Guaranteed Rate, MBA, FHFA add to leadership ranks

May 13, 2024 4:27 PM

Dark Matter welcomes technology veteran and Ellie Mae alum Vikas Rao

Software provider and owner of the Empower loan-origination system Dark Matter Technologies added technology veteran Vikas Rao as deputy chief product officer. An expert in mortgage origination tools, Rao previously served as vice president of product management at Ellie Mae before the company's sale to Intercontinental Exchange, driving strategy for the Encompass LOS and application programming interfaces that enabled information sharing among lenders.

In his return to the mortgage technology industry, Rao will be responsible for identifying potential enhancements to Empower and building a Dark Matter developer community, which will help originators better integrate their platforms through open APIs. He will also help guide the Jacksonville, Florida-based company's technology development and growth following a career break after the sale of Ellie Mae.

Ginnie Mae announces Sam Valverde stepping in as acting president

Sam_Valverde,_Ginnie_Mae_Executive_Vice_President.jpg

Ginnie Mae, insurer of government-backed mortgages and a provider of capital to support affordable home financing, announced the appointment of Sam Valverde as acting president following the recent departure of Alanna McCargo. Valverde first joined Ginnie Mae, which operates under the direction of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, in 2022 as executive vice president and chief operating officer.

Before joining the company, Valvede previously served at the Federal Housing Finance Agency's division of conservatorship oversight and readiness as a supervisory attorney advisor. He began his legal career as a securities lawyer with the firm Davis Polk & Wardell.

FHFA adds chief officers Luis Campudoni, Mary Peterman

Left to right: Mary Peterman, Luis Campudoni

The Federal Housing Finance Agency appointed two public service leaders, Luis Campudoni and Mary Peterman, to its roster of chief officers, the latest hires in a series of recent personnel moves. Formerly with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Campudoni steps up as FHFA's new chief information officer. In a similar role at the SBA, he held the title of deputy chief information officer, helping lead technology product development, services and operations that aligned with that agency's objectives. Earlier in his federal career, Campudoni served in key roles with the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency and Customs and Border Protection.

The agency also appointed Mary Peterman as chief financial officer. She comes to FHFA after serving at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. as controller and deputy director of the division of finance. A certified public accountant, Peterman formerly worked in the administrative office of the U.S. courts and Department of Homeland Security as well as at local government organizations. Earlier this year, FHFA also named a chief artificial intelligence officer.

Guaranteed Rate promotes CJ Rose, welcomes return of Chris Hutchens

Left to right: CJ Rose, Chris Hutchens

Chicago-based lender Guaranteed Rate elevated CJ Rose to executive vice president, growth and acquisitions. Rose will oversee talent recruitment and expansion efforts, as the company seeks to add to its network. Rose started at the company as a senior director almost two decades ago, later helping launch Originpoint, the joint venture between Guaranteed Rate and real estate brokerage Compass, in 2021.

Guaranteed Rate also welcomed back Chris Hutchens as a producing area manager and senior vice president of mortgage lending. Based in Wilmington, North Carolina, Hutchens will be in charge of managing and educating loan officers in his territory including at newly opened branches, after serving the area for various lenders over several years, including Guaranteed Rate.

Optimal Blue promotes Rick Allen to chief operating officer

Secondary market platform Optimal Blue promoted Rick Allen to chief operating officer, a role in which he will oversee daily functions across the company and help streamline processes. Most recently the Jacksonville, Florida-based firm's chief administrative officer, Allen first joined Optimal Blue in 2017 as vice president of business strategy after previous home lending industry positions at Mortgagebot and TD Bank.

Fannie Mae adds tech executive Diane Lye as director

Government-sponsored enterprise Fannie Mae appointed banking and technology leader Diane Lye to its board of directors, adding data science expertise to its corporate governance. Her ascension to the board comes as federal departments, including Fannie Mae's overseer, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, were recently directed to increase their focus on matters related to artificial intelligence.

A technology expert whose career has spanned across different industries, Lye most recently served as chief information officer at electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian Automotive. Previously, she held executive roles at Capital One, including as chief information officer for card technology, and also helped oversee enterprise data, machine learning, risk and finance innovation for the banking giant.

Planet Home taps Paul Walker for chief financial officer

Planet Home Lending, based in Meriden, Connecticut, recently announced the addition of Paul Walker as chief financial officer. Responsible for leading financial decision making at the multichannel lender and servicer, Walker recently held the same title at Mortgage Assets Management as well as Supreme Lending. The home lending veteran previously also served in key accounting and compliance roles at Finance of America Cos., Mr. Cooper and KPMG.

