MBA Recognizes 40 New Certified Mortgage Banker Graduates

DENVER–MBA Education, the award-winning education division of the Mortgage Bankers Association, recognized 40 individuals who earned the Certified Mortgage Banker (CMB®) designation at a ceremony here at the MBA Annual Convention & Expo.

Earning one’s CMB is the highest professional honor within the real estate finance industry. The 40 CMBs who received their designations this past calendar year will join a group of more than 1,200 industry professionals who have proven their commitment to excellence within the mortgage banking industry.

“As a CMB myself, I know the hard work that goes into earning the credential,” said MBA Chairman Dave Motley, CMB. “The CMB accreditation represents a real estate professional’s commitment to excellence and dedication towards the industry. I congratulate all of our recipients and wish them continued success in the years ahead.”

CMB candidates must acquire 150 points earned through a combination of professional experience, secondary education, continuing education through MBA-sponsored events and MBA Education courses, as well as participation in MBA at the local, state and/or national level. After accumulating the required points and passing a comprehensive written exam, candidates must demonstrate industry knowledge by passing an oral exam conducted by a panel of CMBs.

“The CMB designation will undoubtedly benefit these individuals as they move forward in their careers,” said Peter Grace, MBA Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President of Strategy & Member Services.

Candidates have the option of choosing among the Commercial CMB, Residential CMB or Master CMB designations. The Master CMB is a combination of both commercial and residential mortgage banking disciplines, while the Residential CMB and Commercial CMB focus on their respective subfields of the mortgage industry.

In June 2009, MBA launched the Executive Certified Mortgage Banker program. Designed for busy professionals, this program allows candidates to substitute their real-world knowledge and experience for many of the educational requirements of the CMB program.

To be eligible for the CMB designation, candidates must either work for an MBA member company or be a member of a recognized state MBA. Every candidate for an Executive CMB is required to have a minimum of 10 years of experience in real estate finance and hold a senior management/executive level position at an MBA member company.

MBA Education awarded the following industry professionals with the CMB designation from November 2016 to October 2017:

Residential CMB Designees
–Cheryl Bahnsen, CMB, AMP: Assistant Vice President, Wells Fargo Funding , Shoreview, Minn.
–Daniel Beam, CMB: SVP, Capital Markets, Firstrust Bank, Horsham, Pa.
–Brad Benton, CMB, AMP: Vice President, BancorpSouth Bank , Jackson, Miss.
–Tony Blodgett, CMB: Regional Vice President, New American Funding, Everett, Wash.
–Sarah Bowers, CMB, CRCM: AVP, Senior Compliance Analyst/Bank Operations, UMB Bank N.A., Kansas City, Mo.
–Lyubomira Buresch, CMB, AMP: President, Polygon Research Inc., Bethesda, Md.
–Yvette Clermont, CMB, AMP: Branch Manager, Inlanta Mortgage Inc., Lakewood Ranch, Fla.
–Kevin Conlon, CMB, AMP: Executive Vice President, Mason-McDuffie Mortgage Corp., San Ramon, Calif.
–Kristin Croenne, CMB, AMP: Assistant Vice President/Client Service Manager, Wells Fargo, Springfield, Ill.
–Ron Culver, CMB, AMP: Vice President, Umpqua Bank, Mountlake Terrace, Wash.
–Jeff Ehrlich, CMB, AMP: Regional Operations Manager, CalAtlantic Mortgage, Scottsdale, Ariz.
–Brad Eimer, CMB: Vice President, U.S. Bank Home Mortgage, Earth City, Mo.
–Monica Emmerson, CMB, AMP: Vice President/National Accounts, CoreLogic, Irvine, Calif.
–Calvin Ann Evans, CMB: Compliance Officer, Universal Lending Corp., Denver
–Lawrence Fried, CMB: VP, Investor Business Development, Ellie Mae Inc., Pleasanton, Calif.
–Scott Goldman, CMB, AMP: Senior Director, Mortgage Servicing, Ally Bank, Fort Washington, Pa.
–Steven Greenfield, CMB: Director of Third Party Risk, Venminder, Boston
–Chad Hebert, CMB, AMP, CFA: Controller, Assurance Financial Group LLC, Baton Rouge, La.
–Mike Heino, CMB: SVP, Warehouse Lending, People’s United Bank, Mount Royal, N.J.
–Rob Jacobs, CMB, AMP: VP, Branch Manager, MB Financial Bank N.A., Milford, Mich.
–Jack Keeler, CMB, AMP: Account Executive, Flagstar Bank FSB, Acworth, Ga.
–Dewayne Lott, CMB, AMP: National Bank Examiner, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Charlotte, N.C.
–Sherry Luer, CMB, AMP: Mortgage Solutions Consultant, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Bozeman, Mont.
–Matthew Merlone, CMB, CFE: AVP, Product & Fraud Strategy, First American Mortgage Solutions, Santa Ana, Calif.
–Christy Moss, CMB: Business Development, Fannie Mae, Atlanta
–Erica Page, CMB: Vice President, South State Bank, Columbia, S.C.
–Stephen Polacek, CMB, AMP: Director, Mortgage Advisory, KPMG LLP, Marvin, N.C.
–Teresa Rose, CMB: President, Western Ohio Mortgage, Sidney, Ohio
–Melissa Schirz, CMB: Director, Affordable Lending/HFA Engagement, Freddie Mac, Menomonee Falls, Wis.
–Chris Shugart, CMB, AMP: SVP/Director of Mortgage Sales, Service & Technology, South State Bank, Charleston, S.C.
–John Slye, CMB: Vice President, Area Manager, Fidelity Bank, Sterling, Va.
–WC Taylor III, CMB, AMP: Member/Chief Operating Officer, 4 S Technologies LLC, Mountainside, N.J.
–Bryan Traylor, CMB, AMP: SVP, Residential Lending, Centier Bank, Merrillville, N.J.
–Julie Vore, CMB, AMP: Originations Program Manager, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Washington, D.C.
–Scott Weghorst, CMB: President, Diehl Mortgage Training & Compliance, Indianapolis, Ind.
–Anthony Wong, CMB, AMP: Vice President, Member Financial Services, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco

CMB Designees from the Executive Certified Mortgage Banker Program
–Amanda Johnson, CMB: Vice President, Wells Fargo Correspondent Lending, Savannah, Ga.
–Brad Lewelling, CMB: Vice President, American Financial Network, Inc., Phoenix
–Dave Roberts, CMB: Mortgage Division President, Alpine Bank of Colorado, Glenwood Springs, Colo.
–Jim Smith, CMB: President, Computershare Property Solutions, Highlands Ranch, Colo.