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ACUMA Returns to Las Vegas for 2017 Annual Conference21st Year Event Sets Attendance Record (Again), Covers Wide Range of Mortgage Topics and Issues

The annual Fall Confer-ence of the American Credit Union Mortgage Association (ACUMA) returned to Las Vegas last

September 24-27, bringing together the nation’s top mortgage-lending credit unions and the industry’s lead-ing experts for three days of learning and networking.

The event at the Bellagio Hotel and Resort was built around the theme “Driv-ing into the Digital Age.” It featured a focus on new technology and disruptors to mort-gage lending. The inaugural Digital Mortgage Showcase was a big hit. At-tendees learned about the latest in digital solutions with live demos and discussions with industry representa-tives. Conference topics ranged from compliance and security issues to busi-ness development strategies and busi-ness transformation. The event drew nearly 500 attendees, a record topping last year’s event in Washington, D.C.

A Sunday night reception kicked off the Las Vegas event, and sessions

DRIVINGinto the

DIGITAL AGE

Martin, Senior Director at J.D. Power; Rob Chrane, CEO of Downpayment Resource; Kris Kully, partner at Mayer Brown law firm; and Kristin Messerli, an expert on developing strategies to recruit and retain young talent.

ACUMA consultant Tracy Ashfield led “Talk Show” panels featuring credit union leaders talking about such top-ics as compensation, cybersecurity, e-lending and secondary market strat-egies. All sessions contained Q&A op-portunities with attendees. Other ses-sions explored Engaging Branch Staff, MLO Compensation, Recruiting and Retaining Young Talent, Buying and Selling Participation Strategies, and Affordable Lending.

“Each year the conference grows in attendance, scope and depth of top-ics,” said ACUMA founder and Presi-dent Bob Dorsa. “It is the top event for mortgage lenders in the credit union space.” The annual ACUMA Confer-ence returns to the Bellagio on Sep-tember 23-26 in 2018. For the latest information on ACUMA events, visit the website (acuma.org) or contact President Bob Dorsa at bob.dorsa@acuma.org or (877) 442-2862.

ACUMA’s Tracy Ashfield speaks to the assembled crowd of nearly 500 from in front of the stage at the 21st annual Fall Conference in September 2017 at the Bellagio Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas.

ran from Monday morning until Wednesday afternoon. As usual, ACU-MA provided wonderful breakfast and lunch buffets each day and the delightful Sunday reception and a Monday night wine-and-cheese tasting. This all meant lots of time for networking, learning and sharing ideas. General sessions al-ternated with breakout meetings on fo-

cused topics, and attendees enjoyed evenings exploring

the famous Las Vegas Strip and surrounding area.

Speakers included J. Mark McWatters, Chair-

man of the NCUA Board; Jessica Lautz, the Director

of Survey Research and Com-munications for the National Asso-ciation of Realtors (NAR); Steve Wil-liams, co-founder of Cornerstone Advisors and an expert on banking operations and delivery systems; Christopher Thornberg, Founding Partner of Beacon Economics LLC and widely considered to be one of the nation’s leading economists; Rob Chrisman, STRATMOR Group; Mark Sievewright, Founder & CEO of Sievewright & Associates; Craig

Steve Williams, co-founder of Cornerstone Advisors, tells the conference in his general session presentation “Making your Mortgage Business Future Ready,” that digital disruption and innovations in analytics are fast coming to the mortgage business, yet the business still revolves on attracting the best talent and delivering responsive advice.

Kris Kully, partner at Mayer Brown law firm and an expert on compliance issues, participated in a “talk show” panel discussion and led a breakout session on the latest changes in compliance requirements.

Conference attendees take advantage of Tuesday’s inaugural Digital Mortgage Showcase to visit with vendors offering the latest in digital technology. Each participating business gave a short general-session introduction first and then welcomed visitors to an adjacent area for demonstrations and one-to-one discussions.

NCUA Board Chairman J. Mark McWatters opens Monday morning’s program with an update on important issues facing credit union regulators.