Walker arrives at Planet Home as its former CFO Teresa McDermott moves into a deputy chief financial officer role pending her upcoming retirement. McDermott will continue working on strategic projects and transition efforts until her departure.

MBA welcomes Alicia Goncalves to lead associate membership

The Mortgage Bankers Association tapped Alicia Goncalves as director of associate membership. In her new role, Goncalves will be the primary contact for the trade group's associate members, providing service and engagement to help them obtain value from the organization. Holding a certified mortgage banker designation, she gained industry expertise in several client-facing positions within home lending and real estate before joining MBA, including most recently as a customer success manager at Simplenexus and Ncino. Previously, she worked in operations at Norcom Mortgage and Newtown Savings Bank.

National MI names Aurora Swithenbank chief financial officer

NMI Holdings, parent of mortgage insurer National MI, appointed Aurora Swithenbank as its new chief financial officer. An insurance industry veteran, Swithenbank recently held the same executive title at Vantage Group Holdings. Previously, she also served as partner and head of insurance in the Americas financing group at Goldman Sachs.

A&D bolsters growth with addition of Andrey Gunin, Satish Vishwakarma

Left to right: Satish Vishwakarma, Andrey Gunin

A&D Mortgage continued its recent growth, welcoming Andrey Gunin as chief financial officer. With a leadership background across finance and technology worldwide, Gunin previously served in strategic management roles at European companies Revo Technologies and Svyaznoy Group, and will be responsible for ensuring sound financials at the Hollywood, Florida-based lender and servicer.

A&D also recently added Satish Vishwakarma as its new servicing manager. Vishwakarma will oversee all operations of the company's servicing group with a focus on streamlining operations, mitigating risk and providing cost efficiency. He joins A&D after a tenure at loan servicer Ocwen, where he was senior manager in charge of its customer care team.

City National welcomes Rick Bechtel as mortgage head

City National Bank announced the addition of Rick Bechtel as executive vice president and head of mortgage and residential lending. Bechtel joins the Los Angeles-based subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada after holding several leadership roles within home lending, including at TD Bank and real estate brokerage Compass, where he recently served as mortgage president. In his position at City National, Bechtel will design and oversee the bank's mortgage banking strategy and lead teams working across the lending process, from sales through capital markets and servicing.

Texas Mortgage Bankers Association names Scott Norman CEO

The Texas Mortgage Bankers Association appointed W. Scott Norman as its new CEO. After beginning his career as a loan officer, Norman later ascended to vice president of government relations for Finance of America and co-chair of the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association. An industry advocate, he led the campaign that eventually allowed reverse-mortgage originations in the Lone Star State. A former president at both the TMBA as well as the Austin Mortgage Bankers Association, Norman takes the helm in June.

Hometap welcomes Diane Wold as structured products head

Digital investment platform Hometap Equity Partners named Wells Fargo alum Diane Wold as director of structured products. Wold will develop investor products coming out of the company's home equity investment firm's originations business for capital markets, tapping into her sources to build the Boston-based company's securitization process and strategies. At Wells Fargo, Wold was senior vice president on its home lending capital markets team. She built her career at several companies, including GMAC Residential Capital, Two Harbors and Deloitte.

Interlinc appoints Erin Dee as chief operating officer

Houston-based Interlinc Mortgage announced the appointment of Erin Dee as its new chief operating officer. Dee will oversee initiatives aimed at business growth and joins the company after holding top executive roles at the likes of Loanpeople, Thrive Mortgage and Infinity Mortgage. She also currently serves as secretary and treasurer at the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association.

MMI welcomes Ron Ross, Ryan Minard to finance, sales leadership

Mortgage data analytics platform Mobility Market Intelligence, based in Salt Lake City, hired technology executive Ron Ross to serve as its chief financial officer. In his new role, Ross will be responsible for guiding processes with an eye on streamlining internal systems to improve MMI's client experience. Ross joins MMI after founding and serving as chief operating officer and president at Everee, a technology-focused payroll company. He has also held executive roles at companies providing a wide range of products and services, including Team Technologies, Ecoscraps and Skullcandy.

The company also recently added mortgage marketing industry veteran Ryan Minard as senior sales engineer. Minard will be responsible for improving sales workflow, removing obstacles and tailoring solutions for clients to expedite their growth. Before joining MMI, he worked in various roles to help lead growth of the Surefire customer relationship management platform under both Black Knight and ICE Mortgage Technology ownership. His professional background also includes marketing and creative management positions at First Centennial Mortgage.

