Mortgage Professional America issue 10.03

MPAMAG.COM ISSUE 10.03

2017 75 women at the vanguard of America’s mortgage industry

PATTY ARVIELO President, New American Funding Loan Originator for 34 years

Built for originators by an originator. www.TeamNewAmerican.com

Licensed by Arizona Dept. of Financial Institutions License #BK-0912376, Dept. of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act License, Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License # 22564. Illinois Residential Mortgage Licensee, Kansas Licensed Mortgage Company, License # MC.0025168, Massachusetts Mortgage Lender & Mortgage Broker License # MC6606, Mississippi Dept. of Banking and Consumer Finance, N.J. Dept. of Banking and Insurance, Ohio Mortgage Broker Act Mortgage Banker Exemption License #MBMB.850190.000, Rhode Island Licensed Lender, Texas licensed location 6504 International Pkwy, Ste 1300, Plano, TX 75093. Washington Consumer Loan Company License #CL-6606. NMLS #6606. www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. 14511 Myford Rd, Ste 100, Tustin CA 92780. (877) 478-5476. 07/2017

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017

The glass ceiling hasn’t kept these women at bay. Meet 75 leaders and influencers who are shaping a more diverse mortgage industry IN AN industry where the majority of leadership roles are still dominated by men, the women on the following pages are slowly changing the status quo. An impressive 25% of the women on MPA’s 2017 Elite Women list hold top C-suite or leadership positions, including many founders and owners of their own companies and brokerages.

After receiving numerous nominations from readers around the nation, MPA culled this list to 75 women who have overcome obstacles and broken barriers to become some of the industry’s top professionals. On the following pages, you will be introduced to record-breakers, innovators, mentors and trendsetters who inspire the success of their peers every day and are using their collective influence to change the face of America’s mortgage industry.

www.mpamag.com

1

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017 INDEX BY NAME

2

NAME

COMPANY

PAGE

NAME

COMPANY

PAGE

Arvielo, Patty

New American Funding

9

Hendricks, Kelly

Delmar Financial Company

6

Ashdown, Mindy

Academy Mortgage Corporation

31

Jablonski, Tina

Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group Inc.

16

Badciong, Jean

Inlanta Mortgage Inc.

14

Kapoor, Indu

Guaranteed Rate

3

Baker, Gina

Alderus Mortgage

24

Kepler-Fleenor, Joni

InterWest Mortgage

32

Bane, Mary

loanDepot

8

Killgo, Rebekah Balkcom

Amerisave Mortgage Corporation

30

Batangan, Sarah

Stearns Lending LLC

10

Laffey, Cindy

Inlanta Mortgage Inc.

13

Beckwith, Christine

Annie Mac Home Mortgage

3

Lamphere, Kara

Mid America Mortgage

16

Beier, Debbie

GSF Mortgage Corporation

33

Latiff, Sheila

Digital Risk LLC

28

Bell, Ginger

Go2Training

4

Lecha, Beeta

Spiegel Accountancy Corporation

22

Bobart, Michelle

Guaranteed Rate

19

Lindblom, Suzy

Stearns Lending LLC

7

Boger, Lauren

On Q Financial

4

Borst, Julia

Guaranteed Rate

18

Mason, Desteni

KTL Performance Mortgage – The Mason Knows Mortgages Team

8

Bradley, Melissa

Satori Mortgage

33

Meitner, Susan

Centennial Lending Group LLC

4

Brandao, Laura

American Financial Resources

25

Melnick, Sue

Bay Equity Home Loans

6

Bresch, Mellissa

Stearns Lending LLC

31

Morales, Elizabeth

Applied Business Software

10

Brewer, Lori

LBA Ware

28

Morton, Robin

Cachet Real Estate Finance

8

Burns, Jill

Mountain West Financial Inc.

18

O'Brien, Beth

CoreVest American Finance

26

Stearns Lending LLC

18

Butler, Erika

Primary Residential Mortgage Inc.

24

O’Mallan, Lola

Cassell, Mary

Digital Risk LLC

23

Patrick-Davidson, Cathi

Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group Inc.

14

Clermont, Yvette

Inlanta Mortgage Inc.

16

Pearce, Jamie Korus

Alliance Home Loans

30

Clymer, Valerie

Watson Mortgage Corporation

33

Richards, Tammy

Caliber Home Loans Inc.

7

Cole, Katrina

Inlanta Mortgage Inc.

15

Rodriguez, Lorena

Motive Lending

14

Crow, Julie

Primary Residential Mortgage Inc.

25

Rustom, Ashley

Element Funding

6

Davidson, Linda

Service First Mortgage

3

Ryan, Judy

Credit Plus Inc.

7

DiPasquale, Vicki

Simplifile

29

Scully, MaryKay

Genworth Mortgage Insurance

23

Ellis, DeAnn

Element Funding

24

Sieffert, Kristen

Finance of America Reverse

31

Fountain, Jennifer

Altavera Mortgage Services

26

Talbert, Cristen

Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group Inc.

14

Fulmer, Ann

FormFree

32

Tank, Caren

loanDepot

20

Garner, Lizzie

Guaranteed Rate

10

Todd, Tonya

Mountain West Financial Inc.

15

Gates, Cathleen Schreiner

Ellie Mae

12

Tyson, Charlotte

Genworth Mortgage Insurance

20

Gegaj, Tereze

United Wholesale Mortgage

23

Visniskie, Jessica

GMH Mortgage Services LLC

32

Gillen, Neusa

Family First Funding LLC

25

White, Paula

McLean Mortgage Corporation

26

Gilmore, Robin

America's Local Lender LLC

33

Whitehead, Teresa

Citywide Home Loans

22

Green, Ruth

Primary Residential Mortgage Inc.

12

Hagerty, Terrie

Citadel Servicing

29

Wirth, Kerry

Waterstone Mortgage Corporation

30

Hale-Lee, Lynette

Wintrust Mortgage

29

Wolcott, Kim

Academy Mortgage Corporation

5

Hanbury, Pam

McLean Mortgage Corporation

28

Wood, Sally

Evolve Bank & Trust

20

KTL Performance Mortgage – Your Expert Mortgage

Yarbrough, Kelli

RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing Corporation

15

Heath, Kristina

12

Zwick, Jennifer

TTCU The Credit Union

22

www.mpamag.com

INDU KAPOOR Vice president, branch manager and regional renovation manager Guaranteed Rate

Since starting her career in the mortgage lending industry in 1997, Indu Kapoor has strived to provide excellent customer service and exceed expectations. Her goal is to not only educate herself on ever-changing guidelines, but also educate her clients. A top FHA 203(k) and HomeStyle renovation mortgage loan specialist, Kapoor was voted D Magazine’s Best Loan Officer in 2014 and was named a Five-Star Mortgage Professional in 2017. Kapoor holds an MBA in corporate finance from the University of Dallas, and she can converse in several languages and dialects.

LINDA DAVIDSON Vice president, branch manager and senior residential loan originator Service First Mortgage

Linda Davidson recently celebrated her 20th year in the mortgage industry. For the past few years, she has retained the titles of top originator and top-producing branch within Service First Mortgage, while serving on the faculty board of two national training companies and on the company’s own coaching/mentoring team. Davidson initiated Service First’s Greenhouse Program, which trains high-potential loan officer assistants to become successful originators; the effectiveness of her strategies and programs have been evident in the yearly increases in her loan officers’ production.

“Growing up in government housing, I truly had to overcome the limited belief that I was not good enough,” Davidson says. “I think that made me work harder to prove that I could be successful, as well as be a role model for others in our industry. I was very blessed early in my career to find a great mentor, Todd Duncan, who taught me to think of myself in the origination business – and to run it like a business – instead of someone who just ‘did loans.’”

Davidson champions not only homeownership but also the value of home itself, and highlights the contributions women have made to these two causes. “I actually believe that in general, women make better loan officers because of their natural empathy gifts,” she says. “That being said, I think one of the major challenges we feel is the guilt of juggling a successful origination career and creating a strong and loving family nucleus. My top accomplishments are being a mom and a grandmother, and secondly, [having] the ability to serve with excellence hundreds of families in fulfilling the dream of homeownership.”

CHRISTINE BECKWITH National vice president of Realtor and sales management Annie Mac Home Mortgage

As vice president of Realtor and sales management, Christine Beckwith oversees one of the main value propositions of Annie Mac Home Mortgage. She was instrumental in setting up and expanding the company’s Realtor platform, Annie Mac Worx. She also successfully launched a national road show, which entailed traveling to every Annie Mac branch to train managers and teams on the company’s technology and sales strategy.

“As a woman in a male-dominated field, I have had to prove my abilities through results – winning sales contests and being a respected example of mentoring and leadership through my day-to-day interactions with sales associates and amongst my peers and superiors,” Beckwith says. “The challenges women have faced in our industry over the decades are related to setting themselves apart and not asking for entitlement or exceptions.

In everything people do in life, no matter who you are, you will be faced with obstacles and adversity. To truly rise above those challenges, you must see yourself as a worthy and capable competitor and then focus your eyesight on the finish line, make no excuses and deliver superior results.”

www.mpamag.com

3

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017 GINGER BELL

LAUREN BOGER

President, education specialist

Producing sales manager

Go2Training

On Q Financial

Ginger Bell has been instrumental in helping to develop and implement comprehensive training programs to allow companies to tailor programs according to their clients’ needs. Although Bell started her company, Go2Training, right before the mortgage meltdown, she was able to keep the business afloat thanks to her “greatest strength, [which] came from [my] community or ‘tribe’ of friends in the industry.”

Bell has built her position and reputation as an industry leader and expert on corporate training, and is part of the National Association of Mortgage Professionals and the National Association of Professional Women. She is also the co-author of the best-selling book Success Today, in which she shares that her key to success has been maintaining a steely focus on core goals and values for both herself and her clients. She has received the Book Marketer of the Year Award from the Academy of Best-Selling Authors and an Expy Award from her co-author, Brian Tracy.

Lauren Boger has grown her business yearover-year since she joined On Q Financial and has been part of the company’s President’s Club since 2015; last year, she moved up four spots to rank at number five for units. As a millennial, Boger has helped the company in its efforts to reach her generation by developing a video mortgage application prototype to guide borrowers through the application process. Boger also contributed to the company’s initiative to reach the Hispanic market by hiring a Spanish speaker to train the team and help the business cater to this underserved, growing demographic.

Boger candidly describes the challenges she faced while on maternity leave. “My business disappeared overnight, and I had to resolve to work even harder to establish new referral partners,” she says. “I made calls each week from home and still communicated on loans, but the fact that I was at home and not in the office really affected my business.

