NewsRelease

Bryan School Recognizes Distinguished Alumnus

GREENSBORO – The Bryan School of Business and Economics at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro will present its Distinguished Alumni Award to commercial/mortgage banker Joe K. Pickett.

Former chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Homeside International, Inc., Pickett will accept the award at a banquet in his honor at the UNCG Alumni House Nov. 11. The award is presented annually to alumni of any business program at UNCG who have attained outstanding success in business and made significant contributions to their profession and the business community.

Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., HomeSide International, Inc. was the mortgage banking subsidiary of National Australia Bank. It was purchased by Washington Mutual in March 2002. The company managed a mortgage servicing portfolio of approximately $185 billion and was ranked as the fifth largest mortgage servicer in the United States.

"Joe has had a long and distinguished career in commercial and mortgage banking and has held leadership positions at the highest level in his industry,” said Bryan School dean Jim Weeks. “Joe has also given back to his community by his involvement with and leadership on several boards of directors of community-based organizations.”

An executive who has earned the respect of his colleagues, he served as an infantry captain in the U.S. Army before starting his banking career in 1969 with Wachovia Bank & Trust Company, N.S. In 1980, he joined Mortgage Corporation of the South (MCS), a Bank of Boston subsidiary in Birmingham, Ala. Three years later, he was promoted to MCS president.

Pickett continued his upward climb in 1987, when he was promoted to president and chief operating officer of BancBoston Mortgage Corporation (BBMC). He served as chairman of the board and chief executive officer of BBMC (HomeSide Lending) from 1990 to 1999. In 1996, he was named chairman and CEO of the newly created HomeSide International, Inc.

His professional affiliations include service as president of Mortgage Bankers Association of America and membership on the Fannie Mae Board of Directors. In addition, Pickett is involved with his community through service on the boards of directors of Baptist Health System, Inc. and the I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless, both in Jacksonville.

Now retired, Pickett holds a bachelor of business administration degree from the University of North Texas and a Master of Science degree in Business Administration from UNCG.
 
 

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