OPENING GENERAL SESSION: Change the World: The 10 Lessons I Learned as a Navy SEAL
Based on his iconic UT Austin Commencement speech, retired Navy Four-Star Admiral Bill McRaven offers a compelling reflection on leadership, character, and service. Sharing lessons learned from a lifetime in the Navy SEALs, he demonstrates how everyday discipline, resilience under pressure, and moral courage can drive extraordinary outcomes. Admiral McRaven connects simple habits to larger life lessons, showing how perseverance, teamwork, and accountability equip leaders to navigate uncertainty and adversity. This engaging and motivational session encourages attendees to lead with humility and act decisively in the face of challenges. If you want to change the world, you must recognize that meaningful impact often starts with small, intentional choices. Admiral McRaven will also recount, through vivid storytelling, the capture of Sadam Hussein, the successful raid on Osama Bin Laden, and the rescue of Captain Phillips. The session opens with MBA’s President and CEO Bob Broeksmit and 2026 MBA Chair Christine Chandler, who will offer industry updates, present the Distinguished Service Award and announce this year’s CRI designees and Future Leaders.
Speakers
Moderator
Christine Chandler has been with M&T since 1991 and has more than 30 years of experience in commercial real estate finance. Since 2018, she has been responsible for making credit decisions for M&T RCC multifamily and healthcare transactions underwritten in the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (Agency) and Federal Housing Administration (FHA) platforms as well as managing the company’s operations and its Asset Management Group and Transformation team. Prior to that, Chandler served 13 years as the M&T RCC Chief FHA Underwriter, was a senior Fannie Mae DUS Underwriter, and previously spent several years managing the closing and delivery for FHA and Ginnie Mae transactions. Chandler has also served as a relationship manager in the company’s commercial real estate division, focusing on construction and permanent portfolio lending. Active in various committees and groups related to the mortgage banking industry, Chandler is a voting member of MBA’s Board of Directors, served as the 2023 Chair of MBA’s Commercial Real Estate/Multifamily Finance Board of Governors (COMBOG), and was appointed to MBA’s Audit Committee in 2021. She is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences and is a passionate advocate for mPower, MBA Promoting Opportunities for Women to Extend their Reach, the largest networking organization for women in real estate finance.
Featured Speakers
Admiral William H. McRaven is a retired U.S. Navy Four-Star admiral, best-selling author and former Chancellor of the University of Texas System. He is a recognized national authority on U.S. foreign policy and has advised Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and other U.S. leaders on defense issues. During his time in the military, he commanded special operations forces at every level, eventually taking charge of the U.S. Special Operations Command. His career included combat during Desert Storm and both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He commanded the operations that captured Saddam Hussein, rescued Captain Phillips and the 2011 Osama bin Laden mission. As the Chancellor of the UT System he led one of the nation’s largest and most respected systems of higher education. Admiral McRaven has been recognized for his leadership numerous times through distinguished awards and by publications. He currently serves on the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and the National Football Foundation. He is the author of four books including, SPEC OPS: Case Studies in Special Operations Warfare; Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life and Maybe the World; Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations; and his newest book, The Hero Code: Lessons Learned from Lives Well Lived.
Speakers
Robert D. Broeksmit, CMB, is MBA’s President and Chief Executive Officer. He is a senior finance executive and corporate officer with over 35 years of experience in the mortgage sector. He has directed all aspects of lending activities, including marketing, sales, operations, secondary marketing, loan servicing, and default management. He has also served as a mortgage underwriting expert testifying on many large, high-profile cases. Prior to joining MBA, Broeksmit served as President and Chief Operating Officer with Treliant, heading the firm’s mortgage litigation support practice. He previously held senior leadership positions in the mortgage business, including 14 years with Chevy Chase Bank (including after its purchase by Capital One) and 7 years as Vice President at Prudential Home Mortgage. He has overseen annual originations of $9 billion, a balance sheet of $10 billion in residential mortgage, and a servicing portfolio of $20 billion. He is past Chairman of MBA’s Residential Board of Governors and a member of its Board of Directors.
Jamie Woodwell is Senior Vice President of Commercial/Multifamily Policy and Strategic Industry Engagement at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), where he oversees the association’s public policy and member engagement efforts across all commercial real estate finance sectors, working closely with member leaders and staff to advance MBA members’ business and policy objectives Jamie and his work are regularly cited in the media, on Capitol Hill and in regulatory settings. He is a regular speaker at industry and corporate events; has appeared on CNBC, Bloomberg and in other popular and trade press; and testified before the Congressional Oversight Panel for TARP. Jamie initiated many of MBA's research activities and created MBA's Peer Business Roundtables. He co-founded MBA’s CREF Careers program. Woodwell joined MBA in 2004, and most recently served as Vice President and Head of Commercial Real Estate Research, where he oversaw the association’s economic research and analysis covering commercial and multifamily real estate finance markets. He has also served as senior director of business development at CapitalThinking in New York, research director at the WMF Group in Virginia, and research manager at the National League of Cities in Washington, D.C. Jamie is a member of the Urban Land Institute, the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association and other professional and industry groups and a past member of the Counselors of Real Estate. He has served on various advisory groups, particularly around climate change and ESG, including for the National Institute of Building Sciences, Fannie Mae and Bright Power. Jamie received his bachelor's degree in economics and American studies from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He earned his master's degree in urban and regional planning from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh. Jamie lives in Washington DC.
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