I assumed some of my Realtor referral partners would support me during my time of leave, as they were women themselves – some [were] single moms – but they didn’t.

Business dropped off, and I had to once again reinvent myself. I think as women, we should support one another and lift each other up.”

Boger recently joined a local women’s networking group and is looking forward to getting “plugged into my community and support[ing] other women in business.” She is also involved with Children of Fallen Heroes and earned a donation for the cause in 2016 by winning a charity competition sponsored by On Q.

SUSAN MEITNER President, CEO and founder Centennial Lending Group

Susan Meitner started Centennial Lending Group seven years ago, and since then it has grown to 60 employees across eight locations, expanding to include a broader swath of the East Coast and beyond. Meitner has been recognized as a leading CEO by various publications and organizations, including the Inc. 5000, Philadelphia Magazine, and MPA’s Hot 100 list.

“I love that the industry is becoming more diverse, yet I still believe there is a need to illustrate the success of women in this industry,” Meitner says. “Some of the challenges [that remain] are being seen as ‘bossy’ in a negative way when you are doing your job, or [for] a salesperson to be seen as an equal producer.”

Meitner sits on the board of The Mortgage Collaborative and is on the trustee and finance committees of Gwynedd Mercy University, a growing university with many firstgeneration college students.

4

www.mpamag.com

KIM WOLCOTT Producing district manager, Pacific Northwest, South King County Academy Mortgage Corporation

Kim Wolcott’s integrity, entrepreneurism, professional excellence and commitment to her community have earned her praise and recognition at Academy Mortgage.

Most recently, she was a finalist for the 2017 Duane Shaw Achievement Award, Academy’s highest honor.

Wolcott joined the mortgage business in 1989, repeatedly seeking a position as a receptionist at a local lender’s branch, where she later became the branch manager. Today, she has the unique position of being a producing district manager who originates loans and also manages branches. Last year, she closed $28.2 million in personal production and led her district to 19% growth in purchase volume, resulting $536 million in total volume for her district in 2016.

These efforts earned Wolcott a spot in Academy’s President’s Club for the second consecutive year.

Over the course of her long career in the mortgage business, Wolcott has been involved with numerous industry and civic organizations, including her local chamber of commerce, Kiwanis Club and Association of Realtors. As evident in her day-to-day life, Wolcott serves all those “within reaching distance.” Almost every week, she visits local assisted living centers and nursing homes to distribute hats, mittens and toiletries; hand out lollipops; or play a game of cards. She sponsors a family every Christmas, personally shopping for gifts for each family member. In addition, Wolcott has taken Academy’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity to heart, participating in several local builds.

www.mpamag.com

5

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017 SUE MELNICK Chief operating officer and chief compliance officer Bay Equity Home Loans

Juggling responsibilities for both compliance and operations at Bay Equity Home Loans, Sue Melnick oversaw the implementation of major regulatory changes while growing the corporate and regional operations teams to support a doubling of their business volume. She credits her success to the company’s talent pool: “Bay Equity has remarkable people throughout the organization. We focus on hiring, training and nurturing great employees; we have strong management teams and remarkable ownership.”

Another major factor has been finding balance. “We’re in the business to do loans, but we must do so within regulatory guidelines and interpretations,” Melnick says. “The challenge has been that balance between removing obstacles to sales while ensuring we are on solid footing with compliance. I’m very proud of how our team has achieved balance.”

Outside of her mortgage work, Melnick supports charitable organizations and activities through the company, including the Wounded Warrior Freedom Station and the JoAnn McGovern Memorial Golf Tournament, a benefit for the fight against pancreatic cancer.

KELLY HENDRICKS Vice president

ASHLEY RUSTOM Senior loan officer Element Funding

After spending almost nine years as a successful real estate agent, Ashley Rustom decided to switch to the mortgage business after seeing a void in her community for an excellent and friendly mortgage lender to cater to local financing needs.

She joined the industry in 2010, armed with her real estate experience, which has given her a better perspective and a more nuanced knowledge of the business. Rustom joined Element Funding in 2013 and has maintained top producer status ever since, bagging quarterly customer service awards based on client surveys. She remains devoted to her job and finds it rewarding to be able to help so many people obtain their dream homes. Rustom aims to help Element Funding grow its Atlanta market presence while maintaining quality service.

Outside of her day job, Rustom is a member of her local chamber of commerce and a nominee for Leadership Rockdale, a program that provides for personal and professional growth and serves as a springboard for local community leadership opportunities. A mother of three, she spends ample time volunteering at her children’s school to help achieve a healthy balance between work and family. She is also working with her local Division of Family and Children Services office to get certified to foster children in her community, which she considers a personal calling.

6

www.mpamag.com

Delmar Financial Company

Kelly Hendricks recently concluded her second term as president of the National Association of Professional Mortgage Women. She credits her successes over the past year to being surrounded by exemplary peers in the industry and to continuously looking for new ideas and ways to stay updated on trends.

When asked about the hurdles she has had to overcome, Hendricks describes a scenario many female leaders are familiar with: “Some of the biggest challenges I have faced have been balancing my responsibilities of managing our companies’ operations while fulfilling my obligations as president of NAPMW and finding time to be present with my family.

Often there are not enough hours in the day to achieve everything I have set out to do, but finding balance was key.”

Hendricks considers this kind of recognition an encouragement for women “to seek a career path they might not have chosen,” as it helps them envision opportunities to rise in the industry.

SUZY LINDBLOM Managing director, national fulfillment Stearns Lending

With more than 30 years of leadership and management experience in mortgage banking, Suzy Lindblom has senior management and oversight responsibilities for all loan fulfillment activities in Stearns Lending’s multiple production channels, including retail, wholesale, consumer direct and strategic alliance business sectors. Lindblom’s department funded more than $17 billion in 2016, setting a new record while maintaining quality in both credit and compliance. Lindblom is also recognized as the driving force behind the company’s reputation as one of the best operations teams in retail and wholesale lending.

In addition to her comprehensive knowledge and expertise in loan fulfillment, Lindblom is among the industry’s leading experts on credit risk management, loss mitigation, postclosing services and regulatory compliance. Prior to joining Stearns in 2012, she served as national fulfillment executive director at MetLife Bank. She also held leadership positions at Nationstar Mortgage and Bank of America Home Loans. In 2016, Lindblom was named one of the Top 50 Most Powerful and Influential Women by the California National Diversity Council.

TAMMY RICHARDS Executive vice president, national operations Caliber Home Loans

JUDY RYAN Vice president of corporate sales Credit Plus

Judy Ryan joined Credit Plus in October 2013 as vice president of corporate sales and remains responsible for the development, management and sales of the company’s comprehensive fraud tool, FraudPlus. She also serves as Northeast regional sales manager, a previously full-time role assigned to Ryan based on her exemplary track record.

Ryan successfully balances her sales and product development responsibilities. On the product side, she has led efforts to analyze fraud schemes and develop comprehensive tools for risk mitigation. Under her leadership, FraudPlus’ annual revenue has grown by 200% in the past two years. On the sales side, she has responded to an industry boom in the Northeast region by making new hires, increasing training and offering hands-on assistance, resulting in a 280% increase in sales over the last three years.

Outside of Credit Plus, Ryan is a member of the Mortgage Bankers Association and the Consumer Data Industry Association. She was president of the National Consumer Reporting Association in 2009 and served as a board member for several terms, regularly lobbying in Washington on behalf of the industry and consumer reporting companies.

Ryan has also devoted several years to serving on the board of a vocational camp, where she has coached high-school girls on how to build a successful career.

Having joined Caliber Home Loans in 2013, Tammy Richards serves as the company’s EVP of national operations, leading the processing, underwriting and closing teams for retail, wholesale, correspondent, portfolio and consumer direct lending. She currently oversees more than 2,000 associates and over 27 fulfillment sites. Prior to this role, Richards worked at Bank of America Home Loans, Countrywide Home Loans and RNG Mortgage, where she began her career in the mortgage industry more than 30 years ago.

For each department of Caliber she serves, Richards brings experience in improving workflow and fulfillment processes and Six Sigma Black Belt techniques, helping to improve quality and reduce defects. She has spent time in supplemental roles throughout her time with Caliber, creating and improving numerous process initiatives across the organization, most recently the company’s digital mortgage.

www.mpamag.com

7

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017 DESTENI MASON Founder/owner, loan officer KTL Performance Mortgage – The Mason Knows Mortgages

Following her lifelong passion to help people “be better and do more than they thought they could ever do,” Desteni Mason co-founded KTL Performance Mortgage in Greenville, Ohio, in 2003. Since then, she and her team have been helping people achieve their dreams of homeownership. Mason managed to grow the business to become a leading USDA lender in Ohio and Indiana while working on her master’s degree.

Under her leadership, the team closed more than 200 loans in 2016.

“Desteni’s success is largely due to her dedication to helping others learn and succeed,” says an industry peer. “She came from humble beginnings and knows what it takes to turn knowledge into life strengths and successes. She has gained great respect for her commitment to helping underserved clients or those with limited financial knowledge learn how to improve their situations.”

To address persistent gaps in consumer knowledge, Mason has launched a series of creative marketing initiatives that help educate potential clients while boosting brand visibility in new markets. In the coming year, she will lead KTL’s growth campaigns in Indiana, Kentucky and Florida through a strategic social media campaign that challenges new homebuyers to “Live their Destiny.”

MARY BANE Vice president, regional production loanDepot

ROBIN MORTON President and CEO Cachet Real Estate Finance

Robin Morton came to San Antonio in 1982 and began working as an on-site sales professional in the burgeoning field of residential new home construction; in 1991, she founded Cachet Custom Homes. After giving birth to her fourth child, Morton wanted a career that would give her more time with her growing family, so she took a position as a mortgage loan originator with Fleet Financial Services. Capitalizing on her construction knowledge, she was able to efficiently transition her business partnership with new homebuilders, and she swiftly achieved national recognition as a top producer.

In 1995, Morton joined Columbia National Mortgage Company as vice president of builder services. She received the Most Improved Branch Award after her first year, along with several more awards, including the prestigious Greater San Antonio Builders Association Summit Award for Mortgage Professional of the Year in 1998, as well as Columbia National’s Branch Manager of the Year. In 2001, Morton became president of Excellence Mortgage, a conceptual mortgage entity in San Antonio. After 10 years and more than 2,400 closed loans, Morton’s entrepreneurial drive led her to start Cachet Real Estate Finance, where she continues to apply her two decades of industry experience to serve both new and existing customers.

