Patricia Aguilar
Housing Program Officer
U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development
About Patricia Aguilar
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Housing Program Officer
U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development
Chika Sunquist
Commissioner
Department of Real Estate
Chika Sunquist was appointed Commissioner of the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) by Governor Gavin Newsom on November 28, 2023, and she assumed office on January 3, 2024.
Chika began her career with DRE in 2006 as a Deputy Commissioner in the Sacramento Enforcement office, where she investigated complaints against licensees and unlicensed persons and performed background investigations on license applicants.
In 2008, Chika transferred to DRE’s Mortgage Loan Activities unit, where she was involved in implementation of the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing (SAFE) Act and the licensing of mortgage loan originators. In 2015, she was promoted to Supervising Special Investigator over the Mortgage Loan Activities unit.
Since 2020, Chika has served as the Assistant Commissioner of Enforcement at DRE. She has been responsible for the overall management and operations of the Enforcement division.
Prior to joining DRE, Chika sold residential real estate as a real estate salesperson. She currently holds a broker license on government service.
Chika holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Languages and Linguistics from Georgetown University and an Associate of Arts degree in Administration of Justice from Sacramento City College.
https://dre.ca.gov
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Commissioner
Department of Real Estate
Joffrey Long
Private Money Lender
Southwest Bancorp
Joffrey Long is a mortgage lender who makes, arranges, and services both private money (hard money) and institutional real estate loans.
He is a Past-Education Chair and Past-President of the California Mortgage Association, and has written and presented numerous educational programs in the mortgage industry. Primarily involved in the actual making, arranging, and servicing of real estate loans, he also serves as an expert witness and as a consultant in mortgage litigation.
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Private Money Lender
Southwest Bancorp
Josh Ramirez
Founder & Owner
California Estate Planning
Joshua Ramirez is the founder and owner of California Estate Planning Services.
Josh got his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Cal State Fullerton. Josh then got his JD from Loyola Law School, where he also obtained a LLM degree in tax.
For the last decade Josh has been practicing in Estate Planning, Probate, Estate Taxes, and Trust Litigation Law. Josh founded California Estate Planning Services in April 2020.
Josh has been awarded:
the 40 under 40 award by the Corona Chamber in 2018
the Super Lawyers Rising Star award for 2017 through 2024 (which is the top 2.5% of California young attorneys)
and the Best Legal Services Award in Yorba Linda for 2022 and 2023
Josh has written numerous articles and has been published in or for:
Orange County Lawyer
Loyola Law School
Orange County Attorney Journal
Yorba Linda City Lifestyle
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Founder & Owner
California Estate Planning
Ricardo Lara
California Insurance Commissioner
California Department of Insurance
Ricardo Lara is California’s 8th Insurance Commissioner since voters created the elected position in 1988. As leader of the nation’s largest state consumer protection agency he will protect Californians’ futures.
About Ricardo Lara
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California Insurance Commissioner
California Department of Insurance
Jack Kauffman
Speaker
Xinnix
About Jack Kauffman
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Speaker
Xinnix
Marvin Hudson
Owner
Viewpoint Financial
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Owner
Viewpoint Financial
Tyler Bohn
Managing Director, National Accounts
Deephaven Mortgage
Tyler Bohn joined Deephaven in 2022 and is the Managing Director of Strategic and National Accounts. Tyler brings over 10 years of senior-level experience in the mortgage industry, most recently at Solidifi, where he served as Senior Vice President and National Sales Director. Before that, he held leadership positions at Incenter, First American Mortgage Solutions, American Home Mortgage Servicing, and Option One Mortgage. He holds a B.A. in Communications for the University of California, San Diego.
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Managing Director, National Accounts
Deephaven Mortgage
Connie Hwang
Owner
State Farm Insurance
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Owner
State Farm Insurance
Tiffany Cross
EVP National Sales
CredEvolv
About Tiffany Cross
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EVP National Sales
CredEvolv
Ryan O'Kane
Co Founder CEO
Arbor Financial Group
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Co Founder CEO
Arbor Financial Group
Dean Rathburn
Mortgage Banker
United American Mortgage
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Mortgage Banker
United American Mortgage
Joe Weber
Principal Business Development
Oakley Insurance Agency Inc
The first ten years of his Sales/Marketing experience was representing a Global top 25 consumer products company (CPG). Successfully introducing several revolutionary household, oral care and personal care products in the US market.
