John Maxwell was named chief operating officer of Mortgage Contracting Services, which provides property preservation, inspections and REO maintenance. Maxwell will lead the Tampa, Fla.-based firm’s strategic and organizational operations while building and maintaining relationships with financial institutions. He had been executive vice president of operations at MCS since last year and joined the company in 2007 as vice president of asset management. Maxwell’s “focus on strategically raising the performance standards of this company has brought us significant efficiencies, growth and recognition as a service leader,” chief executive Caroline Reaves said. Maxwell has more than 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry, serving as regional vice president at First American National Default Outsourcing and vice president and director of default administration at Wendover Financial Corp. prior to joining MCS. Write to Christine Ricciardi.