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MortgagePoint ยป Your Trusted Source for Mortgage Banking and Servicing News 16 January 2025 he contributed to key legislative efforts, including lobbying Pennsylvania and West Virginia lawmakers and partici- pating in a Washington Fly-In to meet with U.S. House and Senate staff on valuation issues. "Dean has been nothing short of a ti- tan in the industry and to say his impact at SingleSource is immeasurable would be an understatement," said Brian Cullen, CEO of SingleSource. "His ac- complishments have been many, but his biggest impact and lasting legacy will be for the many he mentored at all levels within SingleSource. We are all better for having known and worked with him, and he will truly be missed." For the past 12 years, Kelker has over- seen regulatory, compliance, and financial risks at SingleSource. Prior to joining the company, he held executive roles in various real estate finance areas, including managing risks for lenders and a mortgage insurer, and performing mortgage default investigations for a due diligence firm. "Dean has been more than a mentor; he's a true friend who is always willing to provide help or guidance, no matter the situation," said Ed Austin, COO at Sin- gleSource. "His wisdom, generosity, and unwavering support have shaped not only careers but lives. I'm grateful for his insight and proud to call him a dear friend." Whether leading teams of one or 800 employees, Kelker's vision has been key to his success. As Chief Risk Officer, his ability to analyze complex situations and provide strategic advice has been critical in reducing risk for both Single- Source and its clients. As a mentor, Kelker also guided countless employees at SingleSource. His negotiating skills and talent for find- ing innovative solutions have made him a trusted advisor and key contributor to the company's growth. Kelker has also been a leading advocate for industry change. On behalf of REVAA, he spoke about appraisal bias before the House Financial Services Committee and the Appraisal Subcom- mittee Hearing of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC). During his testimonies on Capitol Hill, Kelker discussed various ways SingleSource and other apprais- al management companies (AMCs) approach Reconsideration of Value (ROV) requests, bias in the industry, and appraisal waiver programs. In addition, Kelker played a critical role in an eight-year case involving the Louisiana Real Estate Appraisers Board, which began in 2014 and ultimately led to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) suing the board for price-fixing viola- tions. Kelker's advocacy and sheer dedi- cation ultimately brought to light other instances of ambiguity in valuation regulations, resulting in national-level changes that clarified federal statutes and ultimately benefited consumers. "Dean has had an enormous impact on the mortgage business during his 39-year career, and we are grateful to have had him on our team," Single- Source Chairman Brian Uffelman said. "Whether it has been leading industry process changes or helping guide reg- ulatory changes on Capitol Hill, Dean's work will continue to influence the mortgage industry for years to come." OPTIMAL BLUE PROMOTES TWO EXECS Optimal Blue has announced two important executive promotions that will help the firm grow its network of partners and position it to offer innovation more quickly across its whole capital markets platform. Mike Vough has been promoted to the role of Head of Corporate Strategy, and Erin Wester has been named Chief Product Officer. "At Optimal Blue, we are very fortu- nate to not only have the latest and most accurate technology in the industry, but we also have proven industry experts that bring incredible experience in all aspects of secondary marketing," said Joe Tyrrell, CEO of Optimal Blue. "By aligning all product strategy under a mortgage technology expert like Erin, we will accelerate the delivery of value and innovation to our clients." Wester will be in charge of product strategy for the entire Optimal Blue capital markets platform, which includes product and pricing, broker pricing solutions, hedging and trading platforms, investor services solutions, Comergence compliance solutions, user experience and design departments, and the inte- grations department. Prior to this, Wester was primarily focused on the company's product and pricing solutions. Wester will also spearhead Optimal Blue's effort to provide clients with greater value at no additional expense. Vough, who formerly oversaw the strategy for Optimal Blue's trading and hedging solutions, will now concentrate on corporate strategy, which includes corporate development to support the company's acquisition plan and busi- ness development to assist its network of integration partners. Optimal Blue's data business, including its data reseller partners, will continue to grow under Vough's leadership. Attorneys COX, CASTLE & NICHOLSON NAMES THREE NEW PARTNERS Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP has an- nounced the election of three attorneys to the firm's partnership. These partners advise the top businesses, institutions, and individuals in the real estate, land use, environmental, and renewable energy industries on their most complex legal and business matters. Laura Cable is a leading tax attorney whose practice focuses on income tax planning for real estate transactions. Laura's practice includes federal and California income tax planning for real estate investments M O V E R S & S H A K E R S VOUGH WESTER