Joe Weber is an experienced professional in the insurance industry with over 30 years of experience. He began his career as a Captive Agent representing California State Auto Association (AAA). During his tenure he earned many sales achievements and was viewed as a pragmatic, results-oriented Agent. Learning very quickly that the commodity of insurance was very rewarding. Joe Weber is the President East Bay Independent Insurance Agents Association.
He has spent the last eight years of his career developing and expanding his industry knowledge, both in the Personal Lines and Commercial Lines business. Most recently, his was elected President of the East Bay Independent Insurance Agents Association (EBIIAA), this position has allowed him the opportunity to reimage this group with an emphasis on Agency Development along while introducing young professionals into the insurance industry. Today, Joe is a principal at Oakley Insurance Agency, managing a multi-state independent agency.
If insurance wasn't enough, he invested over 22 years of his life as an Appointed City Official serving on several Planning Commissions while supporting transportation improvements in Contra Costa County and the Eastern Contra Costa area. Joe also serves the Delta Schools Federal Credit Union as Board Chair. This two office (60M) operation has nearly a seventy year history of supporting financial literacy/financial success specifically for Educators and their families in the Delta Region.
Joe lives in Brentwood California, is married to his wife Kathleen and is a father to two teenage children. His hobbies include golfing, camping, fishing, officiating high school sports and one day strives to earn his credentials as a USGA rules official.
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Principal Business Development
Oakley Insurance Agency Inc
Keith Dabols
Account Executive
Community Wholesale Lending
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Account Executive
Community Wholesale Lending
Rob Chrisman
Consultant
Chrisman Commentary
Rob Chrisman began his career in mortgage banking – primarily capital markets – 38 years ago in 1985 with First California Mortgage, assisting in Secondary Marketing until 1988, when he joined Tuttle & Co., a leading mortgage pipeline risk management firm. He was an account manager and partner at Tuttle & Co. until 1996, when he moved to Scotland with his family for 9 months.
He returned to the United States in mid-1997 and ran Secondary for Standard Financial, a sub-prime lender in northern California. In late 1997 Rob was hired by CrossLand Mortgage to start, and be the president of, a sub-prime company named OnCall Mortgage (a division of CrossLand). OnCall Mortgage was in existence until Wells Fargo purchased First Security Bank (the owner of CrossLand) at the end of 2000.
Rob then joined CMG Mortgage, a wholesale mortgage bank, as the Director of Secondary Marketing. In early 2003 and re-joined Tuttle Risk Management Services, Inc. TRMS (now Compass) provides mortgage pipeline risk management for mortgage companies and thrifts that seek to originate and sell loans into the secondary mortgage market. In November of 2006 Rob left TRMS to become the Director of Capital Markets for RPM Mortgage, a retail residential lender you all know, leaving there in late 2008 to focus on not only publishing a widely read daily market commentary on current mortgage events but also on his family.
He is on the board of directors of Inheritance Funding Corporation, a financial services company which advances capital to heirs, of Doorway Home Loans, of AXIS Appraisal Management, and of the California MBA. He is also a member of the Secure Settlements Advisory Board, an associate of the STRATMOR Group, and of the Mortgage Bankers Association of the Carolinas and its membership committee. Rob has provided expert witness services for mortgage and real estate-related cases, has lectured to groups around the country.
Rob holds a BS from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and an MBA from UC Berkeley.
https://www.robchrisman.com/
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Consultant
Chrisman Commentary
Eric Zeier
National Sales Manager
Homeowners Financial Group
Eric Zeier is a Regional Sales Leader for Homeowners Financial Group, where he oversees all production responsibilities for the Southeast Region.
Eric began his mortgage career in 2002 at one of the areas strongest lenders, Homebanc. Eric enjoyed a successful run where he rose from Loan Officer to Branch Manager and ultimately a Regional Manager. Since 2009 Eric has worked at Bank of America and Academy Mortgage in a number of senior leadership roles throughout the Southeast.
