Affordable housing advocate joins the company with over 30 years of experience
Southern Bancorp, a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), has tapped Lydia Smith (pictured) to spearhead its expansion efforts throughout the South as director of mortgage production.
Based in Memphis, Smith is set to oversee the expansion of Southern Bancorp’s mortgage services across the Southern region. She will be responsible for implementing strategies to grow the mortgage team and its services, focusing on minority and marginalized communities.
Jeremy Davis, president of mortgage at Southern Bancorp, expressed enthusiasm about Smith’s appointment, noting her extensive background and achievements in promoting fair and affordable housing.
“Her wealth of knowledge, expertise, and track record of providing fair and affordable housing for minority families and underserved communities will be invaluable as we expand our mortgage reach and deliver more homeownership opportunities to more families throughout the region,” he said.
Smith’s career in the mortgage industry spans over three decades, during which she has held significant roles and garnered numerous accolades. Most recently, she served as a mortgage banker at Renasant Bank. Before that, Smith was VP of diversity lending at InQlusion Mortgage Capital, a company focused on diverse home lending in the southeastern United States.
She has also played a pivotal role in community development at FirstBank Forward, where her efforts were recognized with the 2020 National Mortgage Bankers Association’s Diversity & Inclusion Award. Her initiatives include a down payment assistance program in Memphis and enhancements to the Shelby County Down Payment Assistance Program.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Southern Bancorp team, especially at such an exciting time of growth for this mortgage division,” Smith said. “Bridging the housing gap and helping families build generational wealth through homeownership has long been a guiding passion of mine, and it’s an honor to join a mission-focused organization that for nearly 40 years has been dedicated to these same efforts.”
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