MERS to Manage MISMO, MBA Tech VP Departs

The Mortgage Bankers Association and MERSCORP Inc. have entered into a management agreement under which MERSCORP will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of MISMO, and the MBA vice president responsible for the technology standards initiative has left the trade group. Under the management agreement, MBA retains full control of the Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization Inc. and will maintain a permanent seat on the MISMO board of directors. John A. Courson, president and CEO of the association, said, "It has always been the intent for MBA to develop and nurture MISMO and then align with another entity to conduct day-to-day management of the company in a way that best serves the real-estate finance industry. MERS, as an industry utility owned in part by MBA, provides an ideal infrastructure for MISMO and will ensure the user experience of current MISMO participants remains constant at its current high level." When asked how this affected Harry Gardner, the MBA's VP of technology who had been charged with MISMO's oversight, an MBA spokeswoman said he was no longer with the association and referred further comment to trade group executives who were not immediately available Wednesday. Mr. Gardner could not be reached for comment at press time.