Be So Good They Can’t Ignore You: A Conversation with MBA 2025 Chair Laura Escobar
(Laura Escobar, courtesy of Lennar Mortgage)
Hanging in Laura Escobar’s office is a comic strip showing several unusually small football players. One tells the other, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.”
It’s a mantra that Escobar herself seeks to embody. That mindset, and the effort it inspires, has earned her the title of President of Lennar Mortgage and Mortgage Bankers Association 2025 Chair.
Escobar’s journey at Lennar Mortgage began in 2002, when she started as Branch Manager in Miami.
Though Escobar hadn’t been looking for a change, Lennar Mortgage ended up being a perfect fit.
“I was an independent mortgage banker and was doing very well,” she said. “I was running operations for a company in multiple cities. I took this opportunity and look where I am today.”
Being too good to ignore, Laura quickly proved her worth and became a trusted leader at Lennar Mortgage. In 2016, she took responsibility for all aspects of operations and production for the Builder Division as Executive Vice President. She began her role as President in 2018.
Authentic Laura
In the early stages of her career, Escobar was careful to fit in. She’d listen to sports radio regularly, not because she was interested in football or golf, but because she wanted to keep up in conversations around the office.
When she had established a solid reputation among her colleagues, Escobar decided nothing could be better than being herself.
“I decided to start being ‘Authentic Laura’, and to talk about things that I’m interested in,” she said. “And guess what? 95% of the men I spoke to were interested in the same things.”
“That’s what it’s really all about: authenticity,” Escobar said. “You can talk to me about policy, you can talk to me about programs, you can talk to me about Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. That is all important to the business, but I want to connect on another level, on a personal level. Everyone has a story. I believe that relationships rule the world.”
When she interviews someone for a role at Lennar Mortgage, Escobar will sometimes rip up their resume in front of them.
“I tell them, ‘What’s on paper is great, but I want to get to know you and how you will fit in the culture we have created.’ I look for one thing in somebody, and one thing only. It isn’t knowledge; I look for heart. Because if you have heart, I can teach you anything, and you can teach me.”
“And that’s how I run this company,” Escobar said. “That’s how I am with my family. It took some time for me to get there.”
Getting Involved with MBA
MBA Chief Operating Officer and Founder of mPower–MBA Promoting Opportunities for Women to Extend their Reach–Marcia Davies met Escobar at MBA’s National Advocacy conference seven years ago. She describes Escobar as very approachable with endless energy.
“Her first words were, ‘I want to continue to get more involved with MBA. I’m here to help and serve’,” Davies said.
And Escobar delivered on that promise. Davies noted. “She’s been very active in the Mortgage Action Alliance, with MORPAC and with the Opens Doors Foundation as well as participating in committees and the IMB Executive Council. Laura is all-in on supporting our industry and making it the best it can be.”
Under Escobar’s leadership, Lennar Mortgage raises funds for the Opens Door Foundation every year, including over $100,000 in 2024. The company has also supported MBA’s Princess Mackie Book Challenge by purchasing and donating 1,000 copies of “Princess Mackie Buys a House.”
Escobar has supported mPower from the beginning. “It gives me a platform to influence the female leaders of tomorrow,” she said. “And a platform to invite men in. mPower gives us a way to say, ‘we are one.’ It’s not male against female. On the contrary, we say: join us. Learn from us. There’s so much that we can offer you. Once again: opening yourself up allows somebody else to open up.”
Educating the Next Generation
Escobar is not just looking to advance our industry in the immediate future. She wants to lay the groundwork for the next generation of professionals, giving them a stable way to break into the mortgage industry.
“Laura had an idea that we could help her build out her dream of reaching more young college students and getting them interested in coming into our industry,” Davies said. “To ignite the flame of the next generation to see the benefits of working in our industry and to reach more diverse college students to make our industry reflect the people that it serves.”
This led Escobar to spearhead the initiative that became the Mortgage Banking Bound Program. A collaboration between Barry University, MBA and Lennar Mortgage, this program allows students to earn an executive certificate in just one semester. Mortgage Banking Bound combines in-person sessions at Barry University in Miami Shores, Fla., with virtual learning from MBA’s educational courses.
