Lake City, FL, St. Louis, MO, February 23, 2026—First Federal Bank, a top‑performing mutual bank with more than 15 years of warehouse lending experience, has selected Greyhound by OptiFunder to modernize and scale its warehouse lending operations. The decision supports First Federal’s commitment to providing simple, secure warehouse lending solutions that help its clients leverage their assets to the fullest.
Consistently recognized for customer service excellence, First Federal is well‑capitalized and deeply rooted in residential lending. The bank serves a diverse mix of IMBs, including several of the industry’s top originators, and continues to expand its warehouse footprint with a forward‑thinking, service‑first approach.
“We were looking for a more modern system, and Greyhound stood out,” said Robert Turbeville, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at First Federal when discussing the decision to adopt Greyhound. “Several of our clients use OptiFunder, so adopting Greyhound seemed like a natural fit. The team’s expertise, responsiveness, and collaboration have made this transition feel like a partnership.”
Greyhound by OptiFunder is a modern warehouse lending platform built to deliver configurability, security, connectivity, and true end‑to‑end modernization. Greyhound streamlines funding and collateral workflows while giving warehouse lenders and their IMB partners a flexible system that adapts to their processes. Its integrated data flows create a seamless experience between lenders and originators, improving accuracy, transparency, and speed across the entire funding lifecycle.
Further validating the strength of the Greyhound platform, one long‑standing OptiFunder client shared their firsthand experience. “We see technology as a true competitive advantage,” said Justin McDowell, Chief Financial Officer at VanDyk Mortgage. “As an early tester of Greyhound, we found the new warehouse platform integrates seamlessly with OptiFunder, strengthening overall efficiency and visibility throughout the funding process.”
Looking ahead, First Federal expects Greyhound to support its growth objectives. “We considered OptiFunder’s deep roots across the IMB community, which gave us confidence that the transition would support our growth and streamline the experience for our clients,” added Melanie Carrington, Warehouse Lending Division President. “Adopting a modern system helps us scale efficiently while maintaining the high‑touch service our IMB partners expect.”
About First Federal Bank
First Federal Bank is a community-based bank offering consumer and commercial banking solutions, services, and loans through banking offices in Florida's Panhandle, North Central and East Florida; and coastal South Carolina. Warehouse, Mortgage, SBA and USDA customers are served nationwide through lending offices across the Southeast and Midwest. First Federal is headquartered in Lake City, Florida with assets totaling over $4.2 billion. First Federal has received a "5-Star, Superior" financial rating from BauerFinancial, Inc., of Coral Gables, FL for more than two decades, and has been recognized by Newsweek as one of "America's Best Regional Banks" from 2024-2026 and "Best Small Bank in Florida" in 2021-2023. For more information on Warehouse lending solutions, contact Melanie Carrington at carringtonm@ffbf.com or visit https://www.ffbf.com/warehouse-lending .
About OptiFunder
OptiFunder offers the mortgage industry’s only fully connected warehouse lending ecosystem, delivering end‑to‑end automation from funding through paydown for mortgage originators and warehouse lenders nationwide. Providing connected, secure, and modern solutions that streamline the funding lifecycle, OptiFunder has been recognized as one of America’s fastest‑growing private companies by the Inc. 5000 and honored with multiple industry awards, including the HousingWire Tech100. Through its integrated platforms, OptiFunder delivers intelligent automation and seamless connectivity, helping organizations operate more efficiently while maintaining high‑quality service across the mortgage ecosystem. For more information, visit www.optifunder.com