On this International Women’s Day, Consolidated Analytics is thrilled to spotlight some remarkable female players who drive our organization’s success and foster diversity. As we celebrate the achievements of women globally, we take pride in honoring the exceptional contributions of our female talents.
Our promotion for this year highlights the accomplishments, wisdom, and inspiration of six extraordinary women who represent the spirit of Consolidated Analytics’ operations. These innovators excel in their respective roles and demonstrate an exceptional ability to balance professional commitments and personal endeavors. Meet a few brilliant minds behind the scenes at Consolidated Analytics who continually drive our services forward, ensuring our clients receive top-notch support and expertise. Join us in celebrating their achievements and the countless other women who significantly impact industries worldwide.
Happy International Women’s Day!
Amy Macken – SVP, Due Diligence Operations
In your experience, how does effective communication and collaboration between stakeholders, such as underwriters and clients, contribute to the success of due diligence efforts?
Open and effective communication and collaboration are crucial to a high-performing team and have a positive ripple effect throughout the workplace. The pooling of diverse skill sets can lead to innovative solutions, more streamlined processes, and enhancements to productivity and efficiency. The result is a high-quality product and service we can proudly provide our clients.
How do you balance the need for efficiency and timeliness in due diligence processes while maintaining thoroughness and accuracy?
We must continuously look for opportunities to optimize our processes and leverage performance data to set realistic goals for efficiency and quality. It is also crucial that we monitor and anticipate changes so that we can stay one step ahead. This data-driven strategy allows me to lead the team with a healthy combination of timeliness, efficiency, and accuracy, which is critical to our operation.
What keeps you motivated during work?
It’s satisfying to see how even a minor improvement or problem solved can have a significant impact on the team and within the company. Seeing the effect of my hard work motivates me to charge full steam each day.
Tell me a fact that most people don’t know about you.
People always seem surprised to learn that I skipped 1st grade. As a kid, I had a thirst for learning new things, and when my family noticed, they never passed up the chance to teach me something. Eventually, I started complaining about being bored in class, and when the school put me through additional testing, I tested out of my grade level by two grades. The school moved me immediately, which was a big adjustment for me as a little kid. The whole thing had pros and cons, but it’s a fun story!
Beth McDow – SVP, Business Development (Enterprise Sales)
What’s one piece of advice you’d give other women in the mortgage sales/business development space?
Set attainable goals and reasonable boundaries. As women, our drive to exceed expectations can often feel heavy, so make sure your goals are manageable.
If you are anything like me, your drive to close a potential deal might conflict with a boundary, such as taking a business call during “Family Dinner” or “Bedtime Ritual” with children. I pride myself on “ALWAYS” being available for my clients. However, detaching from your phone during reasonable family hours is okay. If your client or potential client is a worthwhile partner, they will respect you more for setting those “reasonable” boundaries. Don’t forget to return/respond to those calls or emails quickly.
How important are relationship-building and trust-building in the business development process within the mortgage industry, and how do you foster these connections?
One of the first pieces of advice I learned about business development is that “people will do business with people they like and trust.” It seems so simple, but there is no replacing Character and Integrity in the business world: doing what you say you will do, admitting when you are wrong, following through on your promises, and doing the right thing. If you are known to be a woman of character and integrity, you will win friends and build deeper relationships than human mistakes that happen to the best of us. Your clients will trust you more and will refer business to you. Some of my biggest deals are from referrals from trusted friends and partnerships.
Are there any trends you’re currently seeing? What solution are your clients or others searching for in the mortgage industry? (e.g., reduced origination fees, repurchase defense from GSEs, etc.)
I’ve heard it for years, and it still rings true, “better, faster, cheaper.” I have seen new interest in variable cost structures, such as outsourcing closing and funding, home retention or liquidation services, and using us for investor delivery to get loans for warehouse lines quicker. I’ve also seen a pickup in DSCR, 2nd liens, and a slight uptick in GSE Investment Property Due Diligence. What I love most about CA offerings is that if it touches mortgages, we likely do it, from processing to collateral curative, every valuations product you could think of, claims management, asset management, including through foreclosure.
Joni Neyland – VP, Fulfillment
What key challenges do mortgage lenders face in optimizing their loan fulfillment process?
There are several key challenges in optimizing the fulfillment process. I’ve listed 3 top challenges we discuss with our clients continually.
- Mortgage lenders must comply with numerous regulations and guidelines set by federal and state agencies. Ensuring and maintaining compliance with these regulations can add complexity to the process and additional costs.
- Managing various operational costs related to loan origination, underwriting, processing, closing, and post-closing. With the additional protocols in place for lenders, the costs can impact the efficiency and profitability of a loan.
- Managing data security risks and protecting borrower data. The borrower information obtained by mortgage lenders can make them vulnerable to data security breaches and can be costly for lenders to maintain the security needed.
Can you share insights into emerging trends and best practices in loan fulfillment and mortgage processing?
The emerging trends in fulfillment include the increasing use of automation to streamline the process, reduce manual work, and enhance customer experience. Best practices in fulfillment involve fast and efficient processes, maintaining compliance with regulations, offering personalized service to meet individual needs, and utilizing advanced data analytics to improve decision-making and risk assessment in the lending process. The focus is leveraging technology to make fulfillment more efficient, cost-effective, and customer-centric.
What led you to work in this field?
My sister offered me a position at Lomas Mortgage in the 90s to prepare assignments. Once that contract was over, I started working for an outsourcing firm that offered post-closing support to mortgage lenders. I never thought I would stay in the mortgage industry, but I fell in love with all the different aspects of the post-closing side.
