Doug Duncan New Chief Economist for Fannie

WASHINGTON, DC-The commercial real estate industry is a small circle, despite the volumes of business it generates. So it comes as little surprise that Fannie Mae’s new chief economist is a familiar face to most in the industry. Doug Duncan, SVP and chief economist of the Mortgage Bankers Association, is leaving his position to join the GSE.

Duncan has been with MBA for 15 years, forecasting, analyzing and explaining happenings in commercial real estate to both industry insiders and those affected by the trends. “Over the past 15 years, MBA has become one of the most trusted sources of economic analysis on the housing industry. Doug Duncan has been a major reason why,” says Jonathan Kempner, president and CEO of MBA. “MBA’s loss is Fannie Mae’s gain, and I am buoyed by the fact that America’s housing industry will continue to benefit from Doug’s talents.” Kempner adds the organization is searching for a successor.

Prior to joining the MBA in 1992, Duncan worked on Capitol Hill as a LEGIS Fellow and staff member on the Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs, and at the US Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. He has been elected to the Board of Directors for the National Association of Business Economists.