Gov. Charlie Baker has appointed Michael J. Dirrane chairman of the MassHousing Board of Directors. It is the second time Dirrane has led the nine-member volunteer board that governs the affordable housing agency, which has provided more than $18 billion over five decades.

“I’m pleased to reappoint Mike Dirrane as chairman of MassHousing,” Baker said in a statement. “In addition to a distinguished career in real estate finance, Mike has decades of experience with MassHousing in several capacities: as an employee, as a board member, as a longtime chairman and, most recently, as vice chairman.”

Dirrane, a South Boston native, is the longest-serving board member in MassHousing’s 49-year history, and has served on the governing body for nearly half of the time the agency has been in existence. He was first named to the board in 1993.

“It is a great honor to be asked by Gov. Baker to once again lead one of the top housing agencies in the country,” Dirrane said in a statement.”Since I first started my career there, and during my many years as a board member and chairman, I have been enthusiastic about the agency’s mission and the ability of its employees to flawlessly execute it.”

“We’ve greatly increased our lending in recent years, but we will not rest on our laurels and we face new exigencies on the affordable housing horizon,” Dirrane added. “I am confident that the MassHousing team can carry out the Baker Administration’s housing agenda and create and preserve housing for our most vulnerable families and elders.”

Dirrane is the senior managing director at National MI Holdings. He began his career at MassHousing in the 1980s. He subsequently held senior positions at MGIC, the nation’s largest mortgage insurer, Amerin Guaranty, where he was a founding partner, GE Mortgage Insurance Company (GEMICO), Fannie Mae and PHH Corporation. He has a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and a master’s from Boston University.