MBA Honors Susan Stewart with Lowrie-Woodward Distinguished Service Award

PHILADELPHIA (October 16, 2023) – The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today honored Susan Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of SWBC Mortgage Corporation, with its Lowrie-Woodward Distinguished Service Award. The award recognizes the dedication and prominent service to MBA and the mortgage lending industry in a variety of capacities involving both legislative and regulatory activities. Stewart was presented with the award in a ceremony held here during MBA’s 2023 Annual Convention & Expo.

“Susan is a remarkable person and real estate finance champion who has for years made a positive difference through effective leadership, strategic thinking, and a ‘can do’ attitude,” said Mark Jones, 2024 MBA Chairman and President of Union Home Mortgage. “I am honored to present Susan with the Lowrie-Woodward Distinguished Service Award and cannot think of a more deserving person to receive it.”

During her tenure as 2021 MBA Chairman, Stewart made it her defining goal to promote policies and programs that helped to reduce the racial homeownership gap. She spearheaded MBA’s Building Generational Wealth through Homeownership Initiative, a policy and advocacy campaign to help more Black and Hispanic families become homeowners. The initiative increased awareness on both the gaps and homeownership opportunities for minority borrowers, secured policy and program changes to spur the development of Special Purpose Credit Programs (SPCPs), expanded homeownership readiness, and assisted current homeowners with maintaining and maximizing the benefits of homeownership.

Stewart currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of SWBC Mortgage Corporation, where she started her career in 1989. Under Stewart’s leadership, SWBC grew from a local regional broker with three employees to a national branch with hundreds of employees. Stewart has been a champion of MBA through her various leadership roles. Since her term as Chairman, she has remained active in all facets of the association. Stewart sits on the MBA Board of Directors and the MBA Open Doors Foundation (Opens Doors) and is as a former Vice Chair of the MBA’s Residential Board of Governors (RESBOG). She also serves on MBA’s Independent Mortgage Bankers Executive Council. Additionally, both Stewart and SWBC Mortgage have been recognized personally and corporately as Guardian-level donors to Opens Doors.

The Lowrie-Woodward Distinguished Service Award is the highest honor an individual can receive from his or her fellow MBA members. Nominees for the annual award must meet the following criteria:

MBA’s Distinguished Service Award was renamed in the early 2000s in memory of Andy Woodward, who had served as MBA Chairman and set an extraordinary example for his leadership abilities. In 2023, MBA added the name of the late Regina Lowrie, CMB, MBA’s first female chair, and a longtime industry executive and advocate.