Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Co-President Heiden to present Nov. 2 Stafford Lecture

AMES, Iowa - Cara Heiden, co-president of West Des Moines-based Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, who is ranked No. 7 on US Banker magazine's 2010 list of "The 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking," is the fall 2010 speaker for the Robert Stafford Lecture Series on Banking in Iowa State University's College of Business.

Heiden free, public lecture, "Managing Market Turmoil from the Inside Out," is set for Tuesday, Nov. 2, at 11 a.m. in Room 0330 of the Gerdin Business Building. A 10 a.m. reception in the Cox Dean's Suite (Room 2200, Gerdin) will precede the lecture

An Iowa State College of Business alumnus, Heiden will discuss what it was like guiding her company through one of the most turbulent periods in the industry's history. She will share her perspectives on the nation's housing crisis, her keys to successfully navigating it, the leadership lessons she learned, and her thoughts on how the mortgage industry is moving forward.

"Under Heiden's leadership, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage helped 2.3 million homeowners either purchase a home or refinance their existing mortgage and modified about 500,000 loans in 2009," the US Banker article said.

"Not following the pack has been one key to success for Heiden," the article said.

Heiden's responsibilities at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage include joint leadership of the overall business and strategic direction of the mortgage division. As a national advocate of fair consumer treatment, she's been asked to testify before the U.S. House of Representatives and address numerous other forums on responsible lending and servicing.

Heiden has served on many professional boards, panels and committees, and is actively engaged in community groups. She is a governor of the Iowa State University Foundation and is past chair of its board of directors. She also is an active member of the Iowa State University College of Business Dean's Advisory Council.

The Robert Stafford Lecture Series on Banking was established by the College of Business in 2004 and is funded by Ames National Corp. in honor of its 100 years of service to the Ames community. The gift honors the late Robert Stafford, who was longtime president and chairman of First National Bank, Ames, and Ames National Corp.

More information on the program is available at http://www.business.iastate.edu/events/stafford.