The Housingwire Award Spotlight series emphasizes the individuals and organizations that are recognized through our Editors’ Choice Awards. Nominations for Housingwire’s 2025 Rising Stars Award are now open until 28 February 2025. Click here to nominate.
The mortgage industry is undergoing rapid transformation, with increasing competition that encourages lenders to improve credit experiences and embrace new technologies. In the foreground of this evolution are young leaders such as Melinda Maloney, who stimulate meaningful change through innovation and strategic thinking. As assistant vice -president of Business Line and Field Marketing Service link And a 2023 Housing Wire emerging star, Maloney has distinguished itself by bridging the gap between lenders and the technology they need to streamline the mortgage process. From her leadership trip to her insights into trends in the industry, Maloney is an example of the qualities that the Rising Stars Award is celebrating.
While the nominations for the Rising Stars from 2025 open, Housingwire sat down with Maloney for its career path, advice for future leaders and the innovations that shape the future of homes.
Housing Wire: Looking back on your career lecturer, which important moments or decisions have helped you as a leader in the industry?
Melinda Maloney: Volunteering at various non -profit organizations has helped me to stand up as a leader in the housing industry by enabling me to make contact with and learn from experienced leaders in a broad spectrum of industries and the skills I use from Learn them in my role. I serve as vice -president of two boards – Kelly Strayhorn Theater and Respect Together – and am a member of the Women United in Southovern Michigan of United Way. This is a great opportunity to make meaningful contributions to these essential organizations, and I also learn to be a better leader of the people around me.
Moreover, my manager, Caitlin Green, has made a chair at the table more often than I can count. She has given me many opportunities to participate in strategic discussions with other leaders at Servicelink, moderate webinars, participate in industrial events and has nominated me for professional development programs, such as Servicelink’s Leadership Academy. Her mentoring helped me to stand up as a leader in the housing sector
Housingwire: The Rising Stars Award recognizes young professionals who have a major impact. What advice would you give to the next generation of market leaders who are looking to stand out and stimulate meaningful change?
Melinda Maloney: At some point we are all new to this industry and my advice is to embrace that. The perspective of an outsider is valuable! Know which unique position you bring to the table – and use it to challenge the status quo and to increase opportunities for your organization to evolve. At the same time, it is important to know when you should ask for help and advice. Building a wide network of colleagues and mentors with whom you can discuss challenges, testing ideas and asking questions helps you find opportunities to stand out and to stimulate meaningful change.
Housingwire: the mortgage and real estate industry is constantly evolving – about which innovations or trends you are most enthusiastic and how do you see them shaping the future?
Melinda Maloney: It is no secret that the current market for real estate loans is very competitive. In this challenging environment, lenders have had to find opportunities to stand out and because of this necessity we have seen a shift in Focus to sharpen the borrowing experience during the origin process. This emphasis on the borrower means that lenders are the pair of face-to-face (personal or virtual!) Looking for contact points of the origin process-as assessment and closing and realizing that those interactions are opportunities for them to stand out for to stand out.
Our annual Servicelink State of Homebuyinging Report consistently shows that borrowers want more transparency, a faster mortgage process and less paperwork, and we see lenders focusing on delivering. Lenders use Lender Targeted Technology, such as external online notarization and immediate assessment and closing planning. In the short term, I think that these focus lenders will help to stand out in a competing market and also encourage them to accept innovative technologies that accelerate their origin process, such as automated title. Both borrowers and lenders benefit from faster final timelines, and I am excited to see how much we can reduce them.
Click here To nominate a rising star from 2025.
