Paving the Way For a Better Tomorrow, Today 

Supporting our community and supporting diversity through helping our neighbors’ homeownership dreams come true.

Feb 08, 20213 minute read

We had the pleasure of speaking with Senior Mortgage Banker, George Scott to discuss our National Association of Minority Mortgage Bankers of America (NAMMBA) partnership, serving on the Hampton Roads Committee and our DEI initiatives. George has been helping homeowners with Atlantic Bay since 1998.

What do you think about our newest partnership with NAMMBA?

I was very pleased to hear about Atlantic Bay’s partnership with NAMMBA. This partnership supports our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee’s objectives announced in the summer of 2020. 

As one of the first African American employees to be hired by Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group® in 1998, I am looking forward to what the future holds for not only my company, but also our industry and the community at large. NAMMBA is a purpose-driven organization dedicated to the inclusion of women and minorities in the mortgage industry who are advocates for sustainable homeownership in local communities.

What are some of your other passions within the industry?

Supporting our community and supporting diversity through helping our neighbors’ homeownership dreams come true should be a passion of our industry. As we do what we love to do, this should allow us to be advocates for affordable homeownership and role models to the youth that we meet while assisting families in Hampton Roads.

Additionally, volunteering and participating in organizations that support those ideals is very meaningful to me. I’ve had the privilege to serve on board of directors of the regional organization, Hampton Roads Housing Consortium. This is a local advocacy group for affordable homeownership in Hampton Roads. Members include local governments, housing authorities, emergency shelters, lenders, REALTORS®, and industry professionals. With such a diverse membership, the group is able to network and discuss best practices in helping our community.

Can you tell us more about the role you play with the Hampton Roads Committee of 200+ Men?

I’m an active member in this regional organization of men striving to influence and build a better community by encouraging, inspiring, and enabling African American young people and adults to reach their highest potential.

This group sponsors a variety of programs for our youth, culminating with our signature event, the annual Scholar’s Breakfast. The event honors all African American men graduating with a GPA of 3.0 or higher average throughout Hampton Roads and spotlights the young men who receive local, state, and national academic scholarships to further their education.

It’s very impressive to see the recipients walk across the stage to receive their awards and celebrate the positive academic achievements of our young African American Men. To me, it’s about doing what I can and contributing my part today to pave the way for a better tomorrow.

What are your thoughts on some of Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group’s DEI initiatives?

Working alongside coworkers and company leaders who are also looking forward to all that can be accomplished through this partnership has been extremely encouraging. Atlantic Bay CEO Brian Holland said, “We are extremely excited to partner with NAMMBA to extend our DEI initiatives in all of the communities within our footprint. At the end of the day, putting people first is at the core of what we do, and this partnership is an extension of that commitment to our employees, borrowers, and communities we serve.”

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More about NAMMBA + Atlantic Bay

Across Atlantic Bay’s various teams and departments, the support for this partnership centered around diversity has been very encouraging. Shanita Byrd, our Executive Vice President of Employee Engagement & Development, said, “We are excited about our partnership with NAMMBA as Atlantic Bay continues to grow and strengthen our DEI initiatives. NAMMBA's mission and purpose truly aligns with Atlantic Bay's passion of Helping People Lead Their Best Life, which is why we see this as a great partnership between us.”

NAMMBA’s mission is to increase the engagement of women and minorities in the mortgage industry by actively being involved with the local, state and national Mortgage Banker Associations. Among those objectives are improving Atlantic Bay’s recruiting efforts to focus on attracting candidates from communities within protected classes as well as improving the work environment for all employees so that it is comfortable, rewarding and enjoyable.

NAMMBA Founder/CEO Tony Thompson, CMB said, “We’re extremely excited to partner with Atlantic Bay. Like us, Atlantic Bay has a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, and a leadership team that is committed to representing all the communities in which it does business."

For more information about Atlantic Bay’s DEI planned efforts and NAMMBA partnership in 2021, follow along at AtlanticBay.com/newsroom as more information becomes available.

Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, L.L.C. NMLS #72043 (nmlsconsumeraccess.org) is an Equal Opportunity Employer.