NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME) celebrated a groundbreaking moment with the resounding success of its seventh annual Fuse National Conference, held for the first time outside of Las Vegas, in the vibrant city of New Orleans. Despite the challenges posed by Hurricane Francine, all main stage programming proceeded without disruption, including the rescheduled WMN Summit, which achieved resounding success on Friday morning.
The conference, led by AIME’s new Chairman and CEO, Jonathon Haddad, marked a new era of leadership for the organization and its newly formed Board of Directors. This year's theme, CommUNITY, focused on the power of unity within the independent mortgage broker community, emphasizing collaboration to help brokers grow their businesses and close more loans.
"My first Fuse as CEO was an unforgettable experience,” states Haddad. “The energy, collaboration, and commitment from our broker community was unparalleled. This event reinforced why 'Brokers Are Best' and how, together, we're shaping the future of the mortgage industry."
Key Highlights from Fuse 2024: The event brought together over 1,100 registered attendees consisting of independent mortgage professionals from across the country for two days full of dynamic learning, networking, and celebration, with a record number of first-time attendees.
- Keynote Speakers: The conference featured powerful keynote addresses, including a spirited, inspiring speech from the #1 mindset coach in the country, Ed Mylett, a heartfelt and data-fueled presentation from the founder & CEO of MBS Highway, Barry Habib, a standout session by leadership expert and bestselling author René Rodriguez, and Mat Ishbia, President and CEO of UWM and AIME’s title sponsor, unveiled BrokerX, a revolutionary new tool to empower brokers to take their business to the next level. AIME Chairman and CEO Jonathon Haddad also took the stage to outline his vision for the broker community and the mortgage industry’s future under his leadership, doubling down on AIME’s mission to empower mortgage brokers to be the best versions of themselves for consumers and their community, elevating AIME’s old slogan from “Brokers Are Better” to "Brokers Are Best."
- Exhibit Hall: The Exhibit Hall was a sold-out success, featuring over 40 exhibitors showcasing the latest tools, technologies, and services tailored to help independent brokers thrive in today’s market. AIME proudly acknowledges its sponsors for their unwavering support, including UWM, EPM, PRMG, The Loan Store, Windsor, Advantage Credit, ARIVE, and LendingPad, among many others.
- Clash of the Coaches: A highlight of the event, this game show-style competition featured mortgage business and social media coaches Christine Beckwith, the CEO of 20/20 Vision for Success Coaching & Consulting, Dale Vermillion, Founder & CEO of Mortgage Champions, and the Co-Founder of The Collective Coaching & Hire Culture VA, Kyle Draper as contestants, providing the audience with engaging strategies and advice in a fun, competitive format, hosted by the Mortgage Division CEO of Windsor Mortgage & Plains Commerce Bank, Chris Vinson.
- Second Line Parade: Attendees were treated to an unforgettable cultural experience, marching through the iconic French Quarter in a Second Line Parade, celebrating the community spirit that Fuse represents.
- Workshops and Breakout Sessions: The conference agenda was packed with sessions on critical topics, such as navigating the market post-NAR settlement, streamlining processes, the newest AI services & trends, brokerage growth & scaling, personal branding, and much more, all designed to empower brokers with tangible knowledge, resources, and strategies for success.
Hall of AIME: Honoring the Best in the Broker Channel
A significant highlight of the event was the invite-only Hall of AIME awards ceremony, held on Friday night, where the community gathered to honor the achievements of its most prestigious members. During the evening, over $114,000 was raised in support of Charlie Rocket’s Dream Machine, the charity empowering dreams for children in need. AIME pledged to match and donate $25,000 itself if the community pledged $25,000 or more, a number that was immediately surpassed by AIME’s broker community. This year’s Hall of AIME inductees included:
- Tom Ahles (Broker Owner, Edge Home Finance)
- Rylan Maddox (Sr. Mortgage Broker, HI FIVE Team)
- Samantha Shelton (Broker Owner, Align Lending)
- Elizabeth Cassidy (Market Leader and Broker, Future Home Loans)
- Corrina Carter (Owner & CEO, CMS Mortgage Solutions)
- Chris Vinson (CEO, Mortgage Division, Windsor Mortgage & Plains Commerce Bank)
The winners in various categories showcased the incredible talent and dedication within the independent mortgage industry:
- Local Broker of the Year: Surag "Rocky" Billore (Broker Owner, Rockwood Mortgage)
- Regional Broker of the Year: Armen Manokian (Mortgage Loan Originator, Coastline Mortgage)
- National Broker of the Year: Major Singleton (Broker Owner, Major Money Matters powered by Edge Home Finance)
- Local Brokerage of the Year: Left Coast Leaders
- Regional Brokerage of the Year: Grow Mortgage
- National Brokerage of the Year: CMS Mortgage Solutions
- Rookie of the Year: Tony Zerwas (Mortgage Broker, Edge Home Finance)
- Women's Champion: Elizabeth Cassidy (Market Leader and Broker, Future Home Loans)
- VA Champion: Susan Wiesner (Mortgage Broker, Edge Home Finance)
- People's Champion: Russell Petty (Broker Owner, Grow Mortgage)
- Vendor Partner of the Year: Advantage Credit
- Lender Partner of the Year: UWM
About AIME
The Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME) is a non-profit, national trade association created for independent mortgage brokers. Its mission is to support the growth of independent mortgage professionals by providing business resources and education to empower brokers to build thriving businesses.
For more information, visit www.aimegroup.com.
