Donna “Dealmaker” DeMaio, MetLife Bank’s CEO has been named as one of this years US Bankers Top 25 Women To Watch.  Demaio has been busy this year, acquiring EverBank Reverse Mortgage and the residential mortgage platform of First Horizon in May.

According to the US Banker interview, DeMaio credits her success at acquisitions to her “ability to wait for the right opportunities” and willingness “not to jump on the bandwagon” at the wrong time.  When asked why anyone would want to buy a mortgage company when times are so bad? She says, “The cycle will come back. It’s a hard thing to do, look to the future, and wait for the right opportunity.”

The Bank’s net income almost tripled between 2006 and 2007, but DeMaio isn’t satisfied to sit on her success given her ambition to grow the business. “At MetLife, if we’re going to be in any business, we want to do it in a meaningful way,” DeMaio says, adding, “When I do something, I have to go all the way. I don’t go half way.”

FYI… you better not mess with DeMaio either, according to the article she recently received her Black Belt in martial arts.

#22 Donna DeMaio (US Banker)

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