What the M
Do you ever wonder who is behind the scenes collecting and processing all those monthly mortgage payments throughout the entire country? In the world of residential mortgages, the mortgage servicing industry is a critical but not always visible player in the lending and home ownership process. Unveiling how mortgage servicers manage the residential homeownership industry is the concept behind “What the M,” a new podcast that discusses the complex issues facing default services and the path forward for the mortgage industry and homeowners alike. The industry is comprised of more than 160 mortgage servicers representing more than 80% of the outstanding principal balances on mortgages in the U.S. Without the involvement of these vital mortgage servicers, obtaining and maintaining a home mortgage as we know it would not exist.“‘What the M’ features industry movers and shakers discussing the challenges faced by mortgage servicers, law firms and the American homeowner,” said Stephen Hladik, one of the co-hosts for the podcast and chair of the Advisory Council of the Legal League 100. “We will discuss trends in the economy, regulatory oversight, changes in the law, changes in technology and a myriad of other factors affecting the industry.”Hladik and co-host Kent McPhail are experienced attorneys with multistate practices in the default servicing industry. Both have decades of experience representing secured creditors; however, each host brings his own unique perspective to the podcast. McPhail hails from the Deep South (think boiled peanuts and shrimp & grits), while Hladik hails from the Northeast (think cheesesteaks and scrapple). “With this Yin and Yang, we hope to bring an entertaining and informative approach to the industry and those who make it hum,” McPhail said.Episodes of “What the M” begin airing mid-September and can be found wherever you listen to podcasts.
Episodes
Welcome to the season 3 finale of What the M!
This season, Kent and Steve have interviewed amazing, thoughtful, and brilliant guests. Each guest has been uniquely qualified to speak about different aspects of the default servicing industry, and has provided valuable information to What the M’s listeners. Each guest is unique, but they all have one thing in common: they all got to answer “The Last Question.”
At the end of each episo...
The 52nd episode of What the M features Gina Gallutia, Executive Membership Director of the Five Star Institute, and David Mulkay, Director of Legal League. Gina and David are long-time friends of the podcast and stopped by to discuss the benefits of Five Star and Legal League, trends in the default servicing industry, and upcoming industry events. With their extensive experience in- and knowledge of- the default industry, Gina and...
For the 51st episode of What the M, Kent and Steve have a "fireside chat" about the economy, current regulatory conditions… and whether you should use ChatGPT for your March Madness bracket! Listen on for up-to-the-moment updates about the default servicing industry.
Steve Hladik is a Partner at Hladik, Onorato, and Federman, LLP. He received his undergraduate degree from Penn State University (Let’s Go State!), before go...
The 50th episode of “What the M” features Walter Mullen and Michael Keaton from Onity Group, Inc.
This episode focuses on the changes taking place on a state and federal level within the default servicing industry, the record-high credit debt and auto loan defaults that Americans currently face, and the use of technology within the industry. We are extremely fortunate to have Walt and Michael as our guests this week, as they have an...
The 49th episode of “What the M” features the return of Michael Merritt, Senior Vice President of Customer Care and Default Mortgage Servicing at BOK Financial.
This time around on "What the M," Michael is here to share his thoughts on the topic of AI in the servicing industry. Michael is the Senior Vice President of Customer Care and Default Mortgage Servicing at BOK Financial. Michael attended Arizona State University, w...
The 48th episode of “What the M” features Dusten Hendrickson, Founder and CEO of Mailbox Money.
Mailbox Money specializes in transforming real estate development through strategic land selection, wellness-focused design, and innovative project leadership. Dusten’s expertise extends to real estate syndication, working closely with partners to structure impactful, high-yield opportunities for investors. He is deeply committed to addr...
The 47th episode of “What the M” features Ty Miller, Managing Director at Annaly Capital Management.
Ty graduated from Missouri State University (Go Bears!) with a BS in Psychology and Management. He has held executive leadership roles in operations management, sales leadership, and default administration. Before going to work for Annaly Capital, he spent more than a decade as Vice President of Servicer Performance and Relationship...
The 46th episode of “What the M” features Kent McPhail and Stephen Hladik with a year-end wrap up of 2024.
Check it out to find out what happened (and didn't happen!) in the default servicing industry in 2024, and what Kent and Steve predict is next to come in 2025!
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A huge thank you to our Season 3 sponsor, Black Dome Services. Black Dome Services is a next-generation property...
