Katie Sweeney is the chairman and CEO of the association that represents the largest growth segment in the industry: the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME). The metrics and scale of success have increased exponentially every year since Sweeney took the mantle as chairman and CEO in early 2021. In the last year, Sweeney’s leadership efforts have positively influenced the entire wholesale mortgage channel. She’s negotiated high-level partnerships with top mortgage lenders, forged connections with dozens of congressional legislators on Capitol Hill, proliferated broker access to industry-leading technology and expanded mortgage brokers’ skill sets with curated educational programs. She also aunched the Broker Action Coalition focused on legislative and regulatory change to benefit both mortgage brokers and consumers and helped grow and support the wholesale channel by expanding broker awareness, and providing hundreds of small business grants to minorities, Veterans and women to open their own brokerages. 

Sweeney has tirelessly positioned independent mortgage brokers as the best option for homebuyers. She is an incredible representative for AIME’s community of 65,000 members, and the wholesale channel as a whole. The Broker channel has not only grown under her supervision, but it is a better place than the one she inherited. It is more diverse, better educated and better represented in the market and on Capitol Hill. In the last 12 months, AIME has thrived and mortgage brokers have grown thanks to Sweeney’s leadership. She took AIME, its services, education, advocacy campaigns and events to levels never before seen in the wholesale channel, all while raising the bar of what came before. 

What one habit has made a crucial difference in your success?

Remaining incredibly self-aware at all times; it’s a practice that separates a true leader from someone who aspires to be a leader. In order to become and remain effective as a leader, I’ve remained brutally honest, not only acknowledging any deficiencies, but recognizing, understanding and utilizing my strongest attributes.

Name:

Katie Sweeney

Title:

Chairman and CEO

Company Name:

Association of Independent Mortgage Brokers