MBA Honors Pharis with 2016 CREF Distinguished Service Award
ORLANDO–The Mortgage Bankers Association awarded Cathy Pharis, Managing Director and Head of FHA Platform for Wells Fargo Multifamily Captial with the 2016 Commercial Real Estate Finance Distinguished Service Award.
The presentation took place here at the Association’s 26th annual CREF/Multifamily Housing Convention & Expo.
“Cathy was instrumental in redesigning the MBA Multifamily Steering Committee to incorporate MBA members from all multifamily capital sources,” said Rodrigo Lopez, CMB, MBA Chairman-Elect and Executive Chairman of NorthMarq Capital Finance LLC. “Cathy chaired MBA’s FHA Task Force in 2011-2012, where she was key in shaping MBA’s recommendations to FHA, virtually all of which were accepted to enhance efficiencies and for more training.”
Pharis is head of the FHA Platform for Wells Fargo Multifamily Capital, is responsible for overseeing origination and underwriting of all projects financed by WFMC using HUD’s mortgage insurance programs. Prior to joining Wells Fargo in 2009, Pharis was with Deutsche Bank Berkshire Mortgage Inc. (including predecessor companies) for more than 25 years.
Pharis has extensive experience in unique financing structures, including mixed financing, IRP decouplings, LIHTC, and bond transactions. She has been a member of MBA for nearly 25 years, currently serves on MBA’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and has served MBA and the industry through advocacy on Capitol Hill and before regulators on commercial/multifamily issues.
Nominees for the CREF Distinguished Service Award must be associated with an MBA member firm, have a record of sustained and extraordinary service to MBA and the commercial/multifamily real estate finance industry, and possess a strong reputation of ethical and professional conduct. This award is the highest honor an individual can receive from his or her fellow MBA members.