Mortgage Banking Bound students participate in lectures and case studies. Courses taught by mortgage industry professionals prepare students to work for any real estate finance lending institution in the country. Graduates can interview for entry-level positions and internships with local companies and get a free MBA Student Membership, which includes discounts on MBA educational offerings, access to the MBA Job Board and to a network of over 2,200 member companies within the mortgage banking industry.
With her sights set on changing the industry, Escobar tested out the program with a focus group at Lennar Mortgage. She said, “I want people from the receptionist all the way through to the CEO to understand that they have an opportunity. If they want to be a lawyer, they can be a lawyer here. If they want to be in quality control, they can do it here. If they want to be in underwriting, they can do it here. There are so many opportunities in this world that they might not know about.”
When the 2020 pandemic hit, the Lennar Mortgage team had already been developing the program for two years.
Escobar recalled, “I felt all by myself. I spoke to Kristy Fercho, who was MBA Chair at the time. Kristy said, ‘it’s a brilliant idea. Let’s get together and work on it.’ So, we had a meeting with [MBA Senior Vice President of Membership, Education, Technology and Strategy] Peter Grace, who said MBA is 100% behind it.”
MBA took it from there, pulling together content from its existing course library to create a 100-hour, in-person offering. Working with Lennar Mortgage and other member companies in South Florida, MBA then sourced instructors and developed networking opportunities for the students.
“We had our first meeting with Barry University, which is 70% minority, and we kicked off Mortgage Banking Bound,” Escobar said.
In 2023–its inaugural year–23 people graduated from Mortgage Banking Bound. The program expanded to Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in 2024. The next round of Mortgage Banking Bound classes at both Barry and MTSU start in January 2025.
“Our first cohort had a police officer, a teacher and nurse. It was a diverse group, but almost everybody already had a profession, and they were interested in our sector,” Escobar said, noting there are discussions underway with two other universities about expanding Mortgage Banking Bound.
“Slowly but surely, the dream is coming true. It’s great to see.”
Championing Our Industry
Throughout her career, Escobar has been a member of multiple boards, not just with MBA, but with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, TransUnion and others.
“In the beginning, my goal for joining boards was to listen and learn,” she said. “I’ve always been somebody that listens and tries to learn from others. Over time, it evolved into: I have a voice. I have something to say and I have something to contribute.”
One thing she learned is that no question or comment is too foolish.
“We stay quiet because we don’t want to be embarrassed,” she said. “But it’s okay not knowing all the answers; it got me where I am today.”
“I’ve found that nine times out of 10, somebody else in that room has the same question and they didn’t want to ask it, and you just empowered them by asking it,” Escobar said. “If there’s one thing that I believe in, it’s that when you are authentic, you’re allowing others to be authentic, and you’re opening up the opportunity for them to speak up.”
Escobar is also a NAMMBA Visionary, an active member of NAHREP and a champion of United Way’s Women United.
Her Peers Weigh In
MBA 2024 Chair and President of Union Home Mortgage Mark Jones said he is excited to “pass the torch” to Escobar. “Her dedication to fostering a culture of collaboration and inclusivity has been instrumental in driving Lennar’s success and will undoubtedly benefit the MBA as well,” he said.
Christine Chandler, MBA 2024 Vice-Chair and Chairman of the Board and Executive Vice President of M&T Realty Capital Corp., compared the opportunity to work beside Escobar to hitting the lottery.
“It’s something that I never imagined would happen, but I am thrilled beyond words to experience,” Chandler said. “Laura is a powerhouse in the residential industry–I learn more from her each day, and I have the opportunity to share my commercial insights with her. She leads with charisma and incredible energy.”
Finally, MBA President and CEO Robert Broeksmit, CMB, called Escobar a formidable leader.
“She is fiercely committed to our industry and to breaking down barriers, expanding the benefits of homeownership and of careers in mortgage finance to people from all walks of life,” Broeksmit said. “MBA is fortunate to have Laura at the helm.”
