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34 MOVERS & SHAKERS KEEP UP WITH WHO'S DOING WHAT AND WHO WENT WHERE Got something to share with us? Send it to Editor@DSNews.com. National Credit Default Rates Fall in February Data released by S&P Dow Jones Indices and Experian found that national credit default rates during the month of February declined. e S&P/Experian Consumer Credit Default Indices, a comprehensive measure of changes in consumer credit defaults, found that the national composite rate was 1.3 in February, down from 1.34 in January. e February 2014 national composite rate was lower than the previous year's figure of 1.55 percent. "Despite some mixed economic reports and severe weather, consumer credit default rates continue to decline," said David M. Blitzer, managing director and chairman of the Index Committee for S&P Dow Jones Indices. Across all categories—first mortgage, second mortgage, bank car, and auto loans—credit default rates improved. Credit default rates on first mortgages, reported as 1.26 percent in January, fell to 1.23 percent for the month of February. Year- over-year, rates are down from the February rate of 1.48 percent. For second mortgages, credit default rates fell as well from 0.72 percent in January to 0.69 percent in February. For the year, credit default rates fell slightly year-over- year from 0.71 percent in February 2013. e report noted, "Consumer default rates have stabilized at levels similar to those seen before the financial crisis." Potestivo & Associates Hires New Director Potestivo & Associates, P.C., announced the hiring of Nicole Kolhagen as the director of Human Resources. Kolhagen is an experienced human resources professional with more than 18 years' experience. She most recently served as a benefits administrator for a local public school system where she was responsible for all benefit programs for more than 500 employees. Baker Donelson Law Firm Hires New Attorney Baker Donelson announced Amanda Berry joined the Firm's Orlando office as of counsel, defending mortgage lenders, servicers, and investors in consumer finance litigation. She focuses on matters related to lender liability defense, fair debt and collections practices claims, regulatory and compliance issues, and title-related issues. Sarah Bloom Raskin Confirmed as Deputy Secretary Of The Treasury Sarah Bloom Raskin was confirmed by the United States Senate to serve as deputy secretary of the Treasury. Previously, Raskin was confirmed in 2010 by the Senate to serve as a governor of the board of the Federal Reserve where she helped conduct the nation's monetary policy, regulate banking institutions, and implement Wall Street reform. Capsilon Appoints New Chief Marketing Officer Capsilon welcomed Greg Marek to its executive team as chief marketing officer. Marek will oversee all aspects of the company's marketing efforts and grow Capsilon's marketing team. A technology industry veteran, Marek brings more than 20 years' experience in marketing leadership roles with a number of leading software companies, including Confirmit, Citrix, Intuit, and Oracle. Coldwell Banker Appoints New President in DFW Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Dallas/Fort Worth appointed Frank Obringer as president. Obringer brings more than 20 years' real estate experience and will lead the company's 15 offices and nearly 750 sales associates. He was most recently the managing broker of the company's East Manatee office in Bradenton, Florida. CFPB Names Three Key Senior Positions The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced three experts have been named to senior positions within the Bureau. Christopher D. Carroll joined the CFPB as assistant director and chief economist for the Office of Research in the Bureau's Research, Markets, and Regulations Division. Carroll is a professor of economics at Johns Hopkins University. Carroll received a B.A. in economics from Harvard University, and his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Daniel Dodd-Ramirez has joined the CFPB as assistant director of financial empowerment in the Bureau's Consumer Education and Engagement Division. Dodd-Ramirez previously served as the executive director of Step Up Savannah Inc., in Savannah, Georgia. He received a B.A. in Hispanic Studies from the University of Southern Maine and his M.A. in international/intercultural training from the School for International Training in southern Vermont. Jeffrey Langer joined the CFPB as assistant director of installment and liquidity lending markets in the Bureau's Research, Markets, and Regulations Division. Langer most recently served as senior counsel at Macy's, Inc., in Mason, Ohio. Langer received a B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his J.D. from the Northwestern University School of Law. Rosenberg & Associates Welcomes Two New Attorneys Rosenberg & Associates, LLC welcomed two new attorneys to the firm—Caroline Fields and Tracy Leyba. Fields holds a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, in American Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park and a Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. While in law school, Fields served as executive editor of the Journal of Health Care Law and Policy. She practices real estate law, focusing on creditors' rights and foreclosure. Leyba holds a Bachelor of Science in finance from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. While in law school, Leyba was the editor-in-chief of Maryland Law's Journal of Business & Technology Law, as well as the VP of the Business Law Society. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 32 Consumer default rates have stabilized at pre-recession levels after consumer confidence rose to the highest level since July this month and the number of jobless claims fell to 300,000 last week, the least since May 2007, according to the Bloomberg/ S&P/Experian Consumer Credit Default Indices. KNOW THIS

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