Industry cooperation has proved effective in 2025, and new NAMB president hopes it can improve prospects for buyers
Long before the sounds of the ringing slot machines became just a memory in the minds of the attendees to the recent National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) event, the organization’s new president was already working on his agenda.
Kimber White (pictured top), the new NAMB president, knows there is plenty to get done in his upcoming year in the position.
The last year saw the organization join with other industry and non-industry organizations to finally get the trigger lead ban bill passed by Congress and signed into law.
White would like to see that same industry game plan tackle other issues in the mortgage world, the first being the ongoing affordability issues plaguing homeowners and potential buyers.
“We all can have differences of opinion,” White told Mortgage Professional America. “We're not all going to agree with everything, but affordability is an issue that we need to bring everyone together on. How do we get more affordable housing? How do we get more people into housing? How do we get the builders to build more?”
Working together
He feels that to achieve meaningful legislative change, the trade organizations representing the mortgage community, along with homebuilders, need to put together a plan to have a united front with Congress.
“How do we bring the builders into this discussion?” White said. “That’s one of the things that I've done, which is have conversations. Because we have to come under the tent to work together on issues, just like we did with trigger leads. I think that’s the only way to work on affordable housing.”
He and Valerie Saunders, NAMB chief executive strategist, have already been attending events in Washington, including a recent one with Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, who introduced the ROAD to Housing Act to improve access to affordable housing.
“I was at the weekend with Senator Scott and other senators, and I was able to sit and talk to other people as well,” White said. ‘I sat with someone from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and they were the first to say, ‘Hey, we're working. We're trying to get more houses.’ Valerie and I sat with those people that night. I think that we can be the group that helps bring people together to work on these issues with other organizations.”
White believes one of his biggest strengths is bringing different people and groups together to present as united a front as possible on these major industry issues.
“What I've been able to do is to work with people and bring people together,” he said. “I think that's something that I can do, which is to bring people together and to voice my opinion, but never to be negative to other people or other things. I want us to come together for the good of our industry.
“I'm hopeful it's turning the tide. As you know, there is negativity in this industry, but I think the tide is turning. I think that when you start rising above and realizing that we have common goals to fight for and work for, that's when we get stuff done.”
A successful event
The NAMB national event in October was the largest trade show they had in almost 20 years, according to White. They had over 3,000 registered for the event. He was pleased with the energy and excitement that surrounded the event.
“You know the energy of the young people, I think the energy from that made me very happy,” he said. “I was very pleased with the trade show and the event. It was just a great kick off to the year.”
He stressed that it was important to reach out to the younger generation of mortgage originators not only to ensure their attendance but also to make them an integral part of the event. It’s one of the reasons he was so excited about getting a second chance to be NAMB president.
“It's why I want to come back and do it, and to really lead us to turn it over to the younger generation,” White said. “I think that's the thing. We're evolving. NAMB is realizing that we want to bring up the younger generation. We want to bring younger professionals in, train them, bring them into the industry, and get them involved in NAMB and in the new leadership. I think that makes a big difference.”
Max Slyusarchuk, founder of A&D Mortgage, is advocating for an end to Florida’s higher condo down payment rule. He says the adjustment could increase liquidity, stabilize the market, and improve housing affordability for residents.https://t.co/9AZlfHlOS8
— Mortgage Professional America Magazine (@MPAMagazineUS) November 18, 2025
One of his wishes for the industry is more cooperation, not only to improve the industry but also to get back to the focus at hand: helping make more homeowners.
“One of my last mentors said to me, ‘Always remember the honey and the whip,’” he said. “Too much of either, you can't be successful. Just enough of each, and preferably more honey, and you'll be known as a good leader. I think we have too much whip and not enough honey today. The honey is us showing compassion. Respect for others, and I carry that in everything I do, and I'm going to carry that this year.
“I don't see people as competition. We're helping our industry. We're helping each other grow, and we're helping a homeowner. The biggest wealth growth that anyone can have is owning a home, and that has slipped away in America. And it's not just wealth builder, it's self-worth. You own a home. It's a sense of place. It's home.”
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