NEW ORLEANS—Last year at the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Independent Mortgage Bankers Conference, the outlook for the economy and IMBs seemed a bit bleaker. “We thought we were going to be chased off the stage,” quipped MBA Vice President of Industry Analysis Marina Walsh.

During an age of mass economic disruption and customer reorientation, innovative leaders will wrestle not only with the challenges of reskilling existing workforces, but also must filter every initiative through politics, social chaos and industry axioms if they are to add clarity to the Innovation Predicament.

Nicole Valentin-Smith is Director of Client Management, Digital Lending and Origination with Fiserv Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), Brookfield, Wis., a global provider of financial services technology platforms.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency selected Houlihan Lokey Capital Inc. as a financial advisor to assist in development and implementation of a roadmap to “responsibly end the conservatorships of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.”

If you are attending MBA’s CREF 2020 convention Feb. 9-12, don’t miss the Tuesday, Feb. 11 mPower lunch featuring author, executive and leadership coach Meg Myers Morgan and MBA Chief Operating Officer and mPower founder Marcia Davies.

NEW ORLEANS—Independent mortgage bankers face a lot of challenges this year: market uncertainty, new entrants and housing policy changes. But industry leaders also see a wealth of opportunities.