Monday, May 28, 2007

'Safeguarding the American Dream' Symposium; Hosted by Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo Press Release
Washington DC
2007 May 15


Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services company with $486 billion in assets, providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance through more than 6,000 stores and the internet across North America and internationally.

Wells Fargo announced plans today to host 'Safeguarding the American Dream', a comprehensive, day-long symposium that will feature speakers representing the full cycle - from outreach to the consumer through loan origination and servicing. 'Safeguarding the American Dream' will take place Thursday, June 14, in Washington D.C., from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW.


The event will bring together a wide range of mortgage industry leaders, consumer groups and public officials to discuss the challenges of sustaining homeownership in a changing housing and financial services marketplace. Wells Fargo has placed a heavy emphasis on instituting fair and responsible lending and servicing practices and developed industry-leading programs for consumers.


This symposium is the second annual event devoted to a comprehensive industry review of the actions, strategies, techniques, and steps necessary to ensure home ownership remains a possibility for a broad spectrum of consumers. This year's event will feature Alfonso Jackson, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, as well as housing and mortgage industry leaders and consumer advocates who deal with home ownership and lending issues on a daily basis. Cara Heiden, division president of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Phil Bracken, executive vice president of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, and Mary Coffin, executive vice president and head of Servicing for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, will speak on behalf of the company.


Other speakers include Ken Harney, a national syndicated columnist, and representatives from:

Fannie Mae
Freddie Mac
ISI Group
National Community Reinvestment Coalition
Consumer Federation of America
National Association of Home Builders
National Association of REALTORS®
Mortgage Bankers Association
National Association of Mortgage Brokers
National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals
National Association of Real Estate Brokers
Asian Real Estate Association of America


The topics to be discussed include:

The economy and the American dream, and how the current climate impacts housing and mortgages
Taking up the challenge of sustaining homeownership
Building and financing the dream, an industry responds to a challenging climate
Back to the neighborhood; building thriving communities in America's cities and towns


Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is the only bank in the U.S., and one of only two banks worldwide, to have the highest credit rating from both Moody's Investors Service, "Aaa," and Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, "AAA."