Christine Chandler Steps Up

(Cover photo of Christine Chandler courtesy of M&T Realty Capital Corp.)

Christine Chandler, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Credit Officer with M&T Realty Capital Corp., has worn a lot of hats in 34-plus years and multiple roles with M&T. Now she’s ready for her next role: 2026 Chair of the Mortgage Bankers Association.

“When I started, I was in the commercial real estate side. I was called a loan administrator, but in essence, I was an asset manager. Then I was a credit analyst for a while. I was in the closing department of First Maryland Mortgage,” Chandler said. “I started the FHA closing group and was responsible for investor deliveries.”

Chandler next became a relationship manager on the bank side in commercial real estate. “I sort of played ping-pong between the bank and the mortgage banking company, and that’s how I grew my career,” she said. “You know, if you stay one place, you’ll develop into a subject matter expert in that one thing. But because I transitioned around to different areas, I was able to expand my scope.”

In 2018, Chandler was promoted to the Chief Operating Officer/Chief Credit Officer role. “I think that goes back to having experience in all the different areas of the organization. I was organically grown, sort of like a utility player in baseball,” she noted.

It was when Chandler took over as Chief FHA Underwriter that she first got involved with the Mortgage Bankers Association. Since then, she has chaired MBA’s Commercial Real Estate/Multifamily Finance Board of Governors (COMBOG) and its Audit Committee, among other initiatives.

Most recently, Chandler co-chaired MBA’s Board-level Tax Task Force with MBA Vice Chair Owen Lee, CEO of Success Mortgage Partners. That task force prepared the industry for the debate surrounding the large tax and spending package that President Trump signed into law on July 4.

MBA President and CEO Bob Broeksmit, CMB, noted the tax and spending package preserves or strengthens and makes permanent numerous pro-housing and pro-economic growth tax provisions that the Board-level Tax Task Force identified. “We believe these provisions will benefit homeowners and renters, increase housing production, and improve the financial outcomes of our single-family and commercial/multifamily members’ businesses,” he said.

Lee commented that, having seen her work on the Tax Task Force, he is very excited for Chandler’s term as MBA chair. “MBA is in very steady hands on her watch. She has a keen ability to grasp a situation, cut through the bull, and get to a solution. She also has a talent for making complex situations simpler, which makes them easier to solve,” he said.

MBA Senior Vice President of Legislative and Political Affairs Bill Killmer observed that Chandler’s passion for public policy and advocacy was shaped early on. “Chris has fond memories of visiting the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. as a child with her mother,” he said.

Killmer said Chandler’s “positive, proactive approach” as an advocate dates to her days serving as COMBOG Chair and now as an MBA Officer. “She has played a vital role encouraging MORPAC and MAA participation while climbing the leadership ladder,” he said. He added that she personally mailed National Advocacy Conference flyers to each COMBOG member with a handwritten note, encouraging industry leaders to attend the advocacy conference’s tailored commercial real estate track.

“And these aren’t one-off, performative actions, but instead firm evidence of the uniquely consistent approach Chris uses to deepen her relationships with other industry professionals–and, ultimately, the way she brings people together to help achieve our association-wide goals,” Killmer said. “She truly cares about the staff at MBA. Indeed, some of my most valuable interactions with her have been discussions focused on specific staff members and her desire for them to be given the opportunity to take on a greater set of responsibilities.”  

Last year, Chandler joined the Board of Directors of the MBA Opens Doors Foundation, which provides mortgage and rental payment assistance grants to parents and guardians caring for a critically ill or injured child. Debra W. Still, Vice Chairman of Pulte Financial Services and Chair of MBA’s Opens Doors Foundation said Chandler brings “depth, expertise and unwavering support” to the nonprofit’s mission.

Opens Doors Foundation President Deborah Dubois added that having hands-on Board of Directors members such as Chandler ensures that the Home Grant Program receives the attention it needs to thrive.

Las Vegas as a Meeting Venue

With her background on the commercial side of real estate finance, Chandler said she is excited about the location for MBA Annual this year. “Las Vegas is an energizing city,” she said. “It’s an exciting city. And Fontainebleau Las Vegas is a fairly new venue. It’s been nearly 15 years since I’ve been to Las Vegas, so I’m sure things have changed; Las Vegas tends to reinvent itself pretty regularly. So it’ll be nice to go back again.”

