
Closing Super Session (Closed to Media)
Wrap up the conference with a dynamic discussion on the hottest issues, latest trends and challenges in commercial/multifamily finance servicing. Engage with peers, share insights, and ask questions in this interactive and informal forum. Come as you are and join the conversation before heading home. (Focus: Asset Management, Closing; Compliance, Escrows/Taxes; Insurance; Investor Accounting, Legal; Servicing/Operations; Special Servicing; Technology)
Speakers
Moderator
Steve is the Managing Director of Commercial Mortgage Closing and Servicing for Principal Real Estate Investors, the dedicated real estate unit of Principal Global Investors. He is responsible for managing the closing and servicing activities for Principal’s $30.0 billion servicing portfolio. These responsibilities include establishing strategic direction, providing relationship management to clients, overseeing risk management, pricing of new business and managing profitability. Steve is currently a member of the MBA's Commercial Board of Governors.
Timothy Steward is the Director of Commercial Mortgage Loans at Symetra Life Insurance Company and a highly skilled financial services leader with extensive experience in commercial and multifamily real estate, as well as all facets of mortgage loan servicing and asset management. He has a proven aptitude for generating growth opportunities, building key relationships, and overseeing high-profile projects and initiatives. An innovative leader, Timothy focuses on talent development, diversity and inclusion, and building highly functioning teams that drive performance and deliver long-term strategic results.
Speakers
Jon, Senior Vice President, is head of asset management for Grandbridge Real Estate Capital. In his role, he's responsible for leading a team of 70+ real estate professionals managing a $29 billion portfolio consisting of more than 3,700 loans. Lenders for these loans include Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, 50+ insurance companies, banks and CMBS investors. Jon and his team are responsible for all areas of asset management including post-closing borrower requests as well as property inspections and financial monitoring. Jon first joined the company under the Collateral Real Estate Capital banner in 2003 as a member of the Asset Management department where he was responsible for Grandbridge's $5.3 billion portfolio. His responsibilities included workouts for troubled loans and dispositions for REO. In 2005, he was asked to lead the Servicing Operations team where he was responsible for the cash management, investor reporting, and the tax and insurance functions. During this time, he also served as a senior member of the conversion team that implemented a new servicing system. With the formation of Grandbridge in 2007, Jon returned to the Asset Management team where he led the insurance company portfolio and later the Fannie Mae portfolio before being promoted to head of asset management in 2011. His real estate career began at Colonial Properties Trust where he served as property accountant and later as asset manager for their multifamily division. His responsibilities included acquisitions and dispositions as well as leading their fee management business. During his tenure at Colonial Properties, he was responsible for the conversion of property management system and developed a monthly reporting system to collect property level operating results.
Kathleen Dufraine is the Managing Director of the Insurance Center of Excellence and Head of the Corporate Flood Program at JPMorgan Chase. With over 35 years of experience as a credentialed and licensed insurance professional, Kathleen leverages her extensive expertise to build high-performing teams, ensure compliance, transform business processes, and provide consultative insurance support to lending and servicing leaders. A recognized industry leader, Kathleen is a passionate advocate for reforming the Flood Disaster Protection Act and frequently speaks on this critical topic. Her past achievements include collaborating with the Mortgage Bankers Association to lobby Congress for the creation of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA), developing the ACORD 28 Property Certificate, and co-authoring influential whitepapers such as “Blanket Insurance” and “Due Diligence for Force Placed Insurance.” More recently, she contributed to the first edition of the ABA’s Reference Guide to Flood Compliance. Outside of her professional endeavors, Kathleen enjoys spending quality time with her family, attending concerts, and traveling.
Paul joined StanCorp Mortgage Investors in November 2009 as a Senior Business Finance Analyst. Paul was promoted to Manager – SMI Operations in January 2012. In May 2015 Paul was promoted to Director of Technology Finance for Standard Insurance Company. Paul was promoted to AVP, Loan Operations in December 2025. Paul re-joined StanCorp Mortgage Investors in August 2018. Prior to joining The Standard, Paul worked at Deloitte where his main audit clients were banks, retirement and profit-sharing plans, and manufacturers.
Rosie Sheehan is a Director, Business Development at SS&C Technologies focusing on the sales and advancement of innovative solutions and services for leading financial services firms. In this role, she is primarily responsible for growing SS&C’s impressive client base of lenders to support their enterprise operations. Prior to SS&C, Rosie served as the Associate Director of Advocacy at the Mortgage Bankers Association, where she lead advocacy member engagement during the height of the COVID pandemic, and delivered on key residential and commercial mortgage policy initiatives at the federal, state and local levels of government. She began her career serving as Manager, Congressional & Federal Affairs for the American Psychological Association.