Banking and Finance

Helen LaFever

** ******** **, *******, ** 802-***-****

Education

Master of Science in Finance, MS in Finance, DePaul University, Chicago, IL – August 2025

MBA in Financial Planning, Schiller International University, Largo, FL 2011

Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Concentration in Economics, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 2002

Certified Residential Underwriter Designation, Mortgage Bankers Association Underwriting Certificate, 2018

Sustainable Investing – Harvard Business School – July 2023-September 2023

Alternative Investments -Harvard Business School – October 2023-December 2023

Series 65 March 2023, Series SIE August 2022

Experience

Financial Planner – E&Y May 2023 - June 2023

Retirement Planning, Investment Planning

Underwriter – People’s United Bank March 2021 – May 2021

Reviewing conventional files, credit, employment, income, assets, REO’s and other aspects of

Conventional loan files • Work closely with Processor’s and Underwriting team to meet the needed closing dates • Underwrite Conventional files start to finish

Underwriter - Lennar Mortgage December 2020 – January 2021

•Reviewing conventional files, credit, employment, income, assets, REO’s and other aspects of Conventional loan files • Work closely with Processor’s and Underwriting team to meet the needed closing dates • Underwrite Conventional files start to finish

Sr. Processor, AmeriFirst Home Mortgage Feb 2019 – Aug 2020

Review and clarify loan approvals with LOA’s and the underwriters on needed underwriting conditions on files and then collecting underwriting conditions from borrower.

Review asset levels, updates on income, REO, and any other changes on the file, running updated DU when necessary, to update the loan file for an accurate AUS approval

Work closely with underwriters in clearing any pertaining conditions on files, preparing files for closing and sending files to the closing department

Communicate with third parties in the loan process to ensure all pertinent documents are in file on time for a smooth closing transaction

Loan Officer Assistant/Processor, Movement Mortgage, LLC Jun 2013 – Feb 2019

Review loan applications, borrowers’ assets, income, REO items, determining DTI’s on files, running final DU before submission, checking final requirements for particular loan programs and submitting files to underwriting,

Work closely with borrowers after loans have been underwritten to obtain any necessary items/conditions on files until closing

Work closely with processors on files during processing in Operations and help expediting clearing any outstanding items to get files quickly and efficiently into closing department

Maintain contacts with third party vendors during the loan in process: insurance companies, title companies, real estate partners, to ensure smooth processing trough closing

Train and assist new LO’s and LOA’s on PCL LO software and various loan programs, guidelines, and underwriting/processing requirements

President/CEO, Financial House, LLC Sept 2010 – Jun 2013

International financial markets research and active trading in the Forex market

Series 3, 34 and 65

Director of Student Services/Career Services, Schiller International University Jul 2008 – Nov 2012

Student – Orientation, transportation, housing, and temporary/long term housing assistance

Student Health Insurance: serve as a point of contact with the health insurance provider and provides and organizes help in emergencies: medical, accidents, fire, theft, and offer help in finding professional help

Established new student newsletter - Student Pages; Writing and editing monthly newsletter • Supervise maintenance of the student files: new, current and alumni including career info, insurance, health, emergency info and any other relevant data

Meet with potential employers on/off campus to secure internships and jobs and attend career and job fairs throughout the Tampa Bay area, meet with recruiters, HR directors that are seeking to fill appropriate employment/internship vacancies; maintain job board, and Career Center Library

Collect, analyze, and report student exit interviews and other surveys for Accreditation/Institutional Effectiveness

Completes Security, Health and Safety Annual Report (Federal and State) for Largo Campus

Serve on the SIU Institutional Effectiveness Committee and collect, analyze and reports data from student exit interviews, and surveys for Accreditation and Institutional Effectiveness purposes

Underwriter - Jumbo, Countrywide/Bank of America Mar 2006 – May 2008

Reviewed and examined loans to ensure soundness, business value and compliance with investor standards as an underwriter and a Loan Committee member.

Independently conducted full and comprehensive evaluations of a variety of complex mortgage loan applications and made sole final underwriting decisions on loans: prime up to $1,000,000 and equity loans up to $200,000.

Had authority to make underwriting exceptions, deviations and adjustments and reviewed work of others with less underwriting signing authority.

Educate brokers and bankers regarding a variety of products and provide guidance, expertise and training to less experienced personnel.

Sr. Processor, Golfside Lending Mar 2005 – Mar 2006

Processed files from application trough underwriting.

Reviewed files for underwriting: appraisals, income, assets, title and finalized underwriting findings: DU and LP.

Coordinated closings: worked closely with realtors, title agents and borrowers.

Performed duties as a Loan Officer when needed.

Sr. Loan Processor, Union Capital Lending Apr 2004 – Mar 2005

Processed all types of loans from application stage through underwriting and prepared files for closing and coordinated closings for the entire loan production in the company.

Supervised and trained junior loan processors and acted as loan consultant/originator as needed.

Mortgage Loan Officer, Bloomfield State Bank Aug 2003 – Apr 2004

Processed loan applications, reviewed files, and followed up with loans through closing. Prepared loan closing documents and conducted closing.

Was responsible for underwriting loans, including construction loans.

Audited loans that were sold on the secondary market, prepared loans for sale and actual sale of loans to Freddie Mac.

Independently implemented new programs: fixed and ARM rate investment property loans into the bank’s variety of loans, which improved the bank’s overall competitiveness on the mortgage market and brought in additional business.

Contributed and gave recommendations to AVP in preparing the training for loan officers in the bank and implementation of new marketing tools to promote bank’s mortgage loan activities.

Loan Processor, Mortgage Max-Chicago May 2003 – Aug 2003

Reviewed loan applications, used AUS systems, collected necessary documentation to submit a file for underwriting.

Cleared essential conditions and worked closely with the underwriter and borrower.

Worked closely with borrowers to provide information concerning the bank’s loan program, which created new files for the company and prepared loan file for closing

Loan Processor, Lincoln Park Savings Bank-Chicago Nov 2002 – Apr 2003

Reviewed loan applications, did data entry on software system AUS LP; ordered necessary documents for the loan such as credit reports, appraisals, verifications, flood certifications and title commitments.

Worked closely with borrowers to ensure all necessary paperwork was complete and finalized processing and submitted loan for the underwriting stage after which, if loan was approved, prepared loan file to be submitted to the closer.

Prepared and maintained loan status report and various summary analysis for the entire Loan Department.

Operations Special Services Clerk, Corus Bank Chicago Jan 2000 – July 2002

Skills

Microsoft Office Suite

Analytical Skills

Languages: English, German and Serbian/Croatian/ Bosnian

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