MBA Education Presents Freedom Mortgage with the 2025 Residential Educator of the Year Award
LAS VEGAS–MBA Education, the education division of the Mortgage Bankers Association, awarded Freedom Mortgage with its Residential Educator of the Year Award here at MBA’s 2025 Annual Convention & Expo.
“Freedom Mortgage’s unwavering investment in employee education and professional growth sets a powerful example for the entire industry,” said Christine Chandler, 2026 MBA Chair and Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, M&T Realty Capital Corporation. “Their commitment to fostering a culture of continuous learning, through innovative programs, certifications, and early-career development demonstrates what it means to lead with purpose and empower the next generation of mortgage professionals.”
Freedom Mortgage, founded in 1990, is one of the largest, full-service, independent mortgage companies in the country. The company prioritizes Learning and Development amongst its organization, utilizing its team of trainers who have extensive experience in providing employees with knowledge and continuous training to be most effective on the job. Annually, Freedom Mortgage invests heavily in employee training courses that are tailored to each role within the lending process, along with compliance training to ensure borrowers’ best interests are met, along with striving to provide the best customer service. Additionally, Freedom Mortgage has established the HYPE program, a specialized talent development initiative for early-career professionals, to embed a culture of fostering education. The company also offers tuition reimbursement up to $4,000 toward making education programs more accessible to all employees.
Freedom Mortgage supports a wide range of certifications, credentials, and designations to empower professional growth. NMLS Licensing, Project Management Professional (PMP), and AWS Certifications were acquired by more than 400 employees through the support of Freedom Mortgage last year alone. MBA certifications, such as the AI Mortgage Practitioner, Residential Certified Mortgage Servicer (RCMS), Certified Mortgage Compliance Professional (CMCP), and Certified Mortgage Banker (CMB) were supported, as well. Freedom Mortgage supports its employees in obtaining credentials that span several areas, including technical, compliance, leadership, and coaching domains, reflecting their holistic approach to employee development.
The Residential Educator of the Year Award was founded in 2023 and recognizes an MBA member company that exemplifies a commitment to learning and development by acknowledging an organization’s dedication to improving the skills of professionals within the industry. The Education of the Year award focuses on three key areas: a culture of—and commitment to—organizational learning, a focus on enhanced career development and growth through designations and certification programs and delivering innovative and holistic approaches to learning.
MBA Education’s Residential Education Networking Group, a member-driven effort to assemble thought leaders to discuss the latest innovations and best teaching practices across the mortgage banking industry, created the award to highlight the importance of investing in education and training.
For more information about the Residential Educator of the Year Award, click here.
