National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA) has appointed Patty Wills, CRMP, National Retail Sales Manager for Reverse Mortgages at Open Mortgage, as co-chair of its newly-formed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. The DEI Committee’s goal is to strengthen the reverse mortgage ecosystem by promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion practices while building awareness of the issues. As co-chair, Wills will work alongside co-chair Misha Hill to spearhead strategic planning in executing the committee’s mission, including facilitating collaborations with key stakeholders and serving as a conduit for industry businesses who wish to broaden company cultures around a greater level of inclusiveness.

“Our mission with the DEI Committee is to increase the mortgage sector’s focus on improving representation and diversification not only for professionals within the industry, but also for the clients we service,” said Patty Wills, CRMP, National Retail Sales Manager for Reverse Mortgages at Open Mortgage. “In addition to making the right moral choice, promoting these values and policies is also a smart business practice because it allows companies to maximize the skills and experiences of everyone on their team while broadening their customer base.”

The DEI Committee was recently formed by NRMLA to prioritize diversity and inclusion within the industry’s trade organization as well as the customers served by the sector to better accommodate the growing adoption of reverse mortgages as the population ages. Serving as a national voice of the reverse mortgage industry, NRMLA offers educational resources and works to advise policy makers on reverse mortgage issues and support public affairs for lenders and related professionals.

“At Open Mortgage, we strive to create an inclusive environment that welcomes and values all individuals and we are extremely proud that one of our own team members is helping lead the strategy for positive change in the industry,” said Scott Gordan, Founder, and CEO of Open Mortgage. “As a standout leader at Open Mortgage, we’re confident Patty will be very successful in this crucial role on the committee and look forward to learning more from her and this initiative.”