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Mortgage NewsNews posted On October 08, 2026
San Ramon, CA — October 8, 2026 — CMG Financial, a leading privately held mortgage lender, proudly announces that Melissa Koupal, Chief Risk & Compliance Officer, has been recognized as one of National Mortgage Professional’s Powerful Women in Mortgage Banking for 2026. The annual recognition celebrates women whose leadership, influence, and contributions are making a meaningful impact across the mortgage industry.
With more than two decades of mortgage industry experience, Melissa has built a reputation as a trusted leader in regulatory compliance, risk management, and operational excellence. At CMG, she leads teams responsible for regulatory compliance, examinations, agency relations, state licensing, fraud prevention, fair lending, servicing, quality control, and risk management.
“Melissa’s expertise and leadership have been invaluable to CMG,” said Christopher M. George, Founder & CEO. “She helps us navigate an increasingly complex regulatory environment while giving our teams the confidence to grow responsibly.”
Melissa’s influence extends throughout the mortgage industry. She has served as Chair of the California MBA Mortgage Quality and Compliance Committee, Chair of the Mortgage Bankers Association State Legislative and Regulatory Committee, and Chair of the MBA Regulatory Compliance Committee. She also participates in the Industry Working Group for the NMLS and serves on the Industry Advisory Committee for AARMR.
A passionate advocate for industry education, Melissa regularly speaks and teaches for mortgage organizations and is the founder of RegList, a community of more than 1,000 mortgage professionals dedicated to quality control, compliance, and legal issues. Through her leadership and commitment to knowledge-sharing, she continues to help mortgage professionals navigate an evolving regulatory landscape and elevate standards across the industry.
Prior to joining CMG, Melissa was one of the founding employees of loanDepot in 2009, where she helped shape the company’s Mortgage Operations Compliance and Risk strategy. Throughout her career, she has paired deep regulatory expertise with a practical approach to helping organizations operate effectively and grow responsibly.
Read more in Melissa’s profile here.
About CMG Financial
CMG Financial is a well-capitalized mortgage lender founded in 1993. Founder and CEO, Christopher M. George, was Chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association in 2019. CMG makes its products and services available to the market through three distinct origination channels including retail lending, wholesale lending, and correspondent lending. CMG currently operates in all states, including the District of Columbia, and holds approvals with FNMA, FHLMC, and GNMA. CMG is widely known throughout the mortgage banking and housing markets for responsible lending practices, industry and consumer advocacy, product innovation, and operational efficiency. CMG Mortgage, Inc. NMLS ID# 1820 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org; http://www.cmghomeloans.com).
Media Contact
Alina Lundholm
Phone: (847) 380-1954
Email: alundholm@cmgfi.com
