Fifty years ago, the former Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite. Few people at that time could envision the role that man-made satellites would play in the development of the modern world. But since then, things have changed dramatically. Today our planet is surrounded by thousands of satellites that perform such tasks as weather monitoring, television broadcasting, military surveillance, and a host of other functions vital to our high-tech society.

When the World Wide Web was introduced fifteen years ago, only a few visionaries foresaw the Internet becoming a major force in the retail mortgage industry. Yet today the Internet plays a pivotal role in the way mortgage loans are marketed, researched, applied for, and processed. And as the Internet's role in loan origination has evolved, America's credit unions have boldly led the way in adopting Internet-based technology to support and advance their mortgage businesses.

Web-based point-of-sale software solutions that can intelligently interact with members are providing credit unions with unique opportunities to reengineer their mortgage businesses. The result? More revenue, increased productivity, and improved member service.