President’s Letter

BY VALERIE SAUNDERS

For the last 50 years, NAMB has been volunteer led & member driven. The month of April – in particular our conference in DC –was an amazing example of what happens when a group of like-minded people come together for a common cause.

Our committee chairs are a dedicated group of individuals who work hard to support the mission of NAMB.

DEI Chair Nora Guerra put together an awe-inspiring lineup of speakers as part of our opening DEI Day. Discussions focused on closing the gap for Black & Brown communities through homeownership, appraisal bias, and the mission of the GSEs in making homes more a ordable through the various programs available.

The day culminated in a panel discussion featuring members of our DEI committee. Thank you to Laura Brandao, Libra Branch, Esther Castillo-Lerma, Andrew Dort, Toshia Drummond, Mosi Gatling & Candy Sirirotpiboon for sharing their experiences & passions in helping their communities.

Government Affairs Chair Marvin Hudson worked closely with his committee & NAMB’s lobbyist, The Williams Group, to create a packed agenda for Legislative & Regulatory Day. Speakers included VA Loan Guaranty Service Executive Director John Bell; Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver; Rep. Warren Davidson; FHFA Director Sandra Thompson; Acting Secretary of HUD Adrianne Todman; Freddie Mac Deputy CAO Je Markowitz; President & CEO of CSBS Brandon Milhorn, and Rep. John Rose.

The conference concluded with Lobby Day on Capitol Hill to discuss NAMB’s legislative priorities with our members’ Congressional representatives. The hard work of Marvin & his committee is an important aspect of NAMB’s mission.

Membership chair Mike Farrell has spent endless hours promoting the importance of membership in NAMB. Since October 1, NAMB has added more than 900 Professional & Associate members! In addition, our retention rate is consistently above 60 percent, well exceeding the industry standard. Mike & his committee focus on what potential new members are looking for in the organization; how NAMB communicates with its new & renewing members upon joining or renewing, and what NAMB can do to advance the organization through membership growth.  His accomplishments since the start of NAMB’s fiscal year are amazing & truly appreciated!

The individuals listed above are a small number of volunteers who have contributed their time, energy & effort to NAMB. I will continue to recognize our committee chairs in the months ahead. If you would like to be a part of a NAMB committee, please join our Community Builders, who meet monthly to discuss NAMB’s activities & what the organization can do to help.