People in the News Apr. 25, 2022: Xactus Taps Kevin Ryan as CFO
MBA NewsLink Staff
Xactus Announces Kevin Ryan as Chief Financial Officer
Xactus, Philadelphia, named Kevin Ryan the company’s Chief Financial Officer, responsible for guiding the firm’s efforts to streamline its finance and accounting operations.
Ryan has more than 20 years of experience. Prior to joining Xactus, he served as CEO of Keane, an unclaimed property service provider. Before being named CEO, he was Keane’s CFO and managed finance, IT, HR and two of the firm’s operating units. He began his career as an auditor at Deloitte, and later worked at KPMG specializing in data analysis for forensic investigations.
Ryan succeeds Bob Dumont, who will move Senior Advisor.
Ascendant Names Jeff Whetzel Chief Financial Officer; Krishna Almond as SVP of Arizona Operations
Ascendant National Title, Denver, named Jeff Whetzel Chief Financial Officer, responsible for supporting the company’s continued growth and performance objectives.
Whetzel joins Ascendant from Stewart Title, where he served as Senior Vice President for the company’s National Commercial Services Team. Prior to joining Stewart Title, he completed critical management consulting projects for high-profile clients in the energy, automotive and healthcare sectors. He also has significant experience working as a member of both public and private companies on turnaround situations and high-growth initiatives.
Ascendant also announced Krishna Almond joined the company as Senior Vice President of Arizona Operations. She will lead the company’s Arizona expansion implementing processes, developing culture and hiring the Arizona team.
Almond joins Ascendant National Title from Empire Title Agency, where she served on the leadership team for five years. Prior to her senior management roles, she operated an escrow branch in North Scottsdale for many years. She also served as president of True North Title and senior vice president of Title 365.
Steven J. Sless Group Names Christopher Hartley Reverse Mortgage Sales Manager
The Steven J. Sless Group of Primary Residential Mortgage, Owings Mill, Md., hired Christopher Hartley as reverse mortgage sales manager in its Owings Mills headquarters. He will work with the reverse leadership and operations team to manage reverse volume related to PRMI branch partners across the nation. He also will cultivate and manage relationships with PRMI loan originators.
Hartley began his career in store and sales management position with such companies as Lowe’s Home Improvement, Dollar Tree, Walmart and AT&T. He spent the past five years as a reverse industry account executive with Huron Valley Financial and University Bank, where he was the #1 reverse account executive.
Vice Capital Markets promotes Shawn Ansley to CIO
Vice Capital Markets, Novi, Mich., promoted Shawn Ansley to chief information officer, responsible for continued development of information technologies and deepening integrations with the agencies and major loan origination systems and leading development of new tools to enhance the client experience.
Ansley joined Vice Capital in 2005 and worked his way up the Vice Capital ranks, most recently serving as managing director. He runs the quantitative analytics that underpin the firm’s hedge advisory services and is credited with revolutionizing Vice Capital’s pull-though modeling for more accurate pipeline management. He is also responsible for automating many of Vice Capital’s day-to-day processes to improve operational efficiency and eliminate opportunities for human error, including overseeing several LOS integrations to allow information to flow back-and-forth between Vice Capital and clients seamlessly. He also developed proprietary APIs with both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to facilitate direct data pricing pulls and loan commitments with the GSEs.
HUD Announces Key Staff Appointments
HUD announced key additions to its staff staff. Appointees are listed below in alphabetical order.
Adjoa B. Asamoah, Senior Advisor for Racial Equity, Office of the Secretary
Sofia Greco-Byrne, Special Advisor, Office of the Deputy Secretary
Colin Higgins, Policy Advisor, Office of the Deputy Secretary
Peter Hunter, Senior Advisor and Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations, Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations
Ruth Jones Nichols, Senior Advisor for Public Engagement, Office of Public Affairs
Corey Minor Smith, Senior Counsel, Office of General Counsel
Alexis Pelosi, Senior Advisor, Office of Community Planning and Development
Felecia Rotellini, Senior Advisor, Government National Mortgage Association
Vianne Singh, Special Assistant & Lead Communications Strategist, Office of the Chief Information Officer
Sam Valverde, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, Government National Mortgage Association
HUD also welcomes all 10 Regional Administrators (all previously announced via The White House):
Juana Matias, Region I Regional Administrator, Office of Field Policy and Management
Alicka Ampry-Samuel, Region II Regional Administrator, Office of the Field Policy and Management
Matthew Heckles, Region III Regional Administrator, Office of Field Policy and Management
Jose Alvarez, Region IV Regional Administrator, Office of Field Policy and Management
Diane Shelley, Region V Regional Administrator, Office of Field Policy and Management
Candace Valenzuela, Regional VI Regional Administrator, Office of Field Policy and Management
Ulysses “Deke” Clayborn, Region VII Regional Administrator, Office of the Field Policy and Management
Dominique Jackson, Region VIII Regional Administrator, Office of Field Policy and Management
Jason Pu, Region IX Regional Administrator, Office of Field Policy and Management
Margaret Salazar, Region X Regional Administrator, Office of Field Policy and Management
HUD also announced new roles for the following appointees:
Sarah Brundage, Senior Advisor for Housing Supply and Infrastructure, Office of the Secretary (previously General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations)
Brian Castro, Acting General Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations (previously Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations)
Jim Crawford, Special Assistant, Office of Public and Indian Housing (previously Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary)
Meaghan Lynch, Senior Press Secretary, Office of Public Affairs (previously Press Secretary)
