Winick (pictured top) told Mortgage Professional America that three pillars sat at the organization’s core: educating, elevating, and empowering women in a sector of the mortgage space that for too long has been viewed as something of an old boys’ network that’s more about who you know than what you know.
Serving as board president at CapitalW, Winick is also chief strategy officer at MCT Trading which, although a wholly separate entity, has played an impactful role in sponsoring and supporting the endeavor. She said a shift by MCT to improve its own track record when it came to diversity – in the upper echelons as well as entry-level positions – proved a good case study for CapitalW.
“Education was a key to elevating team members. They came into our company on the lock desk, they learned a bit about mortgage, they said, ‘Hey, I like this. This is cool to me. I have an aptitude for this.’ We were able to recognize talent, and rising stars – and education was the link.
“The other thing that was very important in our learning at MCT: meritocracy. You’re not promoted because of the diversity you bring. You get the job, you’re elevated because you have hustle, you’re smart, you’ve proven you’re collaborative, we like working with you, all of that. So that was an underpinning as well.”
The value of representation
Ian Miller (pictured below), a corporate development partner and ally to CapitalW, told MPA he had been impressed by the reaction to a breakout session at MCT’s Exchange event in March featuring Winick and a number of other women sharing their experiences, growth path, and career journey through a male-dominated sector.
