The HousingWire Vanguard Awards program recognizes c-level industry professionals and business leaders who have become experts in their respective fields within housing and mortgage finance — those whose leadership is moving markets forward, each and every day

The Vanguards recognize leaders of businesses contributing to the growth of the housing economy and its various sectors, including lending, servicing, investments, and real estate. They come from diverse backgrounds, and may run established companies or start-ups, but share one common trait: an unmistakable impact on the industry at-large.

We encourage a wide range of leaders to apply for consideration for this unique and powerful recognition, one of the only of its kind in the industry.

Honorees will be profiled in on the HousingWire site on September 3rd 2024 and will receive ongoing recognition on HousingWire.com. Winners will also receive a free one year subscription to HW+.

Program Details

• Nomination period: Nominations for the 2024 Vanguards are now closed. Check back soon for 2025 dates.
• Nomination fee: $695
• Winners announced: Online on September 3, 2024

View the 2023 Winners

Past Winners:

Eligibility & Criteria

Nominees must be a CEO, Chairman, President, Founder / Co-Founder or similar top-level leader of a business unit in the housing economy. This includes businesses in residential mortgage lending, servicing, investments, or real estate. Nominees in multi-family or commercial real estate will be considered, however, HousingWire’s core focus is on the single-family residential space.

Each application must provide tangible evidence of industry impact, primarily focused upon the past 12 months. We’re looking to see leaders who have led their companies to new heights; who have launched bold new initiatives, products or services designed to improve U.S. housing finance or real estate; who have served their industry in meaningful ways outside of their own company; who have influenced policy or industry standards.

The mortgage category for nominees includes:

• Mortgage origination
• Loan servicing
• Secondary markets
• Appraisal / valuation
• Title
• Technology and solutions supporting mortgage clients

The real estate sector for nominees includes the real estate brokerage, agent and team ecosystem including:

• Residential real estate
• I-buying
• Residential real estate investors and single-family rental owner / operators
• Technology and solutions enabling real estate sales clients

Submissions are non-transferable and non-refundable.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the submission questions?

• What is your elevator pitch? Provide us with an elevator pitch on why this nominee should be considered as a 2024 Vanguard. 2-3 sentences recommended.
• Professional excellence and leadership. Provide examples on your nominee’s professional excellence and leadership within the housing economy, focusing particularly on the last 12 months as applicable. You may also include any volunteer work or trade organizations she is a part of.
• Contribution to your organization. Provide the reasons this person is so valuable to your organization, focusing particularly on the last 12 months as applicable, using metrics and specific examples.
• Getting to know you questions:
  • What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
  • What was your first paying job ?
  • What is one habit that you swear by?

2. What is HousingWire’s Vanguard Awards program?
The Vanguard Award is a program recognizing c-level housing industry professionals making an impressionable impact in lending, servicing, investment, or real estate.

3. When will HousingWire announce the winners of this year’s Vanguard Award?
Winners will be announced online September 3rd, 2024.

4. What are the qualifications for consideration?
The Vanguard Award recognizes c-Level leaders that are contributing to the growth of the housing economy and its various sectors, including lending, servicing, investments and real estate. They come from diverse backgrounds, and may run established companies or start-ups, but share one common trait: an unmistakable impact on the industry at-large.

5. Who decides who will make the list of Vanguard Award winners?
HousingWire’s internal selection committee decides on the honorees.

6. How can I nominate someone?
Nominations must be submitted via HousingWire’s official award submission application during the nomination period for the award.

7. Why is there a nomination fee?
It takes a significant amount of time and resources for HousingWire’s editorial team members to organize and successfully determine who will be named to this year’s list.

8. Can I just call you or send you an e-mail with the name of the person I’d like to nominate?
No. We need to have the application completed, including contact information for the person you are nominating.

9. I want to nominate my boss, but would it be better if someone higher up nominated him? Can I nominate a family member?
You can nominate yourself, a client, a family member, your boss, an employee, or an acquaintance. The most important thing is that you state a clear, business-oriented reason for the nomination.

10. Does it help if many people nominate the same person?
No. Only one nomination per person is required.

11. Will more than one nominee from the same company be considered?
Yes, multiple executives from the same company can be nominated and will each receive consideration.

12. How does the process work?
After the nomination period closes, HousingWire’s selection committee meets to review and vote on each nominee based on the information provided with their submission form and industry knowledge of the individual and their organization. We strive to come up with a diverse list that represents a broad spectrum of the industries we cover. The process takes a significant amount of time over a compressed schedule.

13. What is required of those who are selected?
Honorees of the HousingWire awards programs become a part of the larger HousingWire family and are frequently tapped into for other opportunities including Q&As to promote future awards, podcast interviews, panelist opportunities at HousingWire events and much more. However, this is not a requirement for any HousingWire award winner.

14. Can I contact you to see how my nominee is doing in the judging process?
No. We don’t give status reports. If we need any further information, we will contact you.

15. I want to be picked for the Vanguard Award program. Will it help to hire a public relations firm?
No. Publicists often submit candidates, but they do not influence the judging.

16. I was not selected for the Vanguard Award. Can you tell me why?
With hundreds of candidates and only a few spots available, the majority of the time we are unable to share specific feedback for each nominee who wasn’t selected. Oftentimes, many quality nominees don’t make the cut.

17. The person I nominated has moved to another company. Can I rescind their nomination and get a refund?
We understand that things change and nominees may switch companies in between the time that they’re nominated for an award and the time that the selection committee votes on the winners. In this scenario, HousingWire will continue to keep the person on the winners’ list and work with the honoree to update their awards profile to include information — if they so choose — about their new endeavor. We treat our people-based awards like they belong to the award winner. That said, once someone is selected, we believe it is fair to continue to recognize the honoree despite the fact that he/she may have switched roles.

Have more questions? Reach out to Lesley Collins

Award Materials

For additional award materials, like plaques please visit our online store here.