Mortgage Manager Playbook: Recent Episodes
Pat Sherlock
Pat Sherlock’s podcast features interviews with top mortgage sales leaders who share their insights on how to tackle the toughest challenges facing managers today.
Molly Dean, SVP of Production, Leader One Financial. Key Highlights: top producers don’t want to be left alone—they want meaningful support; respect matters more than special treatment; retention isn’t just about compensation; micromanagement kills productivity; and purpose sustains long-term success.
Rebecca Costanzo, Director, Mortgage Originations at United Community Bank. Key Highlights: high-performing teams ae built through coaching; emotional intelligence is a revenue driver; manage behaviors before you measure results; and today’s best leaders don’t just manage numbers---they understand people.
Eric Mitchell, Chief Revenue Officer, NEXA Mortgage. Key Highlights include: AI is no longer optional; your CRM is the foundation; coaching accelerates success; implementation beats information; and accountability creates growth.
Pat interviewed Ryan Todd, Chief Capital Markets Officer, V.I.P. Mortgage. Key Highlights: fix the process before buying more technology; measure ROI, not vendor features; root cause analysis comes before automation; and the future belongs to lenders who lower cost to produce.
Brian Koss, Regional Manager, Movement Mortgage. Key Highlights: 80% of borrowers forget their loan officer within 2-3 years; generic drip campaigns are dead; your database is either an annuity or a graveyard; and the best loan officers don’t sell loans—they manager debt for life.
Jay Promisco, CEO, GO Mortgage. Key Highlights: the old mortgage model is dying; AI won’t fix a broken company; the loan officer of the future is an influencer and relationship builder; the next cycle will reward profitability over volume; and sales leaders need to simplify.
Tom Finnegan, Principal, Stratmor Group. Key highlights: secret shopping reveals the real customer experience; lack of follow-up is a key problem; too many LOs are order takers instead of consultants; speed matters; and customer experience is now a competitive advantage.
Dave Savage, Chief Growth Officer, TrustEngine & Founder, Mortgage Coach. Key Highlights: the game has shifted from transactional to advisory; consistency separates the Top 1%; prospecting wins before Noon; technology adoption is a mindset, not an age issue; and your database is still the #1 growth asset.
Stephen Moye, Producing Sales Mgr/Sr. Loan Officer, New American Funding. Key Highlights include: ownership is often given without readiness; production skill does not equal operational leadership; ownership is a trade-off, not a promotion; the economics of leadership no longer work; and the industry model is misaligned with the future.
Jay Crowell, President, National Retail Division, Cornerstone Home Lending. Key Highlights: mission over money drives long-term success; the future belongs to human value, not just information; high performers are ruthless with focus; database equals the most underutilized goldmine; and great managers balance care and accountability.
Eric Mitchell, Chief Revenue Officer, NEXA Mortgage. Key Highlights include: change is no longer optional; top talent leaving is the #1 warning sign of a failing organization; learning equals value; the problem isn’t knowledge—it’s execution; and systems are no longer optional especially CRM.
Paul Wyner, Chief Solutions Officer, Revolution Mortgage. Key Highlights include: AI in mortgage is an evolution—not a replacement; the biggest shift is from tools to orchestration; lack of adoption is the real risk; AI should augment not replace human roles; and the real opportunity is freeing salespeople to sell.
Pat Polson, SVP, Div. Sales Mgr for NC/VA/TX. Key highlights: retention starts in recruiting, not after the hire; managers must uncover a candidate’s real “why”; day one onboarding must create a “wow” experience; retention requires ongoing manager involvement; and lenders must be honest, intentional, and structured.
Mike Cush, VP of Purchase Strategy, AmeriSave. Key Highlights: removing friction must start with the consumer, not the lender; too much tech is built to help the lender, not improve the customer experience; AI should simplify the process; best place to reduce friction is a the beginning of the home search; and lenders need to rethink their strategy now because AI will change mortgage quickly.
LaTasha, President, NFM Lending. As a lawyer (and a mom of five), LaTasha wanted to write something for her children about making wise decisions, then expanded it into a creative way to teach financial literacy. Key highlights include: money can be used in more than one way; spending is ok—but not all at once; create a simple plan—spending and saving; future—you needs to have options; and making wise money decisions.
John Owens, CEO Primis Mortgage Co. and author. Key highlights include: culture drives long-term success; leadership begins with self-awareness; core values must be authentic and actionable; culture determines performance and strategy and technology depend on culture.
Brad Blumberg, Co-Founder, Aster Key. Key highlights: Trust is the new currency; Consumer Data is treated as “owned” by institutions—and that’s the core problem; Legacy systems are the biggest security liability; Putting consumers in control unlocks both security and growth; and Trust and privacy are untapped marketing and competitive advantages.
Dave Savage, Chief Growth Officer, TrustEngine & Founder, Mortgage Coach. Highlights include: real competitive edge comes from identifying and addressing consumer needs—even before the consumer is fully aware they have them; success requires delivering data-driven insights directly to LOs in simple, mobile-first formats with scripts and tools to act immediately; top producers differentiate by getting in front of the customer earlier—before they’ve engaged a referral partner; the industry underinvests in financial literacy, waiting until buyers are in their 30s or 40s; and the modern LO must evolve beyond transaction processing to educator and presenter. The future belongs to mortgage professionals who combine data + education + proactive engagement to reach borrowers at their true Speed to Need.
Dave Savage, Chief Growth Officer, TrustEngine & Founder of Mortgage Coach. Highlights include: discussion of transactional training vs advisory model; the trap of price and rate thinking; leadership’s role; the LO as wealth advisor and the use of technology in the future. The illiterate of 2025 and beyond will not be those who can’t read/write but those who can’t unlearn old practices and relearn new ones.
Rich Weidel, CEO, Princeton Mortgage. Highlights include: industry profitability challenges; misalignment across the organization; productivity as the key driver of cost; cultural and leadership issues and path forward: transparency and smaller profitable teams. Rich has been recognized as the 2019 Most Admired CEO Award – Philly and National Mortgage Professional Top 40 Under 40.
Randell Gillespie, President, LeaderOne Financial. Highlights include: true sales entrepreneurship requires initiative, risk and ownership; avoid the “herd mentality”; managers must foster a “retailpreneur” culture; leadership demands selflessness and coaching and long-term industry growth depends on trust, talent quality and purpose. Randell has been in the mortgage industry for over 25 years.
Bernard Nossuli, COO, iEmergent. Highlights include: minority homebuyers will drive future growth; denial rates are higher for diverse borrowers; data-driven targeting is the new competitive advantage; most lenders lack a forward-looking strategy and market opportunities are being missed due to outdated assumptions. iEmergent is a forecasting, analytics, and advisory company for the mortgage industry.
Andrew Panagos, President, GO Mortgage. Highlights include: mortgage business model is outdated and needs reinvention; senior leadership faces an innovation gap; recruiting young talent requires a different strategy; consumer behavior has fundamentally changed and earn-out and transition models could bridge the talent gap. Andrew has over 27 years of executive leadership.
Jesse Allen, President, Rate. Highlights include: reverse mortgages--niche to necessity; regulatory reforms have made reverse mortgages safer; distribution and awareness are the biggest constraints and future growth requires innovation in tech, training and messaging.
Brian Boyles, National Sales Manager, Middleton Advisory Group. Highlights include: recruiting is still the #1 priority but needs a smarter approach; compensation is over-discussed; leadership quality and culture drive recruiting decisions; the industry is litigious and lacking flexibility; and aging workforce & lack of succession planning is a ticking time bomb. Brian has spent over 25 years in the mortgage banking industry.
Jerry Rader, SVP, Strategic Growth & Development, ALCOVA Mortgage. Highlights include: face-to-face communication builds trust; incentivizing retention with shared upside; retention requires a post-sale strategy; cultural fit beats highest bid and respecting people as stakeholders is the #1 retention lever. Jerry has been in the mortgage industry for over 30 years.
Brian Vieaux, President & COO, FinLocker. Highlights include: point of thought matters; hybrid sales model; trusted financial educator; customer centric stories and franchise with no rules. Brian has been in the industry for over 30 years.
Michael Cush, Owner, Mortgage Startup Consulting. Highlights include: mortgage industry resists change—and it’s dangerous; AI and outside forces are disrupting the status quo; industry still doesn’t prioritize customer experience; executives are not preparing for the future and bold, not incremental, change is needed. Mike is a 25 year mortgage veteran.
Jeff Scheuren, EVP, President, COO at Fulton Mortgage. Highlights include: volatility is unprecedented and driven by emotion, not fundamentals; hedging must be hyper-responsive and continually reassessed; communication and tools are vital for loan officer confidence; profitability relies on cost control and technology investment and first-time buyers and new construction are driving activity. Jeff has been with Fulton Mortgage for over 15 years.
