• Overview
• Corporate Governance
• Board of Directors
• Management Team

Management Team

Stewart Zimmerman, 65, has served as our Chief Executive Officer and as a director since 1997 and was appointed Chairman of the Board in 2003.  From 1997 through June 2008, Mr. Zimmerman also served as our President.  From 1989 through 1997, he initially served as a consultant to The America First Companies and became Executive Vice President of America First Companies, L.L.C. ("America First").  During this time, he held the following positions:  President and Chief Operating Officer of America First REIT, Inc. and President of several America First mortgage funds, including America First Participating/Preferred Equity Mortgage Fund, America First PREP Fund 2, America First PREP Fund II Pension Series Limited Partnership, Capital Source L.P., Capital Source II L.P., America First Tax Exempt Mortgage Fund Limited Partnership and America First Tax Exempt Fund 2 Limited Partnership.  Prior to 1989, Mr. Zimmerman held various positions with other financial‑related companies, including Security Pacific Merchant Bank, EF Hutton & Company, Inc., Lehman Brothers, Bankers Trust Company and Zenith Mortgage Company.  Mr. Zimmerman is a graduate of Michigan State University.

William S. Gorin, 51, has served as a director of MFA since March 2010.  Mr. Gorin has also served as our President since June 2008 and as our Chief Financial Officer since 2001.  From 1997 until June 2008, he also served as our Executive Vice President.  From 1998 to 2001, Mr. Gorin served as our Executive Vice President and Secretary.  From 1989 to 1997, he held various positions with PaineWebber Incorporated/Kidder, Peabody & Co. Incorporated, serving as a First Vice President in the Research Department.  Prior to that position, Mr. Gorin was Senior Vice President in the Special Products Group.  From 1982 to 1988, Mr. Gorin was employed by Shearson Lehman Hutton, Inc./E.F. Hutton & Company Inc. in various positions in corporate finance and direct investments.  Mr. Gorin is a graduate of Brandeis University and received a Masters of Business Administration degree from Stanford University.

Ronald A. Freydberg serves as our Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer and Administrative Officer.  Mr. Freydberg was appointed Chief Administrative Officer in December 2009, Chief Investment Officer in June 2008 and Executive Vice President in 2001.  From 2001 until June 2008, he also served as our Chief Portfolio Officer.  From 1997 to 2001, he served as our Senior Vice President.  From 1995 to 1997, Mr. Freydberg served as a Vice President of Pentalpha Capital, in Greenwich, Connecticut, where he was a fixed-income quantitative analysis and structuring specialist.  From 1988 to 1995, Mr. Freydberg held various positions with J.P. Morgan & Co.  From 1994 to 1995, he was with the Global Markets Group.  In that position, he was involved in commercial mortgage-backed securitization and sale of distressed commercial real estate, including structuring, due diligence and marketing.  From 1985 to 1988, Mr. Freydberg was employed by Citicorp.  Mr. Freydberg holds a Masters of Business Administration degree in Finance from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Muhlenberg College. 

Craig L. Knutson serves as MFA’s Executive Vice President to which position he was appointed in July 2009.  Mr. Knutson is responsible for MFA's non-Agency RMBS business, including MFResidential Assets I, LLC, the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary.  From 2008 to 2009, Mr. Knutson served as our Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer.  From 2004 to 2007, Mr. Knutson served as Senior Executive Vice President of CBA Commercial, LLC, an acquirer and securitizer of small balance commercial mortgages.  From 2001 to 2004, Mr. Knutson served as President and Chief Operating Officer of ARIASYS Inc., a software development company specializing in custom solutions for small to midsize business.  From 1986 to 1999, Mr. Knutson held various progressive positions in the mortgage trading and mortgage finance departments of First Boston Corporation (later Credit Suisse), Smith Barney and Morgan Stanley.  In these capacities, Mr. Knutson held management and trading responsibilities for agency and private label mortgage-backed securities as well as whole loans (unsecuritized mortgages).  From 1981 to 1984, Mr. Knutson served as an Analyst and then Associate in the Investment Banking Department of E.F. Hutton & Company Inc.   Mr. Knutson holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts degree (magna cum laude) in economics and French from Hamilton College.  

Timothy W. Korth II serves as our General Counsel, Senior Vice President, and Corporate Secretary, which positions he has held since July 2003.  From 2001 to 2003, Mr. Korth was a Counsel at the law firm of Clifford Chance US LLP, where he specialized in corporate and securities transactions involving REITs and other real estate companies and, prior to such time, had practiced law with that firm and its predecessor, Rogers & Wells LLP, since 1992.  Mr. Korth is admitted as an attorney in the State of New York and has a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance from the University of Notre Dame.  

Teresa D. Covello serves as our Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer, which positions she was appointed to in 2003.  From 2001 to 2003, Ms. Covello served as our Senior Vice President and Controller.  From 2000 until joining us in 2001, Ms. Covello was a self-employed financial consultant, concentrating in investment banking within the financial services sector.  From 1990 to 2000, she was the Director of Financial Reporting and served on the Strategic Planning Team for JSB Financial, Inc.  Ms. Covello began her career in public accounting with KPMG Peat Marwick (predecessor to KPMG LLP).  Ms. Covello currently serves as a director and president of the board of directors of Commerce Plaza, Inc., a not-for-profit organization.  Ms. Covello is a Certified Public Accountant and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Accounting from Hofstra University. 

 Kathleen A. Hanrahan serves as Senior Vice President – Accounting, which position she was appointed to in 2008.  From 2007 up to joining the Company in 2008, Ms. Hanrahan was Vice President – Financial Reporting with Arbor Commercial Mortgage LLC.  From 1997 to 2006, she held progressive positions, was the First Vice President of Financial Reporting and served on the Disclosure, Corporate Benefits and Sarbanes-Oxley Committees for Independence Community Bank Corp., where her key responsibilities included:  SEC and Bank regulator reporting, implementing accounting standards, merger and acquisition activities, establishing policies and procedures, and investor relations.  From 1992-1997 Ms. Hanrahan held various positions with North Side Savings Bank and was Controller from 1996 to 1997.  Ms. Hanrahan began her career in public accounting in 1987 with KPMG Peat Marwick (predecessor to KPMG LLP), participating in and supervising financial statement audits, compliance examinations, public debt and equity offerings.  Ms. Hanrahan is a Certified Public Accountant and has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Public Accounting from Pace University.