John Courson has taken over as president and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), succeeding Jonathan Kempner. Kempner announced last July that he would be leaving the MBA.

“John brings to MBA a wealth of experience and industry knowledge, and I am confident in his leadership both in terms of business savvy, political and advocacy skills,” notes David G. Kittle, chairman of the trade association.

Courson served as MBA chairman in 2003 and as a member of the board of directors, as well as the Residential Board of Governors (RESBOG) and the Commercial Real Estate/Multifamily Finance Board of Governors (COMBOG).

“I look forward to leading MBA on behalf of its members to stabilize the mortgage market and restore faith in our industry by helping struggling homeowners get help to stay in their homes and making sure the recent mistakes and excesses that landed us in the current difficulty are never allowed to be repeated, all the while ensuring that Americans have the opportunity to have an affordable roof over their head,” Courson said in a statement.

Prior to joining MBA, Courson served on the board of directors of the California Housing Finance Agency. He also has been president and CEO of Central Pacific Mortgage Co. and Westwood Mortgage Corp.