8

www.mpamag.com

Mortgage industry veteran Mary Bane has built an award-winning team at loanDepot from the ground up, sharing her personal passion for growth and development with each member of her team. As vice president of regional production for loanDepot’s retail business, Bane focuses on mentoring her team of top licensed loan officers, who have achieved the company’s highest retention rate at more than 97%. Bane’s team also held the top spot in the nation at loanDepot for retail loan production last year.

Beyond her role at loanDepot, Bane is a philanthropic leader in the community, organizing annual team participation to support worthy causes, including the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and Ronald McDonald House. Bane’s mentorship of young women and minorities entering the lending industry has helped them find their footing and become key influencers within loanDepot and the industry as a whole.

PATTY ARVIELO President and cofounder New American Funding

Patty Arvielo began her career in the mortgage industry 32 years ago, developing a diverse skill set, from underwriting to processing.

She quickly climbed up the ladder to her current role as cofounder and president of the largest Latina-owned mortgage company in the nation, New American Funding. Currently, Arvielo manages the daily operations and sales for the company’s headquarters, 130 branches and more than 2,400 employees. As a personal commitment to reach underserved communities, Arvielo has spearheaded two in-house initiatives promoting diversity among borrowers: the Latino Focus Committee and New American Dream. Since its inception, New American Funding has financed 47,651 minority homeowners.

As a result of her successful track record, Arvielo has become a recognized and sought-after authority among government-sponsored entities that need insight on policy and program development. She currently serves as a member of the corporate board of governors for the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals and recently joined the Latino Donor Collaborative board. In 2016, Arvielo worked hand-in-hand with Freddie Mac to devise and launch Your Path, a new loan program that makes affordable homeownership opportunities available to a changing demographic of US borrowers. Arvielo is the recipient of numerous accolades and recognition for her professional achievements, including the 2016 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

www.mpamag.com

9

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017 ELIZABETH MORALES Business development and marketing director Applied Business Software

When asked about what has contributed to her success in the past year, Elizabeth Morales offers an answer that’s slightly different from the usual: “The first answer I get on anything is always ‘no,’ interestingly enough. [But] I have developed persuasion skills and have been successful at achieving company milestones.”

Morales has been invited to speak at conferences on marketing and leadership, and her work has been featured in various industry publications. She believes that “there still is a glass ceiling,” and that women continue to struggle with achieving a work-life balance and gaining work flexibility.

Outside the industry, Morales has directed an educational program for California that aids children in closing the achievement gap by helping them with reading and math.

SARAH BATANGAN Senior vice president, strategic business operations Stearns Lending

LIZZIE GARNER Executive vice president Guaranteed Rate

Sarah Batangan joined Stearns Lending in 2014, bringing more than 15 years of mortgage lending operations experience, including expertise in in-house systems, processes and loan origination system technologies. In 2016, she led the correspondent operations team to a record year that saw originations reach $7.3 billion, and created a recognition program within the team to promote positive behavior and performance. She was also instrumental in the subsequent sale of the company’s delegated correspondent platform to Flagstar Bancorp.

The ‘go-to’ person when it comes to handling new challenges and implementing large-scale changes, Batangan has served as the business lead for a range of projects at Stearns, including the development and launch of the lending space loan origination system and the implementation of an enterprise-wide offshore program for business process outsourcing initiatives. She also assisted in building and launching the enterprise post-funding system. As a result of her efforts, Stearns has experienced improvement in turnaround times and processes, along with a reduction in expense for wholesale/retail document indexing and post-closing insuring/guaranty.

Batangan is an active member of the National Association of Professional Mortgage Women and the Mortgage Bankers Association. She also serves as a Women for Women International sponsor, helping instill economic self-sufficiency skills in women who have immigrated from war-torn countries.

10

www.mpamag.com

As executive vice president of Guaranteed Rate, Lizzie Garner has leveraged her previous experience as a business leader during JPMorgan Chase’s acquisitions of BankOne and Washington Mutual to seamlessly spearhead several Guaranteed Rate mergers, including the recent joint venture with real estate giant Realogy.

A self-described “solutionist,” Garner has shaped Guaranteed Rate’s centralized communication strategy, implemented a best-in-class onboarding and training platform, and built one of the most comprehensive employee resource portals in the industry. Known for developing talent and empowering her direct reports to think like owners, Garner has fostered a culture of collaboration and accountability across all business channels, ensuring the timely and fully realized delivery of several high-profile company initiatives, most notably Guaranteed Rate’s digital mortgage.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH MULTIPLIED No other company invests in their employees’ professional growth like Academy.

“It has been a true honor for me to participate in Academy Mortgage’s Leadership Academy. Unique in the industry, Leadership Academy is designed around an MBA program and is completely geared toward my personal and professional growth.

Even better, it is structured for participants to network and collaborate with the company’s leadership, learning side by side and not from the top down.

“My growth in this program has been outwardly evident to all those around me over the past year. I am more effective in my one-on-ones. I extensively utilize the tools presented to us in my branch. I am better at recognizing my personal strengths and the strengths of others. Participating in Leadership Academy has helped me become a better leader and a better coach.

“The excitement this program has generated for me is contagious. Our branch is growing with people who want to be a part of this environment.” —Jennifer Higgerson Congratulations to Academy’s Kim Wolcott and Mindy Ashdown for being named by MPA as Elite Women in Mortgage. Find your opportunity for personal and professional growth at Academy. Contact John Owens, National Recruiting Manager, at (801) 541-7456 or visit www.academymortgage.com.

Corp NMLS #3113 | Corp State Lic #5491140 | Equal Housing Lender

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017 RUTH GREEN Senior vice president of operations Primary Residential Mortgage

As SVP of operations at Primary Residential Mortgage [PRMI], Ruth Green is responsible for overseeing continuous improvement of the company’s service and products, and over the years she has had many successes. She played a critical role in the nationwide implementation of PRMI’s new loan origination system.

Together with her team, she was able to fully deploy the software in 90 days, which resulted in PRMI earning the Ellie Mae Hall of Fame Award for Implementation Excellence in 2015.

Green also has successfully enforced national mortgage regulations such as TRID, Ability to Repay, ECOA and more. To achieve this, she worked with industry peers and completed several analyses to identify technology needs, effect on productivity, and short- and long-term resources needed, and also implemented company-wide training.

Green also re-evaluated the company’s quality and post-funding penalties, and played a crucial role in substantially reducing conditions and basis points, from an average of 1.6 conditions and 7 basis points in 2015 to 0.4 conditions and 1 basis point in 2017. These accomplishments have been critical for PRMI’s revenue and reputation.

Over the course of almost two decades, Green has held numerous positions within PRMI, including underwriter, training manager and vice president of business relations.

Outside the company, she is on the Residential Loan Production Committee and the FHA Subcommittee of the Mortgage Bankers Association, and is also a member of the Utah Mortgage Bankers Association. Green has also raised funds for Feeding America and the Utah Food Bank, and she regularly travels for outreach. She has been to Jamaica to help the SOS Children’s Village, and earlier this year, she went to Costa Rica to volunteer at an elementary school.

CATHLEEN SCHREINER GATES Executive vice president, sales and marketing Ellie Mae

With more than three decades of experience in sales and field operations management and helping companies transition successfully to new software, Cathleen Schreiner Gates now serves as executive vice president of sales and marketing at Ellie Mae, overseeing sales, marketing, client management, professional services, and customer support and training. Gates joined the company in early 2012 to help with its rapid shift from enterprise software to SaaS. She previously held executive and senior management positions at Bersin & Associates, Clickability, MarketTools, Keynote Systems/Vividence and Hyperion Solutions.

KRISTINA HEATH Owner/loan officer KTL Performance Mortgage – Your Expert Mortgage

Kristina Heath started her career in automotive sales and spent close to 20 years in customer service, finance and sales management. After realizing the mortgage industry would allow her to pursue her passion for helping people, Heath became a loan officer in 2003. In 2009, she became a co-owner of KTL Performance Mortgage, and co-founded the Your Expert Mortgage team in 2010. Within the past year, the group has grown from four to seven professionals. Heath continues to lead the team to new markets, and has recently brought on business from key Realtor teams in Northeast and Northwest Ohio.

Heath’s efforts were a key factor in KTL Performance Mortgage closing more than 700 loans in 2016.

12

www.mpamag.com

CINDY LAFFEY Mortgage planner Inlanta Mortgage

One of Kansas City’s top mortgage professionals, Cindy Laffey boasts more than 20 years of industry experience and has topped more than $1 billion in career loan volume. She is ranked nationally as a top 1% lender and is regularly the top-performing lender at Inlanta Mortgage. Laffey is an active alumna of the Kansas City Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business, and is also a regular fixture on MPA’s Hot 100 and Elite Women lists.

www.mpamag.com

13

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017 CATHI PATRICKDAVIDSON Divisional president Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group

Cathi Patrick-Davidson has been a key member of Gold Star’s senior management team for 10 years, previously holding the positions of chief operating officer and director of enterprise risk management before being promoted to the position of divisional president. Best known as one of the industry’s most visionary pioneers of compliance application, Patrick-Davidson is credited with crafting a compliance platform that easily assimilates up-tothe-minute legislative, agency and lender-specific directives, and one that can accommodate a plethora of state-specific mortgage lending disclosure.

Patrick-Davidson’s characteristic proactive compliance application was especially evident in Gold Star’s seamless adoption and lender-partner interface of the TILA RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule, which many in the industry are still navigating.

LORENA RODRIGUEZ Assistant vice president of operations Motive Lending

Lorena Rodriguez has risen through the ranks at Motive Lending from account manager to operations manager, and now to her current role as AVP of operations. She went from humble beginnings to funding an average of $250 million a month and leading a team of 58 employees. Rodriguez has been responsible for the rollout of various company initiatives, including the wet funding process and USDA, 203(k) and NON-QM loans.

JEAN BADCIONG Chief compliance officer Inlanta Mortgage

Jean Badciong joined Inlanta Mortgage in 2004, taking on the responsibility for managing the company’s compliance and quality control programs. A year later, she began work with secondary and operations, growing support for the transition from 43% to almost 100% of loans closed and funded by Inlanta.

By 2014, Badciong had been named Inlanta’s chief compliance officer, primarily responsible for overseeing and managing compliance, ensuring that Inlanta Mortgage and its employees are complying with all regulatory requirements and internal policies and procedures. Badciong is a participant on the MBA Legal Issues and Regulatory Compliance Committee and was named one of MPA’s Elite Women in 2014.