Rob Robertson, Author. Highlights include: your pain can become your purpose; don’t freeze in the face of life’s hits; support systems matter; the NFL taught him more than football and plug into others when your battery is low. Rob has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years and is currently with First Citizens Bank.
Connor Bartley, Content Creator and Podcast Host, The LO Down. Highlights include: build by design, not by default; internal alignment and realism are crucial; prioritize quality over quantity; leverage technology and community and recruit through relationship, not just offers. Connor has over 20 years in production and recruiting.
Michael Moorhouse, CEO & Founder, Moorhouse Group. Highlights include: three types of distinct leader groups; sales staff disconnect; failure to recognize “true state”; renting loan officers and retention-proof your staff. Michael is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience in business management, leadership, and strategic planning.
Michael Kelleher, Founder, Adopt the Brand and Co-Founder, Easy Mortgage Apps. Highlights include: closed-loop digital mortgage model; loan officers must go digital; Zillow’s “Super App” is a game-changer; data-driven prospecting and mortgage calculator experience. Michael has over 15 years’ experience in the mortgage industry.
Kirk Redding, Co-Founder, President, Promise Home Loans. Highlights include: broker model growth; industry challenges; success factors in the broker model; changing realtor perceptions and the need for strong support system. Kirk has thirty plus years of mortgage banking, brokering and marketing experience.
Ralph Armenta, SVP, Incenter Lending Services. Highlights include: growth of private label mortgage securities; shifting trends in mortgage banking; opportunities in Residential Transition Loans (RTL); focus on high volume areas and the four R’s of successful lending strategies. Ralph has spent over 20 years in the mortgage business.
Jeff Schummer, CEO, Financial Independence. Highlights include: the importance of understanding the business situation; right people and change coalition matter; vision and communication drive change success; trust is essential and leaders must stay connected to the front lines. Jeff has over 30 years’ experience. This is Part 2 of a two part series.
Jeff Schummer, CEO, Financial Independence. Highlights include: four managing challenges in 2025; falsehood of training as an expense; need for structured learning process; five key leadership mistakes and culture of continuous learning. Jeff has over 30 years’ experience. This is Part 1 of a two part series.
Chuck Sanders, CEO and Founder at Diverse Mortgage Services. Highlights include: restore the personal touch; minority markets untapped; grass roots engagement opportunity; technology a competitive edge and “Jaime Dimon’s stand”. Chuck has over 20 years’ experience in the mortgage business.
Rick Roque, VP, Growth at NFM Lending. Highlights include: expansion and discipline; small pool of recruitable LOs; automation and lower costs; super brokers and specialized call centers. Rick has experience as a mortgage broker, entrepreneur and a national leader in growth strategies.
Scott Moriarty, Principle Partner, Mountain View Advisors. Highlights include: proactive technology change management is essential; need to leverage existing systems effectively; focus on data-driven decision-making; leadership empowerment and employee dedicated change management team. Scott has over 25 years of experience in the mortgage and financial services industries.
Eric Mitchell, Author and Chief Revenue Officer, Client Direct Mortgage. Highlights include: five key drivers of the 1% in sales; your personal profound experience; true mentorship; restructuring of sales roles and reluctance to change. Eric has over 25 years’ experience in the mortgage industry.
Erica Acie, Head of Originations, Truist. Highlights include: prioritizing the client experience as a foundational KPI; become valued financial advisors; core competencies for sales success; robust on-boarding process and embracing technology. Erica has been in the mortgage industry for over 30 years.
Ruth Stephenson, Area Manager, Guild Mortgage. Highlights include: “power hour” approach emphasizing peer accountability; fostering confidence to overcome call reluctance; quantitative feedback and group discussions and commitment and incentives drive increased lead generation. Ruth has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years.
Jen Poniatowski, Consultant, Center for Practical Management. Highlights include: tailored goal-setting improves performance; activity goals are key to success; training is crucial and often overlooked; managers need development and cultural investment encourages retention. Jen has been in the mortgage industry for over 15 years.
Chris Blevins, National Sales Director. Highlights include: difficulty of managing remotely; less is more; start with center of influence; fund the leader and managing the right way. Chris has been in the industry for over 30 years.
Phil Reichers, SVP, National Sales Manager, ServiceLink. Highlights include: tech stack efficiency; serving your staff; feedback is a gift and adding value with each conversation. Phil is an experienced mortgage and technology executive with over 20 years in the industry.
Katherine Gardner, SVP, Open Mortgage Wholesale. Highlights include: size doesn’t matter; three C’s; value of repeatable process and don’t sell scared. Katherine has been in the industry for over 25 years.
Jennifer Fortier,CMB, Mortgage Banking Consultant. Highlights include: importance of a roadmap; falsity of “little tweaks”; problem of work arounds; focus on speed vs hype? and what does success look like. Jennifer has spent over 25 years in the mortgage industry.
Jay Promisco, President, Sierra Pacific Mortgage. Highlights include: “Amazon Impact”; right now and cheap; slowing down the start; track for success and protect your book. Jay is a mortgage veteran for over 20 years.
Brian Weis, Consultant/Coach, Brian R. Weis Consulting. Highlights include: hiring wrong people who don’t fit; ignoring current people; lack of support/coaching; lack of manager interface and do it your self-development. Brian has over 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry.
Stewart Vickers, Author. Highlights include: first 10 seconds are key; cheat code; importance of an email list; YouTube analytics and YouTube sales funnel. Stewart shares his proven framework for YouTube success. The book is perfect for sales people and sales leaders because it gives you the step by step guide toward making YouTube work for you.
David Upbin, VP, MBA Education at MBA. Highlights include: ROI of Training; Training Investment = Better Retention; Executive coaching; Joining committees and College programs. David is the leader of the operations, program execution, and financial management of MBA Education.
Tom Finnegan, Principal and Author, STRATMOR Group. Highlights of article include: decline of bank mortgage share; risk and return of mortgage lending; needs-based discovery at branch; mortgage as a set of skills and Big World Theory. Tom is an experienced mortgage banking chief executive and is currently a strategic consultant in mortgage banking.
Mike Seminari, Director of Customer Experience, STRATMOR Group. Highlights include: why you are not getting referrals; “liking” and testimonials are not enough; delighting is delivering the unexpected; 7 keys to customer experience success and 90% of finding a LO is their personal network. Mike has been in the industry for over 25 years.
Suha Zehl CMB, Founder/Managing Director at Z Technology Solutions. Highlights include: implementing AI and fear problem; knowing what you don’t know; customer for life experience and emotional connection; “shiny new object problem” and tech stack evaluation. Suha has over 25 years’ experience in the industry.
James White, General Manager, Banking at Total Expert. Highlights include: data viewed as a liability not an asset; personalization is fundamental; crawl, walk and run; 4 key data points and high tech/high touch.
Greg Sayegh, Chief Strategy Officer/Co-Founder, InGenius. Highlights include: what is leadership malpractice; if recruiting you “own” them; accountability is not micromanaging; 50% close 92% of sales and key goals in selling. Greg has been in the mortgage industry for over 35 years.
Debra Killian, owner of CLOES.Online. Highlight include: communicate as soon as possible; most important mesh personality with customer; referral customers speak to immediately and offer options to customers. Deb is a 35 year veteran in mortgage lending.
Pat interviewed Michael Hammond JD,CMT at NexLevel Advisors LLC. Highlights include: out of balance sales teams; failure to manage capacity; leveraging best practices; changing manager compensation models and training as an investment. Michael is a seasoned mortgage technology executive with over two decades of experience in financial services industry.
Mark Stiving author of Selling Value, How to Win More Deals at Higher Prices. Most know they’re supposed to sell value, but don’t know how. Mark discusses how buyers discover value and how salespeople can help.
Joe Camerieri, Director of Sales, Private Label Origination at Maxwell. Highlights include: what is really different between lenders; creating scale; variable cost model; business or product and loans per month are not efficient. Joe has been in mortgage banking for over 40 years.
Bill Kroll, Managing Director, The Casey Group. Highlights include: develop a strategy; set agenda and objectives; don’t reinvent the wheel and make sure you get references. Bill retired as EVP from the ABA and has been consulting for various companies, working with Banks and Credit Unions. Bill has over 40 years’ experience in the financial industry.
Jon Overfelt, Director of Sales/Owner at American Security Mortgage Corp. Highlights include: preapprovals have ramped up costs; most tech helps consumers; slow second—fast first; leveraging time and don’t buy if can’t implement. Jon has been in the mortgage industry for over 25 years.
