In its 9th year, the HousingWire Vanguards award offers a definitive list of the top leaders in housing who are shaping the housing economy for the better. The forward-thinkers and trailblazers who are shaping the industry through their unwavering commitment, transformative ideas and steadfast dedication to driving growth and positive change. This year, 100 honorees were selected for their outstanding leadership in the midst of market volatility.
Congratulations to this year’s Vanguards honorees. Take a look at the full list below.
| Name | Job Title | Company Name |
|---|---|---|
| Aaron VanTrojen | CEO | Geneva Financial Home Loans |
| Abbie Tidmore | Senior Managing Director and Chief Revenue Officer | Pennymac |
| Adam Kessler | CEO | Academy Mortgage |
| Baron Silverstein | President | Newrez |
| Ben Madick | Co-Founder and CEO | Matic Insurance |
| Bernadette Kogler | Co-Founder and CEO | RiskSpan |
| Bill Rogers | Founder and CEO | Homeowners Financial Group |
| Bob Goldberg | CEO | National Association of Realtors |
| Bob Caruso | CEO | ServiceMac |
| Brad Bonney | Vice President of Operations | Opendoor |
| Brett Brumley | Founder and CEO | Lender Toolkit |
| Brian Webster | President | NotaryCam |
| Brian Pannell | Chief eServices Executive | DocMagic |
| Cerita Battles | Managing Director, Head of Community and Affordable Lending | Chase Home Lending |
| Charles Williams | CEO | Percy |
| Chris Heller | President | OJO |
| Chris Sears | President | JPAR Real Estate |
| Christina Brown | Chief Operations Officer | Atlantic Bay Mortgage |
| Cristy Ward | Chief Strategy Officer | Mortgage Connect |
| Dale Vermillion | CEO | Mortgage Champions |
| Dan Duffy | CEO | United Real Estate Holdings |
| Daniel Walters | CEO | Robert Slack |
| David Lykken | Founder and Chief Transformational Officer | Transformational Mortgage Services |
| David Hall | President and CEO | Hall Financial |
| David Smith | Head of Mortgage | Truist |
| David Aach | Chief Operating Officer | Blue Sage Solutions |
| Dustin Gray | CEO | Milestones |
| Erik Richard Morin | President | Atlas Valuation Management Solutions |
| Frank Martell | President and CEO | loanDepot |
| Gene Millman | President and CEO | REcolorado |
| Gino Blefari | CEO | HomeServices of America |
| Greg Holmes | Chief Revenue Officer | Xactus |
| H. Marc Helm | President and CEO | ReverseAmerica Advisors |
| Hoby Hanna | President and CEO | Hanna Holdings |
| James O’Bryon | CEO | RE/MAX Gold Nation |
| Jarred Kessler | CEO and Founder | EasyKnock |
| Jason Abrams | Head of Industry and Learning | Keller Williams |
| Jeff Allen | President | CubiCasa |
| Jennifer Hedgepeth | Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer | DHI Mortgage |
| Jimmy Kelly | CEO | Lone Wolf Technologies |
| Joe Welu | Founder and CEO | Total Expert |
| Joe Skousen | Founder and CEO | Inside Real Estate |
| Joe Cutrona | Chief Business Officer | Auction.com |
| John Wines | Chief Strategy Officer | Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group |
| Joseph Restivo | CEO | American Mortgage Network |
| Josh Harley | CEO | Fathom Holdings |
| Joshua Bishop | Chief Operating Officer of Servicing | Newrez |
| Julian Grey | Executive Vice President of Mortgage and Capital Markets, Data and Analytics Divison | Black Knight |
| Kamini Lane | President and CEO | Coldwell Banker Realty |
| Karen Kreutziger | CEO | Flat Branch Home Loans |
| Katie Sweeney | Chairman and CEO | Association of Independent Mortgage Brokers |
| Kurt Johnson | Chief FInancial Officer | Mr. Cooper |
| Laura O’Connor | President and Chief Operating Officer | JPAR Real Estate |
| Laura Brandao | Chief Strategy Officer and Partner | Equity Prime Mortgage |
| Lee Jelenic | Chief Innovation Officer | United Wholesale Mortgage |
| Luke Babich | CEO and Co-Founder | Clever Real Estate |
| Margy Grant | CEO | Florida Realtors |
| Maria Moskver | CEO | Cloudvirga |
| Mat Ishbia | CEO and President | United Wholesale Mortgage |
| Mewael Ghebremichael | CEO | NRL Mortgage |
| Michael Sachdev | CEO | Snapdocs |
| Michael Valdes | Chief Growth Officer | eXp Realty |
| Michael Middleman | Senior Executive Vice President | Freedom Mortgage |
| Michael Dubeck | CEO and President | Planet Home Lending |
| Nick Bailey | President and CEO | RE/MAX |
| Nicole Booth | CEO | Synergos Strategy |
| Nima Ghamsari | Head and Co-Founder | Blend |
| Patrick Dodd | President and CEO | CoreLogic |
| Patrick O’Brien | CEO and Co-Founder | LenderLogix |
| Pavan Agarwal | CEO | Celligence and Sun West Mortgage Company |
| Phil McCall | President and Chief Operating Officer | ACES Quality Management |
| Randell Gillespie | Executive Vice President and National Sales Director | Thrive Mortgage |
| Rene Galicia | Executive Vice President of Customer Advocacy | Bright MLS |
| Richard Steinberg | Founder | Nationwide Mortgage Bankers |
| Rob Barber | CEO | ATTOM |
| Robert Reffkin | Founder and CEO | Compass |
| Ron Leonhardt Jr. | Founder and CEO | CrossCountry Mortgage |
| Ross Diedrich | CEO | Covered Insurance |
| Ruth Johnson | Founder and CEO | Homes for Heroes |
| Rutul Davé | Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer | Maxwell |
| Ryan Peterson | President | Grid151 |
| Sajag Patel | Chief Operating Officer | Keller Williams Realty International |
| Sam Sawyer | CEO and Founder | Pinnacle Realty Advisors |
| Santhosh Ananthakrishnan | Global Head of Mortgage Practice | Tata Consultancy Services |
| Scot Rose | Chief Innovation Officer | Class Valuation |
| Sherry Chris | Executive Advisor | Anywhere Real Estate |
| Sheryl Palmer | CEO | Taylor Morrison |
| Steve Ozonian | CEO | Williston Financial Group |
| Steve Murray | Partner | RTC Consulting |
| Steve Thompson | President and CEO | PrimeLending |
| Steve Jacobson | CEO | Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation |
| Sue Yannaccone | President and CEO | Anywhere Real Estate |
| Suzy Lindblom | Chief Operating Officer | Arc Home |
| Tamir Poleg | CEO | The Real Brokerage |
| Timothy Bowler | President | ICE Mortgage Technology |
| Tom Cronkright | Executive Chairman and Co-Founder | CertifID |
| Uday Devalla | Chief Technology Officer | Sagent |
| Varun Krishna | CEO | Rocket Companies |
| Venkatesh Ganapathy | CEO | LiveEasy |
| Wendell Chambliss | Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer | Freddie Mac |
