Announcing NAWRB’s Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council (NDILC) Chairwoman

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IRVINE, CA – The NAWRB Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council (NDILC) is proud to announce Rebecca Steele as our newly appointed chairwoman.

Steele is the Founder and CEO of Steele Advisory and Services, LLC. and brings with her over 20 years as a financial industry expert working with the nation’s largest banks.

As a woman with experience in executive decision-making roles, Steele is uniquely aware of the challenges women face in the C-suites of America; as the only American mortgage lender executive found civilly liable for her role in the 2007 housing crisis, which is now under the Federal Appeal process, she is familiar with the inequality working women endure, and continues to fight for truth and justice.
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NAWRB Receives Approval as Freddie Mac HomeSteps Diversity Supplier

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The National Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses (NAWRB) today announced it has been approved as a Freddie Mac HomeSteps Diversity Supplier. HomeSteps is the REO Sales division of Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC), one of the nation’s largest sources of residential mortgage credit.

Irvine, CA, December 23, 2015 — The National Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses (NAWRB) today announced it has been approved as a Freddie Mac HomeSteps Diversity Supplier. HomeSteps is the REO Sales division of Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC), one of the nation’s largest sources of residential mortgage credit.

“Becoming a HomeSteps Diversity Supplier will help strengthen one of NAWRB’s missions to advocate and promote women and women-owned businesses throughout the housing industry. As a 20-year Freddie Mac Broker veteran, today’s announcement fulfills a longtime vision and passion of mine to work with Freddie Mac’s HomeSteps Division,” stated Desiree Patno, CEO and Founder of NAWRB.

“HomeSteps is committed to working with minority and women real estate professionals. Over the past 22 years the HomeSteps Diversity Supplier initiative has awarded millions of dollars in contracts to qualified diverse vendors who maintain high-quality standards, place a premium on customer service and are cost competitive,” said Sharon Bartlett, Director of REO Vendor Services and Operations Support at HomeSteps.

In a related development, NAWRB formed a Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Council (NDILC) in October 2015. The new council is dedicated to bringing women to the forefront of the housing economy with accountability and results.

“Having more women in C-suite positions helps create opportunities for mentorship and support systems for the next generation of women to rise through the ranks. I believe our new relationship with HomeSteps will increase our momentum in advancing diversity and inclusion throughout our industry,” Patno said.

NAWRB Receives Approval As Freddie Mac Homesteps Diversity Supplier

About NAWRB
NAWRB is dedicated to providing women the tools and opportunities for economic growth and expansion, while advocating and promoting women-owned businesses in housing. NAWRB is the only third-party industry-specific certifier of Women-Owned Businesses (WOB) and Minority Women-Owned Businesses (MWOB) in the housing economy.

NAWRB Brings Women To The Forefront Of The Historic Diversity And Inclusion Movement

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IRVINE, CA – Last month, the National Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses (NAWRB) held its 2nd Annual Conference in Long Beach, CA seeking newfound ways of connecting resources and sharing best practices across women’s platforms while bringing women’s diversity and inclusion (D&I) to the forefront of the housing continuum. “As a leader through this exciting and historic D&I movement, our primary focus is bringing women to the forefront with accountability and results. Through our Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Council, we are championing all financial institutions, servicing companies, secondary mortgage

“As a leader through this exciting and historic D&I movement, our primary focus is bringing women to the forefront with accountability and results. Through our Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Council, we are championing all financial institutions, servicing companies, secondary mortgage markets and associated real estate services to increase their D&I efforts especially for women. As women don’t have geographical roots like their minority counterparts, we are spread thin across several platforms and are even skeptical of one another. As a collaborative community, women must support women in their respective industries and ultimately they will secure sustainable growth,” stated Desirée Patno, CEO of NAWRB. From the keynote opening remarks by the SBA’s Yvonne Lee, to the directors

From the keynote opening remarks by the SBA’s Yvonne Lee, to the directors for the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI) at the CFPB, FDIC and FHFA, and a TRID update from the CFPB’s Laurie Maggiano, NAWRB unites leaders across several government agencies with the private sector to grow and support opportunities for women in housing.