CRISTEN TALBERT National underwriting manager Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group

As Gold Star’s national underwriting manager, Cristen Talbert takes great pride in leading both the corporate and West Coast underwriting teams. Ensuring the delivery of highly accessible, quality-driven underwriting during the past five years, Talbert is admired for creating open lines of communication between originators and underwriters, and is fiercely committed to maintaining exceptional turnaround times. Previously holding a number of leadership roles in the banking arena and with the US Department of Agriculture, Talbert is particularly skilled in process improvement and developing superior training initiatives.

Talbert also served in the US Air Force during the Gulf War.

14

www.mpamag.com

KATRINA COLE Business development, marketing Inlanta Mortgage

Katrina Cole currently manages all marketing and business development efforts for the Jonathan Arnold and Brian Ferrick teams of Inlanta Mortgage in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is also the vice president of the Michigan Mortgage Lenders Association’s West Chapter and co-chair of the West Michigan Women’s Council of Realtors. She focuses on complete and cohesive marketing practices, public relations, communication, training, advertising, marketing, social media, blogging, sales, business development, and company organization, believing that when all these areas work together, the consumer experience becomes extraordinary.

KELLI YARBROUGH Vice president RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing Corporation

Kelli Yarbrough’s most recent accomplish­ ment has been the successful development of RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing Corporation’s originations department. She built this team from scratch and created more than 100 roles in the process, while designing and implementing all the policies, procedures, systems and training programs required to establish the new department.

This endeavor began in March 2016, and by August, the department had taken its first lock – an accomplishment in and of itself.

To support the evolution of the origin­ ations team, Yarbrough instituted weekly personalized 15-minute training sessions for the sales staff. She also created a personal accountability workshop for women within the RoundPoint organization that inspires them to embrace accountability and take control of their own success. “[Kelli’s] leadership style is grounded in empathy, building on individuals’ strengths and weaknesses, learning from mistakes, and cultivating confidence to inspire her peers and team members to be the very best they can be,” a colleague says.

Yarbrough believes in continuous education for herself as well, which is why she decided to return to school after 25 years. She is currently working on a post-bachelor certificate in women/gender studies and a master’s degree in liberal studies, and has also applied for a doctoral program in community college education.

TONYA TODD Senior vice president, strategic products Mountain West Financial

Tonya Todd joined Mountain West Financial [MWF] in early 2012 as the leader of the affordable housing programs team. She is responsible for the company’s participation and involvement in down payment assistance programs and works closely with nonprofit organizations and housing finance agencies to develop lending products that meet their constituents’ needs. She formed an exclusive partnership with Down Payment Resource, the nation’s only web-based aggregator of homebuyer assistance programs, and she also created a proprietary program that serves teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public county employees.

Todd is responsible for the implementation, administration and maintenance of these programs, and works daily with internal divisions, including loan underwriting, loan purchasing and secondary marketing. She also works externally with loan servicing to ensure programs are successful for both MWF and housing partners. Prior to joining MWF, Todd worked for nearly nine years on Bank of America’s affordable housing team, where she managed master servicing programs.

www.mpamag.com

15

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017

KARA LAMPHERE

TINA JABLONSKI

Director of correspondent lending and chief compliance officer

Senior vice president of business development

Mid America Mortgage

Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group

Kara Lamphere manages Mid America Mortgage’s correspondent lending and compliance programs. During her 20-plus-year career, Lamphere’s main area of focus has been serving as a chief compliance officer, including a stint with a mortgage subsidiary that was generating $1 billion monthly in mortgage loans. Her extensive experience includes operations, quality control and audit – and she can now add sales to that list, thanks to a newly created platform for eClose and eNotes. She has been integral in the execution of these programs in Mid America’s retail and TPO channels.

Lamphere also led the efforts to transition brokers to mortgage bankers through the eCorrespondent division, which has translated to reduced turnaround times and improved profitability for originators and correspondents.

Lamphere has an enduring passion for team-building, mentoring, communication and finding simple yet effective solutions to complex problems. As a Certified Internal Auditor, she has trained numerous successors to follow in her footsteps, believing that doing so enhances her own ability to grow. A proponent of education, Lamphere has served on the board of trustees for Fort Worth Academy since 2014, and is part of its finance and governance committees.

Tina Jablonski has spent the past decade passionately introducing Gold Star’s industry-leading branching and support platform to mortgage lending’s most talented professionals, thereby playing a pivotal role in Gold Star’s growth strategy.

Jablonski’s career history in business development spans 20 years, giving her the deep experience and insight required to accurately assess the ever-changing needs and expectations of modern professionals.

A talented and dedicated ambassador for Gold Star, Jablonski partners with the company’s senior leadership in order to maximize recruiting initiatives and continually improve its branching platform.

YVETTE CLERMONT Branch manager Inlanta Mortgage

Yvette Clermont consistently ranks among Inlanta Mortgage’s top performers. She serves as a branch manager, overseeing staff members in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Lakewood Ranch, Florida. In addition, she serves on Inlanta’s advisory board, providing her insight and experience to the company’s senior leadership and her peers. Clermont has been in the industry since 1997 and holds the designation of Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist and is currently working on her CMB designation through the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Dedicated to positive industry reforms, Clermont is also active on the MBA’s Political Action Committee and is a member of the Florida Association of Mortgage Professionals, the Wisconsin Mortgage Bankers Association and the Florida Bankers Association.

16

www.mpamag.com

Inlanta’s 2017 MPA Elite Women

CONGRATULATIONS to our Elite Women of Inlanta Mortgage

Jean Badciong

Cindy Laffey

Yvette Clermont

Katrina Cole

Chief Compliance Officer

Mortgage Planner

Branch Manager

NMLS# 261978

NMLS# 248437

Business Development/ Marketing

Join #TeamInlanta Today!

Inlanta Mortgage is growing & we want you to grow with us! Are you ready to take your career to the next level? Inlanta Mortgage may be the perfect place for you.

We offer:

In-house Underwriting, Funding, Processing, and Compliance Sales Training • Personal Coaching • Peer and Operational Support Advisory Board • Marketing

262.439.4242 | partners@inlanta.com Inlanta Mortgage, Inc. NMLS #1016 is an Illinois Residential Mortgage Licensee #MB.0006190. Inlanta Mortgage is regulated by the State of lllinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Kansas Licensed Mortgage Company #MC. 0025045. New Hampshire License # 17396-MB. Licensed by the New Hampshire Banking Department Division of Banking. Texas SML Mortgage Banker Registration. http://www.sml.texas.gov/ConsumerInformation/tdsml_consumer_complaints.html. Wisconsin Banker License #43262BA, Wisconsin Broker License #1016BR. Approved to do business in: AL, CO, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, RI, TN, TX, VT, and WI.

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017 JILL BURNS Executive vice president, operations Mountain West Financial

A mortgage industry veteran of more than 20 years, Jill Burns has a proven track record in senior operational roles. She first joined the team at Mountain West Financial [MWF] in 2012 as senior vice president of operations and now holds the role of executive vice president of operations. In addition to oversight of all back-office operational functions, Burns contributes to setting the company’s guidelines, policies and procedures. Her primary role is to ensure top-quality service and maximum productivity for all of MWF’s centralized and distributed fulfillment locations. She has successfully run a team of elite project managers that implemented a state-of-the-art Loan Operations System, and she continues to actively work on several technology integrations to create more streamlined operations workflows. Additionally, Burns successfully launched a Specialty Products Operations Center that focuses on affordable housing and first-time homebuyers.

Outside of her day-to-day duties, Burns helps raise funds for cancer and autism research, actively participates in sponsoring humane treatment of animals via the ASPCA and other venues, and keenly promotes company culture and community involvement.

JULIA BORST

Senior vice president and divisional sales manager Guaranteed Rate

A 20-year mortgage industry veteran, Julia Borst first brought Guaranteed Rate to Utah in 2009. At the time, there were just four employees in one branch doing $40 million in annual production. Today, Borst leads a division covering Utah, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Nevada, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska, and is on pace to fund well over $1 billion in 2017.

“What I am most proud of is the environment that my team and I have created for our loan originators to accomplish their goals,” Borst says. “We live by our core values. We know what those look like and what we want to accomplish together. When you build strong relationships with employees, referral partners and customers – and live up to a very high standard that you set for yourself – anything is possible. We want to disrupt what is normal in the industry, never worrying about what ‘might’ happen, instead being fearless in decision-making to drive the very best results.”

18

www.mpamag.com

LOLA O’MALLAN Vice president of operations Stearns Lending

Lola O’Mallan joined Stearns Lending in 2007 and was tasked with opening a regional operations center in Concord, California. Within the first year of the center’s operation, she led her team to a fivefold increase in units funded; in 2010, the center funded more than $1 billion.

More recently, O’Mallan was asked to transition the center to exclusively serve Stearns’ burgeoning retail channel, and she and her team quickly adapted and embraced the new partnership with retail sales managers and mortgage loan originators. The center is currently the highest-producing retail regional operations center with Stearns. Due to her track record of success, O’Mallan has been, and continues to be, called upon for many initiatives and pilot programs for the organization, and her expertise is frequently sought by Stearns’ senior management.

O’Mallan began her career in the mortgage industry in her native Guam in 1994, serving as a mortgage loan originator for seven years. She was a member of the Guam Association of Realtors and often held seminars across the island to educate veterans on the VA Home Loan Program. Prior to joining Stearns, O’Mallan held various positions within the industry, including retail branch manager, closing manager and operations manager.

MICHELLE BOBART Senior vice president Guaranteed Rate

The former owner of her own mortgage firm, Michelle Bobart brings more than 19 years of experience as a loan officer to over 2,000 clients in the greater Chicago area.

As a trusted lending advisor, Bobart focuses on building stable, lifelong relationships with her clients, partnering with them throughout their journey to reach their financial goals.

Her unique, client-focused approach removes the anxiety and confusion associated with the loan process, resulting in flawless transactions. As a result, she has been consistently recognized as one of the leading mortgage bankers in the area, receiving accolades from both national trade publications and local media, including being named Five-Star Professional by Chicago magazine from 2011 to 2016.

A passionate advocate for victimized women, Bobart is dedicated to helping women overcome domestic abuse and sexual exploitation. She serves on the board of directors for Stepping Stones Network, a nonprofit organization with a mission to educate and engage the community to prevent domestic commercial sexual exploitation and provide comprehensive, restorative care to survivors. She also volunteers at the Cook County Jail, leading Bible study groups for women behind bars.

www.mpamag.com

19

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017 CHARLOTTE TYSON Director of customer consulting Genworth Mortgage Insurance

As the director of customer consulting for Genworth Mortgage Insurance, Charlotte Tyson provides project support and practical application of process improvement tools and methodologies for customers that include large regional banks, credit unions, small community banks and some of the nation’s largest lenders. A 25-year industry veteran, Tyson has an extensive background in all aspects of the business, which gives her great insight and the ability to apply process improvement tools and methodologies to the best advantage of the customer. Tyson joined GE/Genworth Mortgage Insurance in 1988 and has completed the company’s Management Training Program, as well as GE’s Process Improvement Methodologies and Change Acceleration Program. She is also a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt.