In his general session presentation, Becoming Digital: Welcome to a Whole New World (of Financial Services),” Mark Sievewright, Founder & CEO of Sievewright & Associate, says the challenge for credit union leaders is to understand the primary drivers of change that will continue to redefine the future, and how to make certain they have the right strategies and tactics—not only to survive but also to thrive.

A “Talk Show” panel moderated by ACUMA consultant Tracy Ashfield discusses “Mortgage Banking Cybersecurity Risks” during a Monday general session. Joining Ashfield are, from left, Tim Segurson, Deputy Director Examination and Insurance for the NCUA; Todd Hougarrd of Mortgage Cadence, a board member of the American Land Title Association and credit union specialist.; and Bill Burding, EVP and General Counsel for Orange Coast Title Company.

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Christopher Thornberg presents his “Economic Update and Discussion” Monday during the conference. Dr. Thornberg, Founding Partner of Beacon Economics LLC, is widely considered to be one of the nation’s leading economists. He was one of the earliest and most accurate predictors of the subprime mortgage market crash that began in 2007, and of the global economic recession that followed.

Attendees at ACUMA’s 2017 Fall Conference mingle, munch on provided beverages and appetizers, renew friendships or make new ones at Sunday night’s Opening Reception at the Bellagio Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas.

Kristin Messerli, an expert on developing strategies to recruit and retain young talent, warns her breakout audience that the average age of providers in the mortgage industry continues to rise, while the need for young and diverse talent becomes more apparent and increasingly scarce. As the industry experiences a shift in consumer culture and preferences, Messerli says it is essential that companies recruit for a workforce that reflects this shift.

Rob Chrisman of STRATMOR Group discusses “Areas of Concern for Residential Lenders Heading into 2018.”

At his breakout session, Rob Chrane, CEO of Downpayment Resource, talks about trends, tactics, and strategies for navigating affordable lending.

Prior to the opening of the Digital Mortgage Showcase on Tuesday, a representative of each company that participated offered an 8-minute explanation to conference attendees. Here, Nick McCarthy, a Product Specialist from Blend, states his case.

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A “Talk Show” panel moderated by ACUMA consultant Tracy Ashfield discusses “Mortgage Banking Cybersecurity Risks” during a Monday general session. Joining Ashfield are, from left, Tim Segurson, Deputy Director Examination and Insurance for the NCUA; Todd Hougarrd, Product Manager at Mortgage Cadence; and Bill Burding, EVP and General Counsel for Orange Coast Title Company and a board member of the American Land Title Association.

In his general session Craig Martin, Senior Director at J.D. Power, notes that mortgage lenders are struggling to keep up market trends and changes. To stay on track, Martin offers five customer universals to guide strategic thinking.

Be sure to get the dates on your calendar now. ACUMA will return to Las Vegas this fall for its annual conference with industry leaders and mortgage experts, as well as the latest in technology and developments ... all in the context of networking with your credit union peers.

Here are some of the comments received through attendee evaluations of ACUMA’s annual Fall Conference, held at the Bellagio Hotel in September 2017:

Attend the 2018 ACUMA Fall Conference Sept. 23-26 • Bellagio Hotel, Las VegasSAVE

THE DATE

• “I attend many mortgage industry conferences each year...[ ACUMA ] is easily one of the best. Great networking and event set-up and fantastic location.”

• “Amazing venue and food. Location was great for quality time and networking.”

• “Really outstanding event. Everyone was engaged and enthusiastic, from presenters and sponsors to members attending.”

• “Great venue, great food and great opportunity to meet others in the industry. This was the first conference I went to, and I came away with several new contacts to call on when I need help with something.”

• “I’ve always enjoyed the motivational speakers that you’ve had in attendance in the past.”

• “It was awesome that we had the opportunity to network (digitally) prior to the conference. Once at the conference, it was nice to put a face with a name and talk about business with the sponsors.”

• “Another successful conference, I really appreciate all the hard work that goes into planning such an outstanding conference. Each year the conference gets better and better. The time allotted for the breaks and lunch was perfect. It allowed adequate time to visit some of the sponsors.”

• “You always go first class. That’s the draw along with the networking.”

• “This was my first year attend ACUMA, but I have been to many conferences and this by far was the best I have ever attended. Thank you for a great week and awesome job.”

www.acuma.org