Jeff Scheuren, EVP, President and COO at Fulton Mortgage Co. Highlights include: key factors that drive pricing; start with cost to originate; understanding market rate movement; what is a good proxy and be a true financial advisor. Jeff has been in the mortgage industry for over 30 years.
Rick Sharga, Founder & CEO, CJ Patrick & Co. Highlights include: future for housing is bright; follow population growth; back office productivity is key; work your database and more consolidation of the inefficient. Rick’s firm is a market intelligence and business advisory that helps real estate, financial services, and technology companies develop a position of competitive advantage and use it to drive business strategies.
Brian Koss, Regional Director, Movement Mortgage. Highlights include: dual representation doesn’t work; no part time people; raising value of professionalism and a la carte selection. Brian has been in the mortgage industry for over 35 years.
Tom Finnegan, Principal at STRATMOR Group. Highlights include: volume and profitability not a relationship; cost per loan now; free agent sales culture; production economics and deeper analysis of sales force. Tom is an experienced mortgage banking chief executive and is currently a strategic consultant in mortgage banking.
S.A. Ibrahim, retired CEO at Radian. Highlights include: winners will be proactive; intermediaries will enter; biggest impact will be AI not NAR settlement and AI in mortgage industry will happen sooner rather than later.
S.A. Ibrahim is a seasoned executive with almost 40 years of experience in the fintech sector.
Mark Deitz, Manager Director of Mortgage at SECU Credit Union. Highlights include: networking community; relevant education; involvement in industry and monthly newsletter. Mark has been in the industry over 20 years.
Kevin Peranio, Chief Lending Officer. Highlights include: no dual representation; industries are specialized; impact of buyer’s cycle time; mine your own database and master one thing. Kevin has been in the mortgage industry for over 25 years.
Jon Overfelt, Director of Sales/Owner, American Security Mortgage Corp. Highlights include: social media as an connection tool; face to face matters; auto-campaign is not selling; doing what others won’t and take action consistently. Jon has been in the mortgage industry for over 25 years.
Dan Ervin, FVP, Mortgage Sales Director at First Merchants Bank. Highlight include: market share growth; WIIFT; living in the “Now” and assume nothing. Dan has been in the mortgage industry for over 30 years.
Greg Sayegh, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder. Highlights include: role of Branch Manager and Regional Manager has changed; 40% industry turnover; churning of low producers and 88% of LOs are doing two loans or less a month. Greg has been in the mortgage industry for over 35 years.
Mark Deitz, Managing Director, Mortgage at SECU. Highlights include: retraining to purchase money market; market shrinkage is an opportunity; sales leadership mindset; peer networking matters and investing in the right people. With over 20 years experience, Mark is a Certified Mortgage Banker, a Certified Mortgage Advisor and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Mortgage Bankers Association of Metropolitan Washington.
Greg Schatz, Director of National Sales, Allied Mortgage Group. Highlights include: target sales strategies for different generation; Gen Z is the first digital generation; leadership matters in CRA; state auditors issue and diversified thinking is required. Greg has more than 30 years’ experience in the mortgage industry.
Tim Pascarella, President, Ross Mortgage. Highlights include: don’t over think it; start with emotion; how to overcome video fear; check ego for video and ask for followers. Tim has been with Ross Mortgage for over 24 years. Check out his videos.
John Seroka, President, Seroka Brand Development. Highlights include: need both quantitative and qualitative metrics; lead quality matters; corporate personality; social sentiment is key and must test for success. With a track record dating back to 1987, John specializes in creating and implementing digital marketing and public relations strategies.
Stephen Moye, Sales Manager/Sr. Loan Officer, New American Funding. Highlights include: two for one selling strategies; who controls lead wins; what others can’t do; Plus 1--learn a niche and develop a skill and consistency matters in marketing. With over 25 years in the mortgage industry, he was named by Scotsman Guide and Mortgage Executive Magazine as one of the top loan originators in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Michael Seminari, Director of Customer Experience at STRATMOR Group. Highlights include: takes more to have customers “love” you; what drives repeat business referrals; pulse point interactions; asking “unmasked” questions and how does Gen Z want to be handled during the process. Michael has 25 years of B2C and B2B Enterprise sales, customer experience, product management and account management in the FinTech and Mortgage Industries.
George Ballew, SVP, UVA Credit Union. Highlights include: Non-Delegated--limited by investor’s risk level and Delegated—your control is greater; “own the loan”; retaining top producers is a challenge and view your product mix. George has been in the mortgage industry for over 30 years.
Jay Promisco, Chief Production Officer, Sierra Pacific Mortgage. Highlights include: making a shift to managing costs; review data daily; act on data; review vendor stack and the importance of sales activities. Jay has been the mortgage industry for over 20 years.
Connor Bartley is a Senior Recruiter at loanDepot. Highlights include: walking into the unknown; handshakes to hugs; goals and dreams; get unstuck and “fill your cup”. Connor has been in the recruiting field for over 17 years. Check out Connor’s Blog.
Nestor Villanueva, AVP of Mortgage Lending at Northwest Federal CU. Highlights include: accepting changed market conditions; building relationships is key; value equation; tangible & intangible values and take action and have a long-term view. Nestor has been in the mortgage industry for over 16 years.
Dale Syta, Managing Director, Bellco Home Loans. Highlights include: getting the right people on the bus; back to basics; can’t have placeholders; who knows you and sourcing business has changed. Dale has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years.
Bill Bodnar, Chief Revenue Officer at Tabrasa, LLC and Chief Market Analyst at Mortgage Market Guide. Highlights include: Loss of “hustle”; AI discussion; advisor of financial market information and the outlook for 2024. Tabrasa, LLC is a SaaS based provider of financial technology.
Jennifer Fortier, Principal, at STRATMOR Group. Highlights include: “shiny object” syndrome; drivers & outcomes; rush to buy technology products; automation is key and mock up new workflow. Prior to consulting, she was SVP of an independent mortgage banker where she managed secondary marketing activities and provided oversight of technology investments.
Nicole Poole, VP Residential Lending at The Police Credit Union, discusses Getting the Green Light for Sales Investment. Highlights include: being relevant is critical; rebuilding the shop; sell equals members’ solutions; engage employees in slower growth and build out your “story”. Nicole has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years.
Michael Yates, SVP, Mortgage Sales Director at Mercantile Bank of Michigan. Highlights include: keeping focus on the NOW; structure equals discipline; importance of being coachable; creating your own success and LO’s business model. Michael has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years.
David Burruss is MSR Sales Director at Mortgage Capital Trading (MCT). Highlights include: current MSR trends; assumptions matter to regulators; three guardrails; rise of smaller transactions and the Wall Street buyer. David is a top sales and marketing executive with a proven track record of outstanding accomplishment in the mortgage industry for over 25 years.
Terry Lancaster is author of How to Sell More Cars. One of Terry’s key points is that social media is not an advertising platform but it is actually a communication and connectivity platform like the telephone. Highlights of the Deep Dive interview are: develop your own tribe; who knows you—be known before found; easier the sale the more profitable and AI is changing everything. Terry has authored three #1 best-selling books: BETTER! Self Help for the Rest of Us, How to Sell More Cars, and Unstuck. He is a contributing writer for Forbes and he has been a featured speaker at TedX, The National Association of Broadcasters, and the National Automobile Dealers Association.
John Seroka, President, Seroka Brand Development. Highlights include: trust factor is key; segment emails by needs and pain points; consistent uncanned approach; use of data to segment and do more with less in today’s marketplace. With over 20 years’ experience, John’s company focuses on marketing, digital marketing, social media and and public relations for the mortgage and real estate industries. John was a former mortgage loan originator and past Chair of the California MBA Mortgage Innovation Committee.
Stephanie McGuire, SVP of Lending at AmeriCU. Highlights include: right staff is key; test and verify; investment in your people makes the biggest difference; having partners who align is critical and turn and pull-through is a key measurement. Stephanie has been in the mortgage industry for over 30 years.
Andrew Clarkson CMB, VP National Mortgage Production at UnitedFedCU, talks about Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone. Highlights include: WINS-what is important now; key is time blocking; “Hunters” market; get an accountability partner and identify strengths and what you can change. Andrew has been in the mortgage industry for over 15 years.
Marty Garrity, President of Coast One Mortgage LLC, talks about Helping Realtors Do More Business. Highlights include: vision and activities matter; don’t ignore top producers; importance of performance management and personal relationships matter—work, work, work. Marty has had long successful career in the mortgage business for over 30 years.
Adam Neft, Sales Manager at Go Mortgage discusses Developing a Successful Sales Process. Highlights include: keeping team motivated; reputation matters today; repeatable process is key; sales sequence is organized and consistent and if it doesn’t work—Change It. Adam has been in the mortgage industry since 2012 and has held roles ranging from loan officer to sales trainer to branch manager.
