Mountain Ridge Capital, an asset-based lender providing customized financial solutions to lower mid-market businesses, appointed Joy Hanawa as its new chief technology officer (CTO). Hanawa is a financial services technology veteran with over 25 years of executive-level experience dedicated to driving growth and operational efficiency through technology and AI.
Hanawa will be responsible for defining and executing the firm’s technology strategy, overseeing all systems, data and digital innovation, including the integration of advanced AI solutions.
“We are thrilled to welcome Joy to the executive team,” Craig Winslow, CEO of Mountain Ridge Capital, said. “Her proven track record in architecting modern technology stacks, driving significant cost savings and leading high-growth financial services firms — combined with her deep expertise in leveraging AI for financial workflows — makes her the ideal leader to guide our next phase of technological maturity and innovation.”
Hanawa has held several key executive roles within financial services. This includes serving as director of technology, data and analytics at Edge Capital Lending; vice president of technology at Thunder Funding, where her initiatives contributed to 400% company growth; and CTO of E-Capital, where she modernized IT infrastructure and implemented over 250 business process automations. Her innovations have earned significant industry recognition, including being named a finalist in the prestigious Banking Tech Awards.
“I am incredibly happy to be joining Mountain Ridge Capital, a group that is clearly committed to being a forward-thinking organization in the financial services space,” Hanawa said. “Technology, particularly the strategic use of data and AI, is no longer a support function but the primary driver of competitive advantage. I look forward to working with this talented team to build an innovative, human-first technology platform that not only streamlines operations but truly empowers our people and clients.”
