This week at the HousingWire’s The Gathering, Finance of America Companies President, Kristen Sieffert, spoke on the evolution of our enterprise and our strategic pivot to the $12.8T retirement opportunity. Exploring the potential for senior-held home equity to transform a retirement outlook when accessed through tools meant for that unique stage of life, her talk highlighted how HomeSafe Second from Finance of America Reverse is tailor made for today’s market environment.
It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of our former leader, Patti Cook. Patti battled a prolonged illness with strength and grace after retiring as CEO of Finance of America Companies in 2022.
Patti's legacy is one of unwavering commitment to our people. She invested her time and energy in individuals at every level of our organization, recognizing potential that others may have overlooked. Her dedication to our company made her beloved by employees, both past and present.
Over the span of her illustrious career, Patti made a pivot into financial services after years as a teacher. During a time with few female MBAs, Patti blazed trails and paved the way for many other women to do the same, all while raising three daughters of her own.
In this second act of her successful career, she held executive positions at prominent companies such as Prudential, JPMorgan, and Freddie Mac. In 2016, she joined our team at Finance of America, where she led the rapid growth and innovation of our organization, eventually guiding us to a successful public listing in April 2021.
Patti was a true pioneer in the financial services industry, demonstrating grit and an uncanny ability to seize new opportunities. As the CEO of Finance of America Companies, she played a pivotal role in building and scaling our diversified lending platform, including our former forward mortgage platform to the heights it reached as a top 15 US lender in 2021.
Patti was not only a remarkable leader but also a cherished friend and mentor. She demonstrated how to put family first, sharing stories of time with her children and grandchildren and supporting others to do the same. Her loss is deeply felt, particularly by many here who worked with her closely for years, and we will miss her.
Let us remember Patti for her professional achievements but most importantly for the incredible person she was. Her impact on Finance of America and all of us will never be forgotten.