David Ocasio Ross, AVP Mortgage Sales at AmeriCU talks about Getting LOs to go Digital. Highlights include: start small; why resist: why not try; videos work when I don’t and shared videos are key. David has over a decade of experience in Sales, Management and Business Development. He joined AmeriCU in May of 2022 to lead their mortgage sales team.
Brian Morley, SVP and Director of Sales and Marketing at Fulton Mortgage discusses Developing the Next Generation of Leadership Skills. Highlights include: servant leadership; creating value today; opportunistic market; “herding cats” and why do you want to manage. Brian has spent over 18 years with The Columbia Bank and Fulton Mortgage Company.Brian has spent over 18 years with The Columbia Bank and Fulton Mortgage Company overseeing the development and execution of strategic initiatives to help promote growth and retention.
Jess Lederman, Editor, The Mortgage Professional’s Handbook: Succeeding in a New World of Mortgage Finance talks about his recent book. Highlights include: near term opportunity is irresistible; volatility commandos; alternative strategies; paranoia reigns and cash is king. Jess is an icon in the mortgage industry and started four national mortgage companies. The Handbook has raised over $160,000 for the ALS, The MBA Foundation's Open Doors program and MYHouse. The Handbook is available at www.mortgagebanking2020.com. Use Coupon code: QFS.
Jim Deitch CPA,CMB, Co-Founder and CEO of Teraverde discusses Is Your Current Business Model Sustainable? Highlights include: robust purchase money opportunity; sustainability is operating profitability in good and bad markets; long-term housing outlook is strong and developing personnel is key. Jim is described as a serial entrepreneur, having founded over a dozen successful businesses. Most recently, he co-founded Teraverde to serve the financial services industry. He is also author of three #1 Best Selling Amazon New Releases: “Digitally Transforming the Mortgage Banking Industry", “Strategically Transforming the Mortgage Banking Industry” and “Disruptive Fintech”, released in 2018, 2019 and 2020 respectively.
Pat interviews Marlene Schwoyer, EVP/Regional Sales Manager at Fulton Mortgage Co. on Using Facebook to Generate a LO’s Personal Brand. Highlights include: always take the high road with business partners and consumers; importance of sales activities; one hour many touches and just be active. Marlene has over 35 years’ experience in the mortgage industry.
Cindy Waldron, VP, Research & Analytics in the Single-Family Client & Community Engagement at Freddie Mac talks about the Mortgage Ready Report. Highlights include: Mortgage Ready is a large opportunity; first-time-homebuyers affordability map; downpayment challenges; new downpayment solutions and borrowers Smart Access. Cindy has over 25 years of experience in the mortgage and financial services industries.
Carmen Mercado, Director, Single Family Mission and Community Engagement at Freddie Mac discusses Affordable Housing and Real Estate Professionals. Highlights include: changing demographics is great opportunity; millenniums are most diverse group; realtors as trusted experts; rethink how to do business and housing counseling partnership. Prior to joining Freddie Mac, Carmen was a real estate agent, broker manager and trainer. She was featured by Housing Wire as one of the “25 Most Influential Women in the Housing Economy”.
Kurt Blumthal, VP and Senior Mortgage Banker at Ameris Bank talks about Improv and Selling!. Highlights include: cyclical amnesia; buyers uncertainty; “love this house but”; back to basics and Yes And. Kurt has been a sales leader and top producer for over 25 years. He recently joined an improv group and he shares how improv has made him a better originator and leader.
Adal Bisharat, CEO of GoalKloud discusses Digital Transformation in Coaching. Adal talks about goal management technology for the mortgage industry. Highlights include: sales is a formula with critical steps; peer accountability; scoreboard and gamification and accountability partner in coaching. Over the past 25 years, Adal has been an innovator in the area of strategy execution and productivity breakthroughs in the mortgage industry.
Jeff Scheuren, President and COO of Fulton Mortgage Co. discusses Growth in a Down Market. Highlights include: emphasis on referral sources and construction perm; focus on Realtor relationships and partnering; loan officers' sales plan and upselling skills and team relationships. Jeff has spent over 30 years in the mortgage industry.
Teresa Bazemore, President & CEO of the Federal Home Loan Bank of SF discusses Trends in Affordable Housing. Highlights include: housing supply issue; downpayment assistance programs; financial literacy; new pilot programs and old evaluations are relevant for today’s market. Teresa has more than 25 years of experience as a senior executive in the mortgage banking field that includes building both mortgage insurance and services businesses. She also serves on the Board of Directors of T. Rowe Price Funds and First Industrial Realty Trust.
Ellie Fogle, Sr. VP and Divisional Sales Manager at Truist talks about How Leadership has Changed over the Last Decade. Highlights include: lead to inspire action; action trumps everything; pivot to positive; sharp shifts to digital information world and mastering inquiry. Ellie has been in the mortgage industry for over 30+ years.
Marcia Griffin, CEO/Founder of HomeFree-USA talks about the Trends in the Affordable Housing Marketplace. Highlights include: partnerships will drive diverse lending; consumers need a Mortgage Achievement Plan; fear of the credit report; pilot programs are critical and the need for community based organizations. For nearly 40 years, Marcia Griffin has been on a mission to strengthen people of color, elevate partners, and enhance communities across America.
Brent Green, Mortgage Sales Manager-Residential Construction Lending, at Lake Michigan Credit Union talks about Construction Perm Lending: How to do it the Right Way. Highlights include: Ins and outs of builder business; quality of back office is key; knowledge of complex product is important; single note closing and loyal referral source. Brent has been in the mortgage industry for 30 years.
I interviewed author, Erica Acie who has written a great book, We Got This!, A Guide to Securing Your Greatest Future. Erica has had a long career in financial services and is currently Head of Fulfillment & Closing at Truist. Highlights include: helping other people; change is making a decision; what do you want out of life; don’t be afraid to be bold and failure equals learning. Erica is passionate about personal development and you will enjoy our discussion.
Jeff Walton, CEO and Co-Founder of InGenius discusses Selecting Data Vendors for Recruiting: What Really Matters. Highlights include: importance of Trident Mortgage settlement; digital redlining; accuracy is key to data and survival of the fittest. Jeff has been in the industry over 30 years.
Jason Hultgren, SVP and Director of Mortgage Sales at UCB talks about Developing Loan Officers in a Difficult Market. Highlights include: building a high performance team; leaner is better; the importance of listen, learn and lead; CRA top priority and getting out of your comfort zone to move the needle. Jason has been in the mortgage industry for over 25 years and you will enjoy his comments.
Keith Kemph, President & CEO of BlackFin Group, discusses Product Diversification in Today’s Volatile Market. Highlights include: the importance of specialization in mortgage products; how to lower costs per loan; how to invest in operations/technology for the next cycle and the need for mortgage solutions for baby boomers who will need assisted living support. Keith has been in the business for over 30 years and he recently put out a 15-minute video on reverse mortgages on the BlackFin YouTube Channel. Check it out.
Ralph Remy, Director of Client Digital Experience at National MI, discusses What Works in Managing in 2023. Highlights include: back to basics; what type of lender are you; coaching for development; intentional training and training your team to “Think Amazon”. Ralph has over 25 years of experience in leading strategic change and developing successful sales and service teams as it relates to Client Experience and Digital Experience.
Gene M. Lugat, EVP of National Production Strategies & Multicultural Lending at PrimeLending, talks about Retaining Top Producers: Strategies that Work. Highlights include: execution on price and product is key; importance of live sales rallies; pricing strategies for FTHB and the hot topics of education and coaching for top producers. Gene has more than 36 years in the industry and has held a wide range of national roles in the MBA. Recently, Gene was recognized as a mortgage trailblazer and was awarded the 2022 HousingWire Vanguard Award.
Tim Ross, CEO of Ross Mortgage, talks about Managing Successfully for the Long-term. Highlights include: building a fortress balance sheet; the importance of cash; develop a 5-year plan; reduce the friction in the process and the secret sauce of human touch. Tim has been in the mortgage business for 40 years, through good times and difficult times. You will want to hear his thoughts on the outlook for next year and beyond.
Jessica Wright, Advisor for the Future Housing Leaders program at Fannie Mae discusses the program. Highlights include: Developing new partnerships with housing finance, real estate, non-profit entities, and colleges and universities to help close the workforce diversity gap. It connects college students from diverse backgrounds to opportunities for paid internships and entry-level jobs in the housing industry. Educated over 1200 interns through FHL summer program in 2022 with 85 employer partners. Jessica has been featured in Mortgage Women Magazine (July 2022 edition) focused on A Diverse Workforce. She has been at Fannie Mae for almost 20 years.
