The HousingWire award spotlight series highlights the individuals and organizations that have been recognized through our Editors’ Choice Awards. Nominations for HousingWire’s 2024 Finance Leaders award are open now through Friday, Jan. 26. Click here to nominate someone.
As the mortgage industry undergoes constant evolution, marked by economic fluctuations and regulatory changes, the role of chief financial officer stands as a linchpin for organizational success, financial stability and strategic decision-making. That’s why HousingWire is excited to honor these finance executives for another year with the HousingWire Finance Leaders Award, honoring the leaders in real estate and mortgage who drive growth and move the housing economy forward by enabling, supporting and navigating growth and innovation.
Last year’s list of honorees was made up of 40 of the industry’s biggest names in finance including Andrew Hubacker, the executive vice president and CFO at United Wholesale Mortgage. Hubacker was recognized as a 2023 HousingWire Finance Leader for his collaborative work style and team-first mindset, in addition to the role he played in leading UWM to become the No. 1 overall lender in the nation.
HousingWire reached out to Hubacker to learn more about his career and delve into the pivotal responsibilities and challenges that define his leadership in his critical role at UWM.
Nominations for the 2024 Finance Leaders award are open now through January 26th, 2024.
HousingWire: As you think about your career, what moments and experiences really prepared you for this current housing market?
Andrew Hubacker: Over the course of my nearly 30-year career, I have lived through many economic cycles and have worked through several periods of market adversity. My experiences have taught me the importance of resiliency and utilizing self-determination and persistence to transform moments of difficulty into moments of opportunity. Continuing to work through hard times provides the opportunity to grow and separate from the competition. The experiences we as a company have gained through various market cycles have taught us to stick to a consistent and proven business strategy. The current market provides a great example of this — as rates climbed, we found ways to grow market share and become the No. 1 mortgage lender in the country.
HousingWire: The last year has been challenging for many in the mortgage sector, what’s the most notable challenge that you’ve faced in your capacity as CFO?
Andrew Hubacker: It’s no secret that the current state of the housing market has provided some unique challenges, and the headlines tend to lean heavily toward doom and gloom. With that said, it’s important to remember that senior leaders in any organization set the tone and culture. Team members and clients are constantly looking to them for behavioral cues, so it’s very important to project positivity, especially during more difficult times. Positivity is a powerful force that helps create a more welcoming, collaborative and overall better workplace culture. In turn, creating a workplace environment centered around team members who are compassionate, friendly and highly motivated goes a long way to ensure that our clients are supported in every way possible. It’s inevitable that challenges and obstacles will veer you off course, but maintaining a positive mindset enables a solution-oriented partnership between our team members and our clients.
HousingWire: What single accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?
Andrew Hubacker: Throughout my career, I’ve worked in public accounting and for an agency of the federal government and had roles with other public companies in different industry sectors. Looking back at my accomplishments, becoming chief financial officer at UWM definitely stands out as a significant achievement, both professionally and personally. This is an achievement that was years in the making, and over the years my ability to pivot, learn quickly and adapt to different environments, cultures and business models has given me confidence to take on roles with increased responsibilities, including those that have been outside of my comfort zone. Being the CFO entails more than being just a steward of the company’s financial well-being; it often requires a strategic and operational mindset. I did not have as much experience in these areas before taking on the CFO role. But again, my past experiences helped me to acclimate to this new role, setting me up for success and preparing me to effectively navigate the market challenges we’re currently facing in the mortgage industry. During my time at UWM, I have been honored to be a part of the team that helped UWM go public and build out our public company finance capabilities. This was an exciting challenge and overall, an incredibly fulfilling experience. More recently, it has been exciting to be part of a team and company that has become the No. 1 overall mortgage lender in the country, and to lead our finance team through a period of rising interest rates and increased market volatility.
HousingWire: What are you excited about for 2024 within UWM and the industry as a whole?
Andrew Hubacker: UWM has always been focused on the long term and building a sustainable business model that can thrive through any market cycle. We have continued to invest in our people, processes and technology, which positions us well for the next market cycle. I am very excited about the opportunities to continue growing the broker channel and our business in 2024 and beyond.
