Gabriel Gillen

Executive Vice President of Divisional Sales, AnnieMac Home Mortgage
President, Mortgage Bankers Association of New Jersey

Gabriel Gillen brought a strategic, growth-oriented lens to the conference discussions. As Executive Vice President of Divisional Sales at AnnieMac Home Mortgage, he leads large-scale growth initiatives across sales strategy, talent acquisition, and market expansion. Overseeing national recruiting and business development efforts, Gillen focuses on driving organizational growth through innovative lending solutions, strategic partnerships, and performance-based leadership.

As President of the Mortgage Bankers Association of New Jersey, Gillen works alongside industry executives, policymakers, and stakeholders to advance professional standards, advocacy, and responsible lending practices. His leadership centers on scalable growth, operational alignment, and building cultures that attract and retain top talent.

Known for blending executive-level strategy with real-world sales execution, Gillen has developed high-performing teams and launched forward-thinking initiatives that create competitive advantages for loan officers, branch leaders, and business partners. His conference insights focused on recruiting top talent, aligning operations with production goals, and positioning organizations for long-term success in a competitive marketplace.

Matthew VanFossen

Chief Executive Officer, Absolute Home Mortgage

Matthew VanFossen delivered a forward-looking perspective grounded in innovation, operational efficiency, and borrower experience. As CEO of Absolute Home Mortgage and a financial technology leader, he emphasized that integrated mortgage technology is no longer optional, it is essential.

With more than a decade of experience in residential mortgage lending and oversight of over $10 billion in retail originations, VanFossen highlighted the importance of building systems that eliminate friction, reduce communication breakdowns, and create seamless consumer experiences. Through his leadership of Mortgage Automation Technologies, he has helped position web-based point-of-sale solutions as powerful tools for streamlining the lending lifecycle.

A central theme of his remarks focused on bridging production and programming, what he calls a “Farm to Table” rapid design and testing methodology, ensuring that technology is built with real-world loan officer insight. His message to attendees was clear: the lenders who prioritize speed, transparency, and intelligent automation will lead the next era of mortgage banking.

Heidi G. Belnay

Founder, The G.ROWTH Spot

With more than 13 years of experience in the mortgage industry, Heidi Belnay has dedicated her career to driving excellence and innovation. She is deeply passionate about building and cultivating both client and vendor relationships, firmly believing in the power of genuine connections to foster mutual success and long-term partnerships.

At the conference, Belnay spoke about the evolving balance between technology and human connection. While digital transformation continues to reshape the mortgage landscape, she emphasized that trust, responsiveness, and strong professional relationships remain foundational to sustained growth.

Her insights and expertise have been featured in numerous mortgage industry publications, and she has shared her knowledge as a guest on industry podcasts. In addition to her professional work, she serves as a Board Member for Women With Vision and is a founding member of the NJ MBA Women’s Committee, where she supports initiatives that promote leadership development and professional advancement within the industry.

Belnay’s perspective reinforced a key theme of the conference: innovation may power progress, but relationships drive longevity.