Prior to Eric’s mortgage experience, he enjoyed a very successful collegiate and professional football career. Eric was all All-American quarterback at the University of Georgia. As a four-year starter he broke many school and SEC records, notably the most career passing yards in SEC history. Eric was a team captain and Heisman trophy finalist both his junior and senior year. Eric is a member of the University of Georgia Circle of Honor – which recognizes and pays tributes to extraordinary student-athletes and coaches who, by their performance and conduct, have brought honor to the University. Eric also serves as the Color Analyst for UGA football games alongside Scott Howard.
Eric went on to play six years in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Eric along with his wife Julie are very involved with the university and their community in several charitable endeavors.
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National Sales Manager
Homeowners Financial Group
Brian Levy
Counsel
Katten & Temple
I provide a full range of mortgage banking and financial service related regulatory, compliance and transactional guidance. I have extensive experience with RESPA matters (including marketing services agreements (MSA's), lead sharing, and affiliated business arrangements), loan originator compensation issues, mortgage repurchase defense and management, and other banking and mortgage banking regulations and enforcement. I also have unique experience in summer camp sales, credit advisory services, and commercial real estate and other transactions generally.
My practice is different in that I view myself as a businessman first, whose job is to creatively and efficiently enable clients to operate legally. As General Counsel at a mid-sized Midwest bank, I also managed several business functions, including mortgage divisions and salespeople. So, I understand the pressures and needs of business people and have designed my legal practice around meeting those needs; including using fixed fee proposals and other alternatives to the hourly rate whenever possible.
I am the author of Levy's Mortgage Musings blog (www.mortgagemusings.com), a member of the American College of Consumer Financial Service Lawyers and the American College of Mortgage Attorneys. I am also a frequent national conference speaker on issues such as mortgage repurchases, loan originator compensation, RESPA issues such as MSA's, joint marketing, lead sharing and affiliated business arrangements. In 2006, I was the Chairman of RESPRO (The Real Estate Services Providers Council) and was on its Executive Committee for 7 years. I served on the American Bankers Association’s Regulatory Compliance Conference Committee, ABA's Government Relations Admin Committee and I was the Vice-Chairman of ABA’s Mortgage Markets Committee in 2008-2009. I also was Chairman of the Milwaukee Children's Village, an alternative to the foster care system for large sibling groups and was Co-chair of the Mequon Thiensville School District Ad Hoc Committee in 2014.
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Counsel
Katten & Temple
Lester Kwok
Special Agent, Private Sector Engagement Coordinator
Federal Bureau of Investigation
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Special Agent, Private Sector Engagement Coordinator
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Irene Duford
Mindset Coach
Loan Team Training
Meet Irene Duford—the powerhouse with a staggering 26 years of mastery in the Mortgage industry. Not just an industry veteran, she's also a transformative coach who's been shaping the careers of top Loan Originators since 2012 through elite platforms like The Freedom Club and Mortgage Marketing Animals.
Irene is not just a Coach; she's a catalyst for success. She ignites the spark in her clients, teaching them the art of positive self-talk and strategic planning that turns dreams into reality.
But Irene noticed something—a recurring roadblock that was holding Loan Officers back. They were overwhelmed, hesitant to delegate, and lacked the time to train their teams effectively. That's when she had her "aha" moment. In 2019, she launched Loan Team Training, a groundbreaking initiative designed to supercharge the support staff of Loan Originators. They have several courses.
Her flagship course, WOW Training, is nothing short of revolutionary. It's an interactive, live training experience that equips Loan Assistants and support staff with the nuts and bolts of the industry—from foolproof systems and processes to compelling scripts and dialogues. The outcome? Teams that not only meet but exceed expectations, shattering business goals and raking in warm referrals like never before.
Away from her transformative work, Irene is a family woman at heart. She cherishes moments with her husband Kevin—who is also a trainer at Loan Team Training—and their family. A traveler, culture enthusiast, and eternal student of life, Irene's interests span from live music and theater to the simple joy of a day at the beach.
Connect with this Industry Dynamo:
LoanTeamTraining.com
Irene's LinkedIn
Loan Team Training Podcast
Loan Team Training on Facebook
Loan Team Training Instagram
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Mindset Coach
Loan Team Training
Monica La Crue
Affordable Lending Manager
Freddie Mac
Monica La Crue is an Affordable Lending Manager at Freddie Mac and part of the Single-Family Mission and Community Engagement team. She joined Freddie Mac in 2019 as part of the Real Estate Engagement outreach team. She works closely with industry diverse trade associations, real estate companies and local and State REALTOR associations.
