About Us
Our Clients
MSA is a retained Executive Search firm specializing solely within the national Mortgage and Financial Services industry. With over two decades of recruiting Executives within this industry, we represent a wide variety of lenders, from regional and national IMB’s to some of the largest depositories in the country.
Our recruiting focus is limited to leadership roles. We take a partnership approach with our clients and have assisted them in successfully filling key positions within their organizations, including:
- President
- Chief Operating Officer
- Chief Executive Officer
- Chief Financial Officer
- EVP National Operations
- EVP Underwriting
- EVP National Production
- EVP Mortgage Marketing
- VP Financial Planning & Analysis
- VP Secondary Marketing
- VP Consumer Direct Lending
- Chief Information Officer
- Chief Strategy Officer
- Builder Sales Executive
- Divisional and Regional VP’s
- Head of Correspondent Lending
- SVP Credit Risk
- General Counsel
WHY MSA
MSA For Employers
When it comes to Mortgage Banking, the only constant is CHANGE. Our industry is changing on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis. With more and more companies closing their doors, it’s easy to get caught up in the onslaught of individuals suddenly on the job market. It is not uncommon for employers to receive over 500 resumes in response to one job posting. Trying to sift through each one and pull the truly qualified candidates out can be a daunting task.
MSA specializes solely within your industry. We speak your language. We understand what constitutes a good candidate and are committed to bringing Impact Players to your organization. We can open doors you may not be able to by going directly to your strongest competitors and marketing your firm’s value proposition directly to the candidate pool. The objective of any recruiting effort is to get the best talent in front of you – we can make it happen.
MSA has over 30 years of recruiting experience. We have recruited for every position in the industry, from Loan Officers to Presidents of Fortune 500 lenders. Whether your platform is Retail or Wholesale, Residential or Commercial, we can help you achieve your objectives. MSA has an impeccable reputation and we are pleased to share our corporate references with you. Let us do what we do best so that you can focus on what YOU do best.
Please see a sampling of completed searches on this above.
WHY MSA
MSA For Candidates
In this current climate of uncertainty within our industry, it is now more critical than ever to choose your employer wisely. The criteria that made an employer a safe bet a year ago may not be valid in today’s market. While checking out new opportunities can be exciting, it can also be a little scary in today’s environment. The players have changed and so have the rules. It has historically been a “Buyer’s Market” with regard to seeking employment – a good candidate with a solid resume could basically write his own ticket and pick and choose where he wanted to work. Not so today. There are literally thousands of exceptional candidates on the market today, oftentimes not by choice.
Working with a professional recruiter can benefit you in more ways than just getting you in front of the best employers. Statistics have shown that candidates who utilize an executive recruiter to negotiate terms with a new employer often receive higher overall compensation vs. candidates taking on this process themselves.
We look forward to working with you!
WHO WE ARE
Leadership Team
Tami Coffey
President
Bretta Watkins
Executive Recruiter
Mary Newberry
Executive Recruiter Director Training & Development
Mary Jo Price, M.S, HRM, CMPS, SHRM-CP
Executive Recruiter
Mary Jo is a seasoned Talent Acquisition leader with deep roots in the Mortgage Banking industry. With a career spanning more than two decades in Human Resources, Onboarding and Recruiting, she brings a rare combination of industry insight, strategic advisory and relationship driven recruiting to MSA.
After beginning her career in HR management, Mary Jo took time off to raise her growing family before returning to the workforce with IMB Axia Home Loans as a Brand Ambassador and later as Onboarding Project Coordinator. After 3 years with Axia, she was recruited to Zenith Home Loans as Talent and Onboarding Coordinator, where she spearheaded Zenith’s growth by recruiting Best in Class Production and Operations personnel, while also being very involved in the onboarding process.
Outside of recruiting, Mary Jo has been a Group Fitness Instructor in her home state of North Carolina, where she is active in Community Service through volunteer work with a local Hospice program. She and her family (including 6 children and 3 beloved dogs!) reside in the Greensboro/Winston-Salem area.
She holds a Masters Degree in Human Resources from Southern New Hampshire University and a Bachelors Degree from the University of North Carolina, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with University Honors.
Mary Jo joined MSA in 2026 as a Senior Recruiter, where she will represent MSA’s client base in growth and recruiting across the country.
MARY JO CAN BE REACHED AT:
