Succession Plan Activated at Fintech Firm Charlotte, N.C. — LendingTree, the Charlotte-based financial services marketplace, is entering a period of transition after the sudden death of its founder and CEO, Doug Lebda, who died Sunday in an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accident on his family farm in North Carolina. He was 55. In its public announcement, the company expressed deep sorrow, calling Lebda “a visionary leader whose relentless drive, innovation and passion transformed the financial services landscape, touching the lives of millions of consumers.” Within hours, the board named Scott Peyree — formerly LendingTree’s chief operating officer and president — as…