Women’s inclusion in upper management is pivotal to the success of the D&I movement. Attendees gained valuable insight as over 82 percent of the speakers were women in executive roles. Rebecca Steele, a former Managing Director at JPMorgan Chase and SVP National Servicing Executive at Bank of America, spoke about her experience forging a path for women to climb the corporate ladder and emphasized the importance of women supporting women.

NAWRB Brings Women To The Forefront Of The Historic Diversity And Inclusion Movement

NAWRB Welcomes New Member, Patty Arvielo, President Of New American Funding

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Irvine, CA – 01/5/2015 – Patty Arvielo, President of New American Funding, has become one of the latest members of the National Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses (NAWRB), adding to NAWRB’s collective voice for women in the housing economy.

With over 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry, Arvielo has been instrumental in the creation and management of New American Funding and has played a vital role as an advocate for women in the real estate community. Her expertise has contributed to the rapid growth of New American Funding and has led to her inclusion in Housing Wire’s 2014 Influential Women in Housing list. Arvielo continues to build experience through her positions on multiple committees including the Mortgage Bankers Association Risk Management Committee, MBA’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee and the Freddie Mac Community Lender Advisory Board.

“I believe that the advancement of women in the housing economy is incredibly important. One of my personal objectives going into the New Year is to help empower women to rise up in the workplace and become strong leaders in their organization. I joined NAWRB to help support its mission and to advocate for real estate women empowerment,” said Arvielo.

A speaker for the NAWRB Inaugural Conference and recipient of the NAWRB Roaring Twenty Award, Arvielo has shown strong support for the association since before her membership.

“Arvielo is someone that will be essential in our organization as a dynamic innovator and voice for women,” said Desiree Patno, CEO and Founder of NAWRB. “We are building relationships that are lifelines, ensuring women have a seat at the table and greater opportunities for women-owned businesses.”

NAWRB Welcomes New Member, Patty Arvielo, President Of New American Funding

NAWRB Makes History

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Irvine, November 10, 2014 – The National Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses (NAWRB) held their Inaugural Conference on October 27-29th in Long Beach, CA providing more national awareness, opportunities, and access to capital for women and women-owned businesses specializing in the housing economy. For the first time since

For the first time since passage of the legislation and outside of Washington, D.C., a woman-owned business association leader, NAWRB, organized and sponsored this unique event for the women-owned business community to put laser focus on the opportunities created by Dodd-Frank Section 342. By bringing together in one venue the author of Dodd-Frank Section 342 Congresswoman Maxine Waters, representatives from the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI) at the federal agencies, the regulated entities including Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Wells Fargo, Chase, MUFG Union Bank and Morgan Stanley, the Small Business Administration (SBA) Women’s Business Ownership, and the National Women’s Business Council (NWBC), the conference delegates were provided with unprecedented insight to the legislation’s purpose, key Women-Owned Business (WOB) statistics, and the regulated entities’ meaningful efforts to increase opportunities for women employment and WOB suppliers to their organizations.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters’ opening keynote address was conducted as an interview in a living room-style setting. NAWRB CEO Desirée Patno proposed questions regarding Congresswoman Waters’ first-hand perspective on the progress of Section 342, and what can be done to provide greater awareness and implementation of the OMWI requirements across the federal agencies. Congresswoman Waters outlined her vision behind authoring the section which included opening up opportunities in the private sector and government procurement opportunities, and ensuring women and minorities were getting real opportunities that may have previously suppressed. Congresswoman Waters stated, “This is the first OMWI awareness event of this type (sponsored by and for the business community) outside of D.C.” and reiterated the importance of events such as the conference to facilitate the adoption and integration of the requirements at the ground level.

The conference continued with an OMWI panel featuring Stuart Ishimaru, OMWI Director, CFPB and Melodee Brooks, OMWI Senior Deputy Director, FDIC who were on hand to address the conference delegates on their agency’s mission, their roles, and discuss opportunities through their agencies for women and Women-Owned Businesses (WOB) in the housing economy. This and subsequent panels provided the delegates with specific information and best practices they could implement immediately upon return to their businesses.

