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TH E M R EP O RT | 55 O R I G I NAT I O N S E R V I C I N G DATA G O V E R N M E N T S E C O N DA R Y M A R K E T THE LATEST ORIGINATION LOCAL EDITION Mortgage Companies Collaborate with LGBT Groups AN EVENT IN LA CENTERED ON RESOLVING HOMEOWNERSHIP, WORKPLACE-INCLUSION, AND GENDER IDENTITY ISSUES. On Friday, June 15, the American Mortgage Diversity Council (AMDC) and Bank of America hosted the latest in a series of LGBT Town Halls, this one un - folding in Los Angeles, California. Hosted at Bank of America's Hollywood office, the event brought together participating servicers and local LGBT commu - nity groups for a day of discus- sion regarding homeownership and workplace-inclusion issues affecting the LGBT community. The event was the fourth such town hall the AMDC organized this year, with previous ones happening in Dallas, Chicago, and Miami. Participating organiza - tions included Bank of America, Covenant House California, The Five Star Institute, Fannie Mae, Lambda Legal, Landmark, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals (NAGLREP), PennyMac, The Trevor Project, and U.S. Bank. Following opening remarks from AMDC Executive Director Derek Templeton and Kathy Cummings, SVP, Consumer Education at Bank of America and AMDC Chair, participants discussed Homeownership and Fair Housing in the LGBT Community. This segment featured John Graff, Chair, NAGLREP Policy Committee. After a brief break, the focus shifted to Workplace Inclusion and Gender Identity Discrimination hosted by Shedrick Davis, Western Regional Director for Lambda Legal. Lambda Legal is a national legal organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and people with HIV. Following lunch, Alana Weinroth, Development Officer, Covenant House California, led a discussion about LGBT Youth Homelessness before Templeton wrapped up event with closing remarks. "The American Mortgage Diversity Council is committed to continuing to work toward an industry and a culture that is inclusive of all," Templeton told DS News. "Today's discussions were useful toward gaining fur- ther understanding of the unique concerns of the LGBT communi- ty. We look forward to continu- ing this important work." In addition to promoting a dialogue between banks, mortgage companies, and LGBT community organizations, this series of AMDC Town Halls will culminate in the creation of a white paper report that will be circulated to thought leaders across the country, includ - ing mortgage industry leaders, housing-policy experts, and partici- pating LGBT organizations. Cornerstone Mortgage Among 2018 Top Workplaces THE MORTGAGE LENDER'S VALUING OF TEAMWORK AND EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION SUPPORTS ITS CUSTOMER SERVICE. MISSOURI // St. Louis-based independent mortgage lender Cornerstone Mortgage has been named a 2018 top workplace in Missouri by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The division of Guild Mortgage was ranked eleventh in the midsized company category and featured among the top work- places for the seventh consecutive year on this list. Cornerstone said it also earned the Ethics Award for receiving the highest score based on responses to the survey ques- tion, "This company operates by strong values and ethics." Based on survey responses from more than 44,000 people, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch recognized 150 employers as Top Workplaces for 2018. The winners range from small businesses to some of the region's biggest corporations and share several key characteristics, including effective leadership, strong values, clear direction, and motivated workers. "Teamwork and employee sat- isfaction are extremely important to our culture of customer service, so we are proud to once again be recognized as a Top Workplace," said Angi Stevenson, Cornerstone's President and CEO. "The passion and dedication of our employees have helped us continue to grow as we provide an ever-expanding array of mortgage options to more homebuyers in the Midwest. Their continued satisfaction with leader- ship and trust in the future of the company as part of Guild provide a solid foundation for continued growth throughout the region." Guild Mortgage, one of the largest independent mortgage lenders in the U.S., acquired Cornerstone earlier this year. "Of the many things that attracted us to Cornerstone, its culture of collaboration and commitment to empowering its people were at the top of the list," said Mary Ann McGarry, President and CEO of Guild Mortgage. "The results of this survey validate our new combined direction and belief that Cornerstone and Guild would be stronger together. We congratulate Angi and her team for continuing to be recognized as one of the finest companies in the St. Louis region." Cornerstone Mortgage has 18 branches and nearly 200 em - ployees in Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas. The company employs LOCAL EDITION ORIGINATION