Wendy McCain
CONNECTING THE DOTS
Wendy McCain grew up in New England, spending many of her early years in Hudson, Massachusetts and Hartford, Connecticut. Today, she and her husband reside in Bowie, Maryland where they raised their three children.
Wendy has many years of experience working in the commercial mortgage industry and found her start through a work-study program while attending college at Bentley University. The work-study opportunity was in the loan servicing division at Hudson National Bank. She worked full time for the bank, focusing on commercial lending and commercial multifamily properties, and attended night classes to earn her bachelor’s degree in business.
When she first started at Hudson National Bank, the company’s mortgage division was quite small, and Wendy realized they could greatly benefit from partnering with government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs). She helped develop a program to work with GSEs and would regularly attend conferences and workshops sponsored by GSEs to ensure that her company was meeting requirements. This was Wendy’s introduction to Freddie Mac, and the program she helped to design improved the bank’s organizational shortcomings and ability to offer mortgages year-round.
From her experience at Hudson National Bank, Wendy recognized her passion for the innerworkings of commercial banking, especially the mortgage industry. After getting married, she relocated to the DMV area to join her husband, a native Washingtonian. Wendy’s work experience included a small commercial bank in Virginia, various companies that performed servicing for the Resolution Trust Corporation, and a servicing position at CRIIMI MAE Services Limited Partnership — where she met many colleagues who she still works with to this day.
In 2002, Wendy joined Freddie Mac in the Multifamily Loan Servicing department. With her wealth of knowledge, interest in the world of servicing and appreciation for Freddie Mac’s mission, all things aligned. She worked in the Loan Accounting group for 12 years then transferred to Cash Management, where she is today.
Wendy with her Cash Management team members
Below Wendy shares what makes working at Freddie Mac so special and why she has continued to work here for so much of her career.
How do you see your job impacting the bigger mission?
A: Freddie Mac’s mission is long-term, and we take on a commitment to support a loan throughout its lifecycle. After a loan is purchased, it must be serviced and closely monitored. My team and I ensure timely, accurate and safe cash movement which supports and provides stability to the multifamily finance housing system.
Advice to others on bringing your “full self” to work?
A: I would say, bring your full self – meaning, don’t cut yourself short. Allow all aspects of you to shine through and utilize who you are. If you have a creative side, find ways to bring that to the table. Tapping into all of you helps to make your work environment and product better. Incorporate who you are into your work as often as possible.
Looking back, what's one piece of advice you'd give your younger self?
A: I would tell myself to take advantage of exploring interests and options further. Don’t limit yourself, push and learn more. Take the risk and seek out opportunities. Also, share your interests with others. You never know what future opportunities may come from this and by sharing commonalities, you’ll be a better ally and teammate.
What are your hobbies outside of work?
A: I have many hobbies but some of my favorites are gardening, painting and cooking. I love learning new cooking techniques and mastering cooking new foods. During COVID-19, I took up painting and found that it is a great way to decompress. I also am a trained cake designer and have made several custom cakes for weddings and other special occasions.
Wendy McCain's paintings
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