Chandler noted that commercial real estate touches nearly everything we do every day. “It’s fun to look at a building and know that at one time, it was raw land that someone had a vision for. It took someone to put a business plan together. Then it took someone working in finance to work with them to find financing for the property. Then it goes into construction and numerous people get employed in that process. Once the building is finished, it provides housing for people if it’s a multifamily property or jobs if it’s another kind of commercial asset. It’s an engine for the economy.”

“Look at the retail side of commercial real estate,” she continued. “People aren’t going into physical stores to go shopping as much as they used to. But when someone orders something on their computer, that item comes from a distribution center, which is commercial real estate. That computer had to be built somewhere; that’s a commercial building. Everyone is using AI and the cloud now, so there are plenty of data centers, which are industrial real estate. So I believe commercial real estate touches everybody, every day, in some form or fashion.”

Passing the Baton

MBA’s leadership strongly supports passing the baton to Chandler. MBA 2024 Chair and President of Union Home Mortgage Mark Jones called Chandler a “sharp, thoughtful and collaborative” leader. “During my tenure as MBA Chairman, when she was Vice Chair, I saw firsthand her steady hand, clear judgment and deep industry insight,” he said. “Christine represents the best of MBA’s tradition of rotating leadership across our diverse industry sectors. With her background in commercial real estate finance, she’s exceptionally well-suited to guide the association through the unique challenges and opportunities facing that segment. She’s not only a strategic thinker but also a trusted teammate. MBA will be well-served under her leadership.”

MBA 2025 Chair and President of Lennar Mortgage Laura Escobar said handing the MBA chair role to Chandler fills her with pride and excitement. “You are going to be amazing in this role, Christine! So many inspiring leaders before us have paved the way–and now it’s your time to lead, to bring your unique voice and perspective. I know you’ll keep pushing the industry forward. I’ll be cheering you on every step of the way!”

On Mentorship

Speaking of cheering on, Chandler noted she holds special fondness for her “mentor and forever friend,” Bonnie Stein.

“Bonnie was involved in private banking at M&T,” Chandler noted. “She later became the first female executive vice president at Equitable, which then became PNC. She was the woman that first thought I had a future in banking.”

“Bonnie helped me when I was a young mother who wanted to get a job with benefits. My husband and I had a home improvement business and after the birth of our daughter I realized we needed more stability. We built a custom home for Bonnie and her husband while I was pregnant. She noticed something about me and encouraged me to apply at the bank.”  

“Over the years, Bonnie has been my constant voice of reason and guiding beacon helping me make decisions and coaching me in handling issues,” Chandler concluded. “Thank you, Bonnie, for being my coach and confidant always looking out for my best interests.”

For her part, Stein said she has always been impressed with Chandler. “She was always on top of everything and a great business partner for her husband,” she said. “We became close friends. If Chris is doing something as a manager, you don’t have to worry about anything falling through the cracks. She’s very detail oriented. Plus, she can step back and see the big picture.”

Stein said Chandler’s analytical mind distinguishes her, “yet she’s practical when she’s trying to solve for a problem. She’ll never say, ‘we can’t do it.’ She always takes the approach of ‘let’s figure this out’.”

“In turn, there are so many other people that Chris has mentored,” Stein added. “She’s really helped and guided them in their careers. She didn’t just take advantage of the opportunities she’s had; she makes sure she is passing opportunities along to others.”

“Chris is a good friend and I’m enormously proud and happy to have been a part of her getting her start,” Stein concluded. “The rest of it she earned on her own.”

A ‘Hands-On’ MBA Chair

Broeksmit called Chandler a hands-on leader and a true expert in the field. “She is universally respected for her thorough knowledge and the way she thoughtfully probes for information and clarity before coming to a decision,” he added. 

“Chris cares deeply about our industry and always has an eye out for future leaders, helping to mentor and inspire them. I eagerly anticipate collaborating with her during her time as our Chair,” Broeksmit concluded.