HOPE LoanPort, the counselor Web-based tool that streamlines submission of completed loan modification applications, including those used for the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), has announced that six people will serve on its board of directors. The organization also named its chief executive officer. There are plans to expand the board in the near future to reflect the diversity of the organizations involved with this groundbreaking web portal initiative.
These housing industry veterans will assist HOPE LoanPort CEO Larry Gilmore with the business management and strategic direction of the company. Gilmore, currently the deputy director of the HOPE NOW Alliance, will assume the day-to-day management of HOPE LoanPort. Gilmore will be transitioning from his role as deputy director of HOPE NOW, where he has worked since the organization’s inception in 2007. Prior to joining HOPE NOW, Gilmore was an executive with Option One Mortgage, as well as the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). He has more than 15 years of experience in the mortgage industry and has been involved in all aspects of the business, including government affairs, industry relations, affordable housing initiatives and non-prime lending initiatives.
The following individuals will make up the board of directors for HOPE LoanPort:
►William A. Longbrake (Chairman): Longbrake is an executive in residence at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland where he works on a variety of business, policy and governance issues with faculty, students, business leaders, government policymakers and executives of not-for-profit organizations. He also serves on the boards of directors of First Financial Northwest, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle, the Washington Financial League and the Washington State Investment Board. In the past, Longbrake has worked in various executive roles with Financial Services Roundtable, Washington Mutual Inc. and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
►John H. Dalton: Dalton, former Secretary of the Navy in the Clinton administration, is currently the president of the Housing Policy Council, part of the Financial Services Roundtable. Dalton is responsible for guiding the Council and its public policy agenda before the Administration and Congress. Secretary Dalton was sworn in as the 70th Secretary of the Navy on July 23, 1993 and served in this capacity until November 1998. Prior to that, Secretary Dalton was president of the Government National Mortgage Association of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). He also served as chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board. In the private sector, he has held positions at Goldman, Sachs & Company and several other banking and investment banking firms.
►John A. Courson: Courson is the president and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), and has been involved in the mortgage industry for more than 40 years. Prior to joining MBA, Mr. Courson was a top executive at several mortgage companies, including Fundamental Mortgage, Central Pacific Mortgage Company and Westwood Mortgage Corporation. He has served on several MBA boards since 1999 and also served as president of the California Mortgage Bankers Association, Michigan Mortgage Bankers Association and was director of the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association. In 2004, Courson was appointed by Gov. Schwarzenegger as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the California Housing Finance Agency, a position he served until 2008.
►Faith A. Schwartz: Schwartz is the executive director of HOPE NOW, a position she has served since the organization’s inception. HOPE NOW and industry has modified in excess of 2.5 million loans for borrowers to prevent foreclosure. HOPE NOW has held more than 60 face to face events nationwide, bringing together mortgage servicers, non-profit housing counselors and borrowers. Schwartz has held executive positions with Option One Mortgage and Freddie Mac where she led the firm’s efforts to combat predatory lending. She started her career at Dominion Bankshares as Vice President of Capital Markets and Wholesale lending. Schwartz is the President of Women in Housing Finance in Washington DC. She served on the Federal Reserve Board Consumer Advisory Committee where she chaired the consumer credit sub-committee. She received the “Investing in Communities” award, 2008, from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) and has served on their Board of Directors.
►Kenneth D. Wade: Wade is the CEO of NeighborWorks America, a public non-profit corporation established as the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation by an Act of Congress in 1978. He has more than 35 years of experience in community development and has been with NeighborWorks America since 1990. Prior to that, he worked for United South End Settlements in Boston. Wade currently serves on several Boards, including Bank of America National Community Advisory Council, Board of Trustees of the National Housing Conference, National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders and Institute for Affordable Housing Policy.
►Camillo T. Melchiorre: Melchiorre is senior vice president of loss management for Radian Guaranty Inc., the primary mortgage insurance subsidiary of Radian Group Inc. Prior to joining Radian, he served as an executive vice president at LandAmerica Lender Services. He has also worked as an executive at Freddie Mac and Radian’s predecessor company, Commonwealth Mortgage Assurance Corporation. Melchiorre was a charter member of the Freddie Mac Servicer Advisory Board and currently serves as chair of the technology subgroup of the HOPE NOW Alliance.
For more information, visit www.HopeNow.com.