CAREN TANK Director of joint-venture operations loanDepot

Caren Tank joined the mortgage industry in 2001 and has worked on everything from FHA insuring and processing to underwriting and funding. Her work primarily revolves around building innovative mortgage process flows and ensuring departments are run more efficiently. One of her most notable accomplishments in the past few years has been helping to retain a builder partner. Tank assembled a new operations team around the builder and designed a new process flow for underwriters, closers and funders, which resulted in higher volume and much faster closings. Since joining loanDepot, Tank has helped to grow this particular business from two states and 10 communities to seven states and 48 communities.

For Tank, success in this industry has meant developing the ability to challenge status quo: “My biggest challenge is overcoming the typical mortgage industry thinking of, ‘That’s how we’ve always done it,’” she says. “At loanDepot, we’re constantly looking for ways to improve process and create efficiency. That has led to better customer service for our builder partners, which creates a better home-buying process for our customers.

It’s not always easy to avoid the status quo, but I’ve taken chances and found success because of it.”

Outside of her mortgage work, Tank supports Harvest Compassion Center, a food and clothing bank in Arizona, by organizing giving events during holidays such as Thanksgiving and Easter.

20

www.mpamag.com

SALLY WOOD Senior vice president Evolve Bank & Trust

Thirty years in the mortgage industry in just about every role possible prepared Sally Wood for her current position as senior vice president of production at Evolve Bank & Trust. She dove into the industry headfirst when she was hired to oversee a bank mortgage lending office with no experience. Not to be deterred, she read every agency’s guidelines from page one and jumped right in. Wood joined Evolve in 2009 and currently oversees the company’s national loan production offices.

Wood has been named a Top 40 Under 40 professional in Jackson, Mississippi, and has served as president of the Jackson Mortgage Bankers Association, three HOAs and various volunteer functions. Her philosophy is that “we are only as successful as those we support.

That includes the originator, the branch and – always – the borrower!”

Congratulations to all of the remarkable women who make Guaranteed Rate a HUGE success!

Special congrats go out to Lizzie Garner, Julia Borst, Indu Kapoor and Michelle Bobart. These remarkable industry pros made Mortgage Professional America’s Elite Women issue.*

LIZZIE GARNER

JULIA BORST

INDU KAPOOR

MICHELLE BOBART

Executive Vice President

SVP, Divisional Manager

Branch Manager

SVP of Mortgage Lending

YOU CAN BE ELITE, TOO. CALL US TODAY. James Elliott

Julia Borst

Jim Linnane

Chris Knapp

NMLS ID #120474

NMLS ID #275440

NMLS ID #224395

P: (310) 806-4604

P: (801) 890-7660

P: (773) 290-0308 Jim.Linnane@rate.com

James.Elliott@rate.com

Julia.Borst@rate.com Territories: ID, MT, ND, NE, NV, SD, UT, WY

Territories: AR, CT, DE, DC, FL, IA, IL, IN, MA, ME, MD, MI, MO, MN, OK, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA - East, RI, SC, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV

Chris.Knapp@rate.com

Territories: AK, AZ, CA, HI, NM, OR, WA

JOINGRNOW.COM

P: (773) 290-0372 Territories: AL, CO, GA, IL, KS, KY, LA, MS, OH, PA – West, SC, TN

NMLS ID #2611 (Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) • AL - Lic# 21566 • AK - Lic#AK2611 • AR - Lic#103947 - Guaranteed Rate, Inc. 3940 N Ravenswood, Chicago IL 60613 866-934-7283 • AZ - Guaranteed Rate, Inc. - 14811 N. Kierland Blvd., Ste. 100, Scottsdale, AZ, 85254 Mortgage Banker License #0907078 • CA - Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight, Division of Corporations under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act Lic #4130699 • CO - Guaranteed Rate, Inc. Regulated by the Division of Real Estate, 773-290-0505 • CT - Lic #17196 • DE - Lic # 9436 • DC - Lic #MLB 2611 • FL - Lic# MLD1102 • GA - Residential Mortgage Licensee #20973 - 3940 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, IL 60613 • HI - Lic#HI-2611 • ID - Guaranteed Rate, Inc. Lic #MBL-5827 • IL - Residential Mortgage Licensee - IDFPR, 122 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 1900, Chicago, Illinois, 60603, 312-793-3000, 3940 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, IL 60613 #MB.0005932 • IN - Lic #11060 & #10332 • IA - Lic #2005-0132 • KS - Licensed Mortgage Company - Guaranteed Rate, Inc. - License #MC.0001530 • KY - Mortgage Company Lic #MC20335 • LA - Lic #2866 • ME - Lic #SLM11302 • MD - Lic #13181 • MA - Guaranteed Rate, Inc. - Mortgage Lender & Mortgage Broker License MC 2611 • MI - Lic #FR0018846 & SR0018847 • MN - Lic #MN-MO 20526478 • MS - Guaranteed Rate, Inc. 3940 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, IL 60613 - Mississippi Licensed Mortgage Company, Lic # 2611 • MO - Guaranteed Rate Lic # 14-1744-A • MT - Lic# 2611 • NJ - Licensed in NJ: Licensed Mortgage Banker - NJ Department of Banking & Insurance • NE - Lic #1811 • NV - Lic #3162 & 3161 • NH - Guaranteed Rate, Inc. dba Guaranteed Rate of Delaware, licensed by the New Hampshire Banking Department - Lic # 13931-MB • NM - Lic #01995 • NY - Licensed Mortgage Banker - NYS Department of Financial Services- 3940 N Ravenswood, Chicago, IL 60613 Lic # B500887 • NC - Lic #L-109803 • ND - Lic #MB101818 • OH - Lic #MB0804160 & Lic #SM.501367 - 3940 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, IL 60613 • OK - Lic # ML002651 • OR - Lic #ML-3836 - 3940 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, IL 60613 • PA - Licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities Lic #20371 • RI - Rhode Island Licensed Lender Lic # 20102682LL, RI - Rhode Island Licensed Loan Broker Lic # 20102681LB • SC - Lic #-MLS - 2611 • SD - Lic# ML.04997 • TN - Lic #109179 • TX - Licensed in TX: Licensed Mortgage Banker & Licensed Residential Mortgage Loan Servicer- TX Department of Savings & Mortgage Lending • UT - Licensed in UT: Utah-DRE Mortgage Entity License #7495184 & Utah-DFI Residential First Mortgage Notification – Utah Department of Financial Institutions • VT - Lic #2611-1 & 0930 MB & 6100 • VA - Guaranteed Rate, Inc. - Licensed by Virginia State Corporation Commission, License # MC-3769 • WA - Lic #CL-2611 • WI - Lic #27394BA & 2611BR • WV - Lic #ML-30469 & MB-30098 • WY - Lic#2247 Guaranteed Rate is an Equal Opportunity Employer that welcomes and encourages all applicants to apply regardless of age, race, sex, religion, color, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital or parental status, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy or other reason prohibited by law. *As listed among 50 Elite Women in Mortgage

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017 TERESA WHITEHEAD CEO Citywide Home Loans

Ever since Teresa Whitehead took the reins as CEO at Citywide Home Loans, she has led with passion, strength and determination. As CEO, she has instilled best industry practices for streamlining operations and new concept management for the sales force to achieve higher sales volume. Her efforts have resulted in year-over-year achievement of her revenue goals, taking the company from $500 million in revenue in 2010 to $3.2 billion in 2016.

BEETA LECHA Senior tax manager Spiegel Accountancy Corporation

As a senior tax manager at Spiegel Accountancy Corporation, Beeta Lecha has become increasingly involved with the California Mortgage Association and the private lending space. She is also active with the American Association of Private Lenders and involved with a fund administration company, Fairway America, that works with private lenders in small-balance real estate. Lecha regularly provides on-site, personalized training to Fairway’s team on tax and accounting issues.

Outside of the office, Lecha is a member of the East Bay California Association of Mortgage Professionals, the American Institute of CPAs and the California Society of CPAs. She is also active with the Diablo Networking Circle, a local chapter of Business Network International, where she regularly attends networking meetings and events for small businesses in her community and engages in business development opportunities. For the past year, Lecha has also served on the board of directors of utility company Grid Bright. In addition, Lecha and her family are organizing and hosting a fundraiser this year in support of the Mauzzy Foundation, a local organization that helps children with special needs by providing funding for classroom equipment and materials.

22

www.mpamag.com

JENNIFER ZWICK Mortgage operations manager TTCU The Credit Union

Jennifer Zwick landed in the mortgage industry after a restructuring of her department at the university where she worked; today, she is entering her fifth year as the mortgage operations manager for TTCU Federal Credit Union, where she oversees the loan coordinating, processing and closing divisions. On top of these responsibilities, Zwick also serves as project manager for the credit union’s recent conversion to a new mortgage system. Over the last two years, she completed the groundwork needed for the transition, including ensuring compliance with new TRID regulations and preparing the entire mortgage department to move to a paperless process. Zwick was also responsible for the efficient addition of a new product to the credit union’s portfolio, managing to shorten the time needed to build the product from six weeks to four business days.

Outside of her day job, Zwick serves on the board of women’s ministry at her church and participates in mission work. She has traveled to Chiang Mai, Thailand, to work with House of Grace, a group that rescues girls in danger of being sold into trafficking by their own families.

TEREZE GEGAJ Vice president, client service United Wholesale Mortgage

As vice president of client service at United Wholesale Mortgage [UWM], Tereze Gegaj is responsible for leading service initiatives that have won the company Stevie Awards for Client Service Department of the Year for two years in a row. Over the last two years, United Wholesale’s net promoter scores from clients have significantly increased – to 81% as of May 2017 – and are now comparable to those of companies ranking in the top five nationwide in terms of service score and loyalty.

Gegaj joined UWM in late 2012 as an account executive and quickly became a top producer and leader for the sales floor. She has created a team of call scorers, coaches and client service trainers to support the operations team in maintaining elite service. She is also responsible for developing a client outreach team that equips them for on-the-spot troubleshooting, and for implementing a client service ambassador program that offers peer coaching, accountability and development.

