Countrywide Names Title Chief To Also Be a Managing Director

Countrywide Funding Corp., the nation's No. 1 residential lender, has named Sidney Lenz as a managing director.

Ms. Lenz will continue to serve as president of Landsafe, a title agency subsidiary of Countrywide Credit Industries Inc. With this new appointment, Countrywide has a total of 10 managing directors dealing with operational and business issues.

"Throughout her 21 years with Countrywide, Ms. Lenz' leadership abilities have played an integral role in the growth and success of the company," said Angelo R. Mozilo, Countrywide's chairman and president.

Ms. Lenz, a 36-year mortgage industry veteran, has been with Countrywide since 1974.

She began at the Pasadena, Calif.-based mortgage giant as a branch manager and was subsequently appointed one of the company's first regional vice presidents.

In 1984, she was promoted to manager of Countrywide's retail branch system, and later also served as manager of product administration. Most recently, Ms. Lenz headed Countrywide's consumer lending division as executive vice president.

Before joining Countrywide, Ms. Lenz was a senior loan processor at Frederick W. Berens Inc., and worked as a loan processor with United Mortgage Servicing Corp.

Ms. Lenz is a member of the board of governors of the Mortgage Bankers Association, and chairs the MBA's educational programs review committee.

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Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corp. has hired two new executives.

The Milwaukee-based mortgage insurer's capital markets group has signed Michael J. Zimmerman as director of mortgage servicing products. He will also be responsible for strategic analysis and management of servicing portfolios.

Mr. Zimmerman was most recently at Household Mortgage Services, a division of Household Bank. Household Bank recently elected to leave mortgage banking.

MGIC has also hired Peter A. Renfro as director of mortgage technology consulting. He advises customers on issues such as electronic data interchange, value-added networks, and artificial intelligence.

He previously worked at computer firm Foster Ousley Conley.

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