MBA Recognizes 53 New Certified Mortgage Banker Graduates

PHILADELPHIA–MBA Education, the award-winning education division of the Mortgage Bankers Association, recognized 53 individuals who earned the Certified Mortgage Banker (CMB®) designation at a ceremony held today at MBA’s 2023 Annual Convention & Expo. Earning one’s CMB is the highest professional honor within the real estate finance industry.

The 53 CMBs who received their designations have demonstrated a commitment to professional success and will be joining an elite group of industry professionals.

“Earning a CMB designation sets this year’s graduates at the top of our dynamic industry, and I am confident that each of them will be a successful leader for years to come. They embody the standards of respect, credibility, ethics, and achievement within real estate finance,” said Mark Jones, 2024 MBA Chairman and President of Union Home Mortgage. “This year is the 50th anniversary of recognizing CMB graduates, and it is an honor to congratulate this class for their incredible accomplishment.”

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 courses, as well as participation in events and activities at the local, state, and/or national MBA 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 traditional Residential CMB enrollment path or the Executive CMB enrollment path. Both enrollment options result in the same CMB designation, but the Executive CMB enrollment is designed for senior executive-level professionals within current MBA member companies. This enrollment option allows candidates to substitute their extensive real-world industry knowledge and experience for many of the educational point requirements of the CMB program.

In order to be eligible for the CMB designation, candidates must be currently employed in the industry, work for a current MBA member company, or be a member of a recognized state or local MBA. All candidates pursuing the Executive CMB enrollment option are required to have a minimum of 10 years of senior executive-level experience in real estate finance and currently hold a senior executive-level position at a current MBA member company.

MBA Education awarded the following industry professionals with the CMB designation from November 2022 to October 2023:

Residential CMB Designees

Jeff Acquafondata, CMB, AMP: Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh

Carl Benefield, Jr., CMB, AMP: MGIC Investment Corporation

Meg Bennett, CMB, AMP: LodeStar Software Solutions

Daniela Bigalli, CMB, AMP: Lennar Mortgage

Karley Bond, CMB, AMP: Regions Financial Corporation/Regions Mortgage

Bridget Campbell, CMB: Five Star Bank – Home Mortgage

Thomas Carey, AMP: KPMG LLP

Todd Carlson, CMB: Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines

Caroline Cranz, AMP, CRCM: Colonial Savings, F.A.

Mario D’Ambrosio, CMB, AMP: Intercap Lending, Inc.

Marci Davis, CMB: ICE Mortgage Technology

Matthew Dean, CMB, AMP: Freddie Mac

Gabe del Rio, CMB, AMP: Homeownership Council of America

Robert (Rob) Denning, CMB: Guild Mortgage Company

Michael Eising, CMB, CMCP, CRMP: Merchants Bank of Indiana

Norman Fitzgerald, CMB: National Mortgage Insurance Corporation

Scott Flinn, CMB, AMP: Square Credit Union

Alicia Goncalves, CMB: SimpleNexus

Ryan Henry, CMB, AMP, CRU: USAA

Katelyn Hodges, CMB, AMP: Assurance Financial

Etienne Jouard, CMB: Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC

Colleen Kennedy, CMB: Enact

Jennifer Kennelly, CMB, AMP: Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc.

Kim King, CMB, AMP: Bryant Bank

Julia Koski, CMB, AMP: Enact

Nicole Krukovsky, CMB, AMP: Arch Mortgage Insurance Company

Aimee Macilveen, CMB, AMP: First Commuity Mortgage, Inc.

Kate McDougall, CMB, AMP: Lake Michigan Credit Union

Jon Mullinix, CMB, AMP: LendingPad Corp.

Amy Mulloy, CMB, AMP: Navy Federal Credit Union

Michael Ourlser, CMB: NewDay Financial, LLC

Mimi Paxson, CMB, AMP: Polunsky Beitel Green, LLP

David Rapson, CMB, AMP: Crescent Mortgage

Deborah Reavis, CMB, AMP: Gateway First Bank

Ralph Remy, CMB: National Mortgage Insurance Corporation

Michelle Richardson, CMB, AMP: Plaza Home Mortgage

Andrew Rizkalla, CMB: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Erin Scavuzzo, CMB: Plaza Home Mortgage

David Sober, CMB: Voxtur

David Sparks, CMB, AMP, CRU: Waterstone Mortgage

Grantham Spencer, CMB: Michigan First Mortgage

Jeannine Sprague, CMB, AMP: Essent Guaranty, Inc

Kristina Stewart CMB, SVP: AmeriHome Mortgage

Tony Turner, CMB: Gulf Bank

William Tyner, CMB: CrossCheck Compliance

Matthew VanFossen, CMB: Absolute Home Mortgage Corp.

Christobal Villarreal, CMB: Nations Lending

Marcie Walsh, CMB, AMP: Umpqua Bank

Darryl Ward, CMB, AMP: Renasant Bank

Malik Wilkes, CMB, AMP: Space Coast Credit Union

Skip Willcox, CMB, AMP: Crescent Mortgage

Jake Williams, CMB, AMP: Lake Michigan Credit Union

Suha Zehl, CMB, AMP: Z Technology Solutions