FHFA, AIME, Cenlar add, promote new leaders

January 31, 2024 5:33 AM

FHFA welcomes fintech expert Leah Price

The Federal Housing Finance Agency welcomed Leah Price to its office of financial technology as an innovation specialist. In her role, she will support Washington-based FHFA's efforts to understand developments and risks related to the use of technology in home finance. covering trends such as artificial intelligence and blockchain. She also will work closely with the government-sponsored enterprises and federal home loan banks to facilitate responsible innovation in their operations.

A frequent speaker on artificial intelligence and innovation at industry events, Price worked in product development at Fannie Mae before later joining the executive team at Figure Technologies, where she served as director of product and later vice president of Lending Ecosystem.

AIME appoints Jonathon Haddad chairman and CEO

The Association of Independent Mortgage Experts, the trade group representing home loan brokers across the country, named Jonathon Haddad chief executive officer. Formerly in retail operations before moving to third-party originations in 2020, Haddad joins the Kansas City-based association after serving as president of Next Door Lending. He takes over the top role at AIME from Katie Sweeney following the separation of the affiliated Broker Action Coalition into a new independently led advocacy unit. Sweeney will also hand over the reins as chair of AIME to Haddad on April 1, when she becomes BAC's CEO.

In his new roles, Haddad will focus on fulfilling AIME's goals to recruit wholesale originators, with an effort on attracting current retail officers, and providing support to the broker community nationwide. With over 65,000 members, AIME is aiming to increase the wholesale channel's share of originations to more than a quarter by the end of 2024.

Cenlar adds servicing expert Ingrid Jaschok, promotes Jonathan Lobb

Left to right: Jonathan Lobb, Ingrid Jaschok

Mortgage subservicer Cenlar welcomed Ingrid Jaschok as senior vice president of default operations. In her new role, Jaschok will be responsible for all business segments making up the default servicing portfolio, including early- and late-stage delinquencies. She will also help develop strategies to meet investor and compliance requirements. Before joining Ewing, New Jersey-based Cenlar, Jaschok held a similar leadership role at Flagstar Bank. A technology-focused leader in mortgage servicing, she has served in key positions at Citibank, Auction.com, Freedom Mortgage and Mr. Cooper.

Jaschok's appointment comes after Cenlar recently promoted Jonathon Lobb to director of investor relations. Formerly a manager in compliance responsible for Cenlar's management of reviews by government-sponsored enterprises and ratings firms, Lobb will serve as primary point of contact for those businesses, their auditors as well as federal agencies. Lobb is also an attorney, who previously worked at a large creditor's rights law firm, representing lenders and servicers in foreclosure proceedings.

Ranieri Solutions names Robert Lux CEO

Servicing technology and solutions provider Ranieri Solutions welcomed mortgage leader Robert Lux as its chief executive officer. Lux steps up to the head role at the Uniondale, New York-based company after several years with mortgage subservicer Cenlar, where he held various executive leadership positions, including chief operating officer and co-CEO. He also previously served as Cenlar's chief information officer, managing its cloud migration. Prior to Cenlar, he led technology initiatives at Freddie Mac as its chief information officer and managed data infrastructure projects at GMAC Residential Capital.

Pennymac taps Kristy Dickey to spearhead third-party originations

Westlake, California-based Pennymac welcomed Kristy Dickey as first vice president of TPO sales. A veteran of the wholesale channel, Dickey will be tasked with growing the company's TPO division, an effort Pennymac has made investments in over the past several months. In late 2023, Pennymac TPO also launched a home equity loan product.

Prior to joining Pennymac, Dickey held roles at Franklin American Mortgage, later acquired by Citizens Bank, and Suntrust Bank. Dickey also sits on the National Association of Mortgage Brokers corporate board of governors.

Polly appoints software veteran Troy Coggiola chief operating officer

Capital markets software solutions provider Polly recently named Troy Coggiola chief operating officer. In the role, he will work with various internal teams to help scale operations and lead innovation to modernize stakeholders' secondary markets processes.

Coggiola previously spearheaded technology initiatives for over a decade at Ellie Mae, including as senior vice president of product management, prior to its acquisition by Intercontinental Exchange. He joins San Francisco-based Polly from Accela, a government-technology provider, where he was its chief product officer.

Greystone welcomes housing finance experts Greg Voyentzie, Leena Amin

Left to right: Greg Voyentzie, Leena Amin

Commercial real estate finance firm Greystone tapped Greg Voyentzie to lead the launch of its new low income housing tax credit syndication platform, designed to enable development and construction of affordable properties. The technology is expected to assist institutional investors by easing capital deployment with LIHTC programs to provide affordable housing and corresponding benefits. Before joining Greystone, Voyentzie served as CEO of Boston Financial, where he led a similar tax-credit platform, responsible for management, underwriting and structuring of affordable housing funding, and also held roles at Pricewaterhousecoopers and Ernst & Young.

