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Issue link: http://digital.themreport.com/i/1175308
20 | TH E M R EP O RT KEYSTONE AWARD RECIPIENTS THE RISING BUSINESS LEADER AWARD RECIPIENT Nicole Booth VP of Public Policy, Quicken Loans Nicole Booth said she is still in shock that she was the recipient of the Rising Business Leader Award at the Women in Housing Leadership Awards Banquet, part of the 2019 Five Star Conference & Expo. "There are a lot of leaders and innovators in the industry, and I'm honored to even be considered among them," Booth said. "I just feel lucky to be able to focus on policy issues at the intersection of technology and housing and to be part of an industry that assists in the American Dream of homeownership." Booth said that the consumer is ultimately the one who benefits most from collaboration, lifting each other up, and diversifying as an industry. "As we continue to work on the future of housing, we have the opportunity to unify our voices to advocate for the housing industry and for the consumers' end goal of getting keys to a home," Booth said. Booth told MReport that she came from a strong family of women and that they all factored into how she was raised, as well as the person she is today. She also noted that many women have "passed it on" and taken a chance on her, even when she didn't see that potential in herself at the time. She added that it is important to have "flexible goal setting" that is centered around your passion. "When I first started out, I never would have dreamed of working for a congressman, living in D.C., or, now, leading what I consider the best state government affairs team in the business," she said. "I've always been passionate about my home, so I have put myself in situations that help my home state, and I was glad to get the opportunity to move back to Michigan." Booth said she is proud to be part of a company that invests in the community, especially the city of Detroit, and that she is glad to be able to assist in Quicken Loans' mission of building strong communities. THE CULTURAL LEADER AWARD RECIPIENT Deborah Garcia- Gratacos President and CEO, DEVAL LLC Deborah Garcia- Gratacos told MReport that receiving the Keystone award was deeply meaningful to her, and that it highlights the fact that the industry must not just talk about the issues, but they must also act upon them. "I encourage all leaders to recognize the important value and impact that these efforts can have on the industry," she said. She added that the most important lesson she has learned over her 2019 Keystone Awards S E P T E M B E R 2 5 , H YAT T R EG E N C Y DA L L A S For the second year in a row, the annual Five Star Conference & Expo hosted the Women in Housing Leadership Awards Banquet, during which the Five Star Institute recognized women who have made a mark on the industry through the presentation of the Keystone Awards. Read on to learn more about the award recipients for each of our five categories. career is to "be present at the table"—to contribute and engage the industry on issues affecting women. Garcia-Gratacos added that "our life experience and our strengths should act as a catalyst for change." Garcia-Gratacos said her life has been filled with many mentors, but the most influential was her mother, who she said provided words of encouragement and strength that allowed Garcia-Gratacos to continue striving in a male-dominated industry. She said, "Today, I am pleased to see more women at all levels in the mortgage industry, but much work remains in order to increase the number of women in our industry. It is important to surround yourself with strong women who can support you and mentor you." She added that she currently mentors several different women, paying forward the help that she herself received along the way. She looks forward to continuing to leverage available resources in reaching out to Congress, the GSEs, investors, and other stakeholders on the importance of providing loss- mitigation documentation in Spanish to Spanish-speaking borrowers.