CampusMBA, the award-winning educational arm of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), awarded the Certified Mortgage Banker (CMB) designation to William (Bill) J. Eckert, senior sales executive for Mortgage Cadence, on May 7. The CMB is the highest professional designation for the real estate finance industry.

"We at Mortgage Cadence are extremely proud and excited for Bill's accomplishment; especially considering that only a small percentage of people within the mortgage space, let alone in the technology arena, have this designation," stated Mike Detwiler, CEO of Mortgage Cadence. "Bill's tenure brings invaluable experience and perspective to our organization and having CMB as part of his credentials further validates his knowledge of this industry. On behalf of everyone at Mortgage Cadence and for our clients we would like to congratulate Bill on this prestigious designation."

The CMB designation represents the mark of professionalism in real estate finance, including three different areas of expertise: the Master Certified Mortgage Banker, the Residential Certified Mortgage Banker, and the Commercial Certified Mortgage Banker. CMB designees exhibit the dedication that inspires other professionals to strive for excellence.

Earning the CMB designation is on par with earning a CPA or medical degree – it indicates a high level of expertise and professionalism by these professionals in their career as mortgage bankers, said Dan Thoms, vice president of education for MBA. Their commitment to commercial and residential real estate finance education and industry awareness is an exemplary example of their dedication to their communities. They are not only leaders in the mortgage banking, they are the future of mortgage banking."

Eckert has been in the mortgage technology arena for 16 years and has been with Mortgage Cadence since 2004. Before joining Mortgage Cadence, Eckert was active in designing, developing and selling a risk management/secondary marketing system, as well as selling other mortgage loan origination systems. Prior to the mortgage technology domain, he was a commercial mortgage banker and a residential mortgage banker. Eckert also taught secondary marketing for CampusMBA, the MBA's school of mortgage banking, and has acted as both a speaker and moderator at various mortgage banking conventions.

The CMB program is rigorous. Commercial and Residential CMB candidates must earn 150 points, through a combination of professional experience, secondary education, continuing education through MBA-sponsored events and CampusMBA courses, and participation in MBA at the local, state and/or national level. After accumulating the required points and passing a comprehensive written exam, candidates must demonstrate industry knowledge by passing an oral exam conducted by a panel of Certified Mortgage Bankers.

To earn the Master CMB, candidates must be a Commercial or Residential CMB for two years and earn 50 additional points. After passing a written exam based on the opposing discipline, candidates must then demonstrate industry knowledge by passing an oral exam conducted by a panel of Master Certified Mortgage Bankers.

For more information on Campus MBA, or to enroll in the CMT designation program, visit www.campusmba.org/cmb. For inquiries, e-mail campusmbaeducation@mortgagebankers.org or call (800) 348-8653.


About Mortgage Cadence
Mortgage Cadence supplies mortgage lending platforms that enable companies to focus on profitability and superior service. Comprised of comprehensive end-to-end loan origination software at its core, a business rule management system (BRMS), workflow engine, product and pricing functionality, automated underwriting, imaging/electronic document management and document preparation services, the system gives companies the flexibility to readily adapt to industry changes and easily capitalize on new business opportunities. Built on an ever-evolving, SOA-based architecture, consisting of functionality to innovate the mortgage process, and an eye toward the eventual realization of e-Mortgages, Mortgage Cadence provides the last lending platform a company will ever need. To learn more, please visit us on the Web at http://www.mortgagecadence.com.

About the MBA
The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) is the national association representing the real estate finance industry, an industry that employs more than 500,000 people in virtually every community in the country. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the association works to ensure the continued strength of the nation's residential and commercial real estate markets; to expand homeownership and extend access to affordable housing to all Americans. MBA promotes fair and ethical lending practices and fosters professional excellence among real estate finance employees through a wide range of educational programs and a variety of publications. Its membership of over 3,000 companies includes all elements of real estate finance: mortgage companies, mortgage brokers, commercial banks, thrifts, Wall Street conduits, life insurance companies and others in the mortgage lending field. For additional information, visit MBA's Web site: www.mortgagebankers.org.