Monica has been in the finance, mortgage, and real estate industry for over 13 years. She has worn various hats throughout her career and is well respected by her industry partners and known for her keen sense of customer relationships, program development, education, and events management.
Monica graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in History.
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Affordable Lending Manager
Freddie Mac
David Mendez
Affordable Lending Manager
Freddie Mac
David Mendez is an affordable lending manger in Freddie Mac’s Single-Family Client and Community Engagement division. He is responsible for building relationships with lenders, housing finance agencies, housing intermediaries and other stakeholders to provide responsible lending opportunities to first-time homebuyers, low-to-moderate income borrowers, and families in underserved markets.
In more than 20 years of experience in various roles in sales and operations, he has been responsible for exponential growth in the markets that he has served. Prior to joining Freddie Mac, he held a variety of positions in the primary market, including vice president and neighborhood lending sales performance manager at Bank of America.
Freddie Mac provides liquidity, stability and affordability to the nation’s residential mortgage markets. Freddie Mac supports communities by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Today, Freddie Mac is making home possible for one in four home borrowers and is one of the largest sources of financing for multifamily housing. For more information, please visit www.FreddieMac.com and follow us on Twitter @FreddieMac.
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Affordable Lending Manager
Freddie Mac
Jeff Wilson
President
Veterans Mortgage of America
Co-Owner and President of Veterans Mortgage of America as well as Owner of Veteran Housing Educators and Consulting.
36 years of experience in the mortgage industry serving Veterans in their journey toward home ownership.
VA Loan Guaranty Officer, Phoenix VA Regional Loan Center
• 36 years experience leading highly motivated people.
• 30 years in the mortgage banking industry.
Specialties: Mortgage Lending/origination/servicing
Logistics and Transportation analysis
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President
Veterans Mortgage of America
Sara Middleton
Chief Growth Officer
Movement Mortgage
A true trailblazer, Sarah Middleton has accumulated an impressive 36-year track record in the mortgage industry. In 2022, she stepped into the role of Chief Growth Officer, leveraging her profound expertise, personal experience, and leadership to foster the growth of Movement Mortgage.
Before joining Movement, Sarah served as the President of Sales Development and Recruitment at Fairway Independent Mortgage for an impressive nine years. Her influence extended to the position of CEO at Fairway Ignite, Fairway's internal coaching platform, where she played a key role in its successful launch in 2016.
Sarah's illustrious career includes regional leadership positions at Guild Mortgage Company and Liberty Financial Group. During her tenure at Guild, she transformed yearly closed loans from $0 to an astounding $2 billion.
As an originator, she achieved unparalleled success, setting a record in Colorado by closing over $2 billion and 11,700 units—an extraordinary testament to her exceptional skills and unwavering dedication. Sarah credits her incredible team, which she has managed for over 20 years with the same two instrumental teammates.
In her current role as Chief Growth Officer at Movement Mortgage, Sarah spearheads nationwide initiatives to attract, onboard, and cultivate sales leaders. Her passion for creation, building, and growth is not just a professional mission but a personal one, as she empowers loan officers and managers to dream bigger and achieve their loftiest aspirations.
Since joining Movement in 2022, she initiated the Product Advisory Board, which contributed to adding over 1,000 new products in less than a year, and also launched the VA Advisory Board and the Changemakers Advisory Board.
Furthermore, she collaborated with the Onboarding and Training team to revamp the entire experience by streamlining their processes.
One of her most significant successes since joining Movement was the Virtual Impact Summit, hosting industry leaders nationwide who shared raw and real insights on the industry. Sarah also oversees the MMPACT Coaching team at Movement, where she serves as a coach herself.
Since her arrival in 2022, she has achieved a lot, and there is ample opportunity ahead.
Beyond her professional triumphs, Sarah finds joy in her personal life, residing in Columbine Valley, CO, with her husband, affectionately known as “Miracle Mark.” Their growing family, now including a precious grandbaby, adds to the richness of her life.
https://movement.com/
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Chief Growth Officer
Movement Mortgage
Michelle Velez
Immediate Past President
California Association of Mortgage Professionals
About Michelle Velez
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Immediate Past President
California Association of Mortgage Professionals
Dale DiGennaro
President
California Association of Mortgage Professionals
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President
California Association of Mortgage Professionals
Leigh McMahon
Government Affairs Co-Chair
California Association of Mortgage Professionals
Leigh McMahon comes to Movement Mortgage with over a decade of experience serving in both the real estate and mortgage industry. Leigh has a optimal training foundation to managing all aspects of mortgage transactions from first time home buyers to the most complicated mortgage transactions in the business. You can rely on Leigh to deliver optimal results in today’s dynamic and ever changing market.
