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2026 Tri-State Mortgage Conference

February 5-6, 2026!

The Venue at Portwalk Place, Portsmouth, NH

*Great Location*

*Timely Topics & Dynamic Speakers*

*Networking*

*Exhibitors Showcasing the Latest Products & Technology*

Welcome to the 2026 Tri-State Mortgage Conference. This year's event offers opportunities to network with old friends as we as meet new ones, visit vendors you currently have a relationship with or meet one you did not know, and most importantly, learn valuable information from speakers and workshops to take back and apply to your job! 

DON'T MISS OUT!

**AGENDA**

Preliminary Agenda:

Thursday, February 5th

8:15 AM - 9:00 AM       Registration & Networking with Exhibitors/Sponsors; Full Breakfast Buffet

9:00 AM - 9:10 AM       Welcome; Chair, NH Bankers Association & President, Mortgage Bankers & Brokers Association of NH

9:10 AM - 10:30 AM       A Washington Perspective & Hot Compliance Issues; Rod Alba, SVP, Mortgage Finance & Senior Counsel; Sharon Whitaker, VP/CRE & Mortgage Finance, American Bankers Association; Shaun Harms, Principle, Forvis Mazars

This is a great opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge from leading experts in the field as they share their insights on a variety of issues of the mortgage industry.

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM    Morning Beverage Break

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM   Building New Construction Lending Panel; 

Moderator: Jaime Frederes, SVP/Residential Lending, NH Mutual Bancorp

Panelists: Kenneth Paul, VP Construction Lending, Meredith Village Saving Bank, Merrimack County Savings Bank, Savings Bank of Walpole

Shania Brown, Secondary Marketing and Product Specialist, Service Credit Union

With the increasing demand for residential housing and historic lows of existing inventory, more customers and lenders are looking at new construction as an answer to meeting their housing needs. This discussion provides a deep dive into the mechanics of residential construction lending. Our panelists will discuss and answer questions on topics of documentation required, such as detailed project budgets, timelines, underwriting considerations and appraisals based on the home's future value. The session will also address the specifics of loan disbursement (the 'draw schedule'), risk mitigation strategies for lenders (e.g. inspections, contingency funds), and funding through both secondary and balance sheet sources.

12:00 PM - 12:30 PM   Manufactured Home Lending Panel;

Moderator: Shania Brown, Secondary Marketing and Product Specialist, Service Federal Credit Union

Panelists: Raechel McLeod, Regulatory Program Manager, EastRise Credit Union

Ron Thompson, Mortgage Loan Originator, New Hampshire Community Loan Fund

The manufactured housing sector is evolving quickly - offering unique investment opportunities, complex challenges, and powerful potential for affordable housing solutions. In this panel, two industry professionals will share their firsthand insights on what it takes to succeed in the current manufactured housing market, exploring strategies for identifying profitable deals, managing risks, and avoiding common pitfalls that can derail investors. The discussion will also dive into the often-overlooked complexities of manufactured homes, including title issues, financing hurdles, land-use considerations, park dynamics, and value-add opportunities.

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM   Buffet Lunch with the Exhibitors/Sponsors - Sponsored by Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston

1:30 PM -2:30 PM    Staying Alert to Mortgage Fraud; "Speaker Invited"

2:30 PM - 2:45 PM     Afternoon Break with Exhibitors

2:45 PM - 3:45 PM     Do You Have Sales DNA To Be A Mortgage Superstar: Understanding the 21 Core Sales Competencies; Jack Kasel, Sales Development Expert, Anthony Cole Training Group

In today’s complex, digitized and fast-evolving world of lending, mortgage loan originators must be adept at utilizing tech tools to find and contact prospects and they must recognize that prospects don’t need them for information anymore. So, how do you demonstrate your value and differentiate yourself as a premier mortgage resource and advisor?

This workshop will walk participants through the 21 specific skills that MLOs must master to be truly successful. Jack will share the specifics of each skill, how they impact success and how these apply to success in mortgage sales with influencer realtors, builders and current client networks. Salespeople will leave with a good knowledge base of how to elevate the effectiveness of their current selling approach.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand how these competencies impact prospecting, qualifying, relationship management efforts and results

• Evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses by utilizing this information to self- identify areas for focus and improvement

• Eliminate the roadblocks that are getting in the way of your greater success

4:45 PM - 5:30 PM      Exhibitor/Sponsor Networking Reception

Friday, February 6th 

8:15 AM - 9:00 AM     Registration & Networking with Exhibitors/Sponsors; Full Breakfast Buffet

9:00 AM -9:05 AM     Welcome; Chair, NH Bankers Association & President, Mortgage Bankers & Brokers Association of NH

9:05 AM - 10:00 AM     Economic Update; Jason Hwang, SVP, Strategic Planning and Research, Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston

Important updates in the local and national economic landscape.

10:00-10:15 AM     Morning Beverage Break

10:15 AM - 11:20 AM     Appraisal & Evaluation Compliance; Cheryl Bella, MAI, AI-GRS, Chief Compliance Officer, FICRAS

This session is a high level overview of covering essential federal and state regulations, agency guidance, secondary market rules, new appraisal form, Appraisal BIAS, and Reconsideration of Value. It’s ideal for anyone involved in ordering, receiving, or reviewing appraisals and evaluations — including underwriters who need to assess the reliability of valuation products.

11:20 AM - 12:30 PM     Sharpen Your Relationship Building Skills; Jack Kasel, Sales Development Expert, Anthony Cole Training Group

Today’s buyers can research, find options, rates and even purchase every product online which is changing the role of mortgage lenders today. Relationship building, consultative bankers differentiate themselves by helping their potential buyers self-discover why they need their product. They do that by managing the conversation skillfully and tailoring their questions for resonance so that they are speaking the prospect’s love language. They bring indispensable value through the questions they ask and the way in which they ask those questions.

Jack will help MLOs create greater demand for their products and services by helping them engage and gain insights from their prospects. Jack will teach and demonstrate:

• How to have a relationship building conversation about things that matter utilizing a pre-call plan, with specific questions to ask to tailor for resonance

• The specific skills needed to be a relationship building, consultative banker

• A skillful ‘drill down’ questioning approach that will help MLOs to fully qualify

  prospects

12:30 PM     Adjournment

*The scheduled agenda is for planning purposes, and we try to adhere to the agenda as much as possible, but as in any live event, the sessions can run early or late and it is the responsibility of the participant to monitor if you are not joining for the entire event.*