MBA Presents Burton C. Wood Award to Becky Sandiland, CMB, of Belay Bank Mortgage

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 9, 2025) – The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today presented its annual Burton C. Wood Legislative Service Award to Rebecca “Becky” Sandiland, CMB, Senior Loan Advisor at Belay Bank Mortgage, at MBA's 2025 National Advocacy Conference (NAC). The award is given annually to an MBA member in recognition of his or her sustained superior service to the association and the real estate finance industry as an effective and engaged advocate.

“Becky is a passionate industry leader who has devoted a significant amount of her time and expertise over the years to advance our industry’s advocacy priorities, including playing a pivotal role in encouraging the Nebraska congressional delegation to co-sponsor companion bills in the House and Senate to stop the abusive use of trigger leads – a top MBA priority,” said Laura Escobar, 2025 MBA Chair and President of Lennar Mortgage. “I congratulate her on receiving this prestigious award and appreciate her dedication to the industry and MBA.”

A military veteran, Sandiland, is currently a senior loan advisor at Belay Bank Mortgage. Prior to that, she was a mortgage loan officer at First National Bank of Omaha for 25 years and president of the Nebraska Mortgage Association in 2020. Sandiland is a Certified Mortgage Banker (CMB) and currently serves as the MBA Mortgage Action Alliance (MAA) Vice Chair for 2025-2026. She has also been an active participant in numerous MAA “Advocacy in August” campaigns and is a long-time MAA and MORPAC (MBA’s political action committee) supporter.

The award is named after MBA’s late Legislative Counsel Burton C. Wood, who devoted more than 30 years of service to MBA’s advocacy efforts. Wood was the first recipient of the award in 1990, and his lobbying skills gained the respect and attention of both Republicans and Democrats alike. He passed away in 2010.