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Issue link: http://digital.themreport.com/i/1478106
38 | M R EP O RT An MReport Issue Featuring Five Star Conference's Awards Finalists What Others Are Saying "Chris is an exemplary leader, innovative businesswoman, and strong woman advocate. During her impressive 30-year career in the industry, she has led Usherpa since 1995. Usherpa has helped tens of thousands of loan officers and real estate agents increase their production with its Smart CRM. These Realtors and Loan Officers have helped hundreds of thousands of borrowers become homeowners. As a female business owner, she employs a staff of over 2/3 women and has personally helped mentor and build their careers. Over the past 12 months, with the implementation of Chris' strategy and direction, Usherpa grew more than 25%, attracting several leading companies." What This Nomination Means to Her "While I'm not used to being the focus of attention—my work and passion has always been about creating the very best product that would help our clients be even more successful—I was incredibly honored when I got word of this nomination. Knowing it is based on feedback from my peers makes me so proud to be working in this industry. I'm proud of the work Usherpa does and very proud of the industry partners we've made. We work with the best companies, and I'm feel incredibly privileged that they would consider me for this recognition." What Others Are Saying "Melissa has more than 20 years' experience in mortgage origination compliance and a decade of mortgage-related software development, testing, and compliance experience. She is an expert at implementing compliance solutions through technology. Melissa has authored numerous mortgage compliance training programs, is a frequent speaker at industry conferences, and is the founder of the Vendor Regulatory Work Group, a forum for technologists to discuss regulatory implementation, meet with regulators, and remain current on the ever-evolving regulatory landscape. She is a member of multiple mortgage associations and committees, and her contributions have been recognized throughout the industry." What This Nomination Means to Her "Passion and purpose are two words I often use to describe my career. I find it so fulfilling to educate and guide our industry's finest as they work hard to smartly and compliantly navigate the homebuying process. It's no small feat to keep up with our industry's ever-evolving laws and policies, which is why I am so passionate about being a trusted resource for the mortgage industry as we all work to serve those looking to achieve the dream of homeownership. I am incredibly honored and grateful to be nominated for the Laurie Maggiano Legacy Award and view it as a testament to all the great strides we've collectively made to forward our industry." Christina Harrington President and Co-Founder Usherpa Melissa Kozicki Director of Compliance Mortgage Cadence The Laurie A. Maggiano Legacy Award The award recognizes women whose accomplishments have left an indelible impact on the industry and positively influenced homeownership within the past year (minimum 20 years' consecutive industry experience).