Thank you to everyone who attended this week’s Western Regional Meeting in Irvine, CA. Almost 220 professionals from 87 companies across 21 states participated.
Registered attendees can access copies of the PowerPoint slides by visiting the Western Regional Meeting landing page and logging into the web site with your username and password. Links to the audio recordings will be added at a later date.
Accessing Session Recordings and Slides
- Login to NRMLAonline.org with your username and password
- Once you’re logged in, come back to this page and look for the Documents tab located at the top of this page next to the Registration Fees tab
- Once you click the Documents tab, the session slides will be displayed in the same order they were presented in the agenda.
If you need assistance, please email Darryl Hicks, VP,, Communications, at dhicks@dworbell.com.
Dr. Schniepp is currently Director of the California Economic Forecast in Santa Barbara. The Company prepares forecasts and commentary on the regional economies of California. Dr. Schniepp prepares economic analysis and county level forecasts for Cal Trans, Kaiser Permanente, The California State Auditor’s Office, and other organizations throughout California He develops regional real estate and economic forecast publications and presents the findings at large public conferences in Ventura County, the Santa Clarita Valley, and Santa Barbara County. Dr. Schniepp served as Director of the Economic Forecast Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara, between 1988 and 2000. As a past member of the faculty of the Department of Economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, he taught intermediate micro-economic and macroeconomic theory, applied regional modeling, applied econometrics, and forecasting. Dr. Schniepp also served as senior economist to the California State Controller from 1999 to 2003. Dr. Schniepp has a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California.
Joseph DeMarkey is the strategic business development leader of Reverse Mortgage Funding LLC. He is also responsible for government and industry relations. Previously, he was an assistant vice president at MetLife Bank, N.A., where he was responsible for sales management, product development, strategic business development and government and industry relations for the reverse mortgage division beginning in 2008. From 1998 to 2008, DeMarkey was a vice president at EverBank Reverse Mortgage Co. (formerly BNY Mortgage Company) where he managed retail sales and government and industry relations. He has served on NRMLA’s Board of Directors since 2003, was co-chairman from 2007 to 2009 and from 2012 to 2018 and currently serves as chairman of the Executive Committee.
As president of NRMLA, Steve Irwin oversees the association’s initiatives to serve as an educational resource, policy advocate and public affairs center for consumers, lenders and related professionals. His background includes experience with strategic planning, organizational design, portfolio acquisition, risk management and quality control. He received his B.A. from Grinnell College and his MBA from the University of San Francisco.
Michael Kent has served as the President of Liberty since April 2015. Before joining Liberty, Michael spent four years at Reverse Mortgage Solutions, Inc. (RMS) and was the President of Loan Originations. In addition to his reverse background, he has over 30 years of “forward” mortgage experience, and has held leadership roles across various lending functions, including sales, operations, and secondary markets. He currently serves as an officer for the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA). Michael was born and raised in Chicago Illinois and attended Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. He is active in several non-for-profits working in the areas of homeless, world hunger and women’s cancer.
A 27-year mortgage banker, Scott Norman led the original campaign to amend the Texas Constitution to authorize reverse mortgages in the state in 1999, when he founded the Texas Association of Reverse Mortgage Lenders. He later closed the very first reverse mortgage loan in Texas. Norman has also testified numerous times before the legislatures of California, Arkansas and Minnesota to help craft legislation to protect senior homeowners around the country. He got his start in the mortgage business in Austin in 1993, later becoming President of the Austin Mortgage Bankers Association. Norman is currently the vice president of Field Retail and Government Relations for Finance of America Reverse and he serves as Co-Chairman of NRMLA’s Board of Directors for the 2021-2022 term.
