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George A. Charles has been named executive vice president for the Western Division of Metrocities Mortgage LLC, a residential mortgage lender based in Sherman Oaks, Calif.Mr. Charles served most recently as president of Response Mortgage Services Inc., Bellevue, Wash. He was previously vice president of lending and vice president of franchise development for Qpoint Home Mortgage Loans in Bellevue. The Western Division of Metrocities Mortgage includes all states west of the Mississippi except California. The company can be found online at http://www.metrocitiesmtg.com.

John W. Petersen has been named executive vice president and chief operating officer of PS Business Parks, a real estate investment trust based in Glendale, Calif.Mr. Petersen was most recently senior vice president of the San Jose Region at Equity Office Properties. He was previously employed at Spieker Properties, and has 17 years of experience in commercial real estate, the REIT said. The company can be found online at http://www.psbusinessparks.com.

Scott Johnson has assumed the post of executive vice president and national production manager of The New York Mortgage Co. LLC, New York, and will operate from an office in Farmington, Conn.Mr. Johnson was most recently senior vice president of Guaranty Residential Lending Inc., where he was responsible for the company's Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Region. At New York Mortgage, he will manage a $4 billion production platform with approximately 400 loan officers, the company said. New York Mortgage said its recently announced acquisition of 15 branch offices and 26 satellite offices of Guaranty Residential took effect Nov. 15.

Robert L. Clarke, a former U.S. comptroller of the currency, has been elected to the board of directors of Stewart Information Services Corp., Houston.Mr. Clarke, who served as comptroller of the currency from 1985 to 1992, is a senior partner of the Houston law firm Bracewell & Patterson LLP and the founder of its financial services practice. He has been a member of Stewart's advisory board since September 2003. Stewart can be found on the Web at http://www.stewart.com.

Ron Litt has been named senior vice president of retail operations in MortgageIT's New York Region.Mr. Litt, who will operate out of Manhattan, was most recently SVP of Allied Home Mortgage Capital Corp., where he developed marketing and technology programs for more than 650 branch offices and five corporate facilities, MortgageIT said. His previous experience includes senior positions at GE Information Systems, Sprint, and the Department of Defense. MortgageIT also announced the hiring of Linda Litt as director of business development. She will be based in Newburgh, N.Y. Ms. Litt also comes to MortgageIT from Allied Home Mortgage, where she was vice president for product information/branch services.

Joseph A. Smialowski has been named executive vice president of operations and technology at Freddie Mac, effective Dec. 1.Mr. Smialowski was most recently executive vice president at Fleet Boston Financial, where he had direct oversight of the company's information technology, bank operations, and corporate real estate, among other things. He will be responsible for managing the largest segment of Freddie Mac's business operations, including all the company's mortgage origination and servicing, investment and capital markets operations, and information systems divisions. Mr. Smialowski will report to Eugene M. McQuade, Freddie's president and chief operating officer. "Joe brings to Freddie Mac world-class operations and technology expertise that will help create a better customer experience through integrated operating and technology platforms," Mr. McQuade said. Prior to joining Fleet Boston in 1998, Mr. Smialowski was chief information officer at Sears, Roebuck and Co. Freddie Mac can be found online at http://www.freddiemac.com.

Dennis J. Gilmore has been named to the newly created position of chief operating officer of The First American Corp., Santa Ana, Calif.First American said Mr. Gilmore will also continue his current role as president of the company's Property Information Group. Parker S. Kennedy, First American's chairman and chief executive officer, said Mr. Gilmore will concentrate on the company's mortgage-related operations in addition to his current duties. First American, a national provider of title insurance, mortgage information, and other data, can be found on the Web at http://www.firstam.com.

Jay S. Nydick, a longtime executive with Goldman, Sachs & Co., has been named president of iStar Financial Inc., a New York-based real estate investment trust.Mr. Nydick was most recently a Hong Kong-based managing director who headed Goldman's Corporate Finance Group for non-Japan Asia, as well as a member of the company's New York-based Products and Financial Sponsors Group, iStar said. Before his Asian assignment, he was in Goldman's Real Estate Investment Banking Group. The REIT can be found online at http://www.istarfinancial.com.

Brian Roseboro, the Treasury under secretary for domestic finance, has resigned from the agency after seven months on the job.Mr. Roseboro, who was sometimes quoted on issues affecting the government-sponsored enterprises, will leave the agency effective Jan. 1. As undersecretary, he was responsible for formulating policy and legislation in regard to financial institutions, including Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Bank System. Wayne A. Abernathy, assistant Treasury secretary for financial institutions, reports to Mr. Roseboro. Mr. Abernathy is considered the administration's point person on GSE matters.

Albert L. Jones has been named executive vice president of real estate lending at the newly founded Penn Liberty Bank in Wayne, Pa.The bank said Mr. Jones has over 13 years of banking industry experience. He was most recently EVP of commercial real estate lending at Republic First Bank. Penn Liberty can be found on the Web at http://www.pennlibertybank.com.