Rice, Hood, Clifton, and others recognized for their service
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 19, 2025
RESTON, VIRGINIA – On August 6, 2025, during the 35th Annual Regulatory Conference of the American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators (AARMR) in Fort Worth, Texas, the recipients of this year’s Distinguished Service and other awards were announced. These awards are presented annually in recognition of those individuals who have contributed to the Association’s many successes and to the important work of mortgage regulation and compliance.
2025 AARMR Distinguished Service Awards
Over the years, AARMR’s annual Distinguished Service Award has been presented to many well-deserving individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their field, and who are known for frequently going above and beyond their usual responsibilities and what is expected of them.
The 2025 Distinguished Service Award was presented to one regulator and one industry representative:
- Kristin Rice, General Counsel and Deputy for Legal Affairs, North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks
- Tracy Hood, Vice President, Regulatory and Agency Program, ServiceMac, LLC
Kristin Rice
Kristin served on the Multistate Mortgage Committee (MMC) from January 2019 through December 2023, when she completed her final year as Chair. The MMC is a representative body of state mortgage regulators appointed by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) and AARMR to represent the examination interests of the combined states under the Nationwide Cooperative Protocol and Agreement for Mortgage Supervision. The MMC’s primary focus is on nationwide lenders operating in 10 or more U.S. states.
During Kristin’s tenure on the MMC, there was a tremendous volume of mortgage issues, ranging from CARES Act forbearance to interest rate shocks to several high profile data breaches at mortgage servicers. Through her work on the MMC, Kristin played an instrumental role in altering the way mortgage servicers now perceive and execute on their obligations with regards to cybersecurity.
Kristin has been an advocate for sensible mortgage regulation and supervision, and continues to serve on the MMC Exam Manual Working Group. She regularly engages with those from industry at Meet Your Regulator sessions at both CSBS NMLS and AARMR conferences, and has shared her knowledge and perspective at AARMR Board meetings and during AARMR’s General Members meetings (for state regulators). In addition, Kristin has become a trusted resource for colleagues on matters involving the mortgage market in North Carolina.
Tracy Hood
Tracy manages all of ServiceMac’s regulatory affairs, including licensing, exams and audits of the company involving state and federal regulators. Tracy also manages all such matters relative to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae, USDA, HUD and VA.
In addition, Tracy leads ServiceMac’s efforts in responding to RFIs, RFPs, due diligence requests and rating agencies reviews. She handles all of those items with transparency, clarity and candor. Internally, Tracy reviews with the company’s Change Management teams all the items that may impact her areas of oversight and ensures policies and procedures, testing protocols and quality control testing are in alignment with these changes.
Tracy always endeavors to provide deliverables with a positive tone and a smile. She understands the pressures that the requester is under and makes sure that responses are provided on a timely basis, in line with deadlines. And, if not possible, she’ll reach out earlier than the due date to discuss challenges. She’s known among colleagues for getting things done and is constantly looking for ways to improve, whether with internal teammates or external partners. Tracy is always a professional, and brings a sense of humor and humility to her work each day.
We congratulate Kristin Rice and Tracy Hood on receiving the prestigious Distinguished Service Award of 2025, and thank them for their dedicated service.
2025 AARMR Examiner-In-Charge (EIC) of the Year Award
The 2025 EIC of the Year Award was presented to Aaron Clifton, Senior Bank Examiner, District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking.
The CSBS and AARMR Nationwide Cooperative Protocol for Mortgage Supervision is designed to assist state mortgage regulators by outlining a basic framework for the coordination and supervision of Multistate Mortgage Entities, or MMEs.
The Multistate Mortgage Committee contacts participating Joint Examination State Regulators to staff Joint Examination Teams, and also designates an Examiner-in-Charge for each team. The EIC serves as the primary point of contact between the MME and the Joint Examination Team.
Aaron has played a significant role in the MMC multistate exam process for over six years. Since 2019, he has served as the EIC on six MMC exams and as the SPOC (Single Point of Contact) on four additional exams. Aaron is a trusted advisor to all MMC exam leaders. In 2024, he served as the EIC on the first mortgage One Company, One Exam (OCOE) under the new Mortgage OCOE Protocol. For the past two exam cycles, Aaron has served on the MMC while continuing to serve as either an EIC, SPOC or MMC liaison.
He is always willing to step up and lead an exam. Aaron understands the OCOE process and takes time to explain it to both the licensee and examiners to ensure adherence to the examination timeline. He’s a relationship builder, whether it’s with the licensee, or a new examiner. He’ll always take time for a phone call or follow-up email to make sure everyone understands the examination’s needs. Aaron brings extensive experience to the examination team through his years of state regulator experience as well as his prior industry experience. He is a consummate exam professional.
2024-2025 EIC and SPOC Recognition
A number of individuals were also recognized during the awards ceremony for making significant contributions to mortgage supervision through their dedicated work in 2024-2025 as Examiners-In-Charge or Single Points of Contact.
Examiners-In-Charge
- Yolana Andrews (Montana)
- Paul Askeland (Missouri – OCOE)
- Renee Barrett (New York)
- Nancy Burke (New Hampshire – OCOE)
- Justin Campidilli (Kansas)
- Craig Christensen (Iowa – OCOE)
- Aaron Clifton (District of Columbia – OCOE)
- Jeff Evans (Iowa)
- Eric Garcia (North Carolina)
- Jared Gordon (Massachusetts)
- Kim Hong (California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation – Targeted Cyber Exam)
- Ty Hubbell (Iowa – OCOE)
- Angelyn Lander (Iowa – OCOE)
- Daniel Landini (Connecticut)
- Matt Mainolfi (Maryland – OCOE)
- Autumn Miller (Alaska – OCOE)
- Jeff Peterson (Nebraska – OCOE)
- Kristin Schartz (Kansas)
- Leonard Smith (District of Columbia – two exams; one OCOE)
- Lindsay Stenger (Washington – OCOE)
- Alex Wall (Minnesota)
- Cody Wilson (Kansas – OCOE)
Single Points of Contact
- Aaron Clifton (District of Columbia – three exams)
- Brad DeLettera (Georgia)
- Brenda Fanning (Wyoming)
- Bryon Gibbs (South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs)
- Nikki Hoffman (North Carolina)
- Ty Hubbell (Iowa – two exams)
- Jeffrey Keuter (Oregon)
- Daniel Kline (Idaho – three exams)
- Angelyn Lander (Iowa)
- Daniel Landini (Connecticut)
- Lynn Lemmons (North Carolina)
- Jihan Loving (Alabama)
- Michael Mayne (Minnesota)
- Linda McClure (North Carolina)
- Jeff Peterson (Nebraska)
- Chris Romano (formerly with Montana)
- Joseph Szczepaniak (Montana)
AARMR offers our sincerest thanks to the above individuals for their important and outstanding contributions.
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The American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to promote the exchange of information and education concerning the licensing, supervision and regulation of the residential mortgage industry, to ensure the ability of state mortgage regulators to provide effective mortgage supervision for a safe and sound industry meeting the needs of the local financial markets and to protect the rights of consumers.
Press contact:
David Saunders, Executive Director
American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators
703-782-5920