TheMReport — News and strategies for the evolving mortgage marketplace.
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20 | TH E M R EP O RT FEATURE may not have had access to the traditional circles of influence from the decades-old relationships from which their male counter- parts have benefitted. Yet these outsiders have formed truly dis- ruptive alliances that push busi- ness forward and generate value for clients and their companies. From diversity boards and conference events to LinkedIn groups and organized networking efforts, these circles of influence connect high-performing women with their colleagues to share ideas, contacts, and business. Ask any female leader in the industry if she is a member of any of these groups, and it's clear the asso- ciation and discovery of diverse professionals in the mortgage industry have paid off for their companies and personal careers in ways that are directly impacting revenue and growth. Debra Key, CEO of East2West, and her female business partners started their appraisal management firm from these types of women's networking relationships. Key joined forces with two women she met during her 28-year tenure in the mortgage industry. Sarah Cabral, now East2West's COO, and Ilyn Baracewicz, East2West's Chief Appraiser, had previously worked together as colleagues. They rec- ognized early on the value of high performance and culture alignment within each other and struck out on their own this year. Maria Kuczynski is a 25-year veteran of the lending industry managing real estate financing at Arbor Financial Group. She has built her business on referrals and business partnerships. To make her transactions move seamlessly, she constructed her team of lend- ers and an appraisal management company to best service her cli- ents' specifications and needs. "As we all know, you are as good as your communication and follow- up in business, and East2West exemplifies this belief in how they conduct their business model." Revving Up Revenue I t's clear the time has come to abandon old stereotypes, recognize women as revenue- driving forces in the mortgage industry, and actively seek women in leadership as a proven accelerator for business growth. Women founders and business leaders across all in- dustries are proving to produce higher ROI for stakeholders, and we're seeing these statistics play out in the mortgage industry. We all acknowledge that diver- sity matters as a moral obligation and is "the right thing to do," but it's increasingly clear that doing the right thing is actually far more profitable and drives greater value for companies and their clients. That's great news for everyone in our industry. CRAIG ZIELAZNY is VP Data and Analytics, Mercury Network. 813.387.1100 | MCS360.COM | INFO@MCS360.COM | 350 HIGHLAND DRIVE | SUITE 100 | LEWISVILLE, TX | 75067 The Industry Leader in Property Registrations. CUSTOMIZED REPORTING & TRACKING FINE RECONCILLIATION & NEGOTIATION LONG RUNNING RELATIONSHIPS WITH MUNICIPALITIES PROPERTY INTERNAL MATRIX NATIONWIDE COVERAGE PROPERTY GEO-CODING EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE MULTI-LAYER QUALITY REVIEW PROCESS P R O U D S U P P O R TE R S E P T E M B E R 1 9 T H , 2 0 1 7 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 T H , 2 0 1 7 P R O U D S U P P O R TE R