Home >> Daily Dose >> Discussing Diversity in the Mortgage Industry
Print This Post Print This Post

Discussing Diversity in the Mortgage Industry

diversity-2On May 11, the second annual Five Star Diversity Symposium will be held in Dallas, Texas. The Diversity Symposium is a day-long event focused on advancing the conversation on diversity within the mortgage industry, and will feature keynote addresses from diversity leaders as well as roundtable discussions and panels.

“We look forward to leading industry discussions on this vital topic,” said Five Star Institute President and CEO Ed Delgado. “It is important for the mortgage industry to move the conversation forward on diverse practices, not simply because it is the right thing to do, but because it makes sense. Study after study has shown that institutions with diverse practices contribute to the success of an organization. The Diversity Symposium will continue to push toward the goal of an industry that is inclusive of all.”

The Diversity Symposium includes representatives by several key companies and government agencies within the mortgage industry, including the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas.

Topics to be discussed include innovation in diversity, resolving unconscious bias, and the advantage of diversity.

“Discretionary effort is at the heart beat of employees that have a sense of belonging and feeling valued,” said Charmaine Brown, Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at Fannie Mae and American Mortgage Diversity Council Member. “Effectively mitigating unconscious bias in the workforce unleashes and inspires talent to achieve optimal business results.”

During the morning keynote, Dwight Robinson, SVP Human Resources and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Freddie Mac will address attendees on the latest diversity and inclusion developments from the GSEs and how the industry can come together to support this important conversation.

Sandra Thompson, Deputy Director of the Division of Housing and Mission Goals at the FHFA will speak during the afternoon keynote on FHFA’s latest diversity updates and how under-represented communities can better be served.

Several panels will be held throughout the day. Monika Peltz, SVP at First American, will lead a morning panel titled “The Next Frontier: Encouraging Innovation in Diversity.” The purpose of the panel is to ask: “What steps should the industry be taking to develop tools and practices for encouraging diversity?”

Michael Ruiz, Director of Supplier Diversity at Fannie Mae, will lead the last panel of the day titled “Diversity: The Competitive Advantage.” During this panel, industry leaders discuss how organizations benefit from engaging in a diverse supply-chain and workforce and how diversity drives the bottom line of any business and how the industry can benefit from inclusion for all.

To register for the Diversity Symposium, click here.

About Author: Seth Welborn

x

Check Also

Survey: Homeownership Remains Elusive for Baby Boomer Renters

A recent look into housing affordability by NeighborWorks America has found that three in five long-term baby boomer renters feel homeownership remains unattainable.