Mark J. Kenney Receives Highest Honor from the American Financial Services Association

(Last updated September 29, 2006)

Mark J. Kenney

In recognition of his outstanding record of service to the financial services industry, Severson & Werson’s Chair and Managing Director, Mark Joseph Kenney, was chosen to receive the 2006 Distinguished Service Award by the American Financial Services Association.

The Distinguished Service Award is AFSA's’s highest honor. Mr. H.R. Lively, Jr. President and CEO of AFSA, says this about the award, “[i]t is bestowed to individuals who have contributed to the growth of the financial services industry while also helping to advance the objectives of its national trade association through volunteer service.”

Mr. Kenney will be honored at the Opening Session of AFSA’s Annual Meeting on October 30, 2006 to be held in Washington, DC., along with fellow award winners Tom Hallman, (CIT Group, Inc.), Bob McKew of AFSA, and Marguerite Watanabe (Benchmark Consulting International).

This occasion marks the third time Severson & Werson Members have been so honored. Severson's James B. Werson and Allan L. Fink -- both icons in the consumer financial services field -- are prior recipients.

A key accomplishment for AFSA in 2005 was AFSA's decisive win at the bar of the California Supreme Court in the landmark case, AFSA vs. City of Oakland. This decision effectively ended a nationwide outbreak of local ordinances purporting to sub-regulate mortgage lending at the municipal and/or county levels – a trend which could have posed significant threats to the secondary markets for mortgage and other consumer lending instruments. Severson's Don Querio managed the case, while Jan Chilton was primary author of the winning briefs. So, while Mr. Lively's notification letter stated:

 … you are being honored for ultimately winning the case before the Supreme Court. Through your efforts, the outcome of this case will have extraordinary positive ramifications for the industry in years to come.

the truth is that it was the Severson & Werson Firm, and by no means Mr. Kenney alone, which earned this particular recognition.

Founded in 1919, AFSA has a long history of advocating for its members in the consumer credit industry and states as its mission to “ to protect and improve the consumer credit business, maintain a positive public image, and create a legislative climate in which reasonable credit regulation can and will be enacted.” (< http://www.afsaonline.org/sitepages/factsheet.cfm> last viewed September 27, 2006)