GENERAL SESSION: Focus on Multifamily with Director Thompson

Mark Jones

2024 MBA Chairman; President, Union Home Mortgage

Mark Jones co-founded Amerifirst Home Mortgage in 1983, a company he grew from an individual location in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to over 80 full-service locations and 900 personnel nationwide. In January 2023, Amerifirst merged with Union Home Mortgage to form a top 40 national mortgage lender, where Mark now serves as President. Prior to the merger, Amerifirst was the No. 1 USDA lender and the No. 3 FHA lender in Michigan, and the No. 13 FHA lender in Florida. Amerifirst was also a Ginnie Mae issuer and serviced in-house a $6 billion loan portfolio. Amerifirst ranked as a Best & Brightest Company to Work for in the Nation for five consecutive years (2016-2020) and was named one of the top 50 Best Mortgage Companies to Work For in 2021. In 2016 Mark received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for Michigan and Northwest Ohio. In addition to his service as MBA’s Chairman-Elect, Mark currently serves as Chairman of MBA’s DEI Advisory Committee. He previously served as co-chair of MBA’s Independent Mortgage Bankers Executive Council. Mark also serves as board member and Public Policy Committee Chair at Southwest Michigan First and serves as Chair of Southwest Michigan First PAC. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he competed on the Varsity Swimming & Diving team. In 1979, Jones won the 1979 Virginia Intercollegiate State Championship in 1 meter springboard diving and was a two-time NCAA Regional Qualifier. Jones lives in greater Kalamazoo with his wife, close to three adult children, and two grandchildren.

The Honorable Sandra Thompson

Director, Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)

Sandra L. Thompson was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden to serve as the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) on December 17, 2021, confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 25, 2022, and sworn in on June 22, 2022. On June 23, 2021, the White House appointed Thompson as the Acting Director of FHFA. Before being named FHFA Acting Director, Thompson served as Deputy Director of the Division of Housing Mission and Goals (DHMG). Since March 2013, as the DHMG Deputy Director, Thompson oversaw FHFA’s housing and regulatory policy, capital policy, financial analysis, fair lending, and all mission activities for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. Prior to joining FHFA, Thompson worked at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), for more than 23 years in a variety of leadership positions, most recently as Director, Division of Risk Management Supervision. During her time at the FDIC, Thompson led the Agency’s examination and enforcement program for risk management and consumer protection at the height of the financial crisis. She also led the FDIC’s outreach initiatives in response to a crisis of consumer confidence in the banking system. Her experience ranges from supervision to consumer protection, risk management and consumer outreach activities. Thompson is a graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C.