Meet Thomas Markandonis

For MCAP’s VP of Software Engineering, Thomas Markandonis, finding his passion for computers, software, technology and creating efficient processes came early in life. From his very first job as a newspaper delivery boy, he has always had one question at the forefront of his mind, “how can I make this more effective and more efficient?” His pursuit of efficiency paired with his passion for outstanding user experiences has been instrumental in his success with MCAP for the last 20 years.

“Our goal is to deliver high-quality software, and my definition of high-quality software is making it highly dependable.”

In his current role, Thomas is responsible for leading teams in the development of MCAP’s customer-facing applications and portals, such as the broker, homeowner, and lender portals. It’s an important accountability as these portals are one of the main channels MCAP communicates with each customer. As he explains, “our goal is to deliver high-quality software, and my definition of high-quality software is making it highly dependable in terms of security, reliability, and efficiency. I’m focused on usability and accessibility.” Another important factor from an IT perspective is maintainability. As he explains, “you can build something, but if it hasn’t been architected to dynamically support future upgrades and changes, it can present challenges.”

“We continue to try to find opportunities to amplify our creativity by building engaging, outstanding customer or user experiences.”

When it comes to challenges, Thomas approaches them head-on and inspires his team to do the same. “Working in the field of technology, it can be hard keeping up with technological advancements — it's like a revolving door,” Thomas shares. “As software engineers and as leaders, we need to make sure that we're understanding the latest advancements in technology. It’s our responsibility to ensure that the team is equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge so they can incorporate these changes into our web applications and technology effectively.” Despite the challenges they may face, whether it be managing complex projects, stakeholder expectations or building a culture of innovation, they continue to ensure that security is a fundamental part of the software development lifecycle and at the forefront of their development while improving functionality for customer-facing platforms. For Thomas, every challenge presents an opportunity. As he puts it, “the discipline around software engineering allows us to undertake complex puzzles and find solutions for them. We continue to seek opportunities to amplify our creativity by building engaging, outstanding customer and user experiences.”

“Continuing to improve the user experience is critical to support our business. We want our customers to come back to us.”

As anyone in the technology field will tell you, the user experience is second to none. When the user experience is prioritized, it has a ripple effect that impacts all areas of the business, from users to stakeholders and employees. That’s why Thomas foresees even greater improvements to user experience in MCAP’s future software. “Continuing to improve the user experience is critical to support our business. We want our customers to come back to us. If they have a poor experience, it could negatively influence their perception of MCAP. It also decreases user satisfaction and productivity and increases support costs,” he says. “I think that's why it's important that we continue to focus and invest time in continuously improving the user experience so that we create a consistent and predictable experience for our customers to ensure they can complete their desired task and continue to do business with us.”

Another important facet of Thomas’ work is building and maintaining strong relationships across MCAP’s various business teams. “The ability to engage and collaborate with the business teams is crucial as it minimizes the risk of building solutions that do not meet requirements,” he explains. “Additionally, fostering these relationships across the organization promotes teamwork and creates a culture of ownership among all team members involved in delivering the final product or system.”

Thomas is passionate about leading teams – it’s evident in the way he speaks about them and the amount of pride he takes in the work they do. One of the things he believes is a key factor in leading a team is having a clear vision and sharing that vision with those you work with. “I think it's essential that team members understand the objectives and the important role that they're a part of, along with their contributions to ensure that they're delivering and working towards that vision,” he says.

“I’ve learned that recognition and appreciation are so important to an individual’s development and a team’s success.”

He’s also deeply passionate about recognition and appreciation. After receiving an impactful show of appreciation early on in his career, it made a huge impact on Thomas’ work and outlook and it’s something he hopes to pass on to others. As he shares, “I’ve learned that recognition and appreciation are so important to an individual’s development and a team’s success. That’s why I try to maintain a spirit of recognition and appreciation for everything they do. It makes MCAP an even better place to work.”

“We understand people are busy, and therefore, we can leverage technology and software to deliver flexible availability that suits their unique needs and lifestyle.”

Serving people through technology is one of the many ways Thomas and his team embody Blue Culture. Based on the nature of MCAP’s business model, interactions with customers typically happen through digital interfaces. That’s the reason he aims to build software that empowers brokers and homeowners. As he explains, “we create efficiency and convenience for homeowners and brokers by improving their overall user experience and their digital interaction with MCAP as a whole. For both groups, we strive to offer 24/7 around-the-clock convenience. We understand people are busy, and therefore, we can leverage technology and software to deliver flexible availability that suits their unique needs and lifestyle.”

After 20 years with MCAP, Thomas can proudly say he has enjoyed every single minute of it. With exciting projects on the horizon, like a new mortgage underwriting program, and a team that’s energized and motivated to reach new levels, his journey with MCAP is far from finished.