TheMReport — News and strategies for the evolving mortgage marketplace.
Issue link: http://digital.themreport.com/i/1285919
M R EP O RT | 41 Suzy Lindblom COO, Planet Home Lending, LLC Throughout her four-decade career, Suzy Lindblom's central focus has been understanding what drives satisfaction for business partners, customers, and employees. An award-winning leader and industry expert, Lindblom drives operational success by knowing the numbers and loving the people. She relishes the challenge of building a business by bringing people together and motivating them to succeed. Lindblom is known throughout the mortgage banking industry as an outstanding communicator and leader with a knack for identifying and mentoring future leaders. Her not-so-secret superpower is her ability to keep employees positively engaged while boosting productivity and business process efficiency. She joined Planet Home Lending in 2017 as EVP of National Operations and was promoted to COO one and half years later and now manages IT, Marketing, Human Resources, Fulfillment, Credit Risk, Distributed Retail Sales, and Strategic Initiatives. She was previously Managing Director of National Fulfillment and Operations at Stearns Lending and held leadership roles at MetLife Home Loans, NationStar Mortgage, Countrywide Bank/Bank of America, and CitiMortgage. During her time at Planet Home Mortgage, Lindblom was credited with developing process efficiencies within the company that resulted increased cost savings and improved customer service. "Being nominated for the Laurie A. Maggiano Legacy award in 2020 is an unbelievable privilege, and I am humbled to be considered," Lindblom said. "This award shows the strength of women in the mortgage industry, which the namesake and previous recipients have embodied in their careers. I am very passionate about the mortgage industry and will continue to assist in bringing it to the next generation, not only in homeownership but in potential careers." Susan Stewart CEO, SWBC Mortgage Corp. Under the leadership of Susan Stewart, San Antonio-headquartered SWBC Mortgage has grown from three employees serving the Texas market to more than 650 employees in over 70 branch locations across 43 states. The company generates $3 billion in annual sales and has a servicing portfolio of more than $10 billion. Stewart's leadership abilities have been recognized across the industry. She is Chairwoman-Elect of the MBA, is a Past Vice Chairwoman of MBA's Residential Board of Governors, and is a current board member of Opens Doors Foundation, the trade group's philanthropic endeavor. She is also a past president of the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association and the San Antonio Mortgage Bankers. In an interview with San Antonio Woman magazine, Stewart credited the corporate culture at SWBC in nurturing her skills when she joined the company in 1989. "When I first came here, they celebrated every success I had, big or small," she recalled. "Even if I make a mistake, I know it is my responsibility to resolve it and move on." She added that "kindness and trust are part of the company's DNA" and she seeks to pay that attitude forward in encouraging the next wave of women in mortgage banking. "You might go into a job interview and meet only men in senior executive positions, but there is no reason that you cannot earn one of those positions in the future," she stated. "Don't worry about if you like the job, worry about if your employer is pleased with your work. Work hard, and you will succeed. Be completely honest. Change jobs if you are stuck, and keep moving forward." Maria Vergara Director of Strategic Business Relationships Team, Fannie Mae Maria Vergara joined Fannie Mae in December 2019, after four years as President of NAHREP Consulting Services (NCS). At NCS, she worked closely with mortgage lenders who desired to improve their outreach to underserved mar- kets. Prior, she spent 16 years at CitiMortgage as Director of Strategic Markets, where she was responsible for overseeing the company's CRA goals, affordable, and minority lending. She previously held executive positions in organiza- tions focused on Hispanic consumers as President and Co-Founder of Avanza Marketing Services, Director of Multicultural Markets at Edward Jones, and a licensed financial advisor at Prudential/ Wachovia. Vergara's career has created a skillset that enables her to understand and respond to the financial and housing considerations of the multicultural consumer. Through her leadership, she has tirelessly advocated for the mortgage industry to move beyond stereotypes that persist regarding nonwhite communities. "Diverse markets are many times seen as the low- and moderate-income segment, but that is a narrow and short-sighted view," she wrote in a 2018 blog post. "Although many minority groups are still working hard to fill the gap between their income and the income levels in the overall market, there has been a great deal of progress made." As a result of her career, Vergara has helped numerous minority households achieve home- ownership, enabling them to build a future of prosperity and economic stability. ""These are unprecedented times," Vergara said, "and I truly believe we all can make a difference to improve the world we live in. September is Hispanic heritage month, where we celebrate the contributions of Hispanic Americans. I am priveldged to work in this space and to continue to strive for racial equality for all Americans."