2025 was a year of real growth for the Mortgage Bankers Association of the Bluegrass. We hosted regular lunch & learns, brought members and guests together through events like our annual golf scramble, and most importantly, successfully advocated for legislation to prevent trigger leads.

Special thanks to Bradley Sutherland for being a wonderful leader for the past 18+ months. The future of MBAB is brighter because of his leadership and dedication to our industry.

Looking ahead to 2026 is exciting, because behind the scenes your board has been laying important groundwork to make us stronger, more organized, and more valuable to our members and the community we all serve.

Over the past month, we've transitioned to a new point-of-sale system designed specifically for nonprofits. This allows MBAB to receive the full dollar amount of membership and event payments. You may see an optional donation box to the platform when you pay, but please know that is never required.

We're also focused on improving how we communicate with you. One of the most common pieces of feedback we hear is, "I'm not getting the emails." Our top priority is to eliminate that problem. Please continue to give us the feedback we need to be better. Our new email address is board@mbabky.org, consider saving this to your contacts to ensure you receive updates from us.

We've got some really exciting events in the works. Events specifically designed to:

• bring value to our affiliates

• involve our realtor partners who specifically want to work with MBA mortgage professionals

• diversify meeting times and speakers

• give back to the community

And of course, we will have the Golf Scramble in September and the Holiday Party in December.

At a time when other organizations are closing their doors, we are expanding ours by focusing on the things that really matter to the everyday mortgage industry professional.

Advocacy matters. I saw this firsthand in Washington D.C., where we advocated for trigger leads legislation, protections for veterans using VA loans, and the expansion of pro-housing and real estate tax provisions. When a group of mortgage professionals speak up, policymakers really do listen.

In 2026, we're looking forward to our Mortgage Bankers Day in Frankfort, as we advocate for the specific needs of Kentuckians. Our voices are stronger when we use them together.

My only hope for 2026 is that every member who invests in MBAB truly shows up. Like anything, you get out what you pour in. It’s hard to fully grasp the value of an organization until you’re in it. So, attend events, engage with peers, and learn from one another. 

To company leaders: I challenge you to see MBAB as a professional development opportunity for your teams, not just a membership. Supporting your teams’ involvement creates well-rounded mortgage industry professionals who bring that growth back to your organization.

This is an invitation to give us this year. To commit to growing as individuals, strengthening your companies, and building an industry that's better for the people we serve. I truly believe we will all walk away more confident and more informed.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and trusting me to lead. I hope you can sense my passion for this organization, even through a screen.

Finally, thank you to the 2026 Board of Directors for volunteering your time, energy, and expertise. MBAB is run entirely by dedicated professionals who care deeply about this industry, and I am honored to serve alongside them.

Company Membership renewals and new member registrations are now open, and I hope you'll join us for 2026.

See you soon,