DECEMBER 2015 Volume 7 • Number 12 FROM THE

Goodbye to 2015!

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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.

For those who know me, the year 2015 has been the most difficult year of my life. For those who missed the tribute to my son John Joseph Hanley in the June edition, 2015 was the year my wife Anna and I lost our 29-year-old son. Suffice it to say, that the pain doesn’t dissipate over time, and while the memories help us move forward, they simply do not fill the void left by his unexpected departure. I know one thing … John would want for me to carry on for both my business and our family, and it is with that outlook I look forward to the year 2016. This month, we take a look at growth strategies for the coming year. The mortgage industry has, without question, bounced back from the dreary days of the past and all indications are that 2016 will continue the march towards continued growth, albeit tempered by reduced profitability caused by growing compliance costs. I’ve talked about W. Clement Stone’s, philosophy of Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) in past columns and often raise this concept in my conversations both in business and socially. W. Clement Stone was a businessman; philanthropist and author who passed at the age of 100 in 2002. Stone’s concept was simple: You can overcome the most difficult times of your life if you don’t allow the negative to overtake your actions and seek to find the positive, no matter how small, and let that PMA drive you. Without question, it is PMA that helped me get through 2015, and I implore you to use the PMA concept in your business and personal life as well. It is an easier path to allow the negative take over. Compliance is the “C Word” that captivates every discussion in the mortgage industry and its impact on the bottom line should be looked at as a cost of doing business (until it changes, hopefully). Concentrate more on growing your knowledge and being a trusted advisor for the consumer as you assist them to navigate the ever-growing complexities of the origination process. As we enter each year, you should not assume that you know everything and be open to learn. Stone built an empire starting with $100 and built that empire into an insurance business built on optimism. Lastly, every December, National Mortgage Professional Magazine features the “40 Most Influential Mortgage Professionals Under 40.” The process for the following year for nomination and selection in this coveted group begins almost the minute the 40 Under 40 is released. My hats off to those selected this year. One comment I’d like to make. The NMLS reports the average age of a loan officer at 54-years-old. I’m embarking on a campaign to “Recharge the Mortgage Profession” and you will hear and read more about this in the near future. Simply put, if we don’t do something to attract Millennials, veterans, and those wanting to change their careers to the mortgage profession, we may, out of need, have to change the feature to “60 Under 60!” Sincerely,

Joel M. Berman, Publisher-CEO NMP Media Corp. joel@nmpmediacorp.com

National Mortgage Professional Magazine is published monthly by NMP Media Corp. • Copyright © 2015 NMP Media Corp.

NATIONAL MORTGAGE PROFESSIONAL MAGAZINE’S

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Featured Editorial Contributors Richard M. Bettencourt Jr., CRMS, CMHS

Terry W. Clemans

Ted W. Tozer

Editorial Contributors Michael Boggiano

Jonathan Foxx

Laura Burke

Andy W. Harris, CRMS

Karen Deis

David Lykken

Paul Doman

Pam Marron

H. Burton Embry

Melanie A. Feliciano Esq.

Kerry Johnson, Ph.D.

Bubba Mills

Dan Goldman

Steven Kaufman, CPA, MsEDE

Paul M. Peters, CMB

David Hosterman

Aaron King

Kurt Rasmussen

Tom Hurst

Andrew Liput

Vincent Spoto

Tom Hutchens

Ralph LoVuolo Sr.

Eric Weinstein

Marc Israel

Paul Lucido

Fowler Williams