For more than two decades, Safeguard Properties has played host to the annual National Property Preservation Conference (NPPC), which returns again this year to the MGM National Harbor Resort and Casino in Maryland next week, November 17-19. The brainchild of Safeguard’s late founder, Robert Klein, the NPPC was crafted to “provide an outlet for industry leaders to collaborate and innovate,” and to bring together all facets of the mortgage field services industry to discuss pressing issues and develop solutions.”
(Editor’s note: MortgagePoint is the Media Sponsor for this year’s NPPC.)
“As we get ready to kick off the 21st year of NPPC next week, I couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead,” said Ashley Shepherd, Marketing Manager and NPPC Organizer, Safeguard Properties. “We have amazing keynote speakers lined up to compliment panels that will dive into critical conversations on the state of the industry, disaster resources, HUD compliance, biohazards, property risk, the future of AI and tech in the prop pres space, and more. We can’t wait to reconnect with everyone during networking events and receptions. We’re also thrilled to be hosting the second annual Women’s Impact Network, or WIN, Luncheon that will focus on the Power of Connection. NPPC has always been about bringing the right people into the same room to solve real problems together, and I believe 2025 will be one of our strongest programs yet. I’m also deeply grateful to our sponsors for helping to make this conference possible each year, and to every participant that invests their time and expertise into making NPPC a success—we can’t wait to welcome you all to DC next week!”
“At Sterling Claims Management, we sponsor and attend the National Property Preservation Conference because it’s where the industry’s sharpest minds collide—and we refuse to miss the chance to shape the conversations that drive tomorrow’s standards,” said Jami Sherr, President and CEO of NPPC sponsor Sterling Claims Management. “We’ve been a fixture at this event for years because real relationships and real-time insights from the field beat any webinar or whitepaper; sponsoring keeps us at the table where decisions are made and long term partnerships are forged.”
Keynote speaker Min Alexander of BOSSCAT Technologies said, “I’m thrilled to return as a speaker and panelist for this year’s National Property Preservation Conference, the leading conference for innovation, collaboration, and partnership in our industry. We live and work in dynamic times, where insights and networking create real value.”
With Monday focused on check-ins and networking across both the public Welcome Reception and a VIP event, Tuesday kicks off with a full day of back-to-back programming that stretches into Wednesday as well.
You can review the full agenda here, but below is a sampling of what to look forward to next week.
Keynote Speaker – Mark Fleming, Chief Economist, First American
Mark Fleming serves as the SVP for Decision Science and Chief Economist for First American Financial Corporation. In his role, he leads an economics team responsible for analysis, commentary, and forecasting trends in the real estate and mortgage markets. Fleming’s research interests primarily include real estate and urban economics, data science, and real estate risk. Fleming is frequently quoted by national news outlets and industry trade publications such as the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and Bloomberg News, and he is a frequent guest on high-profile broadcast news channels, including Yahoo Finance, Reuters News, CNBC, Fox Business News, and NPR. Fleming graduated from the University of Maryland with a Master of Science and a doctorate in agricultural and resource economics and holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Swarthmore College.
Panel – The State of the Industry: Where We Stand & What’s Next
Ed Delgado, AMP, Managing Director, Mortgage Policy Advisors; Chairman Emeritus, Five Star Global, brings his popular “State of the Industry” panel back to NPPC once again, this year featuring a lineup of industry experts that includes:
- Alan Jaffa, Safeguard Properties
- Tim Rood, Impact Capital
- Timika Scott, US Bank
- LaQuanda Sain, Rocket Mortgage
- Jake Williamson, Fannie Mae
Panel – From the Field to the File: Closing the Gap on Claim Documentation
- Moderator: Priscilla Rivera, Sterling Claims Management
- Leila Battenfield, Sterling Claims Management
- Aubrey Gilmore, Rutledge Claims Management
- Brooke Marshall, LoanCare
- Shana Erdley, PHFA
Panel – The Disaster Resource Outlook: Funding, FEMA and the Future
- Moderator: Jen Hopkins, Safeguard Properties
- Laura MacIntyre, Dimont
- Serafin Hernandez, Loan Protector
- Johanna Granados, Verisk
- Justin Askew, AREMCO
Fireside Chat with David Sheeler of Freedom Mortgage
David Sheeler serves as President of Residential Servicing at Freedom Mortgage—one of the largest mortgage lenders in the country. Under his leadership, the serving group has significantly grown over the years and helped hundreds of thousands of customers through loss mitigation. Sheeler has held various roles in the mortgage industry, including EVP of Correspondent Lending and Branch Operations at W.J. Bradley Mortgage Capital, as well as the positions of COO, CFO, and Pricing and Trading Operations Manager in the Correspondent Lending division of JPMorgan Chase. He also earned a CPA while working at Deloitte & Touche LLP in the financial services group. He holds an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and earned his MBA from the University of Southern California.
Panel – Property Risk: Compliance, Timing & Recoverability
- Moderator: Elizabeth Squires, Safeguard
- Erin Gustafson, First Allegiance
- Geoff Williams, Freddie Mac
- Scott Arnold, NFR
- Tiffany Exum, Truist
Keynote Speaker – Min Alexander, Founder, BOSSCAT Technologies (Acquired by REMAX)
Min Alexander is the founder and former CEO of BOSSCAT Technologies (acquired by REMAX), the first online real estate platform digitizing home inspections to automate estimates and online ordering for repairs, renovations and life cycle services. Over the past decade, Alexander has been driving digital disruption to democratize real estate. She has led four national B2B2C platforms, national field operations, and created a top-10 U.S. brokerage, transforming the industry to increase access, quality and transparency in the real estate life cycle. Alexander started her career as a financial services strategist at Andersen Consulting (Accenture). Prior to BOSSCAT, Alexander served as General Manager and COO for Auction.com. She also served as CEO and President of REALHome Services and Solutions and as SVP of Real Estate Services at Altisource Portfolio Solutions. Alexander holds a BA from Duke University and MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She currently serves as an advisor for Honors Carolina (University of North Carolina) and REMAX.
Super Session: Preserving the Future: AI & Tech Trends Reshaping the Industry
- Moderator: Mike Greenbaum, Safeguard Properties
- Min Alexander, BOSSCAT Technologies (Acquired by REMAX)
- Scott Heller, Safeguard Properties
- Robyn Bui, Quality Claims Management
- Kimberly Dawson, Fannie Mae
- Clint Lien, BlueBook International
WIN Luncheon (Women-Only Event): “The Power of Connection”
- Focus: Building authentic relationships across generations and career stages.
- Topics: Networking, collaboration, sisterhood, allyship.
- Guest speaker: Timika Cole
“This year’s Women Impact Network Luncheon (WIN!) centers on ‘The Power of Connection’. It’s more than just an event—it’s a powerful opportunity to engage with leading women in the industry,” said Carrie Tackett, Business Development, Safeguard Properties. “You can expect to exchange insights, engage in honest, real conversation , and be part of a growing community dedicated to collaboration and growth. The Power of Connection reminds us that our greatest strength comes from the meaningful relationships we build, which help us open doors and support one another. This luncheon is about celebrating and strengthening those connections with powerhouse women across the industry.”
Learn more about NPPC at the official website.
