Description:
Lenders are under a lot of competitive pressure – especially mortgage lenders. Not only is the real estate market a tougher sell these days, but the professional crowd competing for loans is vast, wide, and often poorly regulated.
Lenders who work for supervised financial institutions are feeling burdened by numerous rules and regulations which are stifling their competitive edge and creative prowess… or so I’ve been told by lenders trying to claw to the top of influencer-driven social media advertising. In addition, machine-learning tools are within easy reach to super-customize target audiences and gain the biggest buck from advertising dollars.
In the middle of this, compliance professionals are left trying to help their institutions be successful while flashing the warning lights of Reg Z, RESPA Section 8, UDAP and fair lending. Consider:
Reg Z advertising rules:
- What IS an advertisement? If we don’t consider a social media post or digital message an “advertisement”, can we avoid all the Reg Z disclosure racket?
- What MUST be included in closed-end ads? Open-end? Lenders say disclosures are killing their vibe.
- Can digital creativity co-exist with disclosures?
- How can Compliance managers best navigate this conflict?
RESPA Section 8 issues:
- What ARE kickbacks and unearned fees? Lenders say referrals and partnerships are the lifeblood of real estate transactions and are needed.
- What is a “Thing of Value”? Why does it matter?
- Who are the settlement service providers we need to be thinking about?
- There are different subsections of RESPA Section 8. Learn the details of each and how they apply in the real world.
UDAP and Fair Lending:
- Are lenders straying from their lending expertise, giving financial advice about the housing market?
- Could overly-simplified, attention grabbing posts or ads raise UDAP concerns?
- What risks are presented by a growing reliance on AI generated content?
- How might targeted marketing efforts present disparate treatment worries?
- Lenders are seeking engagement with users. Is all engagement good?
- How can Compliance managers protect against UDAP and fair lending risks?
WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Compliance staff, risk managers, loan policy makers, lenders, marketers and audit.
Presenters:
Rebekah Leonard, CRCM
Rebekah is the owner of Elucidate LLC, a compliance training and consulting company. Elucidate means to “make clear, explain, throw light upon”, and describes Rebekah’s desire to illuminate the complexities of compliance with passion and fun. She’s created and produced a TRID music video parody and several Compliance Breakout escape rooms, which she frequently provides at state banking compliance conferences. She is an accomplished speaker and regularly provides webinars through BOL and Compliance Resource.
Rebekah is currently serving as the VP Director of Compliance for a $7 Billion community bank in Montana. She began her career in 1995 at a private lending company, but soon settled into banking, where she’s covered nearly all of it – customer service and teller work, loan processing and review, and security and business continuity. She now oversees CRA, BSA and all aspects of compliance as a senior leader. She has successfully navigated numerous FDIC Compliance, CRA, and BSA Exams.
Rebekah has a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Chapman University (Magna cum Laude), attended the American Bankers Association National Compliance School in 2003, and has held her Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager designation since 2006.
May 27, 2026