Frederick Griefer currently serves as the Deputy Director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Santa Ana Homeownership Center, which insures single-family FHA mortgages, assures FHA mortgage quality, and oversees for Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington as well as the Pacific Islands of American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas. After finishing grad school in California, he moved to Washington, DC to work for the federal government at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services working on Grants Policy, the Environmental Protection Agency as the Team Leader for Recipient Oversight before moving to HUD where he served as Director of Grants Management and Director of Field Operations for the Office of Native American Programs. In 2019, he and his family decided to move back home to California to serve as Deputy Director at SAHOC
Anh Dong has over 25 years’ experience in the mortgage banking industry. She is a HECM Servicing Specialist in the Quality Assurance Division (QAD) at the Santa Ana Homeownership Center since 2012. Her prior experience includes Senior Housing Specialist positions in QAD and the Real Estate Owned Division within SAHOC and Loan Specialist at the Small Business Administration.
A very familiar “face of HUD” at NRMLA events, Dan commenced his career with FHA in October 2003 as an Underwriter, following a career as a US Navy carrier pilot and a 20+ year career in mortgage banking. In 2005, Dan was named leader of the HECM Team for the Processing & Underwriting Division in the Santa Ana Homeownership Center (SAHOC), quickly establishing a national reputation as an authority on reverse mortgages. In October 2009, he was promoted to Senior Single-Family Housing Specialist and assigned to the Quality Assurance Division in SAHOC, where he conducts Underwriting and HECM Servicing reviews of HUD approved mortgagees to ensure compliance with all FHA requirements. He also serves as the division’s HECM subject matter expert and maintains strong interaction with the industry at large. Dan has represented SAHOC, as well as FHA Headquarters, speaking at numerous events over the years, in support of HUD’s mission to expand homeownership and retention and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the industry’s interaction with the Department.
Esther Yamashiro joined the Santa Ana Homeownership Center (SAHOC) in 2008 as an underwriter and in 2009, she succeeded Dan Mooney as the HECM point of contact for the Division. She became a Branch Chief in the Processing and Underwriting Division in 2012, where she led the Lender Training Team. She also worked on several initiatives developing policy and processes during this time including LRS (Loan Review System) and FHA Catalyst. She brings her experience in Single-Family policies and programs to her current position as the Housing Program Officer for SAHOC with a focus on Education and Outreach. Prior to joining SAHOC, Esther spent 22+ years in private sector mortgage loan origination, underwriting and funding.
Fritzi Gros-Daillon, MS, CSA, CAPS, UDCP, SHSS, is a successful entrepreneur in Senior Move Management, Environmental Consulting and Aging in Place Home Safety and Modification. Named Educator of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders for 2019 and Master Instructor in 2021, she teaches aging in place and universal design courses. Working with Age Safe America, she developed the Senior Home Safety Specialist certification and co-created an online Family Caregiver Essentials program. Her Master’s in Business from Columbia University, combined with CAPS and UDCP, gives her the experience, perspective and expertise to work with multi-discipline professionals and clients of all ages. Her book, “Grace and Grit: Insights to Real Life Challenges of Aging for Adult Children and their Parents”, won five national book awards and the Canadian Book Excellence award in 2016. The book offers insight, humor and a deeper understanding of the complexity of roles and decisions for older adults and families considering changes to their homes. A founding member of the NAIPC San Diego chapter, she has also served on the boards of The Foundation for Senior Wellbeing, the San Diego County Council on Aging and the National Association of Remodeling Industry, San Diego. She is a public speaker on topics of home safety and aging in place at state and national conferences, radio and podcasts.
Dave is a Certified Reverse Mortgage Professional, a designation held by fewer than 200 loan officers in the country. Dave is also a continuing education instructor for mortgage professionals and designs reverse mortgage software.
Gail Balettie is Senior Vice President, Client Satisfaction for Celink. Prior to Celink, she spent 12 years at Financial Freedom Senior Funding Corporation where she initially served as First Vice President, National Production Operations Manager before moving over to servicing in 2011. Her reverse mortgage servicing experience has included leading borrower-facing functions, such as the call center, line of credit draws, payoffs and payment plan changes, as well as end of loan functions, like HUD Claims and Assignments. Balettie has over 25 years of mortgage operations and management experience, including 16 years in the reverse mortgage space. Balettie co-chairs NRMLA’s Servicing Committee and she is also active on the HUD Issues Committee. Balettie attended the University of Texas in Austin, majoring in Business Administration.
