Margaret Allen Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Margaret Allen, CEO of AGM Financial, was the recipient of the Tom Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award at the Maryland Building Industry Association 2022 Multifamily Trends Conference held on November 1, 2022 at The Hotel in Arundel Preserve.

The Multifamily and Mixed-Use Council of MBIA holds the event yearly. This year’s conference featured respected economist Anirban Basu, Founder and CEO of the Sage Policy Group who came to provide in-depth analysis of the economy’s shifts during the pandemic, including multifamily industry trends and a forecast for the year to come.

The award Allen received was named for Tom Marshall from Elm Street Development who was instrumental in both planning the conference and multifamily development in the region for several decades before his untimely passing in 2016.

Allen founded her business out of her house with her husband in 1990. While competing with some of the largest financial institutions in the country she patiently built her firm and reputation without outside investors or debt by being knowledgeable, ethical, and responsive to her clients. Beginning with only three employees her firm now has 26 full-time staff and averages approximately $500 million in annual transaction volume with an average deal size of $25 million. Her firm has closed $9.4 billion in FHA-insured loans covering 627 projects and more than 100,000 apartments.

Her company has built a reputation for expertise in construction financing of both affordable and market rate multifamily projects throughout the country but specifically in the Mid-Atlantic and in Maryland where her firm is based. Since moving out of her house the company has always been based in downtown Baltimore. She’s a tireless supporter of the city and has helped to finance numerous projects throughout the city and state. In 2018 her firm started its own Servicing Department and now has a portfolio of loans with a value of $2.1BN

Steve Rubin of Harkins Builders commented, “She takes pride in sharing her knowledge and success with her staff which includes five members of her team who have worked with her for at least 20 years. She has always believed that if you take care of your employees, they will take care of your business. At the same time, she always acknowledges the importance of the public employees at HUD and at Maryland DHCD for their dedication to public good.” MBIA CEO, Lori Graf added, ” we appreciate Margaret’s commitment to the industry, MBIA and this event in particular.”

The Maryland Building Industry Association is a not-for-profit trade organization representing the interests of over 1,000 member firms and more than 100,000 employees, including home builders, remodelers, developers and affiliate professional and service providers in the Maryland Counties of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s as well as Baltimore City, the Eastern Shore and Washington, DC. www.marylandbuilders.org.