TheMReport — News and strategies for the evolving mortgage marketplace.
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36 | TH E M R EP O RT Ann Thorn Ann Thorn Executive of Mortgage and Vehicle Servicing Operations // Bank of America Ann Thorn has spent more than 25 years as a trailblazer in the mortgage industry, earning an extensive amount of experience leading large mortgage operations in the areas of originations, servicing, and default. Over the past decade, Thorn has led numerous high-risk projects related to regulatory compliance during a time when the housing environment was most volatile. Thorn currently leads Mortgage and Vehicle Servicing Operations at Bank of America, which is comprised of more than 4,500 mortgage and vehicle-lending professionals in Post Closing, Document Oversight, Servicing Administration, Cash Operations, Investor Asset Management, External Servicing Oversight, Consumer Vehicle Services, Retention Operations, and Liquidation Services. As an industry leader, confidence and courage are two attributes that Thorn not only possesses, but also teaches to all women. She said that when it comes to moving into management and leadership roles, and even in general, it is important for women to remember that greatness is already within them. "They can't hold back. They have to be brave enough and have the courage to take that next step. For some reason, something's holding them back due to a lack of confidence," Thorn said. "There's an enormous amount of unbelievable women, whether they're sitting in an executive or they have a line-level job, it doesn't matter. They still have the power at whatever position they're in in the workforce to make a difference." Thanks to great sponsorship throughout her career, Thorn has had mentors to turn to during challenging times, and that privilege had taught her to always embrace having the confidence to speak up and take the initiative. Thorn believes this type of support is a responsibility for leaders to do for young professionals today. "That's where education of our young women and men coming up is very, very important throughout. They have to have somebody that they can turn to and ask questions," she said. "I spend a lot of time talking to women and young leaders about taking those steps and getting out of their comfort zone to network and have those conversations." Thorn actively encourages communication on this topic, believing open and honest conversation is what the industry needs to keep up diversity and inclusion efforts. "If every day I'm having this sort of 15-minute dialogue with somebody and mentoring and sponsoring somebody, think of after a week, after a month, after a year, how many lives that we're impacting and that we have that effect on. Whether you're sitting at a soccer game, sitting at a church, or wherever, it is just constantly having those conversations," she said. In addition to advocating female inclusion efforts, Thorn also serves as a leader on the Military Warriors Support Foundation Advisory Council, the Plano, Texas Executive Council, the Leadership, Education, Advocacy and Development (LEAD) for Women Employee Network (North Texas chapter), the Diverse Employee Sponsorship Program, the Women in Technology and Operations Steering Committee, and the Executive Mentoring Program. Thorn currently resides in Flower Mound, Texas, with her husband and two daughters. As a role model in the industry, Thorn doesn't just teach women how to uphold their confidence, she leads by example both as an executive and as a mother.