Indy Mac Bank, Irwin Mortgage, Financial Dimensions Awarded MBA Corporate Diversity Leadership Award -- Financial Dimensions’ Davis Named Diversity Champion of the Year --

Orlando, FL (October 25, 2005) – The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today announced the winners of its new annual Corporate Diversity Leadership (CDL) Awards. The winners were announced as part of MBA’s 92nd Annual Convention and Expo in Orlando.

The CDL Awards program, launched in August 2005, recognizes mortgage banking companies that have successfully incorporated diversity initiatives into their everyday business practices. Awards were given in two categories, Best Overall Corporate Diversity Program, recognizing the corporate diversity programs within real estate finance companies that best exemplify innovation and effectiveness, and Diversity Champion of the Year, recognizing an industry professional who facilitates, advocates, and promotes diversity within the industry, his or her company and the community. The winners are:

Best Overall Corporate Diversity Program Award: National
• Indy Mac Bank. Indy Mac’s Diversity Program has eight essential components that include a steadfast corporate-wide support for diversity as a core value. Employees have recognized the importance of and embraced the diversity initiative. In fact, diversity received the second highest favorability rating among the company’s ten corporate values – a testament to the strength of Indy Mac’s program.
• Irwin Mortgage. Led by their Diversity Advisory Council and Vice President of Diversity, Irwin Mortgage’s diversity program helps employees value the diversity of others, evaluate their own cultures, become conscious of the dynamics of cultural interactions, institutionalize their cultural knowledge, and use this knowledge to improve service to their customers.

Best Overall Corporate Diversity Program Award: Regional
• Financial Dimensions, Inc. Through their Regional Diversity Outreach Initiative, Financial Dimensions, Inc., has created an interdisciplinary collaboration with diversity, housing, and academic partners benefiting the organization, the region, and the industry. This initiative is made up of several key elements: mentoring and coalition building; activation, educational, and mobilization programs; advocacy for business access, educational forums, workshops and mentoring; affordable housing; and workshops and seminars.

Diversity Champion of the Year
• Elmer Davis, Jr. of Financial Dimensions, Inc (FDI). Elmer Davis, Jr. has been in the mortgage industry for over 22 years. He developed the Regional Diversity Outreach Initiative when he joined FDI in 2004. Under his direction, FDI has achieved its goal of attracting and retaining a workforce made up of 13-15 percent diverse employees, including a diverse executive committee. His vision toward advancing economic parity and diverse representation extends to the entire region.

“Business success cannot be achieved without a workforce that feels appreciated and respected by the companies for which they work,” said Jonathan L. Kempner, president and chief executive officer of MBA. “The recipients of the 2005 CDL Awards are shining examples of the benefits that are reaped when companies and individuals are committed to promoting diversity in our industry. I commend them all.”

The judging panel consisted of representatives from MBA’s Commercial and Residential membership, the chair of the MBA Diversity Task Force, a representative from the U.S. Department of Education, and a representative from Department of Finance of Howard University.

To learn more, visit www.campusmba.org/CDLawards, or contact Krista Sabol at (202) 557-2794 or ksabol@mortgagebankers.org. For more information on CampusMBA, winner of the 2004 Best Virtual Corporate University/Best Use of Technology CUBIC Award, visit www.campusmba.org or call (800) 348-8653.
The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) is the national association representing the real estate finance industry, an industry that employs more than 500,000 people in virtually every community in the country. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the association works to ensure the continued strength of the nation`s residential and commercial real estate markets; to expand homeownership and extend access to affordable housing to all Americans. MBA promotes fair and ethical lending practices and fosters professional excellence among real estate finance employees through a wide range of educational programs and a variety of publications. Its membership of over 2,900 companies includes all elements of real estate finance: mortgage companies, mortgage brokers, commercial banks, thrifts, Wall Street conduits, life insurance companies and others in the mortgage lending field. For additional information, visit MBA`s Web site: www.mortgagebankers.org

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