Women in Real Estate 2020: DBRS Morningstar’s Erin Stafford is Ratings Industry Veteran

Described by a colleague as “ a rock star in the CRE world,” Erin Stafford is a managing director with DBRS Morningstar in the CMBS group responsible for DBRS CMBS ratings activity in the U.S. and Canada. The 22-year-ratings industry veteran was appointed head of the combined DBRS and Morningstar Credit Ratings (MCR) agency following the acquisition of DBRS by MCR’s parent Morningstar, Inc. Prior to being appointed head of North American CMBS in 2019, she managed the CMBS team at DBRS for more than 10 years. She spent several years with Fitch Ratings before joining DBRS.

These are just a couple of the reasons we chose Stafford as one of the 2020 Women in Real Estate Award winners. Connect Media’s Women in Real Estate Awards honor the achievements and inspirational stories of women who have reached respected positions of leadership and play key mentorship roles for others.

Stafford serves on numerous CRE committees for the industry’s leading associations. She has served as a co-chair of the Post Securitization committee of the CRE Finance Council and as chair for the Servicer’s Forum at CREFC. Industry work for CREFC also includes a White Paper on Canadian Defeasance and conducting IRP Tutorials as part of the council’s educational initiatives.

Additionally, Stafford has served as chair of the International Committee for the Mortgage Bankers Association and currently serves as a member of the board of governors.

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