Orange, CA-based Ameriquest is one of the nation's top 50 lenders, according to American Banker magazine. The software system is called Empower. The Ameriquest deal is Eastern Software's largest product installation.

Ameriquest integrated existing custom efficiencies from its previous loan origination system into "Empower", according to Lyn Ryan, executive vice president and CIO of Ameriquest. This approach allowed the company to make use of the new system's efficiencies, technology and simplified user functions and workflow while ensuring that customized features were retained.

Ameriquest originates, purchases, sells and services specialty finance mortgage loans at 193 retail branches in 30 states. Eastern Software Corporation is based in Pennsylvania and is a provider of enterprise-wide loan origination systems. The company's flagship product "Empower" is used by many of the nation's 200 largest lenders including CitiMortgage, Downey Savings & Loan and IndyMac Bank.