Nominations are open for the 2026 Women in Housing Leadership Awards, to be presented during the annual 2026 Five Star Conference and Expo, set for September 1-3 at the Omni Dallas Hotel.
Five awards will be presented to the industry’s most distinguished women leaders, including the Rising Star Executive Award, Mortgage Visionary Award, Public Sector Champion Award, Industry Partner Impact Award, and Laurie A. Maggiano Legacy Award.
The nomination period has been extended through Wednesday, July 8, so don’t miss the opportunity to nominate your colleagues!
The Women in Housing Leadership Awards Luncheon is set for Wednesday afternoon, September 3, at 11:30 a.m. CT. Join Five Star in celebrating the achievements of remarkable businesswomen whose contributions continue to impact the housing and mortgage servicing industries. At the Women in Housing Leadership Awards Luncheon, attendees will have the opportunity to meet this year’s outstanding Women in Housing finalists and hear from a selection of industry-leading women executives during an exclusive panel delving into the struggles and triumphs they have encountered while building their careers within our industry.
You may nominate a colleague for one or more of the following five categories:
The Rising Star Executive Award: This Award recognizes young women leaders who, while still early in their careers, have demonstrated an outstanding capability to lead and drive progress. Candidates must have no more than 10 years of consecutive industry experience.
The Mortgage Visionary Award: This Award celebrates exceptional female executives in the mortgage industry (spanning both lending and servicing) who have demonstrated inspirational leadership, shaped lending practices or elevated servicing standards, and expanded access to sustainable homeownership. Through their dedication to operational excellence, customer experience, and industry advancement, these women exemplify the future of housing finance.
The Public Sector Champion Award: This Award honors outstanding female leaders from government agencies and government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) whose work has profoundly impacted the housing and mortgage finance landscape. Whether through policy development, program innovation, regulatory leadership, or public-private collaboration, these trailblazers have advanced equitable access to homeownership and strengthened the stability of the U.S. housing market.
The Industry Partner Impact Award: This Award celebrates female leaders working in affiliated services or partner organizations—such as technology providers, legal firms, and vendors—who have made a significant impact on the mortgage and housing sectors. Nominees in this category drive meaningful partnerships and innovations that enhance the industry’s capabilities and effectiveness.
The Laurie A. Maggiano Legacy Award: This Award recognizes women whose accomplishments have left an indelible impact on the industry and have positively influenced homeownership within the past year. Candidates for this honor must have at least 20 years of consecutive industry experience.
Eligibility Information:
- All required fields must be completed to submit your nomination.
- Nominations must be submitted by a colleague or business associate. Self-nominations are not accepted.
- Only one nomination per individual will be taken into account during the selection process. Multiple nominations will not increase a nominee’s chances of being selected.
- Nominees must be currently employed by an organization that directly serves the housing and/or mortgage industries.
- Nominees must meet the minimum experience requirement specific to the selected award(s).
- Nominees must be present at the Women in Housing Awards Leadership Awards Banquet in Dallas this September to receive an award. If the nominee cannot attend, they may appoint a proxy to accept it on their behalf should they be the recipient in their category.