Gary Culbreath, VP, Learning and Development, Freedom Mortgage talks about Selling Training to Management in a Down Market. Highlights include: understanding the needs of different stakeholders; the importance of cross training in 2022; identify the potential gaps of learners; how to structure the modules; evaluation of managers and live instruction works best. For over 30 years Gary has been involved in recruiting, training and developing mortgage professionals. You will enjoy Gary’s timely comments.
David Stein, Partner at Taft, Stettinius & Hollister discusses the Trident Mortgage Settlement Case. Highlights include: proactive steps a lender can take; evaluate office locations; affirmative employee work force; affirmative advertising and conduct fair lending analysis. David’s firm maintains a national practice in Banking and Consumer Financial Services. For nearly 20 years, David was general counsel for a top fifty lender.
Lyubomira Buresch CMB, Founder & CEO, Polygon Research talks about Using Data to Increase Minority Applications. Highlights include: using data to provide market insights for better decision-making; HMDA – American Community Survey; corporate culture matters on how data is used; “Social Index”-Fannie Mae and the potential is large for Mortgage Ready borrowers. Lyubomira has over 20 year experience in providing analytics to the financial services industry, most recently with KPMG, BofA and Citibank.
Gary Culbreath, VP, Learning and Development, Freedom Mortgage talks about Selling Training to Management in a Down Market. Highlights include: understanding the needs of different stakeholders; the importance of cross training in 2022; identify the potential gaps of learners; how to structure the modules; evaluation of managers and live instruction works best. For over 30 years Gary has been involved in recruiting, training and developing mortgage professionals. You will enjoy Gary’s timely comments.
Jeffery Stanton, SVP, Strategic Growth at Guaranteed Rate discusses Today’s Three Mortgage Wars: Pricing, Traditional and Virtual. Highlights include: invent your own market; have a personal spin; importance of understanding your products; know three to five things and go deep and box lunch meet ups. Jeff has been in the Retail Mortgage industry for more than 25 years and has held positions as a Retail Loan Officer, Sales Manager, Broker-Owner and SVP- S&D channel.
I interviewed Brant Pinvidic, Author, of the book The 3 Minute Rule: Say Less to Get More from Any Pitch or Presentation (Portfolio, 256 pp, Available on Amazon). I think it is one of the most important business books written and I highly recommend it. Brant is sharing a step by step guide on how to influence and present an idea or service to a prospect or client in 3 minutes. Brant has a highly successful career as a Hollywood producer who has sold more than 300 TV shows and movies. He’s had hits such as Biggest Loser & Extreme Makeover. Brant is the master of the sales pitch and you learn some insightful tips.
David Lykken, President and Founder, Transformational Mortgage Solutions talks about 2023: Trends and Solutions. Highlights include: seven keys to success; be a true professional; importance of developing personnel; the need for right-sizing and identify your strengths and execute on it. David has been in the mortgage industry for over 40 years and you will enjoy listening to David talk about productivity, recruiting and prospecting. Check out David’s weekly podcast, Lykken On Lending.
Todd Gosden, Senior Loan Officer at Compass Mortgage discusses Top Producer’s Game Plan: Long-term Success in Mortgage Origination. Highlights include: focus on habits; activities matter; partnership vs participate: Big Difference; strive for excellence every day and making a “deposit” every day. You will learn how he and his team provide the highest caliber of service to their clients. Todd has over 20 years of experience in business development and leading his own team of mortgage professionals.
Michael Borodinsky, VP and Branch Manager, Caliber Home Loans talks about a Top Producer’s Game Plan. Highlights include: the importance of developing personal relationships with realtors; value of marketing every day; being active in local groups; the number of calls needed to make each day and keys to long term success. Over the last 35 years, Michael has been ranked among the top producers nationwide and he has funded over $5B in individual home loans to over 12,000 homeowners. You will enjoy listening to Michael’s insights.
Kim Coleman, Associate General Counsel at Primary Residential Mortgage talks about The Value of In-house Counsel and How to Evaluate Outside Counsel. Kim has been an attorney for over 10 years and you will enjoy her insights.
Ryan Todd, EVP Capital Markets at Integrity Home Mortgage talks about Building your own Bot. Highlights include: what is a bot; what tasks are perfect for bots; what activities should humans be working on; how is productivity improved and the importance of cross-training your personnel. Ryan has spent the past 20 years primarily in capital markets. He is owner of Capital Markets Consultant which specializes in capital markets departments buildouts and audits. You will enjoy listening to Ryan’s insightful comments on this timely topic of bots.
Matt Koch, SVP Area Manager at Ruoff Mortgage discusses Transitioning from a Bank to an Independent Mortgage Banker. Highlights include: rising importance of technology/fintech; data integrity is critical; getting to borrowers first; streamline the lending process and world class customer experience. Matt is a mortgage veteran having been in the industry for over 25 years. He has been with Caliber, Fifth Third and PNC to name a few. You will enjoy listening to Matt’s comments.
Ellie Fordyce, Chief People Officer at Westerra CU talks about Implementing Cultural Change in an Organization. Highlights include: defining culture; it’s a complex process; employee engagement is a must; research is important and it’s necessary to stay ahead of the curve. Ellie has been in the mortgage industry for over 10 years in the areas of human resource strategies, leadership development and she is responsible for driving successful implementation of culture change initiatives. She has a Master’s degree in Professional Studies in Organization Development & Change from Penn State. You will want to hear Ellie’s insightful comments on this very important topic.
I interviewed Tony J. Hughes, author of Combo Prospecting: The Powerful One-Two Punch that Fills your Pipeline and Wins Sales (AMACOM, 243 pp. Available on Amazon). This is one of the best books I’ve read on Prospecting. You don’t want to miss this interview.
Highlights include: what are the best sales enablement tools for success; the importance of identifying trigger events; optimize referrals to create engagement; nurture an empowering network and develop an online brand that packs a punch. Tony is a respected sales leader and consultant with over 30 years of winning experience. He is an award-winning blogger and top LinkedIn B2B sales influencer. He teaches modernized selling as part of the eMBA program for University of Technology, Sydney.
Elizabeth Million, SVP, Mortgage Lending at Elevations CU, discusses the Keys to Having Two-Thirds of Your LOs Ranked in the Scotsman Guide (Top Originators). Highlights include: the importance of a sales accountability model; remove roadblocks; individual sales process; support team and focus your outreach on like-minded realtors. Elizabeth is an industry veteran with over 30 years’ experience. You don’t want to miss her insights into what it takes to be a top producer.
Ali Nassirian, Director, Home Loans at Golden 1 CU talks on The Race for Talent: Recruiting Differently. Highlights include: scaling for growth; team recruiting starts with a plan; career path is key and the importance of relationship recruiting. Ali has been in the mortgage industry for close to 20 years and you will learn some of his key tips on recruiting in today’s marketplace.
Mike Squire, SVP, Chief Lending Officer at Kinecta Federal CU talks about Managing Volume & Margin in Volatile Times. Highlights include: the importance of collaboration with internal experts; being agile and course correcting; how to handle price concessions; pricing within top 25th percentile and the use of competitive data. Mike has spent over 20 years in the mortgage industry and you will enjoy listening to his insights about today’s volatile times.
Phil Laren, Principal at Actogram Financial, discusses Financing Delinquent Loans in Today’s Market. Highlights include: death of refi market; rise of Fintech; cure loans advantage; Wall Street competition and delinquency arbitrage. Phil has been in the mortgage capital markets for over 30 years, designing and building proprietary hedging, trading and servicing models. You will enjoy his comments on delinquencies and the market outlook.
Pete Roeske, EVP, Retail Lending at AmeriHome Mortgage talks on Starting Retail in Today’s Market. Highlights include: win with consultative approach; the need for more joint ventures; the importance of culture match; data base of drip campaigns still matters and establishing relationships with referral sources is key. Pete has been in the mortgage industry for over 25 years and you will enjoy his perspective about today’s marketplace.
Peter Benjamin, President of American Credit Union Mortgage Association (ACUMA) talks on The Importance of Developing your Personnel. Highlights include: now is a pivotal moment in mortgage; affordable housing is a big issue; career path is critical and training in good and bad mortgage markets. Peter has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years and you will enjoy listening to his insightful comments.
Leslie Garner, SVP of Sales at InstaMortgage discusses What is Good Sales Training in Today’s Market? Highlights include: train manager first policy; accountability is key; know your numbers—goal setting; technology vs culture; and a career path is critical. Leslie has spent over 30+ years in the mortgage industry starting out as a loan officer and then moving into sales management. Leslie provides some key tips about training and her outlook for the industry that you don’t want to miss.
