So here we are, looking at a new year and wondering about all of the good things that we can start over, so we do not make the same mistakes that we made last year. So I found something that we want to change right away at NAMB, the Association of Mortgage Professionals? Membership! It has come to my attention from a few loan originators out there that they paid their state for an NAMB Membership, but they are not able to get onto the Web site, get the discounted rate at an NAMB event as a member, renew their certification, nor get their Lending Integrity Seal of Approval.
I need all of you to make sure and verify that your NAMB Membership is active. Go on and make sure that you are listed in the “Find an NAMB Broker” search feature. If you are not, either you membership has expired and you did not renew, or if you paid your dues to your state, contact your state’s treasurer and/or executive director and have them check out the problem. If your membership has expired, now is the time to RENEW! And because the Delegate Council changed the by-laws of the association, you can renew you NAMB dues online by going online to JoinNAMB.com and you can renew you membership. The best thing that you can do is ask your friends if they are members of NAMB. If they ask “Why” reply to them, “Why not?”
I have also been speaking with originators nationwide about our Lending Integrity Seal of Approval. Do you currently have yours? This is a great point to make to your customers that you have this Seal. You can go online to NAMB.org and click on the “Membership” icon and underneath the heading, you will find information on the Lending Integrity Seal of Approval where you can apply for the Seal. There is no reason that you should want to advertise yourself without the Lending Integrity Seal.
To change direction, we are currently approaching the time that all NAMB members need to start to make plans to join us in Washington, D.C. for the 2012 NAMB Legislative & Regulatory Conference, set for Sunday-Tuesday, March 18-20. Please visit NAMB.org and click on the 2012 Legislative Conference logo to see what is in store for this year’s speakers and panels. This year is going to be really important and all members need to come, attend the Legislative Program on Monday, March 19 and visit your elected officials to let them know what NAMB and its members are doing. There is nothing like being a constituent and walking into their office as a voter. They are there to listen to you and get information from you. Remember, this is for NAMB members only, so you are on the Hill representing your national association, state association and yourself. Come to the Conference, get your information and go talk to your representative on the nation’s capital.
If you have never been to Washington, D.C., now is the time to make your mark and get a firsthand look at our nation’s legislative process. We will be hosting classes on key points to discuss with your congressmen and senators, and what you need to do on each and every visit with them.
If your state is organizing your Capitol Hill visits, which most state associations do to make sure that the meetings are coordinated, you need to contact your state leadership and let them know that you will be attending. They will welcome you with open arms, and get you set up to walk with them through the halls of Congress.
I can remember the first time I went to Washington, D.C. back in 1999. It not only was an honor to be able to walk in as a member of NAMB and my great state of Indiana, but I also got to meet those people that really only existed on the TV. You see them on political talk shows and you wonder what they are like in person, and I had the opportunity to meet most of them personally. During the time that we were in their office, they listened to what we were saying, and I had the chance to engage in conversation with them. It was really exciting. So, get on the bandwagon and get to the 2012 Legislative & Regulatory Conference where you will get some great information, learn a great deal about government, and you will learn how you can keep in touch with your elected officials and follow up in your home state if we ever need you to contact them during our grassroots events.
The NAMB board of directors has gone through a few changes since NAMB/WEST. Walt Scott has resigned from the board due to not being able to spend a lot of free time performing his board duties. Walt lost his father about a year-and-a-half ago and is now the caregiver to his mother, and this accounts for a lot of his time. I will miss Walt and I wish him well. And let’s hope Villanova has a pretty good basketball team this year!
We have added two new people to the board. First Rocke Andrews, CMC, CRMS from Arizona, NAMB’s Education Committee Chair, was appointed to the board in November. Rocke has had a lot of experience working on several NAMB and state committees, and will bring a different perspective to the board. Also at NAMB/WEST, we added Kay Cleland, CMC, CRMS from Colorado to our ranks. Kay is a past president of the Colorado Association of Mortgage Professionals (CoAMP) and is CoAMP’s current Membership Committee Chair. As most of you who know Kay, she brings a vitality of life to every meeting, and she will be heading up the new Membership Committee and NAMB’s membership campaign.
As I think most of you know, since we got back from NAMB/WEST, Mike Anderson, our vice president and Government Affairs Committee Chairman, has had to resign his position with NAMB due to his mortgage company expansion and the increase in time he needs to spend training his staff for this expansion. Over the past two years, Mike and I have had a relationship where we spoke every day and passed ideas back and forth about NAMB. When I took over as NAMB president in November, we actually started talking more as I was beginning my presidency and sharing ideas with Mike so that when he would take over, he would be prepared to do the things that I am currently doing on a daily basis. I am going to miss Mike here at NAMB, but I do know that our friendship will continue long past our involvement with NAMB. I wish him the best, and I know that he is only a phone call away to brighten my day or to ask his advice. One promise that Mike did make to me is that he may be going away from the day to day trials and tribulations, but he will be attending all of NAMB’s events. Mike, I will see you in D.C.
We have promoted John Hudson from Texas as NAMB’s new Government Affairs Committee Chair. John was serving as vice chair of the Government Affairs Committee, and Mike was already getting him ready to take over next June, so he is ready. John is jumping in with both feet and he should be already having his monthly Government Affairs meetings by the time this issue is published. Make sure you stop by and introduce yourself to John when in D.C.
In conclusion, I really appreciate the support and kind e-mails that I have received from all of you since I took over this position. I do spend a lot of my own free time working on things that need to be addressed. Your board of directors is also working very hard and none of us are receiving any money for what we do. This is truly an all-volunteer association, and I am proud of each and every one of our board members. I appreciate the e-mails to
[email protected], so keep them coming with your ideas and suggestions. So far, I have been able to answer each message personally. If you want to become actively involved with NAMB, let me know. It will soon be time for nominations for the board and we need people, but I will write more on that in a future message.
So renew your membership now, or if not a member, now is the time to join, and remember … Why not?
Donald J. Frommeyer, CRMS of Amtrust Mortgage Funding in Carmel, Ind. is president of NAMB, The Association of Mortgage Professionals. He may be reached by phone at (317) 575-4355 or e-mail
[email protected].
