MBA Recognizes 40 New Certified Mortgage Banker Graduates
LAS VEGAS–MBA Education, the award-winning education division of the Mortgage Bankers Association, recognized 40 individuals who earned the Certified Mortgage Banker designation at a ceremony at MBA’s 2025 Annual Convention & Expo. Earning one’s CMB is the highest professional honor within the real estate finance industry.
The 40 CMBs who received their designations have demonstrated a commitment to professional success and will be joining an elite group of industry professionals.
“Congratulations to this year’s CMB graduates on achieving the highest professional honor in our industry,” said Christine Chandler, 2026 MBA Chair and Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, M&T Realty Capital Corporation. “The journey to earning the CMB designation is a true test of commitment that requires rigorous study, deep industry engagement and knowledge, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence. I am proud to welcome them into the CMB community, where their achievements will continue to elevate and inspire the future of real estate finance.”
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 2024 to October 2025:
Residential CMB Designees
• Diana Alexander, CMB, AMP
• Tyler Anderson, CMB, AMP
• Mary Beth Baker, CMB
• Ryan Black, CMB, AMP
• Jeremy S. Bowling, CMB
• Sundance Brennan, CMB
• Tiffany Caruso Benway, CMB
• Alberto Climaco, CMB, AMP, CRU
• Kate E. Couture, CMB
• Jennifer Cowles, CMB
• Ryan Evans, CMB, AMP
• William Faulk, CMB, AMP, CRU, RCMS
• Brideen Gallagher, CMP
• Christopher J. Gartner, CMB, AMP
• Cortney Hall, CMB, AMP
• Joey Daly Hansen, CMB
• Brittany Hart, CMB, AMP
• David E. Holding, CMB
• Thomas W. Hutchison, Jr., CMB, AMP
• David Jackson, CMB
• Laura LaRaia, CMB, AMP
• John J. Lynah, CMB, AMP
• Colton Mathews, CMB, AMP, CRU, RCMS, CMCP
• Ricky Merchant, CMB, AMP
• Patrick Michaelson, CMB
• Peter C. Pagonis, CMB, AMP
• Chad Parish, CMB
• Tim Pascarella, CMB
• Jason Paslak, CMB, CFA
• Jeff Pearson, CMB, AMP, CPA
• Brandon Pokley, CMB
• Rhonda Ronnow, CMB, CMCP, CRU
• Dr. Rick Roque, CMB
• William Shipp, CMB
• Crystal M. Smith, CMB, AMP
• Vincent Smith, CMB, AMP
• Sarah B. Stedfast, CMB
• Adria Van Buskirk Baseman, CMB, AMP
• Mike Yates, CMB, AMP
• Nancy Zhu, CMB, CPA, CMA, CIA, AMP, CML
