Bank of America Home Loan President to Speak at MBA Commencement

Barbara Desoer, MBA 77, president of home loans at Bank of America, will speak at the MBA commencement on Sunday, May 15, at 2 p.m. in the Greek Theatre.

The commencement will be followed by a reception at the Campanile Esplanade.

Desoer joined Bank of America after earning her Berkeley MBA, starting as a commercial lending officer and then becoming executive assistant to two CEOs, essentially serving as chief of staff. From there she moved up the corporate ladder at BofA, the nation's largest bank, where she has led several departments, including marketing, consumer products, technology, and operations.

Desoer took charge of Bank of America's mortgage unit in 2008 when the company bought Countrywide Financial Corp., the country's biggest mortgage lender at the time. She recently split her duties in order to focus primarily on building new business and servicing mortgages in good standing, while another executive focuses on troubled mortgages.

Desoer, who sits on the Haas Board, an advisory council for the school and the dean, was named Business Leader of the Year in 2007 by the Haas School. In 2009, Forbes magazine recognized her as one of the 100 most powerful women in the world.

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