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Government Affairs Co-Chair
California Association of Mortgage Professionals
Jason Bellevue
Government Affairs Chair
California Association of Mortgage Professionals
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Government Affairs Chair
California Association of Mortgage Professionals
Molly Ellis
Training & Outreach Manager
California Housing
https://www.calhfa.ca.gov/
About Molly Ellis
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Training & Outreach Manager
California Housing
Ryan Riesterer
Founder & Principal
Riesterer Law Ltd.
Ryan Riesterer is the founder and principal at Riesterer Law, Ltd., a boutique firm
focused on mortgage company and trade association representation. For over 16 years,
Ryan has helped mortgage brokers and lenders of all sizes establish and protect their
businesses, advocate for positive legislative and regulatory changes and stay compliant
with a myriad of complex regulations.
Ryan believes in a pragmatic and proactive approach to legal representation. He
focuses on helping clients deploy creative and compliant solutions and strategies that
empower their businesses to succeed.
Ryan regularly advises clients on business organization, operations, and expansion, as
well as contracts. He is particularly experienced in helping clients understand and
navigate state and federal regulations related to advertising, licensing, data privacy and
employee vs. independent contractor classification. Ryan additionally draws upon his
extensive industry knowledge and experience to help clients stay in compliance with
RESPA and TILA (including TRID), the SAFE Act, and the Loan Officer Compensation
Rules, among other state and federal regulatory requirements.
About Ryan Riesterer
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Founder & Principal
Riesterer Law Ltd.
Casey Cunningham
CEO & Founder
XINNIX
Casey “Blade” Cunningham
CEO and Founder
With more than 35 years of broad experience in sales, operations, human resources, performance development and executive leadership, Casey is one of the most influential visionaries in the industry today. Casey has served as Executive Vice President of a $4 billion super regional mortgage company and earned recognition as one of the highest-ranking female executives in the industry.
As the chief designer and architect of the most proven and highly acclaimed mortgage training programs in the country, Casey has positioned XINNIX as the nation’s premier sales, operations, and leadership performance company. Veterans throughout the country rave about Casey’s business development and leadership programs as they reach unparalleled levels of production.
Since establishing XINNIX in 2002, Casey has recruited and led talented men and women from diverse industries to help XINNIX earn a total of 30 awards, 27 of which are for the company’s culture, including “Great Place to Work” and “Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Nation.” Additionally, The Atlanta Women’s Pacesetters List recognized Casey as the city’s fifth most influential female business owner. She was also named one of the ‘Top Female Entrepreneurs’ by Atlanta Woman Magazine, a Roaring Twenty awards winner with NAWRB, the National Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses and – for the second time – one of HousingWire’s Women of Influence in 2018. Most recently, she was named one of Mortgage Banker Magazine’s 2022 Legends of Lending.
In addition to leading a thriving company, Casey is a national keynote speaker and consistently receives outstanding reviews from industry executives and their audiences. Her knowledge of the industry and exposure to thousands of mortgage companies and leaders allows her to speak first-hand about industry trends, best practices, and growth strategies.
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CEO & Founder
XINNIX
John Wise
Executive Vice President
NewFi
John Wise, EVP of Sales for Newfi Wholesale. John has 30+ years of experience in Mortgage and Real Estate with a heavy focus on the TPO Non-Agency space. John is an entrepreneur at heart having started or helped to start multiple mortgage and real estate firms. For most of his professional career, whether working for Goldman Sachs in New York or running his own mortgage company, his service-based approach has always been the foundation of his success.
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Executive Vice President
NewFi
Eric Morgenson
Vice President of Business Development
Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions
You know Eric Morgenson, business development, here at Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions, as an expert and reliable consultant supporting brokers and correspondents. We would like for you to get to know him even better!