What keeps you motivated during work?
We know and provide our clients with the best service and teach associates within my team and our company about our division. I take pride in managing the Fulfillment Division. Even though I no longer own the fulfillment side since we were acquired, I still believe it is my own.
Tell me a fact that most don’t know about you.
I enjoy woodworking, renovating and repurposing furniture, etc. Most people are shocked that I own as many power tools as a man would have in his garage. I live on 65 acres in Oklahoma and love metal detecting. I am a huge animal lover and supporter of all different animal rescues.
Calysta Nguyen – Accounting Manager (Corporate)
What strategies should organizations employ to ensure accuracy and reliability in financial reporting?
Ensuring financial integrity requires a multifaceted approach: conduct annual audits for accuracy and compliance, employ automated systems to minimize errors and enhance efficiency, prioritize monthly account reconciliation for error detection and correction, invest in ongoing training for staff proficiency, maintain meticulous record-keeping for audit readiness, and implement robust internal controls to mitigate fraud and errors.
What are some critical skills and qualities an accounting executive should possess?
- Analytical skills
- Able to employ strategic planning
- Lead by example
- Display strong leadership skills
How do you stay informed about changes in accounting standards and regulations that may impact your organization or others?
- Keep up with training
- Connect with other professionals on LinkedIn to build a network or join career groups/professional clubs
- Following Accounting/Finance and market news
What advice would you offer women aspiring to pursue careers in accounting and finance?
You must be number-driven and detail-oriented to pursue careers in accounting and finance. The most important drivers are your passion and eagerness to learn. An accountant not only deals with transactions or data but also possesses other skills such as adaptability, strong communication, critical thinking, attention to detail, problem-solving, and reconciliation. You have chosen the right path if you feel you own at least two of these skills and love numbers.
Angelina Ramirez – Director, Client Engagement (Valuations)
How are technological advancements like AI changing property valuations?
Tech advancements and AI will allow the appraisal and mortgage industry to evaluate properties faster, in real-time, and more accurately than ever, enabling lending institutions to manage collateral risks and make decisions faster and more confidently.
What are some common misconceptions clients/others have about valuations, and how do you address these misconceptions?
In the changing world of appraisals and valuations, it’s all about teamwork between appraisers, tech, and data to ensure we get accurate values. While prominent entities like GSEs and investors adopt new tools and methodologies, it’s crucial to dispel the rumor that appraisers are becoming redundant. Appraisers remain indispensable, complementing with technology and data to enhance the accuracy of valuations. Market expertise is paramount to creating accurate value in appraisal processes. Joining the appraiser pool remains vital as the industry embraces innovative approaches, ensuring appraisers play pivotal roles in shaping value in new capacities.
Looking ahead, what are the most significant opportunities and challenges for valuations?
The most significant opportunity that the Consolidated Analytics Valuations Division continues to take advantage of is adopting the newest and most modern valuation products. Consolidated Analytics has been ahead of the curve, whether it’s being an approved vendor with the GSEs to support their latest data sets or working with our clients to build products to fit their guidelines.
Challenges continue to be faced by appraisers embracing the evolution of the appraisal industry. However, we work closely with our appraiser partners to engage and educate them on recent and upcoming changes to our valuation products.
Lisa Stratton – SVP, Operations (Valuations)
What qualities and skills do you look for when recruiting appraisers?
Partnering with professionals who take the time to understand our client requirements, keep the lines of communication open, and are open to working through even the toughest of assignments – we value those relationships. Appraisers and Real Estate Professionals who reach out seeking assistance on a transaction, communicate an unexpected delay, request training on a new product or product enhancement, and take pride in the quality of their work product are the folks we want to do business with every day no matter how many years of experience they may or may not have.
How do you prioritize client experience and satisfaction within operations?
Ensuring the best client experience starts during onboarding and continues through the partnership. It is vital for us to understand their unique needs and their pain points. Asking questions and setting processes up for success at the beginning of our relationship is only the first step. Reevaluating, asking questions like how can we make your life easier, what are your growth plans, how can we better support you? Those question and answer sessions are valuable to meeting and exceeding our client needs and building products to meet the demands of an ever-changing Valuation industry.
What emerging trends do you anticipate will have the most significant impact on valuation operations?
How many ways can I refer to the use of technology? It’s been a theme for years and likely will remain so for years to come. Perhaps we shouldn’t view it so much as a “trend” – as it’s undoubtedly here to stay and will continue to enhance the Valuation process.
What led you to work in this field?
I was tricked, hahaha. All joking aside, it has been a progression through the Mortgage Services spectrum. From credit reporting to title agency and settlement services – valuations was the next logical stop on my journey. When someone asked if I wanted to oversee something new, I said – sure, why not?
What keeps you motivated during work?
Challenges, knowing something can always be reworked or improved, the team. When everyone is committed and enthusiastic, it’s hard not to be motivated by the energy!
Tell me a fact that most people don’t know about you.
I’m probably most in my element on the boat, with a fishing rod in my hand, surrounded by my peeps – and maybe a book.
Go to Karaoke song?
Oh no, that would probably depend on the company and the vibe. If Forever in Blue Jeans by Neil Diamond is available, sign me up. The Pina Colada Song and choice songs of AC/DC or Prince are always options, too!
Rock on, Lisa. Rock on.
Thanks to all the strong women (and men!) who keep business moving forward. Cheers to our collective success!