Blaine Rada, a mortgage industry veteran who began his career in 1985, helps individuals and organizations differentiate themselves and achieve their goals in a highly competitive mortgage environment. As an accomplished thought leader, public speaker and debater, Blaine earned the title of America’s Greatest Thinker in 2005 and 2022 and holds the National Speakers Association’s highest earned designation, Certified Speaking Professional (CSP). Notably, in 2019, he published an award-winning book chronicling his inspirational 500-mile trek of the Camino de Santiago across Spain, and he is an avid recreational athlete, having conquered an ironman-distance triathlon and multiple ultra-marathons, including a 100-mile race. Blaine is a Mensa member with certificates in distance education from Indiana University and applied neuroscience from The Neuroscience School. His public career and personal achievements exemplify his commitment to excellence, innovation and continuous learning.

Rachel Kelley is the Vice President of Legislative Affairs at the Mortgage Bankers Association, focusing her lobbying efforts on the Republicans in the House of Representatives. She was previously Assistant Vice President of Political Affairs at the MBA since 2021.

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Rachel was formerly in political fundraising working for CLT Host 2020, Inc, the RNC (Republican National Committee), and NRSC (National Republican Senatorial Committee).

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Prior to fulltime political fundraising, Rachel managed the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) PAC and helped represent ICSC on the Hill and worked on the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) PAC. Before NAHB Rachel was a junior lobbyist at a boutique lobby firm specializing in education appropriation grants for community colleges, technology companies and organizations and business development.

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Rachel began her Washington, DC career working for her home state Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and maintains ties with her state as through her membership in the Alabama State Society and her diehard support of her Alma mater The University of Alabama. She lives in Arlington, VA with her husband and young son.

As a second generation mortgage banker, Owen Munton was born and raised with mortgages on his mind. Munton has worked as a mortgage banker, mortgage broker, sales manager, and business owner during the past two decades.  During this time, Owen has been a part of thousands of mortgage transaction totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.  He has received several industry awards and certifications including 2021 Mortgage Banker of the Year from the Mortgage Bankers Association of Mississippi and the Certified Mortgage Banker designation from the Mortgage Banker’s Association. Munton is one of only six Certified Mortgage Bankers in Mississippi.

Munton has served as the Regional Mortgage Manager for Hancock Whitney Bank since 2014 covering Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle  As the regional manager, he is a part of an award winning team of mortgage lenders across the region that specialize in residential mortgage financing.  Munton also serves as a mortgage lender helping clients purchase, build, or refinance their homes.  Headquartered in Gulfport, MS for over 120 years, Hancock Whitney Bank is ranked in the top 100 Best Banks in America.  Hancock has also been recognized for top client satisfaction and top customer service by J.D. Power and the Greenwich Excellence Awards.

He is a graduate of Hattiesburg High School, Mississippi State University, and the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.  Owen resides in Hattiesburg along with his wife Erin. They have two sons, Andrew and Sam and a golden retriever named Randy. 

Sandi Gumpert is the Vice President of Secondary Marketing at Hancock Whitney Bank, where she leads the company’s capital market activities, including pricing, hedging, and secondary market execution for the Mortgage Division. She also plays a key role in Mortgage product development and policies and manages investor relations with GSEs, government agencies, and private investors.

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With over 20 years of leadership experience in the mortgage industry, Sandi joined Hancock Whitney in 2000, following roles at First National Bank of Commerce, Bank One, and Whitney Bank prior to their merger with Hancock Bank. In addition to her primary responsibilities, she oversees Post-Closing, Accounting, CRA loan procurement, and vendor management for the Mortgage Division. Sandi is actively involved in staff training for both origination and operations.

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Sandi began her career 28 years ago as a post-closer handling FHA case binder conditions and has since gained comprehensive experience across various mortgage functions, including processing, closing, construction lending, and management. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree with a focus on Environmental Studies, and has additional professional training in Fannie Mae Securities, Underwriting, and Accounting.

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Outside of work, Sandi enjoys traveling extensively, experiencing diverse cultures, and engaging in outdoor activities such as hiking, backpacking, and boondocking. She also takes pride in raising her twins.

Nick has been in mortgage banking since 2005 with expertise on growing production, implementing technology and improving operational efficiencies. As the Chief Retail Mortgage Officer who leads and directs Origin Bank’s mortgage loan functions and vision. Also who coordinates and supervises mortgage lending activities for the bank to develop and recommend policies, procedures, and objectives in the areas of mortgage lending; and provides advice, training, and guidance to mortgage personnel. 

Over 26 years of experience in the financial services industry.  I enjoy leading high performing mortgage operations teams with high energy and a strong moral compass.  Coaching high potential employees and seeing them reach their career goals is a passion of mine.

Bob Niemi, CMB is the Director of Government Affairs for Weiner Brodsky & Kider. Bob brings a unique perspective from his experience and relationships to advise lenders on a wide array of regulatory and compliance matters, including state licensing, examination survival, and acquisitions. His commitment to the industry extends beyond his day-to-day responsibilities at WBK, serving as the Chair of the American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators Advisory Council, Vice Chair of the Certified Mortgage Banker Society for the MBA and Secretary/Treasurer of the MBA of Florida. These positions underscore his dedication to fostering a regulatory environment that supports both industry integrity and consumer protection. Bob's background as both a former mortgage professional, Ohio Deputy Superintendent and the NMLS Ombudsman provide him with a unique 360 insight into the complexities of mortgage regulation and enforcement. Bob's contributions to the mortgage industry have been instrumental in shaping regulatory practices, including national efforts to reform state remote work legislation and policies.  In 2024, Bob was awarded the Outstanding State & Local Association Leadership Award by the MBA and the Distinguished Service Award by AARMR in recognition of these efforts. Bob earned his CMB in 2016 and lives in the Tampa Bay area with his wife Melissa, who is also a CMB.

Robbie started his mortgage industry career with internships during high school and college at Peoples National Bank in Colorado, and RPM & Bay Equity in the San Francisco Bay Area. After graduating from The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Finance in 2014, he went to work at SoFi, where he rose to Director, Capital Markets assisting in the creation of SoFi's residential mortgage division before leaving to work for TMS in Austin, Texas. From there, he went to work for FinTech startup Riivos in San Francisco and then to Mortgage Capital Trading (MCT) in San Diego. He is an avid cyclist, has visited all 50 states and numerous countries, and produces a successful daily podcast on the residential mortgage industry.