AI-powered mortgage leader honored for innovation, growth, and community impact in Orange County’s executive business landscape

Better Home & Finance Holding Company (NASDAQ: BETR), the AI-powered digital homeownership company, today announced that its President and Chief Operating Officer Chad Smith has been named a 2025 Orange County Executive Leadership Awards honoree by LA Times Studios. This recognition honors top-tier business leaders who are reshaping their industries and driving meaningful growth across the region.

Winners were selected across multiple C-suite categories for their exemplary leadership and lasting impact on Orange County’s business and civic communities. Chad was celebrated at LA Times’ awards ceremony on August 22, 2025, at the Marriott Irvine Spectrum Hotel, alongside approximately 300 distinguished attendees, including C-suite executives and influential business leaders. A post-event feature will publish in the Los Angeles Times business magazine on September 21, 2025, profiling all honorees.

“Being recognized alongside such accomplished leaders in Orange County is truly an honor,” said Smith. “At Better, we’re reimagining the homebuying experience with technology that creates faster, simpler, and more affordable outcomes for customers. I’m proud to play a role in that journey and to lead with purpose, both in business and in our community.”

Since joining Better in 2024, Chad has spearheaded initiatives to streamline operations, scale product innovation, and strengthen the company’s competitive edge in the digital mortgage market. Under his leadership, Better launched Betsy™, the industry’s first voice-based AI loan assistant, and expanded the reach of Tinman™, its proprietary platform that reduces manufacturing costs by 35% and enhances loan fulfillment speed and efficiency.

With more than 20 years of experience in mortgage and fintech, Chad has built a legacy of transforming customer-facing operations and scaling high-performing teams. Prior to Better, he served as CEO of Mission Loans and held executive roles at Caliber Home Loans, loanDepot, and LendingTree Loans—where he played a pivotal role in its acquisition by Discover.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Chad is a passionate advocate for youth, education, and inclusive giving. He currently serves on the JSerra Regents Board, supporting strategic initiatives at JSerra High School. His family actively supports nonprofits including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, KidWorks OC, and Unlimited Possibilities through both financial contributions and volunteerism focused on mentorship and community development.

This award reflects Chad’s unwavering commitment to operational excellence, innovation, and community leadership—principles that continue to define Better’s success and future vision.

About Better Home & Finance Holding Company

Better Home & Finance Holding Company (NASDAQ: BETR; BETRW) is the first AI-powered mortgage lender and first fintech to fund more than $100 billion in mortgage volume. Since 2016, Better has leveraged its industry-leading AI platform, Tinman™, to achieve a singular mission of making homeownership cheaper, faster, and easier for Americans. Tinman™ allows customers to see their rate options in seconds, get pre-approved in minutes, lock in rates, and close their loan in as little as three weeks. In addition, Betsy™, the first voice-based AI loan assistant built exclusively for the mortgage industry, revolutionizes the homebuying journey by delivering timely application status updates to consumers, answering questions, and moving their loan application along 24/7/365. Better's mortgage offerings include GSE-conforming mortgage loans, FHA and VA loans, and jumbo mortgage loans. In January 2023, Better launched "One Day Mortgage," allowing eligible customers to go from click to Commitment Letter within 24 hours. Better won the 2025 Fintech Breakthrough Awards for Digital Mortgage Innovation, the 2025 Banking Tech Award for Digital Mortgage Innovation, and was named Best Online Mortgage Lender by Forbes and Best Mortgage Lender for Affordability by WSJ in 2023, ranked #1 on LinkedIn's Top Startups List for 2021 and 2020, #1 on Fortune's Best Small and Medium Workplaces in New York, #15 on CNBC's Disruptor 50 2020 list, and was listed on Forbes FinTech 50 for 2020. Better serves customers in all 50 US states and the United Kingdom.

For more information, visit www.better.com or follow @betterdotcom on Instagram and TikTok.

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