Walker & Dunlop bolsters multifamily originations as NAR revamps education leadership
Walker & Dunlop and the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) have announced leadership changes.
Walker & Dunlop has hired Mike Bryant (pictured above), a commercial real estate executive with over 40 years of experience, as senior managing director based in Dallas. Bryant will focus on multifamily loan originations through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Bryant previously served as vice chairman and managing director at CBRE’s Dallas Debt and Structured Finance department, and has also worked with Berkadia Commercial Mortgage and Capmark Financial Services. Over his career, he has originated more than $10 billion in loans across property types including multifamily, office, retail, industrial, and hospitality.
The move comes as Dallas continues to show strong growth, with over 26,000 apartment units absorbed in 2024, a 9.24% population increase since 2020, and the presence of 49 Fortune 1000 company headquarters.
Walker & Dunlop reported originating over $30 billion in debt financing volume last year, with $25 billion directed at multifamily properties.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mike to Walker & Dunlop. His deep market knowledge and strong industry relationships are certain to deliver great value to our existing platform in north Texas that includes multifamily, capital markets, investment sales, affordable, HUD, Apprise and more,” Ted Patch, executive vice president and group head of multifamily finance at Walker & Dunlop, said in a Press release.
NAR appointment
The National Association of Realtors has appointed Elizabeth Ranno (pictured right) as senior vice president of education and events, effective
May 5. Ranno brings a background in real estate, education, and SaaS business development, most recently serving as vice president of product management at RealPage.
At RealPage, she oversaw a $304 million business unit and led initiatives to grow revenue and modernize product offerings. Her previous experience includes leadership roles at LEAP Innovations, ISACA, and the American Health Information Management Association, where she focused on building tech-enabled education models and diversifying revenue streams.
In her new role at NAR, Ranno will oversee educational programs and major events, with a focus on improving member engagement and delivering updated professional development resources.
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"Elizabeth offers a rare and extremely valuable combination of in-depth knowledge of the real estate industry, a passion for education and training, and a sharp business acumen. She not only understands how to create content that resonates with our members, but she also knows how to build sustainable revenue streams to support long-term growth. We're excited for her to lead the next chapter of innovation in our education and events programming," said NAR CEO Nykia Wright.
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