Eric is one of our top producers and credits his success by realizing that the amount of effort you put in to something is directly related to the amount of gains you will make. For the past 30 years he has built a successful career in real estate, sub-prime and non-QM alternative mortgage solutions. His favorite thing about Angel Oak is our execution and the fact that we can get loans in and funded quickly.
He resides on the West Coast and is a fan of the Golden State Warriors. During football season, however, his allegiance lies with the East Coast and cheering for the Baltimore Ravens.
He loves music and claims his top three bands to be U2, The Stones and The Beatles. Eric stays active playing golf, beach volleyball, and snowboarding.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmorgenson/
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Vice President of Business Development
Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions
Todd Harris
National Production Manager
Lendsure
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National Production Manager
Lendsure
Amanda Silber
Branch Manager
Movement Mortgage
Amanda's goal is to ensure each of her clients feels empowered, educated, and understood for their own unique story, motives, and goals. "When you work with me, you'll get every piece of info you could want or need. Education is key." Amanda says. Originally from the Redwoods in Northern CA, Amanda moved to San Diego to pursue a BA in Poli Sci. Since 2013 her years in the mortgage industry have been a swift climb to the top. Today, she has achieved the accolades of: Top 1% originator in the country, top women originator in the country and #1 producer in San Diego for her company. Success aside, Amanda's true passion always comes back to guiding her clients. Together with Movement, she's revolutionizing the way mortgages are done and how the industry is perceived.
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Branch Manager
Movement Mortgage
Steven Thomas
Founder
Reports on Housing
Steven Thomas founded Reports On Housing in 2004 as a way to communicate what buyers, sellers and real estate professionals were experiencing in the trenches, tracking demand, inventory, distressed homes and market data at both the county and city levels. Steven Thomas, a California Real Estate Broker with decades of real estate experience and a degree in Quantitative Economics and Decision Sciences from the University of California, San Diego, developed Reports On Housing and is considered an expert in real estate housing trends.
Reports On Housing has been utilized and quoted by the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Times, the San Diego Tribune, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, USA Today, Bloomberg, ABC, CBS and NBC television reporters, Cox Cable Television, KNX1070, KFIAM640, blogs and Internet news sites.
Additional info:
Utilizing his Quantitative Economics and Decision Sciences background coupled with his years of experience in the real estate field as a REALTOR®, broker, and executive of a multi-office real estate franchise, Steven Thomas delivers a report that captures the true essence of the current real estate market.
Most economic housing reports analyze and discuss closed sales data, a look at the market through the rearview mirror. Closed sales are a reflection of pending sales that are put together 30 to 60-days prior to the closing. Reports on Housing’s report is a close look at supply and demand, the current listing inventory, current pending sale activity, and the expected market time for homes placed onto the market today. It is more of a current real estate market dashboard than a look in the rearview mirror.
https://reportsonhousing.com/
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Founder
Reports on Housing
Bill Exeter
CEO & Founder
Exeter 1031 Exchange
As the CEO of The Exeter Group of Companies, I oversee a family of companies that provide innovative and comprehensive specialty solutions for real estate investors, such as 1031 Exchanges, Self-Directed IRAs and Self-Directed Individual 401(k) Plans, Title Holding Trusts (Land Trusts), Specialty Holding Escrows and Self-Directed custody accounts. I have been in the financial services industry for more than forty (40) years.
My mission is to deliver a better, safer, and more secure experience for our clients, who entrust us with their 1031 Exchange funds, alternative investments, and non-traditional assets. To achieve this, I leverage my expertise in banking, trust, and investment services, and collaborate with a team of professionals who share my values of integrity, excellence, and innovation. I also enjoy educating and empowering investors through writing, lecturing, and training on various topics related to real estate investing.
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CEO & Founder
Exeter 1031 Exchange
Mark Luzi
Sales Manager
Lendsure
Mark Luzi
Sales Manager
LendSure Mortgage Corp
Mark Luzi is the Western U.S. sales manager for LendSure Mortgage Corp. Luzi has been in the mortgage industry since 1997. Previously, he was division manager for Accredited Home Lenders, where he managed over 300 employees in all aspects of origination, underwriting and closing loans. Luzi is passionate about helping borrowers and supporting his origination partners. This drives him to find logical and commonsense solutions to make loans work.
