John A. Courson Chief Operating Officer Mortgage Bankers Association

John A. Courson is Chief Operating Officer of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) and will become the Association's President on January 1, 2009. Courson has been involved in the mortgage industry for more than 40 years and served as Chairman of MBA in 2003.

Courson began his lifelong career in mortgage banking working for Kassler & Co., in Denver, Colorado, during summers in high school and college. Before completing his degree, he began originating loans as a producing branch manager in a two-person production office in a Denver suburb. After graduation, Courson worked as a loan officer on both commercial and residential loans at a Denver, Colorado branch of Fort Wayne Mortgage where he would later take over managing the branch office and eventually he became the company's President and Chief Executive Officer in its Detroit, Michigan headquarters. Courson also served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Central Pacific Mortgage Company, President and Chief Executive Officer of Westwood Mortgage Corporation, and as President and Chief Operating Officer of Fundamental Mortgage.

From 2004 to 2008, Courson served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the California Housing Finance Agency, a position for which he was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Prior to serving as MBA's Chairman in 2003, Courson served as a member of MBA's Board of Directors, as well as on both the Residential Board of Governors (RESBOG) and the Commercial Real Estate/Multifamily Finance Board of Governors (COMBOG). He served as Chairman of RESBOG from 1999 to 2000. Additionally, he served as Chairman of MBA's Legislative Steering Committee, MORPAC, MBA's State and Local Liaison Committee and Mortgage Reform Task Force. He also served as President of the California Mortgage Bankers Association from 1997 to 1998 and Michigan Mortgage Bankers Association from 1978 to 1979, and as a Director of the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association from 1986 to 2000.

Courson received his undergraduate degree in business and finance from the University of Colorado. He is married to Marcia Courson. They have two children and four grand children.