Leslie Flynne joined the reverse mortgage industry in July 2011. Currently with PHH Mortgage and formally with RMS, she has been responsible for managing a reverse REO division, all aspects of servicing operations, HUD regulations and compliance within servicing and Client Relations. Previously, Flynne was a consultant for the SolomonEdwards Group where she was directly involved in banking resolutions and asset liquidation for a government entity. From 1989 to 2008, she served in a variety of financial and operational director positions within Washington Mutual Bank and its predecessor Bank United, which included servicing operations for the commercial real estate lending portfolio, servicing operations for the commercial banking operations, branch acquisitions and consolidation and corporate mergers and acquisitions.
Jorge Valadez is the Director of Default Servicing at PHH Mortgage with twenty years of mortgage servicing experience including seven in reverse. Prior to joining PHH, Jorge served in key leadership roles at Bank of America, First American Title, and Mr. Cooper.
Jim Milano is a member of the law firm of Weiner Brodsky Kider PC, based in Washington DC, where he practices in the areas of mortgage banking, consumer finance, financial institutions and mortgage and secured transactions law.
Joel represents banks, savings associations, and companies in the financial services and mortgage industries nationwide. His practice embraces a variety of matters relating to mortgage banking, including the marketing, origination, servicing and secondary market disposition of mortgage loans, with an emphasis on reverse mortgages. Joel is Co-General Counsel of the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association and he currently serves on the Ethics Committee. Having spent more than two decades in senior management and in-house legal positions with financial institutions, Joel combines his considerable experience with a practical approach to accomplishing his clients’ business objectives. Prior to joining Weiner Brodsky Kider PC, Joel served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Financial Freedom Senior Funding Corporation, the nation’s largest reverse mortgage lender and servicer. Before assuming his responsibilities at Financial Freedom, Joel served as Associate General Counsel, First Vice President at two financial institutions, IndyMac Bank, F.S.B., and Great Western Bank, F.S.B., where he managed overall legal support for the mortgage banking operations of both institutions.
Loren Riddick is a fifth generation native from the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. After earning an Associate Degree from Walters State Community College while playing basketball, Loren began a modeling and acting career in New York where he was featured in commercials and beyond with the likes of the “Cosby Show” and “All My Children.” Foregoing a promising career in show business, Loren followed his heart by leaving New York to be with his true love, Missi, who was attending East Tennessee State University. After earning a second degree from ETSU, Loren entered the mortgage business in 1999 and today is the National Sales Director, Reverse Mortgage Lending, at Thrive Mortgage. His passion for seniors and helping other forward mortgage professionals embrace the amazing news of the HECM is an undeniable passion for Loren and his team.
Steven J. Sless has nearly 20 years of mortgage industry experience, including 13 years devoted to reverse mortgages. He also is one of the only mortgage professionals to have earned the CLTC®: Certified Long-Term Care designation, demonstrating that he also has acquired the critical tools necessary to discuss the subject of longevity and its acute consequences on a client’s family – financially, physically and emotionally – years down the road. Prior to joining Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc. (PRMI) in 2019, he served as a Top Producing Loan Originator for Maverick Funding Corp, Branch Director for Home Point Financial and National Reverse Mortgage Director for US Mortgage Corp. After starting his tenure at PRMI as Division Manager, he opened The Steven J. Sless Group of PRMI, the Company’s first retail branch dealing exclusively with reverse mortgages. In 2021, The Sless Group opened its second branch in California and Steven was promoted to Division President and Reverse Mortgage Leader overseeing all reverse mortgage related activities across the entire organization.
