Mortgage Certification

Objectives of the CMME Certification Program

• To recognize the advanced leadership and technical skills required to serve as Examiner-in-Charge on complex, multistate mortgage examinations.
• To promote consistent, high-quality supervision of multistate mortgage entities through effective use of the State Examination System (SES) and interagency coordination.
• To support continued professional growth in areas such as regulatory knowledge, examination management, and advanced communication and leadership skills.
• To uphold high standards of performance, professionalism, and accountability among senior mortgage examiners leading multistate efforts.

Candidates for the CMME designation must provide evidence of the following:

• Applicants for the CMME must be a skilled mortgage examiner with at least five years as an examiner-in-charge of multistate mortgage entities. Completion of a minimum of five years’ experience of on-the-job examination of mortgage companies, including on and off-site reviews of operational processes, and review for compliance with state and federal consumer compliance regulations.
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge of the State Examination System (SES) and ability to utilize the system to conduct all multistate examinations.
• Candidates must participate in at least five multistate examinations, with at least two served as multistate EIC. Participation may include acting as SPOC. While service as a state EIC qualifies, at least one of the two multistate EIC roles must be completed using the OCOE protocol under the supervision of the Non-Depository Supervisory Committee and the Multistate Mortgage Committee.
• Satisfactory completion of the following CSBS course offerings or equivalent training:
  • Successful completion of the CSBS Introduction to Becoming an MMC EIC Training
  • AND CSBS SES Examiner in Charge, Examiner, Reviewer, and Staff User Training
  • AND CSBS Leadership Effectiveness and Development (LEAD)

Applicants must ensure that they meet all certification requirements and will then complete an attestation of successful job performance and mastery of job-related skills, providing a thorough written response for each competency category. Their supervisor will then review and affirm the attestation to ensure accuracy and completeness. The core competencies are an integral part of the certification, and a high degree of reliance is placed on the attestation for determining compliance with these skill areas. The supervisor reviewing the application form should be familiar with the applicant’s experience, performance, and skills/abilities and be confident that the applicant meets all the requirements outlined in the form.

TECHNICAL - Provides effective leadership and organization to the examination process:

• Effectively supervises personnel to ensure adherence to all procedures and policies.
• Monitors senior examination personnel to ensure examination mission, goals, and responsibilities are being met.
• Effectively organizes and delegates assignments.
• Effectively supervises the entire examination process, including pre-examination scoping and planning, and flow of work and documents during the examination.
• Participates in review scoping and scheduling and participates in scheduling calls where applicable.

CONCEPTUAL - Provides effective supervision of the overall activities of mortgage providers in a multistate setting:

• Effectively determines a multistate mortgage provider’s condition from completed reports of examination
• Effectively administers appropriate departmental response from examination findings and follow-up on correction of problems and violations
• Understands the responsibilities and roles of Management.
• Demonstrates strong knowledge of examination tools. Ensures mortgage-related review components and information requests are managed efficiently through SES.
• Skilled at managing people, managing the exam and the licensee.
• Demonstrated ability to identify risks.

LEGAL/COMPLIANCE - Effectively demonstrates knowledge of policies, procedures, laws, rules and regulations and participates in development of amendments to laws or new legislation:

• Effectively demonstrates in-depth knowledge of policies, procedures, laws, rules and regulations including but not limited to:
  • Anti-Money Laundering
  • Equal Credit Opportunity Act
  • Fair Credit Reporting Act
  • Identity Theft Prevention
  • Mortgage Acts and Practices-Advertising
  • Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act
  • S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act
  • Standards for Safeguarding Customer Information
  • Truth in Lending Act
  • Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
  • Homeowners Protection Act
  • Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
  • Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
  • State-specific mortgage laws
• Effectively demonstrates knowledge of policies, procedures, rules and regulations.
• Effectively reviews violations and approves corrective action or enforcement powers.
• Able to facilitate completion by multistate exam team all areas for review, information requests, and applicable examination policies/procedures.
• Able to effectively identify and retain necessary supporting documentation such as workpapers to validate findings and violations.

HUMAN RELATIONS - Recognizing the increased scope and complexity of multistate mortgage examinations, applicant must provide interpersonal and communication skills to be delivered at a higher level, including:

• Effectively provides for personnel management in the areas of budgeting, recruiting, training, team-building, negotiation, motivation, coaching and counseling, performance evaluation, and disciplinary actions.
• Effectively and clearly communicates orally and in writing with people and organizations internal and external to the department, including examiners in other states' agencies and the Multistate Mortgage Committee.
• Effectively conducts meetings with management, owners and the boards of directors of multistate mortgage providers.
• Effectively coordinates multistate mortgage examination planning, execution and regulatory response with other state and federal supervisory or law enforcement authorities.
• Understands how to write a report of examination, put things in context, and be clear and concise.
• Demonstrates strong skills in negotiation, conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence.

RECERTIFICATION

Every three years, participants will be required to provide evidence of the successful completion of a minimum of 63 continuing education hours (CEH). If an examiner exceeds this requirement, up to 14 CEHs may be carried over into the new three-year term. Continuing education should be selected with the goal of maintaining, improving, or expanding the examiner’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Participants are also required to review and remain in compliance with updates to certifications. Should a material change related to the certification occur, additional training may be required to maintain certification.

• At least 15 hours of leadership, technical writing, conducting meetings, presentation, and/or other advanced soft-skills training.
  • Examples of soft skills include communication, leadership, organization, time management, conflict resolution, negotiations, meetings with management, critical thinking, etc.
• Must have served as the Examiner-in-Charge (EIC) on a Multistate Mortgage Committee (MMC) examination within the past three years.

Courses and applicable offerings from the following providers would qualify as continuing education:

• CSBS
• AARMR
• FFIEC
• CFPB
• FDIC
• FTC