LendingTree CEO’s Final Ride: Mortgages to Mud Puddles
Doug Lebda, LendingTree's founder and CEO, turned 55 then apparently thought 'Hey, what beats mortgage rates? Risky ATV rides on my North Carolina farm!' On a Sunday evening around 7:31 PM, Polk County deputies got a missing person call. Less than 30 minutes later, Lebda was dead — no foul play, just a tragic farm fail. Founder of CreditSource USA in 1996 (aka LendingTree), Doug revolutionized borrowing by making finance shopping easier than airfare Expedia style. Post-PwC auditor turned fintech wizard, he proudly headquartered the company in Charlotte and was known for media cameos on CNBC and Fox Business. Survived by wife Megan and 3 daughters, who now probably really hope Dad’s 'relentless drive' avoids ATV trails.
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Doug Lebda upgraded from auditing mortgages to auditing mud patches, proving even fintech titans can’t Ctrl+Z their life choices on a North Carolina ATV farm.
Only Doug Lebda dared compare loans by day and tackle ATVs on his farm by night. RIP to the man who understood rates but underestimated gravity.
When you pioneer online loan shopping but your final investment is a face plant in farm mud, you’ve truly diversified your risk portfolio.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 10/13/2025 | Author: Kelsey Vlamis,Katherine Li,Alex Nicoll,Natalie Musumeci
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