MBA Recognizes 29 Certified Mortgage Banker Graduates

MBA Education, the award-winning education division of the Mortgage Bankers Association, recognized 29 individuals who earned the Certified Mortgage Banker (CMB®) designation at a ceremony held during MBA’s virtual 2020 Annual Convention & Expo.

Earning one’s CMB is the highest professional honor within the real estate finance industry. The 29 CMBs who received their designations this past calendar year will join a group of more than 1,300 industry professionals who have proven their commitment to excellence within the mortgage banking industry.

“The knowledge that comes with the CMB accreditation is the most significant component of this honor because it offers a competitive boost to an individual’s skill set,” said Susan Stewart, 2021 MBA Chairman, and CEO of SWBC Mortgage Corp. “Because of this honor, these graduates now have a new expertise that will serve them well, and I look forward to seeing their careers progress.”

To be eligible for the CMB designation, candidates must either work for a 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 executive-level 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 2019 to October 2020:

Residential CMB Designees

•           Efe Aghimien, CMB, AMP: Chief Financial Officer, SWBC Mortgage Corporation – San Antonio, TX

•           Tab Beauregard, CMB: Account Manager, Genworth Mortgage Insurance Corporation – Saratoga Springs, NY

•           Keith Bickel, CMB: Public Policy Executive, Bank of America – Washington, D.C.

•           Christina Zotzmann Brown, CMB, AMP, CRU: Chief Lending Officer – Atlantic Bay Mortgage, Virginia Beach, VA

•           Melanie Coulton, CMB, AMP: Regional Vice President, Correspondent Sales, Plaza Home Mortgage – Telford, PA

•           Joseph Doyle, CMB, AMP: Account Manager–Wisconsin, Arch Mortgage Insurance – Lake Geneva, WI

•           Terrence Evans, CMB, AMP: Vice President, Strategic Accounts, Genworth Financial – Atlanta, GA

•           Peter Flynn, CMB: Customer Relationship Manager, Fannie Mae – Washington, D.C.

•           Anthony Focca, CMB, AMP: President, Think Mortgage Inc. – Staten Island, NY

•           James Harris Jr., CMB, AMP: Vice President, Strategic Markets, Wintrust Mortgage – Chicago, IL

•           Prashant Kothari, CMB: Managing Director, String Real Estate Information Services – Washington, D.C.

•           Shana Lakso, CMB: Director, Business Development, Newbold Advisors – Huntington Beach, CA

•           Darlene Lee, CMB, AMP: Account Executive, U.S. Bank Home Mortgage – San Diego, CA

•           Andrew Lion, CMB, AMP: Investor Business Development, ICE Mortgage Technology, Ellie Mae Inc. – Pleasant Hill, CA

•           James Martin, CMB, AMP: Senior Housing Policy Specialist, Federal Housing Administration – Saint Petersburg, FL

•           Laura McCartney, CMB: Corporate Trainer, Union Home Mortgage – Strongsville, OH

•           Andy McInnes, CMB, AMP: Assistant Vice President, Mortgage Loan Officer, Umpqua Bank – Reno, NV

•           Susan Meitner, CMB: President, Centennial Lending Group, powered by Success Mortgage Partners – Philadelphia, PA

•           Vickie Nguyen, CMB: Sales Manager, Guild Mortgage Company – San Diego, CA

•           Dustin Owen, CMB, AMP: Regional Vice President–Southeast Region, Waterstone Mortgage Corporation – Winter Park, FL

•           Danny Rassi, CMB, AMP: Products Manager, Eagle Home Mortgage, LLC – Miami, FL

•           Christy Soukhamneut, CMB: Senior Vice President, Chief of Staff/Director of Strategic Initiatives, Flagstar Bank, FSB – Savannah, GA

•           Taylor Stork, CMB: Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Developer’s Mortgage Company – Lambertville, NJ

•           Regina Uhl, CMB: Partner, Sandler Law Group – Dallas, TX

•           Marina Walsh, CMB: Vice President, Industry Analysis, Mortgage Bankers Association – Washington, D.C.

•           Joshua D. Weikers, CMB, AMP, CFA: Relationship Manager, Fannie Mae – Washington, D.C.

•           Cheryl Wiebe, CMB, AMP: Senior Manager, Customer Experience Technology, Genworth Mortgage Insurance – Raleigh, NC

•           Wei Zheng, CMB, AMP: Quantitative Risk Analyst Lead, USAA Federal Savings Bank, Dallas, TX                 

CMB Designees from the Executive Certified Mortgage Banker Program

•           Brian A. Simon, CMB: President, Lenders One – Bryn Mawr, PA

CMB candidates must acquire 150 points earned through a combination of professional experience; secondary education; continuing education through MBA and industry sponsored events; MBA Education and industry 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.

Candidates have the option of choosing between the Residential CMB and Master CMB designations. The Master CMB is a combination of both commercial and residential mortgage banking disciplines, while the Residential CMB focuses on the single-family subfield of the mortgage industry.

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