Edward Jacuinde, CEO & Founder of Edward Jacuinde Real Estate discusses Real Estate Agents & Loan Officers: Relationship Building. Edward was a loan officer, real estate agent and now owns his own real estate brokerage firm in Corona del Mar, CA. Edward shares his thoughts on how to increase referral sources for LOs, what do real estate agents want from loan officers and what type of communications should loan officers provide to real estate agents. Edward has a very unique background and you will enjoy listening to his tips on relationship building.
Dan Habib, EVP and one of the founders of MBS Highway talks about Crypto Markets and Mortgages. Dan provides an excellent primer on Crypto Markets—what they are, how are they used, and how they could be used in the mortgage marketplace. Dan was just honored by National Mortgage Professional Magazine by being named one of the top 40 under 40 mortgage professionals in the country. You will enjoy listening to Dan discuss this exciting topic.
Ed Rogers, Manager, Consumer Solutions/SME at Built Technologies talks about Renovation Lending: What’s it all about? Highlights include: lender differentiation; more than fixer-upper lending; underutilized product—it’s not harder just different and it’s a $25-$40 billion market. Ed has over 25 years of experience in all aspects of residential construction and renovation lending. You will enjoy listening to Ed’s discussion on this timely topic.
Justin Demola, President of Lenders One discusses Emerging Trends in 2022 and the Future Outlook. Highlights include: be aware of where you are in the mortgage cycle; the importance of pivoting fast; more efficiency is critical and technology vs human touch in mortgage. Justin has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years and is currently a Board Member for the MBA of NJ. Justin has insightful thoughts on the outlook for the mortgage industry in the future.
Greg Decristofaro is currently Business Development Manager at Homebridge Financial. Greg was a top producing real estate agent and national trainer for Keller Williams for many years. He has seen all sides of real estate and mortgage lending. He gives us his thoughts on what makes a successful working relationship between a real estate agent and a loan officer. You will enjoy his candid comments.
Tom Hutchens, EVP of Production at Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions discusses Trends in Non-QM: Why it isn’t Subprime 2.0. Highlights include: finding good people and maintaining culture; listening is key; “servant” mentality; profile self-employed; role of technology and the importance of having “skin in the game”. Tom has been in the industry for over 20 years in such areas as mortgage, appraisal and real estate. Tom has some very insightful comments about the non-conforming segment of the mortgage industry.
Pat Aritz has been a top producer in the real estate business since 2013 and is currently with Realty Executives in Arizona. Pat spent over 40 years in the mortgage banking industry. Pat discusses what’s it like being a real estate agent and how to develop successful relationships with loan officers.
Aubri Holler is currently a Real Estate Agent with Fathom Realty after having her own mortgage title business for over 20 years. Aubri talks about being a real estate agent and how to develop a good business relationship with a loan officer.
Shondell Varcianna, CEO & Founder of Varci Media talks about What Types of Social Media Marketing should LOs do in 2022? Highlights include: go where your customers are; importance of customization; what is the art of snippets and repurposing and the magic number 750 for Blogs. Shondell has been in financial services for over 20 years with Bank of Montreal and Canada Mortgage and Housing and the last seven of those years with her own social media firm, Varci Media located in Atlanta, GA. With social media marketing gaining such prominence, you will enjoy Shondell’s insights on this very timely topic.
Stacey Harding, Executive VP at Cherry Creek Mortgage talks about Identifying Talent & Setting them up for Success. Highlights include: due diligence and discovery process when interviewing must be deep; job fit is key; repeat vision monthly; long game strategy and no short cuts and zoom world of recruiting. Stacey has been in the mortgage business for over 30 years and he shares his views on how a company’s hires determine what your company will be in the future.
Scott Johnson, Divisional Executive at Homebridge Financial Services, discusses Why Differentiation Matters in Mortgage Sales. Highlights include: get out and talk to people; leverage the data and target the right people; value proposition is key and recruit talent that fits your culture. Scott has been in the mortgage business for over 30 years and you will enjoy his insightful comments. Also, check out Honor Connor, a nonprofit which focuses on Mental Health—Addiction and Suicide.
Beth Eller, VP of Mortgage Lending at Truliant Federal CU discusses How Processors can become the next Loan Officers. Highlights include: the importance of timing and speed of deals; quality of service; adapting to change; the need for people skills and a future career path. Beth has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years starting out as a processor, moving to a loan officer position, and then into management. You will enjoy listening to her thoughts on these key positions as we begin the new year 2022.
Jeffrey Walker, CEO & Co-Founder at CredEvolv on Credit Repair: What is it? Highlights include: rapid rescore is not the best solution; HUD Certified Counseling; turning a turndown into a Yes; the importance of offering a path forward and credit well-being for life. Jeff has been in the mortgage business for over 30 years with such companies as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Wells Fargo, Citi and SunTrust (now Truist). You will enjoy listening to Jeff’s comments on this timely topic that is not well understood.
Kurt Reisig, Chairman & Founder, American Pacific Mortgage discusses the Top 3 Emerging Trends for 2022. Highlights include: the importance of pivoting during different market conditions; first customer is branch manager; it is always about the people, scale matters and building trust and embracing technology. Kurt has been in the mortgage industry for over 30 years and as 2022 approaches, he offers some very insightful thoughts on the trends he sees impacting the mortgage industry.
AJ Franchi, President & COO, Gold Star Mortgage Financial, talks about Reputation Management: How to Ensure a Positive Reputation in 2022. Highlights include: building relationships with investors; focus on customer experience; pick a platform to tell your story and thoughts on Net Promoter Score. AJ has been in the mortgage industry for over 13 years and he offers some important tips on Reputation Management.
Randell Gillespie, EVP, National Production Manager at Thrive Mortgage talks about Leading Sales into a New Digital Reality. Highlights include: building customer relationships; scorecard of technology usage; customers want a bigger experience and a culture of learning and growing—hungry, humble and smart. Randell has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years and you will enjoy hearing his thoughts on the New Digital Reality.
Karen Blakeslee, EVP, East Division Manager at PrimeLending discusses Relationship-based vs Transactional Loan Officers. Highlights include: buying leads vs referral sources; how technology can help; no short cuts to relationship building and using text and video messaging. Karen has been in the mortgage industry for over 18 years after having been a math teacher. You will enjoy hearing her insights on planning your business for the future.
Eric Burgoon, Chief Lending Officer, Lake Michigan Credit Union talks about Installing a Permanent Hybrid Working Environment. Highlights include: why install hybrid working; how was hybrid working implemented; what were the goals and standards established and what are the results so far. Eric has been in the mortgage industry for 18 years and you will enjoy listening to this very timely topic.
Jared Maxwell, Consumer Direct Sales Division Leader & VP, Embrace Home Loans discusses Preparing for Lower Volumes in Consumer Direct. Highlights include: emphasize talent selection; follow up is key with consumers; connecting with your purpose; define your strategy and focus on the basics. Jared has been in the mortgage industry for 19 years and you will learn some key pointers to navigate the environment.
Steve Capen, Real Estate Agent and Licensed Mortgage Broker at Keller William Realty talks about Selling to Top Realtors: What works in today’s marketplace. Highlights include: setting expectations correctly; no surprises is key; give great service; develop better relationships with listing agents and get referrals from best realtors. With Steve being both a real estate agent and mortgage broker, he provides an unique perspective on today’s housing and mortgage markets.
Paul Gigliotti, COO of Pinnacle Home Loans and CEO & Co-Founder of Axis Lending Academy discusses Increasing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at your Mortgage Company. Highlights include: diverse workforce generates diverse production; trend is to deepen relationships with technology; connection economy and thinking outside the box is critical in this ever changing environment. You will enjoy listening to Paul talk about his program for diverse learners to be educated and equipped for operations roles in the mortgage and lending industry.
S.A. Ibrahim, retired CEO at Radian and GreenPoint Mortgage, talks about the Future of Consumer Lending: 10 Years from Now. Highlights include: the importance of embracing change internally and externally; greater control by consumer is a big change; consumers want best offer and easy access and companies need to think like their borrower. S.A. has over 40+ years leadership experience in fintech sectors. He currently is advisor and angel investor focused on socially responsible tech startups. You will enjoy S.A.’s insightful comments about the future.
Kevin Neely, East Coast Sales Manager for GoPrime Mortgage, discusses his views on Rethinking Hiring Experienced Originators: Start a Rookie Program. Highlights include: the switch to purchase money; bring “new blood” to industry; processor assistant program and attitude and aptitude hiring. Kevin has been in the mortgage industry for over 10 years and you will learn some interesting tips on hiring.
