Honoring Former MBA Chairman Joe Pickett, CMB

Former MBA Chairman Joe Pickett, CMB, passed away on December 21, 2025. The Mortgage Bankers Association and his many friends and colleagues remember him fondly.

According to his obituary, Joe Pickett was born on July 14, 1945, in Fort Worth, Texas. “He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather whose life was centered on family and his Christian values. He met the love of his life, Barbara, while they were in college at North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas),” the family wrote. “That meeting marked the beginning of a lifelong partnership, and Joe and Barbara went on to share 58 years of marriage built on love, commitment, and faith.”

After serving in the U.S. Army, Mr. Pickett started his mortgage banking career in Winston-Salem, N.C. In 1980, the family moved to Birmingham, Ala., where Joe served as vice president at Mortgage Corp. of the South. The family relocated to Jacksonville, Fla. following the acquisition of Mortgage Corp. of the South by Bank of Boston. Joe rose to President and CEO of BancBoston Mortgage.

“In 1997, Joe and his talented team built one of the largest mortgage servicing companies in the country and successfully took it public as HomeSide Lending,” the obituary continued. “In 1998, National Australia Bank acquired HomeSide, and Joe and Barbara’s adventure continued as they moved to Melbourne, Australia.”

While he was chairman and CEO of HomeSide, Mr. Pickett also served as president of the Mortgage Bankers Association in 1995.

Rodrigo López, CMB, chairman of AmeriSphere Companies and MBA chairman in 2017, called Pickett one of the most unassuming individuals he has had the pleasure of knowing. “I was honored to serve on the MBA’s Executive Committee during his 1995 presidency,” López recalled. “Despite the demands of his leadership role at BancBoston Mortgage, which later became HomeSide Lending, Joe remained a dedicated and generous MBA member. His actions were guided by integrity, and he genuinely cared for others.”

“Joe was a good listener, making him an excellent collaborator and team player,” López said. “Many of us missed his presence after Joe and Barbara moved to Australia to lead HomeSide for National Australia Bank.”

Pat Greenwell also worked closely with Mr. Pickett, and called him “a fine gentleman who was always kind and gracious with a warm smile when meeting other people.”

“Joe liked to encourage young people to pursue mortgage banking, an industry he loved and was proud to be a part of,” Greenwell added.

Brian Chappelle, founding partner with Potomac Partners, Washington, served as a senior vice president at MBA during Mr. Pickett’s chairmanship. He said when he thinks about Joe Pickett, he remembers how well-respected he was by the MBA membership. “Having Joe as the MBA chairman made our jobs on the MBA staff easier, since the members figured if Joe supported a particular position on a policy matter, it must be good for the members,” Chappelle noted.

“Joe was also a deeply religious person who would always ask how your family was doing before and after meetings,” Chappelle added. “To paraphrase the Teddy Roosevelt saying, Joe walked quietly but carried a big stick.”

Cheryl Malloy, who also served as a senior vice president at MBA during Mr. Pickett’s tenure in MBA leadership, remembered him as the epitome of a Southern gentleman, “someone who treated everyone with respect and who garnered respect from his peers in the industry for his knowledge of real estate finance and his entrepreneurial spirit,” she said. “He was a dedicated officer and president of MBA, giving many hours of his personal time to leading MBA, including testifying before Congress on many important industry issues, meeting with HUD, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to represent the interests of mortgage bankers, and traveling the country to speak to state and local mortgage bankers associations.” 

Malloy noted Mr. Pickett’s wife, Barbara, often traveled with him and was a delightful companion. “They both were kind and generous and loved people,” she said.

The Pickett family held a graveside service with full Military Funeral Honors for Joe at the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo. His family plans a Celebration of Life in the spring.