MBA Elects New Chairman, Officers for 2004

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Alabama native Robert Couch will lead mortgage bankers
RISMEDIA, Oct. 21-Robert M. Couch, CMB, president and chief executive officer of New South Federal Savings Bank in Birmingham, Alabama, has been elected as the new chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). The announcement was made in San Diego at MBA?s 90th Annual Convention & Expo, which runs through Oct. 22 at the San Diego Convention Center.

MBA also elected Michael F. Petrie, CMB, president of P/R Mortgage and Investment Corporation, Carmel, Indiana, as chairman-elect and Regina M. Lowrie, president and chief executive officer of Gateway Funding Diversified Mortgage Services, Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, as vice chair. All three officers will serve for the 2003 ? 2004 membership year.

The new chairman?s agenda, on behalf of the real estate finance industry, will include launching MBA?s new branding initiative, which includes the official name change to the Mortgage Bankers Association, new logo, and tagline?Investing in communities. In addition, Couch will continue working on behalf of MBA members to achieve the association?s legislative and regulatory goals, including working toward enacting a uniform standard against abusive lending practices.

?I look forward to serving as MBA chairman and working with the association?s staff and our members to achieve several key goals, not the least of which is our industry?s commitment to increasing homeownership,? said Couch. ?As we look forward to the year ahead, MBA will continue its advocacy efforts on behalf of members and provide the research and educational tools to help its members do their business better. In addition, we will launch a branding initiative to help members of Congress, the administration and consumers understand what MBA members do: invest in communities where we live, work, shop and play.?

Couch is a current member of MBA?s Board of Directors, the Commercial Real Estate Finance/Multifamily Board of Governors (COMBOG) and the Residential Board of Governors (RESBOG). In October 2000, Couch became the first chairman of the Technology Steering Committee of the Board of Directors, charged with the development and application of technology solutions within the mortgage finance industry. He has also served on MBA?s Strategic Planning Committee for the past six years. Another noteworthy MBA affiliation included his membership on the MBA Blue Ribbon Task Force that developed MBA?s position on the proper role of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the mortgage industry. Couch has been a featured speaker at MBA?s Future Leaders Program and has also served as president of the Mortgage Bankers Association of Alabama.

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