PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the second consecutive year, wholesale mortgage professionals from all over the country united to commemorate the successes of the independent mortgage broker community made by the most notable leaders in the industry at an exclusive invite-only luxury event. Hall of AIME, which took place January 26th through January 28th at the Naples Grande Beach Resort in Naples, Florida, was hosted by The Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME), the premier non-profit, national trade membership association created exclusively for independent mortgage brokers.
The luxury beachside event commemorates over one hundred award winners, including nine Chairman Award winners, and three lifetime achievement inductees. The event commenced on Thursday with several invaluable Mastermind Sessions, showcasing star-studded mortgage industry panels of the mortgage industry’s elite sharing their strategies and secrets to success, ending with a celebratory networking party. The event also hosted a silent auction and raffle, which raised almost $25,000 of funding for AIME’s advocacy initiatives.
The Hall of AIME award categories included Sparking Change, given to the preeminent wholesale brokers serving military, minority, and female consumers. The Impact awards were granted to members providing substantial improvements in education, leadership, culture, industry, and consumer protection, and the Visionary awards highlighted those that have trailblazed innovative new methods of lead generation and unique resources enlivening the wholesale mortgage sector. Of the one hundred wholesale mortgage professionals who were celebrated for their considerable career achievements, three key individuals were inducted into the sophomore class Hall of AIME. This year’s inductees include the President and Loan Originator at Barrett Financial Group, Trevor Barrett, Founding and Managing Partner of Empire Home Loans, Julie Yarbrough, and the CEO and President of Homepoint, Willie Newman.
“This year’s Hall of AIME inductees have set the example that our entire community should aspire to," says Katie Sweeney, CEO of AIME. "They’re trailblazers of the industry, who have utilized decades of mortgage experience and created impactful change to support borrowers, as well as the rest of the broker community. These inductees embody AIME’s mission of protecting, supporting, and growing the wholesale channel – they’re a credit to our industry, and we’re all better for their influence.”
Friday hosted industry-leading and celebrity keynote speakers, including Katie Sweeney, CEO of AIME, featuring a groundbreaking announcement of the association’s nationwide Super Bowl LVII ad campaign featuring AIME members representing the Broker-featured consumer website, Brokers Are Better. Other keynotes included a 2023 rallying cry for the broker community from Mat Ishbia, President and CEO of UWM; and, inspiring and forward thinking business practices from serial entrepreneur, Chairman of VaynerX, the CEO of VaynerMedia, and the Creator & CEO of VeeFriends, Gary Vaynerchuk. Additionally, panel sessions featured prominent wholesale mortgage experts, as top producers shared their key strategies for the year ahead. AIME’s leadership also hosted an open Q&A focused on recent legislative wins and ongoing advocacy plans for the wholesale industry’s representation on Capitol Hill.
“The broker channel has made great strides throughout the last year, and we must maintain that momentum in 2023. By launching our national Super Bowl campaign, we are bringing attention to the valuable services that brokers provide, from finding the best loan terms to taking the time to educate and answer questions,” states Sweeney. “Our goal is to leverage the massive reach and creative clout of the Super Bowl to make consumers aware that brokers are a real and valuable option.”
AIME has grown itself and the broker channel exponentially in 2022; in 2023, AIME is setting its sights on expanding the reach of broker access to government programs across the country, increasing broker awareness as the best option for homebuyers and homeowners for their mortgage needs, and to continue to increase the total market share of the wholesale channel. AIME’s Broker Action Coalition Political Action Committee (BACPAC) raised more than 300% of its initial donation goals, which directly contributed towards the advocacy wins for Brokers in Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, and California, with sights set to even the playing field between the Retail and Wholesale mortgage channels nationwide.
"The second Hall of AIME was an incredible success,” states Tom Ahles, President of Growth at AIME. “Those who attended weren’t just honored and acknowledged, but we were all able to hone our skills, diversify our knowledge, and grow our network exponentially through networking with the elite in the industry. We’ve equipped ourselves, our peers, and our whole community with the tools to change the landscape of the mortgage industry in buyer's and borrower’s favor.”
About the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts
The Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME) is a non-profit, national trade membership association created exclusively for independent mortgage brokers. With over 65,000 members, AIME is committed to establishing a community of independent mortgage experts by creating an association that empowers them with unparalleled technology, continued education, broker advocacy, and networking support necessary to successfully advise consumers nationwide with their residential mortgage needs. AIME operates with a growth-focused strategy, providing tools and resources to propel the wholesale channel beyond a 25% share of the mortgage market in 2023 and to a majority of the market within the next decade.
