Ellie Fogle, Sr. VP and Divisional Sales Manager at Truist talks about How Leadership has Changed over the Last Decade. Highlights include: lead to inspire action; action trumps everything; pivot to positive; sharp shifts to digital information world and mastering inquiry. Ellie has been in the mortgage industry for over 30+ years.

Marcia Griffin, CEO/Founder of HomeFree-USA talks about the Trends in the Affordable Housing Marketplace. Highlights include: partnerships will drive diverse lending; consumers need a Mortgage Achievement Plan; fear of the credit report; pilot programs are critical and the need for community based organizations. For nearly 40 years, Marcia Griffin has been on a mission to strengthen people of color, elevate partners, and enhance communities across America.

Brent Green, Mortgage Sales Manager-Residential Construction Lending, at Lake Michigan Credit Union talks about Construction Perm Lending: How to do it the Right Way. Highlights include: Ins and outs of builder business; quality of back office is key; knowledge of complex product is important; single note closing and loyal referral source. Brent has been in the mortgage industry for 30 years.

I interviewed author, Erica Acie who has written a great book, We Got This!, A Guide to Securing Your Greatest Future. Erica has had a long career in financial services and is currently Head of Fulfillment & Closing at Truist. Highlights include: helping other people; change is making a decision; what do you want out of life; don’t be afraid to be bold and failure equals learning. Erica is passionate about personal development and you will enjoy our discussion.

Jeff Walton, CEO and Co-Founder of InGenius discusses Selecting Data Vendors for Recruiting: What Really Matters. Highlights include: importance of Trident Mortgage settlement; digital redlining; accuracy is key to data and survival of the fittest. Jeff has been in the industry over 30 years.

Jason Hultgren, SVP and Director of Mortgage Sales at UCB talks about Developing Loan Officers in a Difficult Market. Highlights include: building a high performance team; leaner is better; the importance of listen, learn and lead; CRA top priority and getting out of your comfort zone to move the needle. Jason has been in the mortgage industry for over 25 years and you will enjoy his comments.

Keith Kemph, President & CEO of BlackFin Group, discusses Product Diversification in Today’s Volatile Market. Highlights include: the importance of specialization in mortgage products; how to lower costs per loan; how to invest in operations/technology for the next cycle and the need for mortgage solutions for baby boomers who will need assisted living support. Keith has been in the business for over 30 years and he recently put out a 15-minute video on reverse mortgages on the BlackFin YouTube Channel. Check it out.

Ralph Remy, Director of Client Digital Experience at National MI, discusses What Works in Managing in 2023. Highlights include: back to basics; what type of lender are you; coaching for development; intentional training and training your team to “Think Amazon”. Ralph has over 25 years of experience in leading strategic change and developing successful sales and service teams as it relates to Client Experience and Digital Experience.

Gene M. Lugat, EVP of National Production Strategies & Multicultural Lending at PrimeLending, talks about Retaining Top Producers: Strategies that Work. Highlights include: execution on price and product is key; importance of live sales rallies; pricing strategies for FTHB and the hot topics of education and coaching for top producers. Gene has more than 36 years in the industry and has held a wide range of national roles in the MBA. Recently, Gene was recognized as a mortgage trailblazer and was awarded the 2022 HousingWire Vanguard Award.

Tim Ross, CEO of Ross Mortgage, talks about Managing Successfully for the Long-term. Highlights include: building a fortress balance sheet; the importance of cash; develop a 5-year plan; reduce the friction in the process and the secret sauce of human touch. Tim has been in the mortgage business for 40 years, through good times and difficult times. You will want to hear his thoughts on the outlook for next year and beyond.