Feature: The Pioneers 

  Not long ago, the phrase “reverse mortgage” didn’t have a place in the vocabulary of senior homeowners or mortgage professionals. What began in the summer of 1989 as a pilot program with a limited run of 2,500 loans became a full-fledged, multimillion-dollar industry. It hasn’t always been a smooth ride. Despite the ups, downs, acquisitions and regulations, the one constant is the people who remain committed to the product’s sustainability and growth. HUD launched the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage demonstration with the goal of helping seniors turn their home equity into cash. By unlocking this value, the agency could