The New York-based company also announced the appointment of former Freddie Mac executive Leena Amin as senior managing director, structured finance. In the role, Amin will be responsible for developing relationships with banks and alternative capital providers, while also growing its structured product advisory and capital market offerings. At Freddie Mac, Amin headed the multifamily structured transactions team, leading both affordable housing and conventional market efforts. Previously she served in the enterprise's multifamily capital markets division.

Blue Sage taps Dee Khullar as head of marketing

Mortgage technology firm Blue Sage Solutions announced the hiring of Dee Khullar as head of marketing. In her new leadership role, she will be responsible for marketing strategy and communications and help guide brand management and expansion. She will also develop strategic partnerships and lead the introduction of new offerings. Earlier this year, the company Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey-based company unveiled an interim loan-servicing tool for payments and reporting prior to a newly originated mortgage's transfer.

Khullar's prior professional background includes key marketing roles at ICE Mortgage Technology, where she developed client and partner initiatives to drive revenue growth. An advocate for technology in mortgage, Khullar also has been behind the push for digital closings.

Logan Finance hires Paul Jones to lead business development

Dallas-based Logan Finance, a wholesale and non-delegated correspondent non-QM lender, added Paul Jones as senior vice president, business development. Jones will be charged with developing strategies and educating stakeholders in the mortgage industry about opportunities within the non-QM space. A mortgage veteran who has spent the last seven years in the non-QM market, Jones previously held positions at Paramount Residential Mortgage, First Guaranty and Sprout.

Carrington welcomes return of Samuel Bjelac as divisional VP

Carrington Mortgage Services announced the appointment of Samuel Bjelac, who will focus on non-QM lending in its third-party originations group as senior vice president of national sales. A veteran of non-QM, Bjelac will guide Carrington's wholesale and correspondent teams as they develop relationships with brokers and attempt to expand the company's presence in the segment.

In an earlier tenure with Carrington, Bjelac held the position of divisional vice president of wholesale lending. Before returning to the Plano, Texas-based company, he was executive vice president of national sales at non-QM lender Sprout Mortgage. He also has led third-party originations at Corevest Finance and Lendingone.

Aryming names Ari Zweig managing director

Newark, New Jersey-based Aryming Asset Management welcomed Ari Zweig as managing director. Zweig will help lead fund growth and expansion at Aryming, particularly in the default non-performing mortgage market, tapping into his experience in distressed loan credit analysis to help institutions resolve problem portfolios.

Before joining Aryming, Zweig led a group at MBIA Insurance in the residential mortgage-backed securities sector, where he managed closing and disposition of securitizations and sales of performing and non-performing loans.

Peapack-Gladstone taps Birgitta Natale to oversee lending operations

Bedminster, New Jersey-based Peapack-Gladstone Bank named Birgitta Natale senior vice president, director of residential and consumer lending. In the position, she will oversee both residential and consumer lending operations, including management of home loan originations, as well as lead efforts to expand in New York.

Natale joins Peapack-Gladstone after a prior executive role at First Republic Bank, where she helped lead East Coast closings and processing. Other mortgage industry roles include positions at different credit unions and American Home Bank.

Click n’ Close adds Sean Drake to lead Western expansion

Wholesale and correspondent lender Click n' Close welcomed Sean Drake as an account executive on its third-party origination sales team, responsible for expanding the Addison, Texas-based company's footprint in Northern California and surrounding markets.

In his prior role before joining Click n' Close, Drake served as a regional branch manager for Paramount Residential Mortgage in Northern California. He also held leadership at the likes of Caliber Home Loans, Home Savings of America and American Mortgage Network.

A&D adds Bobby Frank, Andrew Taylor to boost conventional lending

Left to right: Bobby Frank, Andrew Taylor

A&D Mortgage, based in Hollywood, Florida, welcomed industry veterans Andrew Taylor and Bobby Frank to help lead its wholesale team. Taylor steps into the role of senior vice president of wholesale lending sales after similar roles at JMAC Lending and Loan Simple. Meanwhile, Frank was appointed senior vice president of wholesale lending strategy at A&D, after most recently heading operations in the same channel at Citizens Bank in a role he held since 1995.

Both Taylor and Frank were co-founders of the wholesale division at Franklin American Mortgage, later acquired by Citizens Bank, turning it into a leader in the industry. In their new positions at A&D, they will help spearhead efforts to increase wholesale market share, especially within the conventional loan market.

INB welcomes Brad Dyer as vice president, residential lending

INB, the privately held national bank based in Springfield, Illinois, recently welcomed Brad Dyer as vice president, residential lending. In the role, Dyer will help further growth of the bank's expanding mortgage division as a sales manager for Central Illinois, tapping into his knowledge as a longtime resident of the area. A financial services and mortgage industry veteran, Dyer joins INB from Heartland Bank and Trust. He was previously also the regional sales manager for home lending at U.S. Bank.