HORSHAM, Pa., March 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Morningstar, Inc.
(Nasdaq: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment
research, today announced that its Realpoint unit has launched an
operational risk assessment practice to evaluate the performance of
mortgage servicing firms. The new practice, which is part of
Realpoint's credit ratings business, will complement its
long-standing tradition of providing transparency and insight to
investors in structured finance transactions. Michael Gutierrez, formerly managing director
and head of servicer evaluations for Standard & Poor's,
recently joined Morningstar to lead this business.
"The addition of operational risk assessment capabilities adds
another important component to Realpoint's analytical scope," said
Robert Dobilas, CEO of Realpoint.
"We can now enhance our transaction-level ratings and analysis of
mortgage-backed securities with a comprehensive assessment of the
operational risk of the parties to the securitization process.
Mike Gutierrez and his team will use Realpoint's robust data
set, technology, and industry-leading analytics to develop an
investor-focused solution that will establish a new standard for
operational evaluations in the structured finance market."
Initially, the unit will be staffed by Gutierrez and three
senior operational analysts: Michael
Merriam, Richard Koch, and
Mary Chamberlain.
"Realpoint's well-known focus on investor concerns and its
highly developed analytical infrastructure will allow us to take
operational risk analytics to an entirely new level," Gutierrez
said. "It is increasingly apparent that mortgage servicing, as well
as origination, and the ancillary service providers involved in
both businesses, play a crucial role in the performance of
structured transactions."
The operational risk assessment unit will be based in
Realpoint's New York City offices
at 260 Madison Avenue.
About Realpoint, LLC
Realpoint is a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating
Organization (NRSRO) that has earned a reputation for innovation
and excellence in the structured finance market. Realpoint offers a
wide array of services including new-issue ratings and analysis,
surveillance services, data, and technology solutions.
Institutional investment firms utilize Realpoint's services to help
them identify credit risk in structured finance investments.
Realpoint is a unit of Morningstar, Inc.
About Morningstar, Inc.
Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent
investment research in North
America, Europe,
Australia, and Asia. The company offers an extensive line of
Internet, software, and print-based products and services for
individuals, financial advisors, and institutions. Morningstar
provides data on approximately 380,000 investment offerings,
including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, along with
real-time global market data on more than 5 million equities,
indexes, futures, options, commodities, and precious metals, in
addition to foreign exchange and Treasury markets. The company has
operations in 26 countries.
MORN-R
Media Contacts:
Michelle Weiss, 267-960-6014 or
michelle.weiss@realpoint.com
Joe Petro, 267-960-6004 or
joe.petro@realpoint.com
SOURCE Morningstar, Inc.