Volume 5 • Number 4 1220 Wantagh Avenue • Wantagh, NY 11793-2202 Phone: (516) 409-5555 • Fax: (516) 409-4600 Web site: NationalMortgageProfessional.com STAFF Eric C. Peck Editor-in-Chief (516) 409-5555, ext. 312 ericp@nmpmediacorp.com Joel M. Berman Publisher - CEO (516) 409-5555, ext. 310 joel@nmpmediacorp.com David J. Coster Senior Editor davidc@nmpmediacorp.com Robert Peter Ottone Assistant Editor (516) 409-5555, ext. 314 robertpo@nmpmediacorp.com Joey Arendt Art Director joeya@nmpmediacorp.com Jon Blake Advertising Coordinator (516) 409-5555, ext. 301 jonb@nmpmediacorp.com Beverly Koondel National Account Executive (516) 409-5555, ext. 316 beverlyk@nmpmediacorp.com Scott Koondel Billing Coordinator (516) 409-5555, ext. 324 scottk@nmpmediacorp.com ADVERTISING To receive any information regarding advertising rates, deadlines and requirements, please contact National Account Executive Beverly Koondel at (516) 409-5555, ext. 316 or e-mail beverlyk@nmpmediacorp.com. ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS/PRESS RELEASES To submit any material, including articles and press releases, please contact Editor-in-Chief Eric C. Peck at (516) 409-5555, ext. 312 or e-mail ericp@nmpmediacorp.com. The deadline for submissions is the first of the month prior to the target issue. SUBSCRIPTIONS To receive subscription information, please call (516) 409-5555, ext. 301; e-mail orders@nmpmediacorp.com or visit www.nationalmortgageprofessional.com. Any subscription changes may be made to the attention of “Circulation” via fax to (516) 409-4600. Statements, articles and opinions in National Mortgage Professional Magazine are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply the opinion or endorsement of NMP Media Corp., or the officers or members of National Association of Mortgage Brokers and its State Affiliates (NAMB), National Association of Professional Mortgage Women (NAPMW), National Consumer Reporting Association (NCRA) and/or other state mortgage trade associations. Participation in NAMB, NAPMW, NCRA, and/or other state mortgage trade associations events, activities and/or publications is available on a non-discriminatory basis and does not reflect the endorsement of the product and/or services by NMP Media Corp., NAMB, NAPMW, NCRA, and other state mortgage trade associations. National Mortgage Professional Magazine, NAMB, NAPMW, NCRA, and/or other state mortgage trade associations do not make any misrepresentations or warranties concerning the regulatory and/or compliance aspects of advertisers, products or services and/or the editorial content contained in NMP Media Corp. publications. National Mortgage Professional Magazine and NMP Media Corp. reserve the right to edit, reject and/or postpone the publication of any articles, information or data. MO
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With clarity comes vision This month, beginning on page 47, we present our first-ever look at the mortgage industry’s trendsetters who have remained ahead of the curve in our “Visionary Organizations” feature. We took a closer look and polled 18 of these such firms to find out what makes them tick and what differentiates them from their peers. We went straight to the decision-makers to gauge their thoughts on how they came into their current position, what they are doing to remain on top, and where they see themselves down the line. I want to personally thank all of these visionaries once again for taking part in this first ever feature and it is my hope that our readership learn and implement ways in which to keep their own firms ahead of the game.
Our Mortgage Professional of the Month This month, we had the opportunity to profile Eddy Perez, president of Atlanta-based Equity Loans. Eddy, a Cuban immigrant, discusses a healthy balance between work and home life, the sacrifices made in building up Equity Loans to what it is today, his proudest industry accomplishments and why his firm stands apart from the rest in today’s market. Read more about Eddy and his story on page 30.
In closing … I want to personally thank you again for reading yet another issue of National Mortgage Professional Magazine. We are just one issue away from celebrating our fourth anniversary, and nearly 50 issues later, we have brought to you, month in and month out, the most relevant news and stories from an array of authors spanning all facets of the industry. Much like many of our leaders today, our magazine is wellversed, covering a number of topics with the primary goal of assisting you in succeeding in the mortgage industry of 2013 and beyond. If you see something in our publication that strikes you, feel free to reach out to us and our authors and let us all know just what it was that inspired you. Sincerely,
Joel M. Berman, Publisher-CEO NMP Media Corp. joel@nmpmediacorp.com MO
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National Mortgage Professional Magazine is published monthly by NMP Media Corp. Copyright © 2013 NMP Media Corp.
Leaders in all shapes and sizes What is the first thing you think of when you think of the term “leader?” A chief of the tribe? A war general? A coach? A team captain? These people all share a number of qualities, but this month, we take a closer look at leadership and exactly what it takes in today’s marketplace to be deemed a leader. To me, I would describe a “leader” as one who can keep on top of the industry, always maintaining an even keel, through the highs and lows. They are the ones who boost the morale in the downtimes, and who realize that the upswings in the marketplace will not last forever. They have the vision and foresight to look ahead and project where the next wave will come and properly prepare to ride it out. For me in particular, I look to those who are involved with our industry trade associations as those who can easily be deemed leaders in today’s ever-shifting mortgage market. The heavily-regulated mortgage industry has just a handful speaking and giving a voice to the masses. This small population of trade association participants carries the load. They do yeoman’s work on behalf of the entire industry. At a time when the industry is coming back to life, there are still too many who sit on the sidelines and benefit from the work of others. Those others are their peers, yet they are a unique group who shares leadership qualities in the sense that they sacrifice time out of the office and spend time away from their families in order to benefit the industry as a whole. This small minority of the industry labors for the greater good, whether it be by meeting with their elected officials to educate policy-makers in D.C. or locally, to hosting industryoriented events designed to bring mortgage professionals together for networking opportunities and education requirements. Just as everyone on a championship sports team gets a championship-winning ring when they win a title, everyone from the team secretary to the captain, everyone in the mortgage marketplace is benefitting from their work, and to me, this truly exemplifies what makes up today’s leaders in the mortgage marketplace. Kicking things off in our special section on leadership this month is David Lykken of Mortgage Banking Solutions. David’s article on page 42 explores the many ways today’s leaders can stay on top in the industry, with technology at the forefront. Following David, Kerry Elam of Actualize Consulting takes a closer look at some character traits beginning on page 43 of what it takes to be a leader. In her piece, “Leadership From the Heart,” Kerry examines the principles that can be used to guide the leaders of today, and provides us with a list of books on what it takes to develop these leadership qualities. On page 45, Les Acree of Freedom Mortgage brings us the age-old debate, is a leader born or can a leader be developed. Les tends to agree that our leaders need to be developed, and highlights ways in which to find tomorrow’s leaders who may be buried deep within your own organization. Lee Ellis of leadership development company Leadership Freedom, takes a closer look on page 46 at honorable leaders. Lee takes a personal perspective as a former Vietnam prisoner of war and discusses the need for honorable leaders in all facets of today’s society.
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