The 45th episode of “What the M” features Matt Watson, President of LegalFee Consultants, LLC and Jenny Lee, Senior Consultant for LegalFee Consultants, LLC.
Today’s episode is about a challenge many law firms face daily: the managing of their invoicing processes, hidden costs of inefficiencies in those processes, and how their companies seek to unlock revenue for firms through smarter billing practices.
Both Matt and Jenny have b...
The 44th episode of “What the M” features Matt Reilly, Business Development Specialist at Stonecrest Financial.
Matt received his Bachelor of Science in Architecture. He moved into the mortgage industry working with Empire Mortgage, Inc. Since 2009, he has been with Stonecrest Financial, where he works in an alternative investment group and asset management, focused on real estate lending and distressed acquisition funds. He is the ...
The 43rd episode of “What the M” features James "Jim" Lee, President and CEO of Susquehanna Polling & Research, Inc. and Owner of the Bartlett Group.
Susquehanna Polling and Research (SP&R) is a nationally recognized survey, research, and polling firm headquartered in Pennsylvania. Founded in 2000, SP&R includes a team of research associates with more than 50 years of combined experience, including telephone...
The 42nd episode of “What the M” features Gary Seitz, Chapter 7 Panel Trustee in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Gary graduated with his J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1986. While obtaining his law degree, he studied at the Shanghai Law Research Institute in the Peoples Republic of China and the Betham House Faculty of Laws of the University of London. Gary then obtai...
The 41st episode of “What the M” features Kent McPhail, Senior Partner of McPhail Sanchez, LLC.
In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Kent’s law firm, McPhail Sanchez, What the M co-host Stephen Hladik interviewed Kent about his mentors, motivation, and milestones. Listen in to hear about the family, friends, teachers, and colleagues whose life lessons have inspired Kent and truly made a difference. This is an episode you won’t ...
The 40th episode of “What the M” features the return of Rick Sharga and Daren Blomquist.
In the first 2 seasons of What the M, Kent and Steve were fortunate enough to interview an incredible roster of talented professionals about their insights and predictions for the default servicing industry. To kick off season 3, they have brought in two experts to talk about economics and housing trends: are home prices starting to decline? Wha...
The 39th episode of “What the M” features ALL of our wonderful season two guests!
Welcome to the season 2 finale of What the M! This season, Kent and Steve have interviewed amazing, thoughtful, and brilliant guests. Each guest has been uniquely qualified to speak about different aspects of the default servicing industry, and has provided valuable information to What the M’s listeners. Each guest is unique, but they all have one thin...
The 38th episode of “What the M” features Jodi Gaines, Chief Executive Officer at Claims Recovery Financial Services (CRFS).
Jodi began her career as an insurance claims clerk at Anchor Mortgage Services in 1989, where she became enamored with the mortgage servicing industry. In 2002, she created CRFS- a company which has since grown to over 600 employees- at her kitchen table. In 2019, Jodi left CRFS to work on other initiatives, ...
The 37th episode of “What the M” features Joe Culver and Jeff Pinard.
This week, we zigged instead of zagged! Typically, What the M does not focus episodes on state-specific issues; however, the current regulatory environment in New York merits a departure from our usual format.
In this episode, we address the current legislative impact on statutes of limitation, the overall foreclosure environment, pending legislation and its impa...
The 36th episode of “What the M” features Steve Paton, CEO of Universal Component Lender Services (UCLS).
Steve has a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration and Finance from Sacramento State University. He has held senior leadership positions at JP Morgan Chase, Marix Servicing, Carrington Mortgage Services, and SingleSource Property Solutions. He then founded Distinguished Mortgage Services before moving to his current po...
The 35th episode of “What the M” features Cesar Hernandez, CEO of Agility 360.
Cesar received his Bachelor of Science from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and has now been in the mortgage and default servicing industry for nearly three decades. He began his career as an Asset Manager at Goldman Sachs. He then became the Chief Administrative Officer and Board Member at Wingspan Portfolio Advisors, w...
The 34th episode of “What the M” features Courtney Thompson, Executive Vice President and Head of Servicing at CMG Financial.
Courtney has a BA from Western Michigan University and a JD from Michigan State University. She began her career at Maddin Hauser Roth & Heller, PC. She has been in the mortgage and default servicing industry for over 19 years and was the SVP of Servicing at Flagstar Bank and the Chief Product Officer a...
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