Section 342 established the requirement for an OMWI for each federal agency that must include a director to implement standards such as equal employment opportunity with racial, ethnic, and gender diversity; an assessment of diversity policies and practices within their respective agencies as well as the regulated entities under their jurisdiction; and increased participation in programs and contracts by women-owned and minority-owned businesses. Section 342 also promotes “inclusion in all levels of business activities,” according to the legislation.

“Although the OMWIs and the regulated entity requirements are not as well-known due to the young age of Dodd-Frank, continued outreach programs and awareness are essential to realize the impact of the legislation and to facilitate implementation in the business communities across the United States. There is still a long road until the duties in Section 342 are operating to the best of their abilities, but with strong advocates such as NAWRB, minorities and women are one step closer to gaining access to and winning more opportunities and representation,” stated Patno. “After first covering the OMWIs four years ago, it was truly an honor to have their history-making presence at this incredible event.”

The National Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses (NAWRB) is dedicated to providing women the tools and opportunities for economic growth and expansion, while advocating and promoting women-owned businesses specializing in the housing economy. NAWRB is the only third-party industry-specific certifier of Women-Owned Business (WOB) and Minority Wom¬en-Owned Business (MWOB) certifications specializing in the housing economy.

NAWRB Makes History

WIPP Features Exciting NAWRB Announcements

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Irvine, CA— Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) has featured NAWRB’s upcoming developments regarding the NAWRB Inaugural Conference and the latest issue of NAWRB Magazine, the leading publication for women in the housing economy.

WIPP is a nonpartisan organization that assists women-owned businesses by educating and advocating for them. The organization represents 4.7 million business women and uses a collective voice to make a powerful statement on Capitol Hill and the Administration.

WIPP shared NAWRB’s announcement which showcased two profound speakers set to participate at the NAWRB Inaugural Conference. Mentioned speakers included Barbara Kasoff and Tami Bonnell. Kasoff is the President and Co-Founder of WIPP and previously owned Voice-Tel of Michigan, Voice Response Corporation and in a global expansion, opened Voice-Tel of Australia and New Zealand. Bonnell is the CEO of EXIT Realty Corp. International and has 30 years of experience in real estate.

The exciting Inaugural Conference will take place at the Hyatt Regency in Long Beach, Calif. on Oct. 27-29. The conference will provide awareness, opportunities and access to help women grow and expand their businesses. Moreover, it will feature speakers and mentors who specialize in finance and the housing economy such as the FDIC Senior Deputy Director Melodee Brooks, U.S. SBA Mentors and countless CEOS. The conference will also include fun and lively aspects such as a Roaring Twenties-themed Gala, raffles, silent auction, live band and more.

The newest issue of NAWRB Magazine was also highlighted by WIPP for its riveting interview with Emmy Award-winning producer and Founder of the inspiring Adelante Movement, Nely Galan. In the interview, Galan discusses her involvement with the inspiring Adelante Movement and her journey to success.

NAWRB Magazine is an international monthly publication full of insightful information geared toward women specializing in the housing economy. From prominent female figures spotlighted in the sheCENTER(FOLD) and feature articles written by leaders and experts, to apps to help get people organized, NAWRB Magazine encompasses what’s trending now in the housing industry, business and culture.

WIPP Features Exciting NAWRB Announcements

NAWRB Launches Women In Housing Financial Fitness Road Show

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Irvine, CA—The National Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses (NAWRB) in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Santa Ana District Office presented the Women in Housing Financial Fitness Road Show this month at the Lutron Experience Center in Irvine, CA.

NAWRB’s Inaugural Women in Housing Financial Fitness Road Show is a first-of-its-kind, breakthrough program for women in all industries within the housing economy. More than just tools to navigate women’s existing business through the changing terrain, NAWRB’s Women in Housing Financial Fitness Road Show reached a whole new level. Utilizing a specialized hybrid of women in housing and women in government outreach, women can take advantage of the fast track niche. By connecting women with federal and local programs, set- asides, funding options and contracting opportunities available to grow their businesses both vertically and horizontally, women in housing will have the awareness to sustainable growth and live beyond commission to commission.