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Sales Manager
Lendsure
Kina De Santis
Founder & Realtor
reframe
Kina De Santis — a 2022 RealTrends Best Real Estate Professional and Orange Coast magazine Real Estate All-Star — entered the workforce when she was 13 years old and became an entrepreneur while still in high school. At the age of 17, after her ideas were selected at a startup convention, Kina launched an angel-backed startup and concurrently operated Chapman University’s entrepreneur organization — endeavors that probably taught her more than any college curriculum could. To say she knows a thing or two about running a business and ensuring client satisfaction is an understatement.
After graduating with a business administration degree from Chapman, Kina ran operations at various startups, concurrently earning her real estate license. Kina sold her first home to a friend at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which showed her what was missing from the typical real estate process. She took hundreds of calls from people just looking for help, learned the art of managing transactions, and built her business by actively sharing industry information on social media to lower real estate’s barrier to entry. Once Kina committed to real estate 100%, it took her only a month to get her career in gear. She sold 73 homes in her first two years as a full-time agent.
Tech-centric, Kina relies heavily on innovative tools to create a seamless process for her clients. Because most of Kina’s clientele comprises first-time buyers and sellers, she walks them through every step of the transaction to ensure they understand what they need to know to invest wisely. She even shares educational videos and breaks down contracts, making sure her clients are clear about what they’re signing and what that means for them long-term. With additional expertise in renovating and remodeling homes, Kina’s able to gauge the scope of essential projects, enlisting a team of professionals to transform homes, both presale and post-purchase.
But Kina does much more than close transactions by providing superior experiences. She treats clients exactly how she’d like to be treated and delivers excellence regardless of their situation or price point. Her company, reframe, is redefining the real estate landscape by dominating the social media sphere, turning renters into homeowners, and celebrating its clients’ wins in a big way. Kina’s calendar is usually stacked, but she always makes time for people.
About Kina De Santis
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Founder & Realtor
reframe
Ben Bellevue
Producer
Dead Meat
Ben Bellevue is a Producer and Brand Manager at Dead Meat Productions, the leading horror movie channel on Youtube. With a background in storytelling and a lifetime spent online, Ben has an innate understanding of how to approach and create for the digital landscape. He’s experienced in developing web shows, podcasts, and social media strategies that account for shifting trends in the digital landscape while also maintaining an online identity that is unique and true to its creator.
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Producer
Dead Meat
Esther Yamashirto
Housing Program Officer
U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development
About Esther Yamashirto
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Housing Program Officer
U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development
Gordon Chin
Regional Sales Director
Advantage Credit
Gordon Chin has over 25-years of experience in the credit reporting industry. He founded Cal Coast Credit Reports in 1997, which later became Clear Choice Credit. He served as the CEO of the company until 2019 when the company was acquired by Advantage Credit, Inc. He is responsible for growing the Independent Mortgage Broker Division at Advantage Credit through developing partnerships with companies such as United Wholesale Mortgage, ARIVE, Lending Pad and the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME).
Growing up in San Francisco, California he has served as an Ambassador for the Silicon Valley California Association of Mortgage Professionals in past years. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and a Juris Doctorate Degree with an emphasis in Corporate Law.
He is married with two kids and spends most of his time wining and dining with his family. He loves traveling, fitness, and outdoor activities.
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Regional Sales Director
Advantage Credit
Juan Fuentes
Insurance Agency Owner & Agent
Farmers Insurance Agency
Juan C. Fuentes is a Farmers Insurance Agency Owner/Agent who provides insurance solutions for individuals and business. He is passionate about reviewing exposures and assets to develop a customized insurance protection plan to protect the wealth of individuals and businesses. He is quickly becoming a top agent in the Southern California District.
Juan has over 25 years of experience helping people with problem-solving, planning execution, and follow-up. He has been focused on the insurance industry for the past 11 years. His primary interests include educating individuals and businesses to be able to make informed decisions, showing people the importance of having the right coverage to protect their individual wealth, and giving that personalized one-on-one service allowing people to feel confident about their insurance plan.
Juan graduated from the University of California, Riverside with a BS in Psychology. Juan is a dually licensed Insurance professional in both Property & Casualty and Life & Health.
