SINGLE-FAMILY TRACK: Career Planning for Finance and Accounting Professionals

Friday, November 21, 2025 9:45 AM-10:45 AM Grand Sonoran EF
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In this session, we discuss the typical skills and backgrounds of senior mortgage finance professionals, paths to advancement and recruitment, areas of greatest demand and specific credentials sought. Experts also discuss the role of remote work and how it may impact career planning and advancement. Lastly, panel delves into current market challenges and how to recruit talent and keep your best employees motivated during competitive times.

Speakers

Moderator

  • Photo of Kevin J. Conte, CPA
    Kevin J. Conte, CPA

    Partner, Plante & Moran, PLLC

    Kevin Conte has worked with both institutional and independent mortgage banking organizations throughout his career in public accounting, leading Plante Moran's broad-based financial services team in providing assurance, tax, and consulting services to mortgage bankers. Consulting services provided to our mortgage banking clients include tax/entity structuring, M&A, due diligence, cyber-security and other IT/risk management services, employee benefit/deferred compensation plans, health insurance plan structuring and funding options and exit strategies/succession planning.

    • Speakers

  • Photo of Alan Fowler, CMB, AMP
    Alan Fowler, CMB, AMP

    Director of Client Success, Garris Horn LLP

    Alan Fowler, CMB, is the Director of Client Success for Garris Horn, LLP, a nationally renowned law firm for mortgage bankers, and is the founder and Principal of Fowler Financial Education and Consulting, LLC, a company he founded in 2009 to offer NMLS education. Most of Alan’s 45 year has been as an executive of full-service, independent Mortgage Banks and Credit Unions. He is active with MBA and is the New Mexico State Ambassador. Alan is also a recipient of the E. Michael Rosser, CMB, Lifetime Achievement Award, is a Master Faculty Fellow for the School of Mortgage Banking and has served or is currently serving as Chair of the State and Local Committee, the CMB Society, the Credit Union Network and the Loan Production Committee. Alan is also the Founder and President of The Forum, a Think Tank of national leaders in Real Estate Finance. Alan has also served as the President of the New Mexico Mortgage Lenders Association (1991 and 2012), Chairman of the New Mexico Small Business Investment Corporation, and President of the American Alliance of Loan Management.

  • Photo of Michelle Richardson, CMB, AMP
    Michelle Richardson, CMB, AMP

    Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Plaza Home Mortgage, Inc.

    Michelle Richardson is the SVP and Chief Financial Officer at Plaza Home Mortgage, Inc., a privately owned, full-service national correspondent and wholesale lender. An industry veteran with more than 20 years of financial and operational experience, Ms. Richardson joined Plaza in 2019. Prior to Plaza, she was Vice President of Treasury at loanDepot and earlier held finance positions with Icon Residential, T-Force, and IMPAC Mortgage. In her current role, she oversees Accounting, Financial Analysis, Treasury, Payroll, Facilities and Administration and has extensive experience in strategic planning, revenue maximization, cost efficiency, timely and accurate financial reporting and the development of effective systems and controls. Ms. Richardson has her Masters in Accounting and is a Certified Mortgage Banker (CMB) as well as a Certified Treasury Professional CTP).

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