Gegaj is proud to be among the women who make up 56% of UWM’s senior leadership team, explaining that it’s about more than just fulfilling the gender number – it’s “about the quality, passion and the impact someone makes. It is definitely empowering to see women in the industry shining, bringing gamechanging ideas to the table and making those ideas a reality in the mortgage world.”

MARY CASSELL Vice president, originations Digital Risk

As vice president of originations at Digital Risk, Mary Cassell is responsible for running the entire HELOC operation. Cassell has more than 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry, including 15 years specializing in home equity. Prior to joining Digital Risk, Cassell spent much of her career at Bank of America, most recently as FCRA enterprise governance and controls executive, where she owned the entire internal control function that drove the Fair Credit Reporting Act for compliance and quality enterprisewide. During her time at Bank of America, she held executive roles in areas such as closing services, quality and operations, national and consumer underwriting, and credit coaching. Cassell has a Six Sigma Green Belt and continues to participate in professional development opportunities, recently attending the Information Security Development Program in New York and the School of Mortgage Banking in Charlotte, North Carolina.

MARYKAY SCULLY Director of customer education Genworth Mortgage Insurance

Leading the development of customer education curriculum at Genworth Mortgage Insurance is MaryKay Scully. In her role as director of customer education, Scully trains more than 7,500 professionals each year on a wide range of topics, including TRID, updates to process improvements, and how to navigate and adhere to evolving compliance requirements. She focuses on training loan officers and underwriters to step back from their process, understand the bigger picture and appreciate the evolving technological ecosystem that is maturing within the housing industry.

In her 23 years at GE/Genworth, Scully has served as an e-business development manager, director of customer education and organizational effectiveness, and as a service center manager. Prior to Genworth, she held loan officer positions at various mortgage companies in the Mid-Atlantic states.

www.mpamag.com

23

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017 ERIKA BUTLER Branch manager Primary Residential Mortgage

With a knack for local real estate, Erica Butler prides herself on her ability to build and maintain strong relationships with her clients and professional partners. Boasting 14 years of experience, Butler has been recognized as Senior Loan Officer of the Month nine times, has been Sales Manager of the Year and was awarded Residential Finance’s People’s Choice Award, among many other recognitions. Last year, she funded more than $25 million in mortgages, landing her on Primary Residential Mortgage’s President’s Club.

DEANN ELLIS Senior loan officer Element Funding

DeAnn Ellis has been a leader in the mortgage industry for more than 20 years.

She built her expertise in home lending by working for various lenders and has even owned her own mortgage company.

Currently a senior loan officer for Element Funding in Covington, Georgia, Ellis and her team service the entire state. Through the years, she has been recognized for her expertise and has consistently earned top producer honors. She won the Element Funding President’s Club Award in 2015 and Chairman’s Club Award in 2016, and has received recognition from various publications. She also ranked among the top 1% of mortgage originators in America in 2016, thanks to a volume of more than $46 million.

Ellis is the co-author of the Amazon bestseller The Mortgage Storm. She is also an instructor for American Real Estate University, where she teaches courses for continuing education. In addition, she is a member of the chamber of commerce for Walton and Newton, the East Metro Women’s Council of Realtors, the East Metro Board of Realtors and the Walton Barrow Board of Realtors, and serves on the board for Action Ministries, an agency established to feed hungry children.

24

www.mpamag.com

GINA BAKER Chief sales officer Alderus Mortgage

Dedicated to helping thousands of families with debt management strategies and real estate professionals with expanding their businesses, Gina Baker has been a principal owner of Alderus Mortgage since 2005. Baker oversees the research, sales and marketing efforts of a team of mortgage professionals, working with them to develop a variety of innovative tools. She built the Alderus senior loan officer team model, which has been implemented company-wide, helped customize the sales force mortgage platform, and automated team workflows to improve production and communication, all while maintaining her status as a top producer.

As a result of her efforts, loan officers have accumulated nearly 400 five-star reviews from clients, buyers and selling agents in less than two years, and Alderus has secured a spot among the top mortgage employers in America for the last three years. To draw more young people into the industry, Baker is continuing to develop the company’s Next Gen Program, which enables it to recruit millennials with no prior mortgage experience by scouting young leaders and transforming them into top producers.

Baker is a recipient of the Woman of Distinction Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners. She has also been recognized by various key figures, including Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, US Congressman Joe Heck, and US Senators Dean Heller and Harry Reid, for her accomplishments as a female business owner in Nevada.

NEUSA GILLEN

LAURA BRANDAO

Cofounder and chief compliance officer

Chief operating officer

Family First Funding

American Financial Resources

Laura Brandao’s vision of bringing families home has become the foundation for the culture at American Financial Resources [AFR].

Boasting more than two decades of experience in the mortgage industry, Brandao brought the wholesale division to AFR in 2007 and became an AFR partner in 2009.

She has been the driving force that has catapulted AFR Whole­ sale to the top of manufactured home, one-time close and renovation lending in the US. She has seamlessly rolled out new products based on market demand, including VA Renovation, and will be introducing one-time close for USDA in the near future. Brandao also designed AFR’s on-demand processing, providing brokers and correspondent lenders a way to focus on their customers while using AFR’s staff to process, underwrite, close and fund loans.

Brandao’s understanding of current business trends helped to inform the company’s latest innovation: an integration between AFR and Amazon’s Alexa. Thanks to Brandao’s hands-on approach, AFR remains on the cutting edge of technology with mobile-friendly applications that can integrate the borrower, Realtor, broker and AFR in a cohesive environment. Brandao appeared on MPA’s Hot 100 list earlier this year and is making her third appearance on the Elite Women list.

Starting in the mortgage industry in 1994 while still in high school, Neusa Gillen quickly realized she had found her calling. After graduating three years later, Gillen began working full-time as a mortgage processor. Over the next 20 years, she participated in every single operations aspect of the mortgage process, from pulling credit reports to processing, underwriting, closing and post-closing, giving her a complete understanding of the loan process.

In 2012, Gillen was one of three individuals who co-founded Family First Funding. As chief compliance officer, she is connected to every one of the company’s departments. She has spearheaded Family First Funding’s quality control and employee training programs, and is the ‘mechanic’ behind all systems improvements and enhancements. “The part of my job that I enjoy most is proving those wrong who say a system or process cannot be improved upon,” she says.

Gillen is motivated by helping to create a compliant environ­ ment that creates a smooth experience not only for borrowers and referral partners, but also for the sales and operations teams at Family First Funding. “Being part of removing the stress people experience while making what is possibly the biggest financial decisions of their lives is the most rewarding feeling,” she says.

JULIE CROW Branch manager and loan originator Primary Residential Mortgage

“Trustworthy,” “kind,” “hard-working” and “miracle worker” are just some of the words clients use to describe Julie Crow, who prides herself on always doing what is right for the client. Since joining the industry more than two decades ago, Crow has gone from being a receptionist to owning her own mortgage company to managing two successful branches for two large nationwide mortgage lenders. Having gained her customers’ trust, she continues to receive referrals while maintaining existing clients, and this has propelled her to the top of the company in terms of production. Managing a team of seven loan originators, she is responsible for more than 65% of her branch’s total volume, and her branch currently ranks among the company’s top 20 in terms of efficacy and key performance indicators.

www.mpamag.com

25

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017 PAULA WHITE Regional vice president McLean Mortgage Corporation

Paula White has been a leader at McLean Mortgage Corporation for more than seven years; during that time, she has built a sales team that has closed over a billion dollars in mortgages, more than 90% of which was purchase production. White has been a McLean President’s Club member for the past seven years, and during her 25 years of residential lending experience, she has provided solutions for thousands of clients within the Washington, DC, metro area.

White has also helped support the careers of others by hiring, training and mentoring numerous loan officers, sales managers and other industry personnel. Her specialty is working with and educating real estate agents, and this has led her to train thousands of agents as a Mortgage Mastery sales instructor over the past 15 years, and more recently as a Virginia board-certified real estate license instructor. In addition to White’s professional commitments, she remains heavily engaged within her community, including involvement with the Virginia Homicide Investigators Association.

JENNIFER FOUNTAIN Senior vice president of due diligence Altavera Mortgage Services

A residential mortgage lending veteran of more than three decades, Jennifer Fountain’s career has been distinguished by its emphasis on credit and underwriting policy, operations, due diligence, management and training. She currently serves as senior vice president of due diligence for Altavera Mortgage Services, where she was hired in 2016 to develop and launch a new closed-loan file review service. In the past year, Fountain has grown this division to become one of Altavera’s most profitable business lines – one that has seen a 142% increase in volume since its launch. Fountain also spearheaded Altavera’s recognition by Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings as an approved third-party due diligence provider for US residential mortgage-backed securities.

Prior to joining Altavera, Fountain held leadership positions with Redwood Trust and Aurora Loan Services. In both of these roles, she was responsible for overseeing multiple review teams and played an essential role in helping to manage company risk. She served as the escalation point for credit-risk questions related to loan programs and guidelines, exception requests, and appraisal variances, and collaborated closely with both companies’ policy managers and compliance officers to identify and recommend credit policy and underwriting guideline revisions.

26

www.mpamag.com

BETH O’BRIEN President and CEO CoreVest American Finance

Beth O’Brien is the founder and CEO of CoreVest American Finance, a private lender to residential real estate investors.

CoreVest, originally known as Colony American Finance, was founded in 2014 to address the unique needs of investors in the single-family rental and bridge loan space who were not served well by either commercial or residential products.

Under O’Brien’s leadership, CoreVest has closed more than $2.5 billion in loans and won the NREI/IMN Award in 2016 for innovation by a non-bank lender.

Previously, O’Brien was executive vice president at Auction.com, where she ran residential capital markets, and was president of AuctionFinance.com, where she oversaw the financing strategy for the platform. In that capacity, she managed single-family and multi-family loan sales, and founded a proprietary private lender geared at the investor market.

O’Brien also previously worked at Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. Combined, she has more than 25 years of experience in almost every aspect of the mortgage industry as both a principal and an advisor, and she has overseen more than $15 billion in transactions.

CONGRATULATIONS

With their demonstrated commitment to excellence, our women of distinction are truly elite mortgage industry professionals. Their achievements and leadership are an inspiration to us all. Congratulations Mellissa Bresch, Lola O'Mallan, Suzy Lindblom and Sarah Batangan.

