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September 2016 The Diversity Issue_selected-pages (Ocwen - Lola Oyewole)
- 1. default servicing in print and online @ dsnews.com 09.2016 Building the Best Team For Your Organization PETERMURIUNGI HEADOFSERVICING,MORTGAGE BANKING,JPMORGANCHASE LOLAOYEWOLE HUMANRESOURCESLEADER,U.SOPERATIONS OCWENFINANCIALCORPORATION TUJUANNAWILLIAMS VP,CHIEFDIVERSITY&INCLUSION OFFICER,FANNIEMAE
- 2. 4 94 103 This Month FROMOURDESK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 DSJOURNAL Is the Fix and Flip Market Cooling; Creativity Counts: New Approaches Help Religious Borrowers; Veteran Homelessness Reduced by Half; The New Underwater Home; On the Right Track: Scorecard Paints a Picture of Housing Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 COUNSELSCORNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 ASKTHEECONOMIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 FIVEMINUTESWITH William Glasgow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 FIVEMINUTESWITH Peter Muriungi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 STATEOFAFFAIRS Impactful local market information at your fingertips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 INDUSTRYINSIGHT BUILDINGTHEBESTTEAM The industry combines forces through mergers and acquisitions . . . . . . . . . . . 94 By Scott Morgan INDUSTRYINSIGHT ATTHEINTERSECTION Discrimination and Diversity in the Modern Workplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 By Kelly Brooks Contributors KELLY BROOKS is CEO of Property Masters Inc., a national asset renovations company providing a variety of multi- faceted turnkey services. Kelly joined Property Masters Inc in 2005 and has played virtually every role within the organization becoming the companys first Vice President in 2010; COO in 2013; and finally Chief Executive Officer in 2016. Through Kellys career at Property Masters she has overseen the companys growth and expansion from servicing just the Metro Atlanta market with a staff of 3, to an 18 state coverage area employing a staff of 160. Kelly has lead the company with a strict commitment to quality and service which has forged the way for Property Masters to be recognized as a leading vendor in the mortgage and housing industry. Join the Conversation Do you have a suggestion, story idea, or feedback youd like to share with DS News readers? Help shape our next issue and e-mail Editor@DSNews.com. S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 6 C o n t e n t s D S N E W S . C O M 42
- 3. 88 Corporations that service loans should ensure that their customer- facing team members reflect the population they are serving.
- 4. 89 損 VISIT US ONLINE @ DSNEWS.COM Does mortgaging/servicing need to be more inclusive? Companies in the mortgage industry, like many other companies and organizations, want to succeed and grow. To do so, they need to attract the best and brightest talent. Attracting top talent requires that organizations foster an inclusive work culture where respect, equity, and positive recognition of differences are valued. It also requires that leadership play a significant role in ensuring the workplace culture gives permission and embraces unique and different viewpoints. Ocwens vision is to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace where every voice is heard. This vision starts at the very top. For example, the Chair of Ocwens Board of Directors is Phyllis Caldwell, former Chief, Homeownership Preservation Office at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Ms. Caldwell, along with our senior leadership team, sets the tone of diversity and inclusion throughout Ocwen. We are proud of the diversity and independence of our Board. We have also identified an executive management Diversity & Inclusion council whose role is to establish strategic actions, which will not only increase our level of diversity but also foster a culture of inclusion throughout the company. Creating an inclusive work environment will be a key component to drive cultural change in our organization. How is the industry/your company working to attract diverse staff (not just racially different, but young and old, religious or cultural, LGBT, special population representatives like newly ex-military, etc.) Ocwen understands how important homeownership is to its customers and communities across America, therefore attracting diverse talent is critical to our success. We have partnered with the Direct Employers network to distribute all our job openings to more than 1000 career websites focused on all areas of diversity. Recently, Ocwen partnered with The PhD Project, a 501(c) (3) organization. Founded by the KPMG Foundation in 1994, The PhD Project recruits under-represented minority professionals from business into doctoral programs across all disciplines. By sponsoring and partnering with The PhD Project, Ocwen can tap into the wealth of diverse candidates who could be recruited for roles within our organization. Ocwens Careers site reinforces our diversity message and inclusive employer brand through new imagery and content. Internally we have established a global review process that ensures a diverse candidate is considered before making a hiring decision on upper management roles. Ocwen also attends and recruits at local diversity-focused career fairs, such as the Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce career fair. In addition, Ocwens competitive benefits are designed with the well- being of our employees in mind. Our comprehensive benefit packages include health insurance, paid time-off, retirement benefits, life insurance, disability benefits, tuition reimbursement and more. We continue to look for new ways to engage our current team members to actively participate in our talent attraction strategy. From a good corporate citizen/member of the community standpoint, as well as from a purely business standpoint, what are the benefits of diversity and inclusion? In order for companies to be successful in their industry, they must make the most of the full range of their people. With changes in technology and globalization, organizations are realizing that maximizing the potential of a diverse workforce is not only a social imperative, but also a competitive advantage. Diversity is about acknowledging and leveraging similarities and differences while also unleashing the power of people. Creating an environment where all people feel valued and supported allows the focus to be on the work, which leads to more engagement, innovation, execution, and positive business results. What about inclusion/diversity does the mortgage or servicing arm need to best pay attention to? Corporationsthatserviceloansshouldensure thattheircustomer-facingteammembersreflectthe populationtheyareserving.Ocwendidnotoriginate mostoftheloansinourportfolio.Weacquiredthe vastmajorityofservicingrightsfromotherfinancial institutionsintheaftermathofthemortgagecrisis becausewehaddevelopedaspecificexpertiseasa hightouchservicer.Ournon-performingportfolio islargelylocatedincommunitiesacrossthecountry thatarestillsufferingfromthelingeringeffectsofthe housingcrisisandtendtobeinminorityandlower incomeareas.Ocwenspendsagreatdealoftimeand resourcesreachingouttothesecommunitiestohelp homeownersbecomecurrentandstayintheirhomes. To serve these markets and these populations, Ocwen executed a strategy that places a great deal of importance on partnering with diverse organiza- tions. We have developed strong collaborations with the NAACP, the National Council of La Raza, and local chapters of the Neighborhood Housing Services, to name a few. We conduct numerous borrower outreach events in partnership with these organizations and ensure that the servic- ing teams and counseling professionals who work with struggling borrowers speak their language, understand their culture, and are otherwise able to offer meaningful assistance. To further ensure our commitment to serving diverse markets and populations, in 2014 Ocwen established a 15 member Community Advisory Council that is comprised of a diverse group of organizations and individuals. Chaired by our CEO Ron Faris, the Council provides a forum for Ocwen and community leaders to share ideas and collabora- tively identify opportunities to have a positive impact on diverse populations. We view these community leaders as valued partners in establishing open lines of communication with our customers. Over the years, their diverse views and contributions have helped us better reach into diverse communities and have made Ocwen a better company. LOLA OYEWOLE Human Resources Leader, U.S Operations Ocwen Financial Corporation DIVERSITYPERSPECTIVES