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COVER STORY: WOMEN OF INFLUENCE TINA FRANCIS
BARB MORGAN
Regional VP, Ontario
VP, Ontario
Broker Financial Group
Invis/Mortgage Intelligence
At times, the tight-knit mortgage community can feel like family. For Barb Morgan of Invis/Mortgage Intelligence, watching her agents and brokers progress in their respective careers brings genuine joy. “I’ve worked with some amazing bosses, mentors, lender teammates and brokers – some of us for over 20 years now,” she says. “I genuinely like helping my brokers succeed – tremendous personal satisfaction there.” That satisfaction has been hard-fought, though, the result of regular travelling and late-night office sessions mixed with family obligations. “Some days I get off the road at 7 p.m., exhausted and hungry, but knowing my husband is working even later, I’m menu planning in my thoughts,” Morgan says. She feels women in the industry are indeed making progress –she has worked with many women who are successful team leaders, sales colleagues, VPs and CEOs. For Morgan, it’s simply a question of finding the right person – man or woman – for the job. She would know, as her career has been an inspiration from the beginning. In the ’90s, Morgan was a single mom, managing a bank branch while chipping away at a business degree at Wilfrid Laurier University at night as her daughter looked on. “I’m so proud to say she has inherited my strong work ethic, which made up for the days she would ask, ‘Do you know when you go to work it’s dark and when you come home it’s dark?’” Morgan faced another challenge in 2008 when she was laid off for the first time, along with seven others, in the wake of the financial crisis. “I took it very personally, not realizing at the time that what was happening in the financial world was much bigger than me having to change roles,” she says. Eight years later, she has worked her way back to VP status, and has nothing but gratitude for the leadership at Invis/Mortgage Intelligence for placing their faith in her abilities and acknowledging her efforts.
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The last year has been particularly eventful for Tina Francis. In addition to joining the fledgling Broker Financial Group, she also learned she would become a mother for the first time. A common theme among the women on this year’s list is the challenge of maintaining a healthy work-life balance, and Francis is no different in that respect. In terms of working for equality for women in the industry, she believes lists such as this one are a great reflection of the immense work women do every day. “When women in this industry stand out by making great strides in their organizations, then we should continue to recognize these women and their accomplishments,” she says. “Showcasing the strength of the women on this list can inspire other women to do amazing things for the industry as well.”
CINDY FREIMAN Director of marketing & communications Mortgage Professionals Canada
In the mortgage industry, where the options available to clients are expanding all the time, the ability to promote your brand and get your message across is paramount. That’s good news for Mortgage Professionals Canada, because it has Cindy Freiman among its ranks. “My 10th year in the industry, 2015, was a big year for me professionally,” she says. “I embarked upon a new role with Mortgage Professionals Canada, then CAAMP, in December 2014 and spent the better part of 2015 working on a total rebrand of the association. This all came to fruition in November during the opening ceremony of our 2015 National Conference.”
RACHAEL BEEMER Mortgage broker Verico My Better Mortgage
A broker at Barrie, Ontario-based Verico My Better Mortgage, Rachael Beemer has become a real success story in the industry, amassing $40 million in sales last year. That isn’t news to CMP readers, of course – she was named Broker of the Year for small brokerages at the Canadian Mortgage Awards last year. Beemer is also well aware that for smaller firms to grow and add sales, the general public has to be aware they exist. As such, she was instrumental in instigating a successful radio campaign that significantly boosted Verico’s presence in her market.
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22/06/2016 12:35:18 AM