Meet Scott Norman, CEO of the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association

MBA NewsLink recently interviewed 30-year mortgage banker Scott Norman, the new CEO of the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association, about his career and his plans for TMBA.

A former high hurdler for the University of Texas Track & Field Team, Norman got his start as a loan officer with Temple-Inland Mortgage Corp., later becoming President of the Austin Mortgage Bankers Association.

In 1999, Norman captained the original campaign to amend the Texas Constitution to authorize reverse mortgages in the state. In addition to his work in the Lone Star State, he has testified numerous times about mortgage lending before the legislatures of California, Arkansas and Minnesota to help craft legislation that represented member company interests and expanded credit opportunity.

In 2010, Norman became the youngest president of the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association. In 2017, he was awarded the Larry E. Temple award, the highest honor the Texas MBA can bestow to one of its members, for his work supporting the mortgage banking industry in Texas.

MBA NewsLink: Tell us more about the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association

Scott Norman: The Texas Mortgage Bankers Association is an association that has a very specific mission to serve all 254 counties in the state of Texas, and membership with us brings a number of tangible benefits.

With the legislature coming back to Austin in January, it is important to remember that we are taking up the front line of advocacy for our members. Regardless of where you fit in the mortgage process, we are communicating your needs to the decision makers in and around the Capitol. Additionally, our three major conferences are routinely teeming with the best and brightest mortgage minds in the country, so the educational and networking opportunities are unlimited. In short, there is always space in our tent for anyone in the residential real estate industry.

And while our goal is to make sure that every mortgage company in the state of Texas becomes a member of the Texas MBA, we’re certainly looking forward to developing new relationships with other mortgage companies and vendors around the country who are looking at Texas as a unique business opportunity.

MBA NewsLink: Texas is a big state. I’m sure there’s a lot of opportunities there.

Scott Norman: It is a very big state. 254 counties in total. The Texas MBA was formed in 1917, so we’re heading into our 108th year, and we take great pride in being the oldest state MBA in the country.

Our purpose is to serve the mutual interests of our members in order to preserve, enhance and advance the mortgage banking and real estate finance business in the State of Texas.

With our legacy, it’s critically important to me that every mortgage company and real estate vendor in Texas has a voice in the direction of our association.

The opportunities in Texas are unlimited.

MBA NewsLink: You are past president of Texas MBA as well as current CEO and also past president of the Austin Mortgage Bankers Association. Any thoughts about how your experience will help you in this role?

Scott Norman: The best job I’ve ever had was being president of the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association. Every day serving in that position was an honor and a privilege. That said, being a past president of both the Austin MBA and Texas MBA has given me a unique vantage point to see the association from almost every angle. And I believe those experiences will help me better serve the Texas MBA and our members going forward.

I already had some really strong relationships with a number of existing board members and a large number of past presidents, which allows me to be able to reach back to them and ask for their advice.

The best part about being the CEO of the Texas MBA is simply how many people look at the organization as a big part of their personal and professional life. And I believe there is something very special about that. The more active you are with the Texas MBA, the more you receive back. I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that there are a number of people–probably hundreds of people–that have gained lifetime friends through their association with Texas MBA. We want to keep that going.

MBA NewsLink: You and your team recently visited Washington, D.C. How did that go?

Scott Norman: Yes, last month I accompanied our president, Jodie Morgan, CMB, AMP, VP Erin Dee and Pam Jenkins from Texas MBA’s Executive Committee to Washington, and we had a great sit down with the leadership of the MBA. We met with their team including [MBA President & CEO] Bob Broeksmit and [Senior Vice President of Residential Policy and Strategic Industry Engagement] Pete Mills and [Vice President of State Government Affairs and Industry Relations] William Kooper.

It was a great opportunity to break some bread, compare notes, and see how we can develop a really strong plan to be a unique and special business partner with them.

MBA NewsLink: You’re a 30-year mortgage banker. How’d you get your start in the industry?

Scott Norman: I started off as a loan officer with Temple Inland Mortgage Corp. on Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas in 1993. Ironically, MBA’s Independent Mortgage Bankers conference in January will be literally one a block from where my first office was. So I have come full circle.

MBA NewsLink: Years ago, you captained the original campaign to allow reverse mortgages in Texas. Can you tell us more?

Scott Norman: Well, it was a great opportunity and experience. From dealing with the industry stakeholders to working with the Legislature and the editorial boards across the state to eventually the voters of Texas, I got to be involved in four separate successful amendments to the Texas Constitution. Our Legislature is full of some immensely smart, dedicated and talented individuals, and I’m pleased that they moved on a need to support seniors homeowners across the state.

Not only did that experience help me understand the legislative cycles better, but it gave me the opportunity to travel from one end of the state to the other talking to Texans in all walks of life.  

MBA NewsLink: Are you a lifelong Texan?

Scott Norman: I’ve been in Houston, Texas, and Austin, Texas, my whole life. I was fortunate enough to get started in Austin and I never left, because Austin’s a special place. A lot of people are trying to find a way to move to Austin, so to be able to call this my home is something I feel very fortunate with.

MBA NewsLink: Any fond memories of a prior MBA conference?

Scott Norman: I think my first MBA Annual conference in 2004 was probably my favorite, simply because it was so enlightening. There were so many people there, all engaged with the MBA, and in a way I was exposed to the American dream like never before. Over the years, my experience with the MBA staff and leadership has always been very positive. I’ve always found them friendly, thought-provoking and supportive. Their annual remains a “can’t miss” conference every year for me.

(Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect policies of the Mortgage Bankers Association, nor do they connote an MBA endorsement of a specific company, product or service. MBA NewsLink welcomes your submissions. Inquiries can be sent to Editor Michael Tucker or Editorial Manager Anneliese Mahoney.)