CMSI, a leader in credit automation software  and a growing force in loan-approval services over the Internet, has   elevated Scott L. Freiman to president and chief executive officer.   
CMSI -- formally Credit Management Solutions Inc. -- also named Miles  H. Grody chief operating officer and John J. McDonnell Jr. chairman. Mr.   McDonnell, CEO of Transaction Network Services Inc., has been a CMSI   director since 1996.     
  
Peter M. Leger, president for almost a year, resigned, citing a desire  to be closer to his family, which was unable to relocate to Maryland from   Chicago.   
Mr. Freiman, 36, a cofounder of CMSI, was executive vice president and  director since 1987, most recently taking charge of electronic commerce   initiatives.   
  
Mr. Grody, 43, was senior vice president and director since 1995,  serving as general counsel, corporate secretary, and business line manager   of the credit decisioning division.   
As chairman, Mr. McDonnell, 61, succeeded another CMSI founder and its  largest shareholder, James R. DeFrancesco, who remains on the board. "His   level of experience adds considerable depth to the talent pool represented   by our outside directors," Mr. DeFrancesco said.     
Mr. McDonnell in August announced an agreement to sell Transaction  Network Services, a top provider of communications support to point of sale   payment networks, to PSINet Inc. for $720 million.