘s Reverse Mortgage Daily.

“With EquitySelect, we’re creating an entirely new category in home lending and that requires more than a product launch; it requires education, trust, and clarity at scale. Shannon has spent his career doing exactly that: simplifying complex products so lenders, credit unions, and homeowners can better understand and confidently use solutions like EquitySelect.”

Reverse Focus growth strategy

Reverse Focus said it remains focused on expanding its technology and marketing stack for reverse mortgage originators even as Hicks departs. The company recently acquired Apiro Marketing, a move that brought in additional branding, content and lead generation capabilities to pair with its existing CRM and website products.

The integration of Apiro’s services with Reverse Focus’s software is intended to create a more complete front-end solution for reverse mortgage lenders, from digital lead capture through campaign management. For originators competing in a low-volume, high-scrutiny environment, bundled marketing and workflow tools can reduce vendor sprawl and help teams manage smaller budgets more efficiently.

HECMWorld will continue to publish educational content and industry analysis under an expanded marketing and content team, the company said.

“We have full confidence in our team’s ability to build on the strong foundation Shannon helped create and to serve our sponsors, partners and the reverse mortgage community even more effectively,” said Andrew Montesi, head of growth and content at Reverse Focus.

AI and automation focus

Reverse Focus is also accelerating work on AI-powered features across its CRM, website platform and marketing products. The firm said it is building tools aimed at workflow automation, intelligent lead nurturing, predictive analytics and search engine optimization.

Those capabilities mirror a broader trend across mortgage and real estate technology, where lenders are looking to automate outreach, improve follow-up on stale leads and segment borrowers more precisely using data. For reverse specialists, AI-driven content and campaigns could support more personalized education around complex products and eligibility requirements.

“We remain deeply committed to the continued development and integration of AI tools that will drive the next generation of reverse mortgage technology,” Hiatt said. “Our focus is on building smarter, more powerful solutions that help our clients generate better leads, close more loans and succeed in an increasingly competitive and complex market.”

The leadership change underscores Reverse Focus’s evolution from a reverse mortgage content and CRM provider into a broader technology and marketing platform. For lenders and originators, the company’s road map signals continued investment in tools designed to lower customer acquisition costs, support regulatory-compliant education efforts and help teams adjust to shifting demand in the HECM and home equity lending markets.