Tony Thompson, CMB, of NAMMBA: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Accreditation for Leaders in Lending
Tony Thompson, CMB, founded the National Association of Minority Mortgage Bankers of America in 2016. NAMMBA is a purpose-driven organization dedicated to inclusion of women and minorities in the mortgage industry who are advocates for sustainable homeownership in local communities. Its mission is to increase the engagement of women and minorities in the mortgage industry by actively being involved at the local, state and national level of the Mortgage Bankers Association. To learn more about NAMMBA, log onto www.nammba.org.
You may have picked up on the change in the makeup of tomorrow’s borrower. The growth in home lending market demand is projected to come from traditionally underserved communities and households led by women over the next 20 years. That is not something that most of the lending world is prepared for.
Because of this, the NAMMBA Family of Companies has created the Accredited Social Impact Lender (ASIL) Certification Program. We are helping mortgage lenders better serve communities with market growth potential and understand their current impact. It’s market research, strategy, and education all in one.
This prestigious program has two stages: analysis for understanding, and guided action and goal setting. Together they create real and lasting impact on employees, companies, and the communities they serve. Once the program is completed, ASIL Certification is awarded for use in marketing materials.
The ASIL Seal speaks directly to the desires of the next generation of homebuyers as a whole. As the millennials, and now GenY, transition into homeownership, they want to work with companies who know what they are about, how they operate and those that share their ethics…and they want to see proof that goes beyond slick marketing. They want to see that you have done the work to earn their trust and then you can earn their business.
Getting ASIL Certified allows lenders to show that they see DEI as a way of doing business that will open new markets, tackle regulatory requirements for CRA/LMI, and craft positive community impact in a real and meaningful way.
ASIL Certification will only be available to 5% of all lenders. Applications are taken on a first come, first-serve basis, and accreditation is only given to those who complete the program, meet their goals, and make that impactful change within their work culture.
Beat your competition to market! Contact NAMMBA Family of Companies to talk about how we can help you embrace your CRA, LMI, and DEI goals as an all-in-one strategy. Learn more at https://www.nammba.org/asil.
(Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect policy of the Mortgage Bankers Association, nor do they connote an MBA endorsement of a specific company, product or service. MBA NewsLink welcomes your submissions. Inquiries can be sent to Mike Sorohan, editor, at msorohan@mba.org; or Michael Tucker, editorial manager, at mtucker@mba.org.)
