Plaza Home Mortgage announced it will reinstate its support of the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts after the announcement last week that former AIME chairman Anthony Casa would be permanently stepping down as head of the association.
Over the July 4 holiday this year, Casa sent a video to Quicken Loans Vice President Austin Niemiec, where he made comments of a sexual nature about Niemiec’s wife. Niemiec’s wife, Theresa Niemiec, filed a lawsuit against Casa for defamation. Click here to see the lawsuit complaint in full.
Immediately following that weekend, Casa took a temporary step back from leadership of the association. But several lenders said that is not enough. Plaza Home Mortgage, Flagstar Bank and Caliber Home Loans each announced that they were suspending their relationships with AIME due to Casa’s comments.
The National Association of Mortgage Brokers also came out with a statement against Casa’s remarks, using the hashtag #brokersarebetterthanthis in their communications.
But with Casa’s departure from AIME now permanent, Plaza said it will once again resume its support.
“With the permanent departure of Mr. Anthony Casa from the AIME organization, Plaza Home Mortgage is pleased to resume our relationship with AIME,” a company spokesperson told HousingWire. “We have confidence that AIME, under the new direction of Katie Sweeney, its EVP of strategy, and President Marc Summers, will again be an organization that our industry can stand behind and be proud of.”
“We trust AIME’s newly structured leadership will foster a culture of deep respect and inclusion as it moves forward,” the spokesperson continued. “Since its founding in 2000, Plaza has been committed to wholesale, and will continue to support AIME’s mission of empowering brokers and providing them with the service and choices they deserve.”
Caliber Home Loans has no further comments on its support at this time, and Flagstar did not respond to request for comment.