John Marshall, President and CEO of Home ASAP, a Facebook Marketing firm for Realtors interviewed Pat Sherlock on Building a Purchase Business with Realtors. Pat discussed trends in mortgage banking including strategies lenders are doing in a hot real estate market with multiple bids for residential properties and best practices of top producers in developing business with Realtors.
Frank DiMaio, SVP, Director of Sales/Marketing at Univest on Hiring Virtually. Highlights include: importance of involved leadership; targeted approach—look for strategic match; make connections through LI, social media and texts; and holistic recruiting approach. Prior to Univest, Frank was with Wells Fargo and GMAC. Frank has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years and you will learn some insightful tips on Hiring Virtually.
Andy Voyles, VP Area Manager at Bank of England Mortgage discusses Finding Relevance for Yourself. Highlights include: embracing a hybrid working model; decision made to move down the corporate ladder; enjoyment of working day to day with staff and deciding what you like and don’t like. Andy has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years in many senior level positions. He now is taking a different path. You will enjoy listening to Andy tell you about his journey in making this new decision.
Taylor Stork, COO, at Developer’s Mortgage Company discusses the Best Practices for Managers in Delegating to their Staff. Highlights include: Assigning responsibilities with authority and ownership; work flow and human capital issues; coach and develop other people and key to delegation is teach back. You will enjoy listening to Taylor share is personal story and how he used delegation.
Daniela Bigalli, SVP, Sales and Marketing at Homestead Funding Corp. talks about Lead Generation for Consumer Direct. Highlights include: review asset allocation; try smaller testing pilots; the importance of being in front of client first; speed to contact and team must believe in strategic mission. Daniela has been in the mortgage industry for 18 years and you will enjoying her very insightful comments on lead generation.
Cindy Tomcak, Consultant/Coach at Make Every Conversation Count, talks about Managing Culture in a Remote Working World. Highlights include: personal development: how to develop me as a person; be able to pivot; how to manage hybrid working; employee value proposition and culture of collaboration engagement. Cindy has work in the mortgage industry for over 30 years and you will enjoy listening to her thoughts on culture.
Nicholas Rutherford, SVP Atlantic Coast Mortgage, discusses Starting a Consumer Direct Business from Scratch. Highlights include: determine the right strategy; allow time to set up CD business; 1st call matters; be authentic—no scripts and communicate in the customer’s preference. Nick has spent over 10 years in the mortgage business and you will learn some key tips in setting up a Consumer Direct business line.
Deborah Whiteside, SVP Endorsed Solutions/President ABA Community Banks Mortgage LLC, discusses What Works in Digital Strategy for Banks in 2021. Highlights include: digital strategy starts with vision; know your processes; the importance of communicating the change to the staff and the impact of technology vendors consolidating. Prior to joining the ABA, Deb spent over 15 years at Fannie Mae. You will enjoy listening to her insights on digital strategies.
Corey Shelton, SVP Marketing, Atlantic Coast Mortgage talks about Getting LOs to Use Digital Technology. Highlights include: understand vision--lead employees; adapt or die; scenario-based training; grow vs change; and overall brand & experience in scale. It’s all about the mortgage experience. Corey has been a web developer, a business owner and now is responsible for brand strategy and digital marketing. You will enjoy Corey’s comments on digital technology and the loan officer.
Ben Green, SVP, Strategic Growth at Synergy One Lending talks about Starting a Recruiting Group within a Mortgage Company. Highlights include: recruiter should have mortgage experience; three tests for candidates; mutual fit top match requirement; long-term recruiting approach and introductory call and follow up. Ben has recruited loan officers, sales leadership, and operations personnel across the country and has trained hiring managers on best practices related to sourcing, recruiting, and hiring. You will enjoy listening to Ben share his thoughts on this very important topic.
Kim Dybvad, Market Manager for PrimeLending discusses Building a High Performance Team in a Remote Selling World. Highlights include: try to listen and not give a solution; resiliency; set aside one-hour a day for learning; technology is critical and stay in touch “Game Night”. Kim has over 30 years experience in the mortgage industry and has spent over the past 9 years as President of the Ohio MBA.
Scott Bristol, EVP Retail, RoundPoint Mortgage, discusses Moving Originators from Refinance to Purchase Money. Highlights include: right sizing with ops; step into conflict vs avoid conflict; use tools that differentiate; purchase money is a long term play and the difficulty of reconnecting with realtors. Scott has had a long and successful career in the mortgage industry and you will learn some key tips from him.
Tom Finnegan, Principal, Stratmor Group talks about Adjusting Capacity in a Changing Marketplace. Highlights include: revenue story; work from home success; people vs technology; opt-in using technology and execution as a differentiator. Tom has over 35 years of comprehensive mortgage banking experience, with particular focus on mortgage banking operations. You will enjoy listening to Tom share his wisdom about today’s marketplace.
Nick Pabarcus, EVP of Stearns Lending and Board Member of CA Mortgage Bankers Association talks about Executing your Business Plan and Sticking with It. Highlights include: develop a detailed plan with controllable factors; three high and three low scenarios; review fixed costs; IT plan and sales headcount. Nick has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years and you will hear his ideas on the importance of pivoting to navigate through turbulent times.
Eric Declercq, President of Weichert Financial Services, discusses Originating Remotely in a Pandemic. Highlights include: stabilize the environment; provide social media strategy; conduct prospecting Zoom calls; video concepts; prospect for inventory and remain positive and have a long term outlook. Eric has spent many years in the mortgage business previously with Loan Depot and Capital One. Eric has been innovative with his team and you will learn some timely tips.
Dan Holtz, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Sovereign Lending Group talks about Rookie Programs: What Works and What Doesn’t. Highlights include: Good people are available today; Rookie Program details including the interview process, specific hurdles employees must meet and investment payback. Dan has had a Rookie Program in place for over three years so you will enjoy learning about what made his program so successful.
Deb Jones, SVP Director of Capital Markets, at Citizens Bank talks about Explaining Loan Pricing to Originators. Highlights include: transparent pricing policies; two types of loan officers; transactional business; market commentary and stop resisting and start helping. Deb has spent almost 30 years in the mortgage industry and you will enjoy her discussion on this timely topic.
Tammy Butler, CEO, Fair Lending Diversity and Publisher of Mortgage Currentcy discusses Wisdom from a Mortgage Banking Serial Entrepreneur. Highlights include: how to achieve results differently; people are different; managers as recruiters; crowdsource information and opinions and how to manage wearing many hats. Tammy has started business, acquired businesses and sold businesses over many years. You will enjoy listening to her keys to being a successful entrepreneur.
Jennifer Whip, Principal, Cambridge One talks about the Lessons Learned in having a Corporate Career vs. Owning your Own Business. Highlights include: delegating is key; people will rise to the occasion; remove mundane tasks; client drive-value proposition and networking with other consultants. Jennifer was with Fannie Mae for over 25 years. As a seasoned veteran, you will enjoy listening to how she made the transition.
Rob Spellman, Board Member & Advisor to President of Gold Star Mortgage, discusses Management Styles and Originators. Highlights include: constantly evaluate the team; have a repeatable process; 80/20 is real; top LOs should be treated differently and identify LOs strengths. Rob has spent many years in the mortgage industry with some of the top mortgage lenders. You will want to hear Rob talk about this timely topic. You will also want to hear how he became the “HP12C expert”!
Pat Sheehy, President & CEO, Hamilton Home Loans talks about How to Manage an Outside Owner of a Mortgage Co. Highlights include: frequent communication is key; spend time coaching and teaching; setting expectations and being transparent; deliver the good and bad; be patient and focus on the long-term view. Pat has over 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry and you will enjoy listening to him on this very interesting topic.
Brian Vieaux, President, FinLocker discusses How do you Drive LOs to be Top of Mind in their Marketplace. Highlights include: what is the LO doing to be digitally relevant to the consumer; content must be personal to an individual; it’s critical to offer value added content; how do you become a local expert and what technology will you use to differentiate yourself in 2021. Brian has over 28 years in the mortgage industry and you will want to listen to him talk about these important topics for 2021.
Kevin Crichton, President and COO, EMM Loans LLC talks about Making the Transition from a Large Lender to a Smaller Lender. Highlights include: the challenge of blending cultures; be ahead of the curve—be proactive; listen, not just hear; how to strike the right balance between structure and entrepreneurship and your partners are critical to growth. Kevin has spent over 35 years in the mortgage industry and has held many roles as owner and senior leader for both large and smaller lenders. You will really enjoy listening to his thoughts on leading in different corporate environments.