Hosted by Morgan Stanley – Richard Downer First Vice President, Wealth Advisor Vivian Afriyie, a Morgan Stanley financial advisor, opened the event in dramatic fashion showcasing asset based loans vs. traditional income and credit based loans. Recently, Morgan Stanley closed a 150 million dollar commercial real estate loan in 6 weeks. “Bringing the shock treatment with our takeaways from $25,000 SBA business loans to the $200 million dollar Morgan Stanley Diversified Securities for clients, really ignited the awareness in the room,” stated Patno, CEO and Founder of NAWRB. About NAWRB: The National Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses (NAWRB) is the most visible women’s trade association specializing in the housing economy. NAWRB is dedicated to providing women the tools and opportunities for economic growth and expansion, while advocating and promoting women-owned businesses specializing in the housing economy. NAWRB is the only third-party industry-specific certifier of Women-Owned Business (WOB) and Minority Women-Owned Business (MWOB) certifications specializing in the housing economy.

Testimonials:

“Thank you for having the vision and for putting it all together! It was a great event!” U.S. SBA-Santa Ana District Office, Economic Development Specialist Sylvia Guiterrez “Loved the NAWRB Road Show! The caliber of speakers that were there to share with us how to grow our business was very impressive. I loved the way Desiree has a way to break down the information and make it real life and tangible. Great job!”

Tina Maria Estrada, The Omni Group

The resources and opportunities are out there. If you want to be part of the Road Show or have it travel to a city near you, email us at Roadshow@NAWRB.com. Make a difference and join the movement bringing awareness, opportunities, and access to women in housing.

NAWRB Launches Women In Housing Financial Fitness Road Show

NAWRB Announces Roaring Twenty Annual Award Winners Featuring Industry Leaders

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IRVINE, CA – The National Association of Women in Real Estate Business (NAWRB) is proud to announce our 2014 annual award winners highlighting outstanding women in the housing economy. This year we feature eleven extraordinary women in the featured categories, and for the first year we have co-winners as both nominee’s contributions to their community were immeasurable.

The list of awardees is as follows:

The Flapper: Cayce Macias

The Talkie: Tami Bonnell

The Gatsby: Brigitte Respaut Clement

The Spirit of St. Louis: Amy Brandt

The Chanel: Donna Nazir

The Chrysler: Debbie Oliver

The Disney: Nancy Welsh

The Gershwin: Patricia Arvielo

The Charleston: Monica Vacas & Vandana Chima Bhalla

The Women’s Voice Award: Barbara Kasoff

We recognize these outstanding women in the Housing Economy for their professional achievements. Each award is in keeping with the spirit of the 1920’s, pulling inspiration from this diverse and dynamic decade, as it is a distinct representation of the women in this industry. Each award name was featured after a unique individual, theme, or event that transpired during this period of time.

We will be spotlighting each woman in our Roaring Twenty Spread along with this year’s nine leading ladies, which will be featured in our upcoming Double Issue of N Magazine.

NAWRB is the most visible women’s trade association specializing in the Housing Economy. As the only provider of Women-Owned Business (WOB) and Minority Women-Owned Business (MWOB) certifications specific to real estate, NAWRB is dedicated to the access and advocacy of professional women and women business owners Specializing in the Housing Economy, SHE is Changing Real Estate™.

2015 NAWRB Conference Roaring Twenty Awards

LPS CONFERENCE PROVIDES PLATFORM, VOICE FOR WOMEN OWNED COMPANIES IN DISTRESSED SERVICES

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August 22, 2010

Denver, Colorado – The National Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses (NAWRB), the preeminent organization representing women owned businesses in the Distressed Services Industry, continued its success at the forefront of policy changes at the Lender Processing Services (LPS) Default Servicing Conference 2010. This invitation-only event, hosted in Denver, Colorado, provided a distinct opportunity for NAWRB’s nationwide membership to develop direct communication with several of the industry’s leading companies.

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IRVINE-BASED, NATIONWIDE WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS ASSOCIATION STATEMENT ON INDUSTRY TRENDS AFTER CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION

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August 17, 2010

Los Angeles, California-Thursday morning, small business owners left this city after a three day, General Services Administration-sponsored (GSA) conference designed to educated and encourage small business participation in federal contract procurement. Small businesses, particularly those owned by minorities, veterans, and women, remain noticeably absent from the bidding process on federal contracts.

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