CMAs 2010: meet the judges

Like every year, CMP asks a number of industry representatives with a broad range of backgrounds to judge the Canadian Mortgage Awards. We feel this leaves the results in the hands of those who know the industry best, as well as makes the process as transparent as possible. Read on to see who is judging this year.

Like every year, CMP asks a number of industry representatives with a broad range of backgrounds to judge the Canadian Mortgage Awards. We feel this leaves the results in the hands of those who know the industry best, as well as makes the process as transparent as possible.

While this year we introduced some awards that are also going to be incorporating a popular vote system, all of the categories will also be closely reviewed by our panel of judges.

It is important for us that the judges come from within the industry, but as such, this obviously creates a chance for any conflicts of interest to arise, which is unavoidable. In these instances where a direct conflict does exist (i.e. a member of their own company is a finalist) that judge will not be voting in that category.

Which brings us to the judges, a strong group who we are confident will use their good judgement to make the best choices, and who we couldn't have the awards without.

They are: Jeff Atlin, a broker at the Toronto based Abacus Mortgages and president of the Independent Mortgage Brokers Association; Hali Strandlund, president of the Fisgard Capital Corporation and past president of the Mortgage Brokers Association of British Columbia (MBABC), among many other associations; Todd Fralic, the owner of Calgary based Quantus Financial, as well as president of the Alberta Mortgage Brokers Association (AMBA); Joanne Vickery, director of training and development for Dominion Lending Centres, as well as current MBABC vice-president and president elect; and William McCarthy, founder, president and owner of the W.P.J. McCarthy and Company, and president of the Real Estate Institute of Canada (REIC).

 For complete information on the upcoming Canadian Mortgage Awards, including how to book a table or sponsor an award, visit www.canadianmortgageawards.com.