Juan resides in Pomona with his wife, Erica Fuentes; they have 2 children; a graduate from the University of San Diego and currently holding a position with Citizens Business Bank, and the other is working for UPS. He enjoys playing basketball and golf, coaching youth sports and serving on the Board of Directors for both the La Verne Chamber of Commerce and CAMPSGV (California Association of Mortgage Professionals – San Gabriel Valley Chapter)
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Insurance Agency Owner & Agent
Farmers Insurance Agency
David Rubenstein
Managing Broker
Pro Mortgage
Raised in a Real Estate Family, David was introduced to the Industry at a young age, helping his Dad organize loan files and going to open homes with his Mom. It’s on this foundation that David built his Mortgage Practice. Over the last 10+ years, he has used that breadth of knowledge to help hundreds of families realize their dream of home ownership and real estate investing goals. His passion for handling complex transactions truly sets him apart from the competition; no loan is too complicated and no closing timeline is too short. His creative approach to financing provides his clients with the concierge-level service one expects from a boutique firm while offering rates and programs that outperform the big banks.
David has been integral in growing and managing The Team at ProMortgage. He is an advocate for his Loan Originators, often working alongside them to figure out tricky deals. His breadth of guideline knowledge is priceless when navigating complex transactions. In a pinch, there’s nobody better to have on your team.
David is a true Bay Area and California native, attending Tam High School in Mill Valley and UCLA for his bachelor’s degree with a focus on Politics and Law. As a lifelong Person Who Stutters, David is committed to helping the stuttering community and is deeply involved in the National Stuttering Association (NSA). He often speaks at the annual NSA conferences, where he deals with overcoming personal hurdles and changing inner dialogue around your own perceived disadvantages. His theory is any weakness can be turned into a strength! David is an expert networker and is constantly looking for ways to connect with like-minded people. He is currently serving as President of the North Bay Chapter of the California Association of Mortgage Professionals (NB CAMP). He lives in San Anselmo with his amazing Personal Chef wife, Carrie Anne, and their adorable 2-year-old son, Roman.
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Managing Broker
Pro Mortgage
Shon Washington
AVP, of Real Estate Agent Relations
United Wholesale Mortgage
As AVP of Real Estate Agent Relations at United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), Shon Washington makes it his goal to bridge the gap between real estate agents and independent mortgage brokers.
In his current role, Shon conducts productive conversations with thousands of real estate agents across the country to educate them on the unmatched benefits of working with an independent mortgage broker. Shon has been with UWM for over a decade and has closed almost $10 billion in loans, with his main motivator being to grow market share for the wholesale channel. Born and raised in Detroit Michigan, Shon has a proven track record of delivering elite client experience and exceptional results consistently.
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AVP, of Real Estate Agent Relations
United Wholesale Mortgage
Tracie Schmidt
Branch Manager
Supreme Lending
Tracie Schmidt is a seasoned professional in the mortgage industry based in San Diego, CA bringing over two decades of expertise to her current role as Producing Branch Manager and Team Builder at Supreme Lending.
Her dedication and commitment to excellence have been acknowleged by platforms like Scottsman Guide as a top woman originator and MPA as an Elite Woman with a featured article on traits needed to be a female leader in mortgage. She co-authored a book not for profit titled “Making Mortgages Easy” to share with potential homebuyers to bring ease to their home buying journey.
Tracie will hold the role of CAMP’s San Diego Chapter Membership Chair for the 2024-2025 year.
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Branch Manager
Supreme Lending
Jason Stone
Managing Partner
Secura Financial
Jason Stone is managing partner of Secura Financial and has been a financial advisor since 2008.
With Secura he focuses on comprehensive financial planning with all clients and also assists in wealth management in a variety of areas.
He has broad experience in real estate investments previously working for firms in REO, development and conversions, had his residential license and now consults on 1031 exchanges into DSTs and works with companies to invest in opportunity zone funds.
Additional info:
Jason Stone, CFP®, CPWA® has been in the financial services industry since 2008. Jason earned degrees in both Management and Finance from California State University Long Beach. Jason has been a member of numerous networking groups and organizations, and is a founding member of BNI Playmakers. He is now the Chairman of the Board for Comprehensive Child Development in Long Beach, a non-profit organization that specializes in early childhood education and support to families. Jason is married with three kids, Landen, Avery and Owen. In his free time, he is a sports nut and passionate about service to others.
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Managing Partner
Secura Financial
Michael Nasserfar
Builder Division - Texas
Movement Mortgage
About Michael Nasserfar
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Builder Division - Texas
Movement Mortgage
