MBA Announces Executive Promotions, Additions to Senior Management Team

WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 1, 2025) - The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today announced the promotion of three current association leaders. These promotions are part of a restructuring of the functions led by Marcia M. Davies, MBA's Chief Operating Officer, who has announced that she will retire at year's end.

Peter J. Grace, AMP, previously Senior Vice President of Membership, Education, Technology, and Strategy, has been promoted to Chief Administrative Officer and Senior Vice President of Industry Education and Technology. Laura Hopkins, AMP, previously Vice President of Membership, has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Membership and Meetings. John T. Mechem, who had been Vice President of Public Affairs, was promoted to Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Marketing. Hopkins and Mechem will join MBA's Senior Management team, of which Grace was already a member. Each will report to MBA's President and CEO Bob Broeksmit, CMB.

"MBA is blessed with a strong group of emerging leaders, allowing us to create upward mobility for these three talented individuals already on staff," said Broeksmit. "Peter, Laura, and John each bring exceptional and unique talents to their expanded roles, and I look forward to seeing them continue to grow while MBA's members gain the benefit of their experience and new perspectives."

Grace started at MBA in 2012 as Chief Information Officer and Vice President of Strategic Management, before being promoted to Senior Vice President in 2014. In his new role, he will oversee Strategy, Operations, IT, Finance, Legal, Human Resources, and the MBA Opens Doors Foundation, in addition to his existing responsibilities for Education and Industry Technology. He will also continue to serve as the MBA representative on the MISMO Board of Directors. Grace came to MBA in 2012 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), where he served as Chief of Staff for the Acting Deputy Secretary. Before joining HUD, Grace was Associate Commissioner of the Office of Strategic Planning, Technology, and Research at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. He began his career at Accenture, where he advised companies in the telecommunications industry on organizational strategy and transformation. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Master's Degree in Public Administration from the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University. His full bio can be found here.

Hopkins joined MBA in 2017 as Director of Membership after nearly two decades of sales and management expertise in the mortgage banking sector, including positions in sales and marketing. In 2021, she was promoted to Vice President of Member Relations, and in 2024 assumed the role of VP of Membership, which includes the Member Services, Associate Membership, and Commercial/Multifamily Membership functions. In her new role, she will add responsibility for leading the strategic direction and management of MBA's conferences and meetings, as well as mPower, MBA's networking platform for women in the real estate finance industry. Hopkins was recognized by HousingWire in 2025 with its Women of Influence award. She graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Business Management and Merchandising. Her full bio can be found here.

Mechem started at MBA in 2006 as Manager of Public Affairs and has held a series of roles of growing responsibility strengthening MBA's voice, brand, and influence. In 2015, he was promoted to Vice President of Public Affairs where he managed all public affairs activity for the association, including media relations, speechwriting, social and digital media, and member and executive communications. In his new role, he will serve as lead strategist for external messaging, providing vision, leadership, and strategic direction across all aspects of public affairs, media relations, product and event marketing, digital engagement, publications, and brand management. Before joining MBA, he served as Director of Communications at the American Forest & Paper Association. He began his career on Capitol Hill, where he worked in communications for U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Jim Bunning (R-KY). Mechem graduated from Colby College with a degree in Government and American Studies. His full bio can be found here.