MBA CEO Kempner
Steps Down From Post
The president and CEO of the Mortgage
Bankers Association, Jonathan Kempner, is
resigning, as of Dec. 31. John A. Courson, a
former MBA chairman, will be assuming a
leadership position during the transition,
taking on the role of president on Jan. 1.
Kempner was tapped to head MBA in
March 2001. He came on board after three
rough years for the agency. During his
tenure, the association reports that it dou-
bled revenues and its operating reserve
fund. More recently, the association has suffered financial setbacks due to the year-long
credit crunch. According to news accounts,
MBA’s revenues are expected to shrink by
some 10% to 15%. The association has also
been forced to cut staff, reports say.
Kempner did not explicitly give a reason
for his departure. According to accounts, it
was his decision to leave. “MBA’s mission, I
am convinced, will be enhanced with new
leadership. On a personal level, I very much
look forward to a new position of leadership
myself after nearly eight wonderful years at
MBA,” he says in a prepared statement.
Courson became COO of the MBA at
the start of this month. He is assuming his
new post at a time when the industry is in
great flux and some turmoil. He comes to
the association already familiar with its
issues, having served as chairman in 2003
and as a member of MBA’s board of directors, the residential board of governors
and the commercial real
estate/multifamily finance board of governors.—Erika Morphy, GlobeSt.com
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