A Message From the MMBA Chair
A message from the 2025 MMBA Chair, Ben Giumarra
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Ben Giumarra, MMBA 2025 Chair
chair@massmba.comExcerpts from the 2025 Chair Remarks:
As the incoming chair, I'd like to share our plans for the year. I've come to learn that change creates opportunity. In our work at this organization, we strive to help our members benefit from that change.
Priority #1 = Stay Laser Focused on Advocacy Efforts
The MMBA's first priority this year, as it is always, will be to advocate on behalf of members as the unified voice of Massachusetts mortgage lenders. That's something we've always done, and done well, albeit quietly. We work with legislators and regulators, attend hearings, draft commentary and proposed legislation - and that's not to mention just the sheer effort of tracking and digesting the vast amount of legislation proposed each year. We enjoy good relationships with state regulators, politicians, and our national partners. We have a great lobbying firm. In fact, to add more color to our legislative efforts this year, I’m excited that you’ll hear directly from Richard Tisei later today, the head of that lobbying firm, and whose lobbying efforts your dues pay for.
Priority #2 = Greatly Increased Communication With Membership
Our second priority for this year is to greatly increase communication with members. As I mentioned before, while the MMBA does very good work, it often fails to adequately broadcast that to members. We've decided this is a problem. It prevents members from contributing and voicing their opinions. Members also deserve better visibility into what their dues are paying for.
Along these lines, we'll now be making three recurring monthly webinars available to members, free for members. We'll continue with "Ben's Compliance Corner," where experts gather to discuss and debate a different specific topic each month; Led by Paul Bates from Spillane Consulting, we'll have a monthly webinar beginning next month geared towards LOS and mortgage technology experts; Jeremy Potter will lead a monthly webinar on innovative mortgage products. We will also offer regular "Tips from Top Originators" for loan originators.
Call to Action - How You Can Help
First, the most important thing you can do for us this year is to voice your opinions. We're trying to advocate for you and your interests and need to understand which direction to take. Sometimes the answer is clear, but many other times it's not. So whether it's participation in committees, responding to something we post on LinkedIn, or just picking up the phone and calling myself, Debbie, or one of the Board members - please weigh in and share your opinions. Point us in the right direction.
We ask for your financial support of the Mortgage Action Alliance (MAA) and Massachusetts Mortgage Bankers Political Action Committee (MMBPAC). MAA is a voluntary, non-partisan and free nationwide grassroots lobbying network of real estate finance industry professionals, affiliated with the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Closing Remarks
Thank you to the people who got me here. Thank you to the people helping me now. Thank you all for your trust and support; I don't take this responsibility lightly. I will be working very hard for you this year. I'm going to do everything I can to help the MMBA continue making a positive difference for this industry.
