President and CEO at Union Home Mortgage Corporation and Former Chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association
Bill Cosgrove is President and CEO of Union Home Mortgage Corporation, where he has worked since 1994, and was President of the Ohio Mortgage Bankers Association in 2007-2008. In this oral history interview, he describes his work as the president of the Ohio Mortgage Bankers Association from 2007-2008, including his role in testifying before Ohio lawmakers during the passage of state legislation pursuant to the federal Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing (SAFE) Act. Cosgrove explains that he believes new regulations enacted in response to the crisis have been helpful in some ways, but also notes that jurisdictional overlap and disagreement between federal regulatory agencies leads to confusion and difficulty for regulated entities. He also stresses the importance of focusing on the fundamentals of mortgage lending and underwriting, such as ensuring full documentation.
Date Recorded:
April 7, 2021
Interviewed by:
Darielle Engilman
Bill Cosgrove is the current President and CEO at Union Home Mortgage Corporation, where he has worked since 1994. He was named President in 1998. Cosgrove served as the Chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association during the 2014 – 2015 term. From 2008 – 2010, he served as the National Chairman for the MBA’s political action committee, known as MORPAC. In 2020, Cosgrove was named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year.
This article discusses the way that the mortgage industry was divided in the recent 2020 election. In the article, Cosgrove notes how the pandemic has contributed to this growing divide. The article lists four key factors that have contributed to these political disparities: substantial partisan differences, conflicts of fair housing initiatives, personal agendas of mortgage brokers, and the growing chasm between Washington and the mortgage industry.
This article, written in August 2020, announces Cosgrove’s company, Union Home Mortgage Corporation, reaching $10 billion and servicing over 60,000 loans across the country. In the article, Cosgrove discusses the continued growth of the company, saying, “Union Home Mortgage is continuing to build out our teams, and the company as a whole, to achieve even more responsible lending across the country.”
This interview with Cosgrove highlights the increased influence of technology in the mortgage industry, especially given the remote nature of the pandemic. The interview also notes how recent low interest rates has increased success of lenders across the country.
This article announces Cosgrove’s being named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year. According to the article, this award “seeks to celebrate unstoppable entrepreneurs whose unbounded ambitions deliver innovation, growth, and prosperity that transform our world.” Cosgrove was honored for his contributions to the mortgage industry in the East Central region.
This article notes the successes of Cosgrove’s company: Union Home Mortgage Corporation. The article explains that the lender is ranked number one in Ohio and eleventh in the nation for total loan volume of USDA loans.