MELLISSA BRESCH

LOLA O’MALLAN

SUZY LINDBLOM

SARAH BATANGAN

VP Operations, Pittsburgh, PA

Managing Director, National Fulfillment

LENDING

VP Operations, Walnut Creek, CA

SVP Strategic Business Operations

2017 MPA Elite Women Award Winners

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017 LORI BREWER

PAM HANBURY

President and founder

Chief financial officer

LBA Ware

McLean Mortgage Corporation

Lori Brewer is an accomplished entrepreneur and technology leader. Brewer entered the mortgage industry in 1997 after serving as a captain and information systems manager in the US Air Force, and has manifested her forwardthinking vision through the development of more than 25 lending-oriented applications, many of which are still in use today. She founded LBA Ware in 2008 to deliver innovation and business process optimization to community banks and independent mortgage lenders through the company’s flagship products, CompenSafe and LOS Talker. Thanks to her efforts, LBA is a Certified Women’s Business Enterprise.

“Lori Brewer is a leader and a visionary,” writes a staff member at LBA Ware. “Not only has she built a successful software company from the ground up – one that is 100% woman-owned and has never requested or accepted outside funding – she has also built a legacy for herself and will continue to be a force in the industry with her sheer will and technical ability. Lori’s extensive background in the mortgage industry gives her a tremendous advantage over most programmers, allowing her to intuitively avoid pitfalls and produce an end product that exceeds expectations.”

The staffer also praises Brewer for her leadership and mentoring efforts. “In just two short years, Lori has reshaped my career path and has taught me more about leadership, entrepreneurism, and being a female powerhouse at the office and at home than all my previous experiences combined. Lori is more than a mentor – she is an inspiration.”

In keeping with her passion for technology development, Brewer has served as the technology chair on the Stratford Academy board of trustees and as a board advisor to the Middle Georgia State College School of Information Technology.

A product of military life as both a child and adult, Pam Hanbury has worked at a wide variety of financial companies over the course of her career. For the past 10 years, Hanbury has served as chief financial officer for firms within the mortgage sector. During that time, she has established expertise in developing, implementing and maintaining effective planning and analysis capabilities to provide senior leadership with tools to positively impact organizational dynamics and profitability.

SHEILA LATIFF Senior director Digital Risk

Sheila Latiff oversees Digital Risk’s servicing risk and compliance line of business. She provides expertise in all aspects of mortgage lending to lead her team in various types of customized oversight reviews, including servicing integrity reviews, legal requirements reviews and due diligence reviews on loans subject to servicing transfer. Latiff joined Digital Risk 2010 to design an e-learning website known as Digital Risk University. She then moved on to assist in setting up operational processes for the company’s privatelabel service projects.

Latiff has more than 30 years of mortgage industry experience spanning retail, wholesale and correspondent production channels. Prior to joining Digital Risk, she held a number of senior management positions, including serving as vice president and national operations manager in the correspondent division of JP Morgan Chase for seven years.

28

www.mpamag.com

TERRIE HAGERTY Executive vice president and director Citadel Servicing

Boasting 30-plus years of lending and asset manage­ ment experience, Terrie Hagerty has experience in a wide range of areas, including quality control, underwriting, funding, compliance and servicing. As an executive vice president and director at Citadel Servicing Corporation [CSC], Hagerty oversees all aspects of funding and the servicing platform once a loan or a pool of loans has been acquired for investment.

Prior to her current role, Hagerty served as SVP and director of secondary market operations for First Street Financial [FSFI], where she managed and maintained investor relations, successfully overseeing the close of trades from the due diligence process through the transfer of servicing by interacting with various Wall Street firms. Her role at FSFI was highly instrumental facilitating the interface between FSFI and AMRS that resulted in the formation of Citadel Servicing.

VICKIE DIPASQUALE Vice president of sales Simplifile

Vicki DiPasquale has been with Simplifile, a provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents and counties, for more than eight years. A 30-year veteran of the title industry, DiPasquale is one of the industry’s preeminent experts and educators on e-recording, lender-settlement collaboration and post-closing.

Her expertise has been essential in helping Simplifile understand the needs of its customers – and, consequently, to Simplifile’s product development, sales and overall success.

DiPasquale’s consultative approach to sales and ability to deliver hands-on expertise, education and training helped Simplifile grow the number of settlement agents submitting documents through its e-recording service by more than 300% between 2009 and 2013. Similarly, DiPasquale is aggressive in supporting new counties’ efforts to better understand the benefits of e-recording and has helped Simplifile add 260 counties to its e-recording network since January 2016. DiPasquale also manages an experienced sales force deployed throughout the United States. Her leadership has been instrumental in coordinating internal sales development and educational efforts.

Outside of her work for Simplifile, DiPasquale develops and teaches state-approved courses on e-recording, collaboration and post-closing that provide continuing education credits for title agents. She also regularly participates as a panel speaker at national title industry and county recording conferences, including the 2013 National Settlement Service Summit and the ALTA 2014 National Convention. Her thought leadership regularly appears in such publications as ALTA TitleNews and The Title Report.

LYNETTE HALE-LEE Vice president, regional manager Wintrust Mortgage

Boasting more than 20 years of industry experience as a senior executive, Lynette Hale-Lee currently oversees the Western US region for Wintrust Mortgage, a subsidiary of Wintrust Financial. Prior to joining Wintrust, Hale-Lee was president of Capstone Direct and has held senior level positions with various national entities, including Tenura Real Estate Holdings, PNC Bank and Prospect Mortgage (formerly Metrocities Mortgage). She holds a California real estate broker’s license, a national mortgage originator’s license and serves on the executive committee and the board for the Real Estate Services Providers Council [RESPRO], as well as chairman of the Programs and Education Committee. Hale-Lee has been actively involved with RESPRO since 1999; upon joining, Hale-Lee ran national production and sales support for more than 200 joint ventures across the country. A published author, public speaker and consultant, Hale-Lee has also served on various industry panels.

www.mpamag.com

29

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017 REBEKAH BALKCOM KILLGO

KERRY WIRTH

Senior loan originator/loan specialist

Chief operating officer

AmeriSave Mortgage Corporation

Waterstone Mortgage Corporation

Rebekah Balkcom Killgo has been at AmeriSave Mortgage for more than a decade, which is quite rare in this business. A loan originator for most of her career, Killgo has also taken on various management responsibilities through the years. After moving from a management position back to loan origination, Killgo has secured a spot in the company’s President’s Club for the past three years, even during her pregnancy in 2016. She credits her successes to her husband and her team at AmeriSave, who faithfully provide the support she needs to get loans closed and make borrowers happy.

Despite working in a male-dominated industry, Killgo has found plenty of opportunities for women to thrive. “From what I have seen, [women] who stay in this business are strong, driven women who stand out in any crowd,” she says. “Because this business is mostly [composed of] men LOs, I think that is a benefit for me as a woman. I gain the trust of my borrowers more easily because I do not have that ‘salesman’ voice.”

As chief operating officer of Waterstone Mortgage Corporation, Kerry Wirth oversees the entire loan process from application to close, as well as post-closing. Wirth’s initiatives focus on building strong support teams, streamlining the mortgage loan process and implementing automation technology to improve efficiency. Her strong leadership and business expertise have propelled Waterstone’s ability to maintain higher-than-average industry turn times and exceptional service.

Wirth got her start in the industry by managing a credit union’s mortgage portfolio and servicing. Throughout her career, she has taken on various roles and challenges that have helped shape her into the leader she is today.

JAMIE KORUS PEARCE President Alliance Home Loans

For Jamie Korus Pearce, the past two years have been defined by three major accomplish­ ments: becoming the chairperson of the Mortgage Bankers Association Political Action Committee, where she increased the size of the federal PAC to break its $2 million record amount; doubling Alliance Home Loan’s production to nearly reach the $1 billion mark; and getting married. Under Pearce’s leadership, Alliance Home Loans has been recognized as a Best Company to Work For by CareerBuilder and a Top Women-Owned Business by the Phoenix Business Journal since 2013.

Pearce is grateful for recognitions for women in the industry “for two very strong reasons,” she explains. “The industry in general still does not have enough representation of our gender. I sit in many groups and meetings, and it always surprises me how few seats are occupied by women. Secondly, as our industry experiences attrition through retirement, we need to appeal to and share success stories with the younger female generation [for them] to be encouraged to enter and thrive in a real estate finance career.”

Within Alliance, Pearce formed the ACTION [Alliance(s) Committed to Impacting Our Neighborhood] Committee to help employees volunteer with a charity of choice every quarter. She also founded Get On BASE for Charity, an annual softball event that raises funds for the charities chosen by the winning companies.

30

www.mpamag.com

MINDY ASHDOWN Loan officer Academy Mortgage Corporation

A self-described “workhorse,” Mindy Ashdown is on pace to surpass her production goal of $70 million for the year, funding a projected $40 million for the first half of 2017. In 2016, Ashdown qualified for Academy’s President’s Club, which consists of the company’s highest performers. Having been in the business since 1996, Ashdown has served in various capacities, including loan officer, branch manager, vice president and processor.

Nearly all of Ashdown’s business is focused on new home construction. She supports her builder partners in numerous ways, attending open houses and marching in parades to hand out promotional swag. She also participates in local service projects with her builder partners and is involved with food drives in her community to feed students in need.

KRISTEN SIEFFERT President Finance of America Reverse

It has been an eventful couple of years for Kristen Sieffert. After serving as COO of Finance of America Reverse since 2012, she became president in late 2015, shortly before giving birth to her second child. “[Last year] was my first full year serving as FAR’s president; I had a lot to learn and big shoes to fill,” she says. She attributes her success to the support of the teams within the lending channel and at the corporate level, as well as to her husband, who enabled her to commit to her new role on top of being a wife and mother. To pass on that support, she has helped create a family-centered work environment within the company that supports work-life balance.

Over the past 12 months, Sieffert has led the company to increase its profitability by 35%, thus solidifying its position as a top reverse mortgage lender. She is also pioneering an effort to educate forward mortgage originators on the benefits of reverse mortgages, and has begun an innovative program with Finance of America Mortgage [FAM]. The program has generated a tremendous amount of excitement among FAM advisors and is beginning to positively impact the company’s bottom line. Sieffert was also recently appointed to the board of directors for the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association and has served on the ethics and HUD issues committees for the industry group.

MELLISSA BRESCH Vice president, fulfillment operations Stearns Lending

As Stearns Lending’s VP of fulfillment operations, Mellissa Bresch oversees the management and growth of Stearns’ Pittsburgh Loan Fulfillment Center.

Under her leadership, the center has experienced exponential growth since opening in 2012. Originally an offload center with a team of just five individuals, the unit has grown into a powerhouse fulfillment site, providing support to the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, along with portions of the Central, Northeast and Midwest regions. The Pittsburgh team also fulfills all jumbo lending for the company’s wholesale channel. In 2016, Bresch’s teams were responsible for the fulfillment of nearly 17% of Stearns’ entire wholesale channel funding. Bresch has been instrumental in creating a culture that has resulted in one of the highest retention rates in the organization, along with consistently ranking among the top three locations within the company in terms of key performance indicators.

Outside of mortgage work, Bresch is involved with the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. She organized a contest for her teams as a charitable donation effort for the hospital, which led to Stearns becoming a corporate donor.

www.mpamag.com

31

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017 ANN FULMER Chief strategy and industry relations officer FormFree

Ann Fulmer is a nationally recognized subject matter expert, thought leader and speaker specializing in data integrity, fraud and federal/CFPB regulatory compliance in mortgage loan originations. She currently serves as chief strategy and industry relations officer for FormFree, the industry’s leading provider of automated verification solutions. In this role, Fulmer drives strategic planning and implementation, manages the firm’s institutional relationships and interactions with federal and state regulators, and oversees outreach to industry associations and advocacy groups.

Although Fulmer only officially joined FormFree in May, she has been advising the firm on a consulting basis for the last several years, and her guidance has been instrumental to FormFree’s staggering growth. In 2016, FormFree grew by leaps and bounds, signing more than 200 of the industry’s leading lenders. In all, FormFree saw a 19,897% increase in orders from 2015 to 2016 and expects to increase its year-overyear revenue by a factor of 10 in 2017.

Prior to her work at FormFree, Fulmer was vice president of industry relations and strategy for First American Mortgage Solutions following its 2014 acquisition of mortgage fraud solutions provider Interthinx. Her mortgage fraud expertise has been featured in People magazine, CNN and the New York Times, as well as numerous mortgage and valuation trade publications, and she continues to make frequent appearances as a speaker at industry conferences.

JESSICA VISNISKIE Vice president, operations and strategic initiatives GMH Mortgage Services

Upon graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, Jessica Visniskie secured a position at Wilmington Finance as a junior secondary marketing analyst, where she thrived in the fast-paced, ever-changing mortgage industry and was soon promoted to manager of whole loan trading. After the market crash of 2009, Visniskie took a hiatus from the industry to raise her young son. In 2012, she rejoined the business as a secondary marketing analyst with GMH Mortgage, where she recently made the move from vice president of secondary marketing to vice president of operations and strategic initiatives.

JONI KEPLER-FLEENOR Senior vice president and branch manager InterWest Mortgage

As branch manager of InterWest Mortgage, a division of Iberia Bank, Joni Kepler-Fleenor has consistently ranked as the number-one originator throughout the entire Iberia Bank organization, in addition to being the number-one originator for the Southeast Idaho Housing Agency. She attributes her success to having built an excellent team, and she continues to be an effective leader by keeping up with the steady stream of regulatory changes in the industry.

Outside of the mortgage industry, Kepler-Fleenor is vice president of the board for her local Habitat for Humanity, a role she has maintained for the past three years. She also serves on the committee for the Idaho Falls Blue Angels Air Show, which is headlined by the Navy Blue Angels.

32

www.mpamag.com

MELISSA BRADLEY Vice president, processing Satori Mortgage Financial Group

Recently promoted to processing manager at Satori Mortgage Financial Group, Melissa Bradley has been responsible for training a team of mortgage newcomers, as well as doubling Satori’s volume over the last 12 months. After moving from Minnesota to Florida to build her team, Bradley recently completed courses to become a licensed sales associate in the state of Florida, allowing her to provide diverse financial options to her clients as they look to buy or sell homes.

DEBBIE BEIER Chief operating officer GSF Mortgage Corporation

An experienced mortgage professional in both the retail and wholesale channels, Debbie Beier joined GSF Mortgage seven years ago as an account executive to build the company’s wholesale division. Since then, she has climbed up the ranks and now serves as COO, managing GSF’s day-to-day operations. “I have one of the best operational teams in the industry,” she says. “Together, we have made the loan process more efficient, which has allowed our originators to focus on taking care of their customers.”

VALERIE CLYMER Loan originator Watson Mortgage Corporation

Valerie Clymer has been in the mortgage industry for more than 30 years, holding a variety of positions, including bookkeeper, processor, closer, shipper and paralegal. The variety of her experience has given her the knowledge to help her clients better understand the mortgage process. Throughout her career, she has earned numerous awards, including one from the state of Florida for her work with firsttime homebuyers, as well as being recognized as the top loan originator for Watson Mortgage’s North Central region for the past seven years. Last year, she was also the company’s top originator in the Central Florida region.

Outside of the industry, Clymer volunteers at local schools, mentoring students on language and leadership skills. As a result, she received the Volunteer of the Year Award from the Flagler County School District.

ROBIN GILMORE President America’s Local Lender

In April, Robin Gilmore launched America’s Local Lender, bringing her 25 years of mortgage banking experience to the firm. Prior to opening America’s Local Lender, Gilmore held a variety of positions in investor relations, product development and operational oversight, working with institutions such as Fannie Mae, Countrywide and loanDepot. Having spent time working with investors, lenders, financial insti­ tutions and vendors, she developed a deep understanding of the mortgage origination process. This, combined with her passion for the business, inspired her to branch out and launch her own firm. Outside of her company, Gilmore is a member of the National Association of Mortgage Professionals and the University Club.

www.mpamag.com

33

SPECIAL REPORT

ELITE WOMEN 2017 INDEX BY COMPANY COMPANY

NAME

PAGE

COMPANY

NAME

PAGE

Academy Mortgage Corporation

Kim Wolcott

5

Guaranteed Rate

Lizzie Garner

10

Academy Mortgage Corporation

Mindy Ashdown

31

Guaranteed Rate

Michelle Bobart

19

Alderus Mortgage

Gina Baker

24

Inlanta Mortgage Inc.

Cindy Laffey

13

Alliance Home Loans

Jamie Korus Pearce

30

Inlanta Mortgage Inc.

Katrina Cole

15

Altavera Mortgage Services

Jennifer Fountain

26

Inlanta Mortgage Inc.

Yvette Clermont

16

America’s Local Lender LLC

Robin Gilmore

33

Inlanta Mortgage Inc.

Jean Badciong

14

American Financial Resources

Laura Brandao

25

InterWest Mortgage

Joni Kepler-Fleenor

32

Amerisave Mortgage Corporation

Rebekah Balkcom Killgo

30

Desteni Mason

8

Annie Mac Home Mortgage

Christine Beckwith

3

KTL Performance Mortgage – The Mason Knows Mortgages Team

Applied Business Software

Elizabeth Morales

10

KTL Performance Mortgage – Your Expert Mortgage

Kristina Heath

12

Bay Equity Home Loans

Sue Melnick

6

LBA Ware

Lori Brewer

28

Cachet Real Estate Finance

Robin Morton

8

loanDepot

Caren Tank

20

Caliber Home Loans Inc.

Tammy Richards

7

loanDepot

Mary Bane

8

Centennial Lending Group LLC

Susan Meitner

4

McLean Mortgage Corporation

Pam Hanbury

28

Citadel Servicing

Terrie Hagerty

29

McLean Mortgage Corporation

Paula White

26

Citywide Home Loans

Teresa Whitehead

22

Mid America Mortgage

Kara Lamphere

16

CoreVest American Finance

Beth O’Brien

26

Motive Lending

Lorena Rodriguez

14

Credit Plus Inc.

Judy Ryan

7

Mountain West Financial Inc.

Jill Burns

18

Delmar Financial Company

Kelly Hendricks

6

Mountain West Financial Inc.

Tonya Todd

15

Digital Risk LLC

Mary Cassell

23

New American Funding

Patty Arvielo

9

Digital Risk LLC

Sheila Latiff

28

On Q Financial

Lauren Boger

4

Element Funding

Ashley Rustom

6

Primary Residential Mortgage Inc.

Erika Butler

24

Element Funding

DeAnn Ellis

24

Primary Residential Mortgage Inc.

Julie Crow

25

Ellie Mae

Cathleen Schreiner Gates

12

Primary Residential Mortgage Inc.

Ruth Green

12

Evolve Bank & Trust

Sally Wood

20

RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing Corporation

Kelli Yarbrough

15

Family First Funding LLC

Neusa Gillen

25

Satori Mortgage

Melissa Bradley

33

Finance of America Reverse

Kristen Sieffert

31

Service First Mortgage

Linda Davidson

3

FormFree

Ann Fulmer

32

Simplifile

Vicki DiPasquale

29

Genworth Mortgage Insurance

MaryKay Scully

23

Spiegel Accountancy Corporation

Beeta Lecha

22

Genworth Mortgage Insurance

Charlotte Tyson

20

Stearns Lending LLC

Lola O’Mallan

18

GMH Mortgage Services LLC

Jessica Visniskie

32

Stearns Lending LLC

Mellissa Bresch

31

Go2Training

Ginger Bell

4

Stearns Lending LLC

Sarah Batangan

10

Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group Inc.

Cathi Patrick-Davidson

14

Stearns Lending LLC

Suzy Lindblom

7

Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group Inc.

Cristen Talbert

14

TTCU The Credit Union

Jennifer Zwick

22

Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group Inc.

Tina Jablonski

16

United Wholesale Mortgage

Tereze Gegaj

23

GSF Mortgage Corporation

Debbie Beier

33

Waterstone Mortgage Corporation

Kerry Wirth

30

Guaranteed Rate

Indu Kapoor

3

Watson Mortgage Corporation

Valerie Clymer

33

Guaranteed Rate

Julia Borst

18

Wintrust Mortgage

Lynette Hale-Lee

29

34

www.mpamag.com

ORIGINATORS ON BRANCH NETWORKS Originators will rate 8 categories on what’s most important to them in a branch network. The results and feedback will be published in November.

Enter online at: www.mpamag.com Or email Heather Turner at heather.turner@keymedia.com

SURVEY STARTS ON AUGUST 9TH.

SHOW AND TELL.

MPAM AG.CO M ISSUE 10.03

DEVELOP GREATER BRAND AWARENESS AND SHOWCASE YOUR ELITE WOMEN 2017 AWARD:

2017

75 women at th e vanguard of America’s m ortgage indust ry

OFC-OBC_Elite Women

At The YGS Group, it’s our job to educate award winning businesses and individuals on how to extend their award recognition with high quality marketing products. Contact us today to learn how we can help you promote this achievement with award logo and marketing products like:

WIP-SUBBED2.indd

1

18/07/2017 7:47:02 AM

Logo & Quote Licensing Reprints and ePrints Permissions Framed Awards & Plaques Desktop Awards

The YGS Group is proud to be the authorized partner of MPA for licensing, reprint and award products.

800.290.5460 I MPAmag@theYGSgroup.com