KALAMAZOO, MI. (May 27, 2021) – The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) announced today that Mark Jones, Co-Founder of Amerifirst Home Mortgage, has been nominated to serve as MBA’s Vice Chairman for the 2022 membership year. He is expected to be installed at the association’s 108th Annual Convention in San Diego, CA, in October.
The Mortgage Bankers Association is a national trade association that advocates on all facets of the real estate finance industry, including commercial, multi-family and residential sectors. Located in Washington, DC., the association works with policymakers and regulators to strengthen the nation's residential and commercial real estate markets, expand homeownership, and extend access to affordable housing to all Americans.
“Mark is a fierce advocate for mortgage lenders and their customers, and I am pleased to welcome him to MBA’s leadership ladder,” said Susan Stewart, MBA’s 2021 Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SWBC Mortgage, in a press release published by MBA today. “Mark is an industry trailblazer and a valuable voice for sustainable, affordable housing and communities across the country, making him a terrific fit to lead MBA and its members.”
Jones is an active MBA member who currently serves as Chair of the Audit Committee and is on the IMB Executive Committee (which he previously co-chaired), the State Relations Committee, the Rural Housing Working Group, and the MORPAC Committee. In 2019-2020 he was a member of MBA’s Board of Directors.
“The addition of Mark to MBA’s leadership ladder is a huge honor that will create significant value for Amerifirst as well as the entire housing market,” said Dave Gahm, Co-Founder of Amerifirst. “Over forty years in the business, Mark has been a tireless advocate for homeownership, sustainable access to affordable housing, community-based lending, and the nonbank segment of the mortgage market which today represents a majority of originations. Now, Mark will be at the forefront of these critical policy debates.”
Jones and Gahm co-founded Amerifirst in 1983 and have overseen the company’s growth from a single site in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to more than 80 locations across the country, making it one of Inc 5000’s “Fastest Growing Private Companies in America” for six years in a row. In 2016 Jones was named Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year for Michigan and Northwest Ohio.
About Amerifirst Home Mortgage
Amerifirst Home Mortgage, a division of Amerifirst Financial Corporation, is a full-service residential mortgage originator and servicer. As an advocate for affordable homeownership and a mission to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others, the company consistently ranks as a top producing lender of FHA and USDA Rural Development loans. It employs over 900 team members and operates in branches across a dozen states throughout the U.S. and is recognized by Inc. 5000 for its 78 percent growth for six consecutive years. Committed to operating by a strong set of core values, it has ranked as a Best & Brightest Company to Work For in the Nation for the past five years and was named a Best Mortgage Company to Work For in 2021. It is headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
