Hires, Applause: Albuquerque Journal Business Briefcase

Mar. 25—Welcome

Christine Sperber has joined MEA Santa Fe as chief experience officer. Sperber has been a professional athlete, hotelier, producer, writer and restaurateur. Prior to co-founding MEA in 2018, she was the principal in various hospitality businesses as well as general manager at Rancho Pescadero, a boutique hotel in Baja California Sur, Mexico. The Santa Fe Campus — Rising Circle Ranch — sits on a 2,566-acre regenerative horse ranch in Lamy. MEA aims to guide and support adults through transitions in their midlife years, particularly those aged 40 and above.

Jeff Hamaoui has joined MEA Santa Fe as chief product officer. Hamaoui co-founded MEA with in 2018 with its first campus in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Prior to that, Hamaoui was a partner with SecondMuse and Launch.org. The Santa Fe Campus — Rising Circle Ranch — sits on a 2,566-acre regenerative horse ranch in Lamy. MEA hosts in-person workshops in Baja California Sur, Mexico, offers online programs year-round and a regular lineup of free live virtual events. The Santa Fe campus will be open in April.

Applause

The New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority has announced its 2023 Top Mortgage Lender Award recipients. The recipients are:

John Gabaldon with Waterstone Mortgage Corporation, Albuquerque — Housing New Mexico Achievement AwardTabitha Gallegos-Kahn with Directors Mortgage, Inc., Albuquerque — Top Metro LenderNikki Sandoval-Belt with Cornerstone Home Lending, Farmington — Top Rural Lender

2023 Rural Lender Award recipients:

Rural Platinum — lenders who originate 20 or more MFA loans

Dani Alpers — Gateway First BankDonice Barnes — PrimeLending, A Plains Capital CompanyDustin Caroland — Primary Residential MortgageJane DeRose-Bamman — AmCap Mortgage, Ltd. dba Gold Financial ServicesKerri K. Howlett — AmCap Mortgage, Ltd. dba Major MortgagePatricia Lewis — Guild Mortgage CompanyVicki Lucero — Waterstone Mortgage CorporationEliot Rodriguez — loanDepot.comLindsay Rollins — Bell BankMartin Sanchez — Primary Residential MortgageBrent L. Schreurs — Waterstone Mortgage Corporation

Rural Gold (lenders who originate 15 or more MFA loans)

Ted Bishop — CMG FinancialDonna Cline — Academy Mortgage CorporationChris Wood — Primary Residential Mortgage

Rural Silver (lenders who originate 10 or more MFA loans)

Phil Chavez — Guild Mortgage CompanyKathi Giguere — AmCap Mortgage, Ltd. dba Major MortgagePriscilla Gonzalez — First American BankDavin Jacquez — Guild Mortgage CompanyPriscilla Lara — Academy Mortgage CorporationNancy Neel-Black — PrimeLending, A Plains Capital CompanyTina Valdez — First American Bank

2023 Metro Lender Award recipients

Metro Platinum (lenders who originate 25 or more MFA loans)

Mia Aguilar — Guild Mortgage CompanyMarty Padilla — Waterstone Mortgage CorporationSteven Sheldon — Guild Mortgage Company

Metro Gold (lenders who originate 20 or more MFA loans

Matthew Berg — PrimeLending, A Plains Capital CompanySarah Gmyr-Maez — One Trust Home LoansIris Guzman — PrimeLending, A Plains Capital CompanyRenee Maestas — Guild Mortgage Company

Metro Silver (lenders who originate 15 or more MFA loans)

Amber Bennett — Guild Mortgage CompanyEleanor Hutt — Waterstone Mortgage CorporationRosa Izzi — Guild Mortgage CompanyOscar Medrano — Waterstone Mortgage CorporationAmmar Nesheiwat — Primary Residential MortgagePaul Parsons — CMG Mortgage Inc.Jason Pike — Waterstone Mortgage CorporationKristi Pofahl — Guild Mortgage CompanyChris Russo — Waterstone Mortgage CorporationLynette Turpen — Primary Residential Mortgage