A
collateralized mortgage obligation (
CMO) is a type of complex debt security that repackages and directs the payments of principal and interest from a collateral pool to different types and maturities of securities, thereby meeting investor needs. CMOs were first created in 1983 by the
investment banks Salomon Brothers and
First Boston for the U.S. mortgage liquidity provider
Freddie Mac. (The Salomon Brothers team was led by Gordon Taylor. The First Boston team was led by Dexter Senft).