Succession Planning: The Risk Mortgage CEOs Can No Longer Ignore
- Dr. Andy Schell, Ph.D., DBA, CPA, CMB
- 19 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Independent mortgage banking is built on entrepreneurial vision and decades of effort. Yet one of the most significant—and often overlooked—risks across the industry is the absence of a formal succession plan. This gap extends beyond ownership and the CEO role; it includes key operational leaders whose expertise is essential to daily performance.
Succession planning is not merely about retirement—it is about continuity, risk mitigation, and stewardship. What happens if a CEO or principal becomes incapacitated, suffers a serious injury, or passes unexpectedly? Who assumes leadership? Who safeguards shareholder interests and family wealth? Too often, these questions remain unanswered until a crisis forces reactive decisions.
For many independent mortgage bankers, personal net worth is concentrated in the business.
Without a structured plan, a single unforeseen event can jeopardize both the enterprise and the financial security of the owner’s family. Frequently, critical safeguards—such as key person life insurance, defined ownership transition strategies, and advisory frameworks—are missing. In their absence, surviving family members face complex operational, financial, and governance decisions without guidance.
An effective succession plan must be comprehensive. It should identify future leadership, delineate decision-making authority, establish financial protections, and align continuity with the owner’s long-term vision. Equally important, the process should involve experienced legal, tax, and business advisors who understand the unique regulatory, capital, and operational dynamics of mortgage banking.
Succession planning is not theoretical—it is a cornerstone of responsible leadership. Proactive planning ensures that the enterprise you built continues to operate, grow, and protect the people who depend on it, regardless of what the future holds.
MBS Financial Services supports the following areas:
Growth Strategy – We can help you plan and execute a growth strategy.
Hedging & Pipeline Risk Management - Dr. Schell can help explain how hedging functions, the benefits of hedging, and the risks associated with the activity. See blog posts.
Technology must align with a firm's strategic objective. Every mortgage lender's technology infrastructure significantly impacts its customer experience and employee workflow. MBS will help select, configure, and deploy the best technology solution.
Executive Development - Leadership is a learned skill. Dr. Schell can teach you to be an amazing leader, an effective manager, and an inspiring coach that can foster a vibrant culture.
Accounting Services – Dr. Schell, CPA, leads the accounting services team to become your outsourced accounting department. This alternative makes more and more sense for companies wishing to focus on their core business and also want trustworthy accounting and financial reporting support.
About Dr. Schell:
Dr. Andy Schell, Ph.D., DBA, MSML, MBA, CPA/CFF, CMB
Dr. Schell is CEO, Managing Partner, and Co-Founder of Mortgage Banking Solutions and the Founder of MBS Financial Services ("MBS"), based in Austin, Texas. Dr. Schell is known for his ability to turn "vision into reality" and "chaos into order" as he finds creative solutions to the challenges his clients face addressing Revenue Stability, Technology Enhancement, Financial Management, and Workflow Efficiency.
He has 4 decades of experience as a strategist directing the activity of both small and large groups of employees including mortgage lending activity at Bank of America. His leadership knowledge extends from his hands-on experience and his academic training in his MBA, his master's degree in leadership, and his doctoral work to examine employee dynamics given leader stimulus
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Find more information at
DoctorSchell@MBS-Team.com ; (512) 501-2812;
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