The Collingwood Group launched a new risk management and compliance division, established with the January 2012 acquirement of GWN Consulting, LLC (GWN), a firm specializing in Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Ginnie Mae risk management and quality control.

With the launch, Collingwood is promoting their introduction of a series of industry conference calls. The first will take place in February and the focus will be directed on FHA enforcement, quality assurance, the Mortgagee Review Board, and inspector general reviews. Additional calls will cover potential topics like FHA Loss Mitigation tools, Ginnie Mae compliance reviews, and compliant and effective quality control plans. The calls are offered at no cost to participants.

The Collingwood risk management and compliance division staff brings forth extensive FHA and Ginnie Mae knowledge and experience. They plan to share ongoing information with Collingwood clients and industry colleagues. The call is to be

held by Brian Montgomery, the Collingwood Group chairman and former FHA commissioner.

Montgomery will moderate discussion between Karen Garner, the Collingwood Group managing director, and former HUD compliance manager and GWN Principal, and David Hintz, the former Secretary to the HUD Mortgagee Review Board. These are calls are also meant to serve the multipurpose of introducing the array of services offered by the new Risk Management and Compliance Division.

“The experience, insight, and relationships of our new Risk Management and Compliance Division staff can provide substantial information that will be helpful to these organizations in developing proactive, preventative activities in their compliance efforts,” says Montgomery in the statement.

Montgomery went on to add, “This is a critical time for lenders and servicers struggling with compliance, litigation and claims management issues related to their FHA and Ginnie Mae operations.”

FHA is currently reinforcing its standards; the goal of Collingwood’s Risk Management and Compliance Division is to assist their clients. This assistance can range from FHA and Ginnie Mae lender/issuer applications and re-certifications, origination or servicing compliance and best practices, claims management and recoveries, program manuals, operating guides and development of written and program training.

Garner elaborates, “With our upcoming conference call series and new services, we are confident that we can provide substantial assistance to lenders and servicers as they focus on quality control activities that will enable them to proactively monitor performance and mitigate risk.”