Women Leading The Way

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Women Leading The Way

VINCENT M. VALVO Publisher, Editor & CEO

One of the things any editor enjoys is finding new voices to bring to a publication. In this issue, we’re thrilled to have not just one but two new columnists, and that both are female leaders in the mortgage world.

Erica LaCentra is the marketing director for RCN Capital. She spoke for us last year at the Mortgage Star conference for women, where she delivered an impressive and impassioned presentation on being a young woman rising through the executive ranks and finding her voice in an industry dominated by a lot of machismo. Now she’ll be writing monthly for NMP on those same kinds of topics, or sometimes just on insightful marketing ideas. Either way, we’re looking forward to the ideas and insights from one of the industry’s most thoughtful participants.

Meanwhile, for anyone who’s ever seen Mary Kay Scully doing a live workshop, it’s no surprise that she’d be a prize catch for any publication. As national sales trainer for Genworth Mortgage Insurance, Mary Kay brings great hands-on advice on how to be the best at our jobs, and she does it with wit, directness and clarity. If you want to be a better national mortgage professional (and who doesn’t?), then time spent with her column here in National Mortgage Professional magazine will be well worth it.

We’re working to be sure that we not only bring readers great advice, strategies and insight, but to showcase differing views from multiple demographics. Clearly, mortgage origination, especially, is dominated by men. And there’s nothing wrong with admitting that sales in general often needs a little chutzpah to make it happen and make it fun. But there’s no shortage of advice columns by men in our industry, and it’s good to bring in great ideas from a different perspective.

And while we’re at it, we’d be remiss not to point out that in this issue we also feature a score of inspiring women in the mortgage industry. Some have reached the top of their profession. Others are claiming success in various niches. But all of these women are approaching their careers, and serving the industry, in ways that are inspirational and motivational.

Learning from people who bring their “A” game, after all, isn’t limited by what chromosomes are in play.