Corporate Settlement Services promotes Ashley Jelinek to CEO

Title, valuations and closing services platform Corporate Settlement Services appointed Ashley Jelinek CEO. Previously the firm's chief operating officer, she will spearhead future growth and strategy, while continuing to oversee proper performance of essential functions across all of CSS' units and administrative departments. Before joining the North Olmstead, Ohio-based firm in 2015, Jelinek worked as a consultant with Bain & Co., advising companies in medical, insurance and hospitality sectors.

Merchants Capital promotes Evan Gibson to executive VP

Multifamily housing finance provider Merchant Capital elevated Evan Gibson to executive vice president, capital markets, a role in which he will continue efforts to create liquidity and transfer risk for the parent company's balance sheet while providing affordable housing investment opportunities. Gibson was instrumental in launching the Carmel, Indiana-based firm's capital markets platform in 2020 and has since led more than $5 billion in multifamily- and healthcare-related transactions, including deals with government-sponsored enterprises. Promoted from senior vice president at the company, a subsidiary of Merchants Bank, he also led direct lending at a leading commercial real estate finance firm and held trading roles at Bank of America Merrill Lynch earlier in his career.

Asurity Advisors adds Vincent Coe as director

Hand-out/Asurity

Regulatory risk and compliance consulting firm Asurity Advisors tapped attorney Vincent Coe as its newest director. Coe will serve mortgage and financial services clients, drawing on his background working for both private firms and government regulators on matters including fair lending laws and unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices, or UDAAP. He most recently held leadership at a private advisory and previously served in examination and legal roles at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., Federal Trade Commission and Federal Reserve.

Informative Research welcomes Kurt Raymond to enhance data services

Photo by Sarah Skinner

Real estate data platform Informative Research added mortgage industry veteran Kurt Raymond as senior vice president and borrower journey engineer. A certified mortgage banker, Raymond will be responsible for ensuring functionality of Informative Research's tools to provide clients with the appropriate data for their lending operations efficiently and in a price-friendly manner. The company is a subsidiary of Stewart Information Services.

A mortgage industry consultant with a range of specializations from risk management to communications, Raymond co-founded the firm Excelerate Advisors. He also is the owner and founder of Katantco2 that operates to connect mortgage businesses with each other. Earlier in his career, he served in leadership roles with Indymac Bank and Interfirst Wholesale Lending.

Xactus adds Thomas Gallucci, promotes Danielle Walker

Left to right: Thomas Gallucci, Danielle Walker

Verification solutions provider Xactus announced the hiring of Thomas Gallucci as executive vice president, strategic sales. In the role, Gallucci will seek to expand business for Xactus' noncredit related products for lenders, as well as develop opportunities for new partnerships and client retention. Gallucci most recently worked in business development at The Mortgage Collaborative, overseeing a team responsible for building relationships with TMC's numerous partners.

The Broomall, Pennsylvania-based company also promoted Danielle Walker to senior vice president, business development. In the role, she will be in charge of operations for its property valuations unit, building relationships and consulting with lenders to help them maximize appraisal-product benefits. Before her promotion, Walker served as a leader in product development for Xactus, as well as a sales manager in one of its divisions.

Granite Mortgage adds new SVPs Ricky Cheath, Josh McCarthy

Left to right: Josh McCarthy, Ricky Cheath

Champlin, Minnesota-based Granite Mortgage recently bolstered its home lending team, welcoming Ricky Cheath and Josh McCarthy as new senior vice presidents. Cheath steps in as SVP of regional development and diversity lending, tapped to increase inclusive lending practices and growth in Granite's local markets. He previously served as an Upper Midwest regional director for Movement Mortgage.

His addition follows the recent hiring of Josh McCarthy as SVP of sales at the lender, which is a unit of community financial institution Granite Bank. In the role, McCarthy will lead sales operations, while also eyeing new products and technology to better serve mortgage originators and clients. McCarney previously held key management roles at both regional and national lenders, including Loandepot.

Certainty Home Lending grows in Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and West

Left to right: Andre Kahramanian, Andrew Siddon, Darius Korybko

Dallas-based Certainty Home Lending recently welcomed three new mortgage leaders as it targets continued nationwide growth. The lender appointed Andrew Siddon as executive vice president, divisional manager, in charge of the Mid-Atlantic region. Siddon will be responsible for expansion across the area, with a focus on his home base surrounding Washington, D.C. Earlier this year Certainty also named past Illinois Mortgage Association Banker of the Year Darius Korybko as vice president of business development, tapping him to spearhead growth efforts in the Midwest, particularly Chicago.

Additionally, the company added Andre Kahramanian as vice president of mortgage lending to help expand market share in Southern California. Kahramanian joins Certainty after previous experience working at both brokers and national lenders. Certainty Home Lending is a Guaranteed Rate company.