Brian Simon, President, Lenders One Mortgage Cooperative and Trelix discusses How the Consumers’ Journey has Changed. Highlights include: hire employees not like you; have patience—success does not happen overnight; rise of independent mortgage banker will continue; be more convenient to consumers and future of branch structures is questionable. Brian has spent many years in the mortgage industry and you will enjoy his comments about the consumer and the mortgage industry.
Otway Wallace, SVP, Director of Mortgage Sales, Southern Division at South State Bank discusses the Future of Video Selling in Origination. Highlights include: slow down and be patient; be relevant; all stewards in business; personal connections with video and the uses of technology in business. Otway talks about introducing the team by video. You will particularly enjoy his English Bull Dog story.
Stacy Blair, Regional Manager Consumer Direct, NewRez talks about Helping Order Takers Become Value Sellers. Highlights include: stride for respect; stay humble; treat employees like family;
give consumers multiple options and focus on conversion rate. Stacy has some very thought provoking ideas on selling that you will enjoy hearing about.
Danny Deaton, EVP, Head of National Production, Highland Residential talks about Helping Experienced Originators Adapt a New Way of Selling. Highlights include: knowledge is power in serving customers; servant leadership; net promoter scores matter; selling is a value added process and when there is a problem—apologize. Danny has been in the mortgage business for over 40 years and you will enjoy listening to his comments on selling.
Joe Camerieri, EVP, Client Account Management, Mortgage Cadence/Accenture talks about What is the New Normal in Selling. Highlights include: management transparency; know the rules; resist hiring people like you; future is consumer direct and poor performers are not corrected by training. Joe gives some key points on what he sees as the keys to the new normal in selling.
Susan Brown, SVP, Construction Loan Production Director, Umpqua Bank discusses Holding Employees Accountable. Highlights include: hard stuff in the morning; look for key characteristics; take time to think and plan and the importance of role play during the interview. You will enjoy Susan’s talk on managing people and leadership.
Steve Powell, SVP, Growth and Leadership Coach, Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, discusses Building a Positive Accountability Structure. Highlights include: accountability and choice; progression of thinking; ownership and self-awareness; mentoring, training and coaching and embracing reality. With Steve’s many years in the business, you will learn the key points about Building a Positive Accountability Structure.
Tim Frederick, Group VP, M&T Bank—Consumer Direct, talks about Establishing Meaningful Employee Objectives. Highlights include: establishing clear communication; small goals; quarterly check-ins; momentum must be quick and how to ground in reality. You will enjoy Tim’s talk on employee objectives.
Maria Fregosi, Chief Financial Officer, Home Point Financial discusses her views on Scaling Profitability. Highlights include: the importance of knowing your baseline; boom vs bust; what is the true cost per loan; becoming relevant and explain the why.
Mike Fontaine, Chief Operating Officer/CFO, Plaza Home Mortgage talks about Planning for Tomorrow
in a Volatile Marketplace. Highlights include: establish a strategic committee; look for big wins; erase
customer pain points; don’t forget about the future when busy and scorecard metrics.
Kevin Peranio, Chief Lending Officer, PRMG, Inc. discusses the Future Role of Loan Officer. Highlights include: What is path to pivot; diversify your selling strategies; cheaper, faster & better is the new mantra and mortgages are a team sport.
RJ Kistka, Chief Lending Officer, First National Bank of America discusses Selecting a Business Niche. Highlights include: change master; pay it forward; make it easier to sell; and people driven. You will enjoy listening to RJ talk about timing and assessing your business niche.
Alex Rosenblum, Chairman and CEO, Axia Home Loans talks about the timely topic of Hiring the Right People. Highlights include: #1 Decision service and people; excellence wins; plan and stay the course and play to strengths. You will want to hear Alex discuss all of these topics as well as sales culture and product mix.
Teresa Bazemore, CEO of Bazemore Consulting, Director of T. Rowe Price Mutual Funds and former President of Radian Guaranty discusses Establishing a Clear Direction. Highlights include: Spin the Dime Game; Town Halls; scenario planning; challenge of growth vs. survival and having the right people in the room. Teresa gives a very timely talk for today’s environment.
Dave Lowman, with over 40 years of national and international finance expertise, talks about Getting Experienced Originators to use New Technology. He is a member of the Board of Directors for Stearns Lending and Roostify. Dave is the former EVP of Freddie Mac’s Single Family Business. Highlights include: mirror good manager; don’t be a sales dinosaur; consumers will make the choice and you can’t manage unless you measure.
Alissa Sykes, Sr. VP, Chief Growth Officer, Sunmark CU discusses Managing Remotely. Highlights include: employee check-ins; online fun-hangout; little things matter; never stop learning and be a mentor. Listen to Alissa talk about this very timely topic for today’s environment.
Marc Hernandez, SVP, Head of Retail Lending, Alterra Home Loans talks about Preventing Employee Disengagement. Highlights include: celebrate small wins; correct bad behavior quickly; servant leadership and communicate proactively. You will want to hear Marc’s thoughts on how to create a positive environment.
Rob Robertson, Senior Executive, Sales & Operations gives an inspirational talk on Setting a Good Example. Highlights include: Servant Leadership—what it is and how it’s implemented;
90% of business is attitude; everyone is a walking commercial; and how you show up matters. Don’t forget to listen for Rob’s 10 Tips on Setting a Good Example.
Phil Shoemaker, President of Originations, Home Point Financial talks about Scaling Your Sales Group. Highlights include: Thinking Small vs. Thinking Big; Recruiting Known Performers; Keys to Compensation Design; and Emphasize Volume & MBO.
Pat interviews Mark Korell, Chairman, Hamilton Group Funding. Highlights include: Three Keys to being successful with the Boss; Handling Resisters and Change and New Leadership. You will want to hear how Mark applies Lou Holtz’s Rules for Success.
Pat interviews Joe Ventre, VP, Mortgage Sales Manager at LCNB National Bank. Highlights include: know your team; how to be personally invested; the observation role and trust and learning. Listen to how he applies “Sparky’s Rules”.
Pat interviews Brian Koss, Executive VP, Mortgage Network. Highlights include: what is the manager role model; problem autopsy; communication is key; clear mission and taking care of internal customers.
Pat interviews Ruth Lee, Founder and CEO, Big Think. Highlights include: how to be honest but not hurtful; hire slow fire fast; employee engagement and understanding the why.
Pat interviews Katherine Gardner, EVP and Chief Production Officer, Arc Home Loans. Highlights include: understanding the why; asking questions; open communications and how you can’t rush being trusted.
Pat interviews Laura Burford, First VP, Director of Mortgage, American National Bank. Highlights include setting the standards; establishing greatness standards; creative avoidance and being honest and real with employees.
Pat interviews Greg Gianoplus, Reverse Mortgage Division Manager, Alpha Mortgage. Highlights include value based leadership; vision and purpose; production vs customer driven business and competitive advantage.
Pat interviews Ty Kern, Executive Managing Director, Nat’l Production, Sun West Mortgage. Highlights include working for your employees; scaling a business; knowing your metrics and accountability and authority.
Pat interviews Bill Bent, EVP, Retail Production, Loan Simple. Highlights include people and their patterns; loan officers uniqueness; managing prima donnas; and removing a personal glass ceiling.
Pat interviews Terry Aikin, Managing Director, MGIC. Highlights include balancing personal/professional demands; spending time on developing sales professionals; and staying focused on the big picture.
Pat interviews Erik Jenner, Director Residential Mortgage Lending, Kinecta Federal CU. Highlights include managing with trust; looking at leading/lagging indicators; and measuring sales activities.
Pat interviews Shawn Stougard, Senior Vice President, Loan Simple. Highlights include communication and leadership; motivation; managing to strengths; and prejudging.
In this episode, Pat interviews Jason Sasena, Chief Lending Officer, Westerra Credit Union, on how to break down the silos between sales and operations. Highlights include effective leadership strategies to bridge the gap between departments; building relationships with remote sales teams; and creating an environment of shared success.
Pat interviews Carol Toren, President, CLT Consulting Group. Highlights include key practices to optimize meeting time; handling in-person and remote meetings; and keeping participants engaged and on track.
Pat interviews Mike Mulwani, Director of Mortgage, First International Bank & Trust. Highlights include the best sales team engagement strategy; building team consensus; and using a fact-based approach to maintain integrity and credibility.
Pat interviews Pat Casey, EVP, Fulton Mortgage Company. Highlights include the importance of developing leadership skills; the value of mentoring; and hiring for cultural fit.
Pat interviews Malcolm Hollensteiner, Head of Mortgage Production, Sandy Spring Bank on creating a positive environment. Highlights include: Key hurdles for top producers; creating a positive environment; and the best way to work with an existing team.
Pat interviews Richard Custer, Eastern Divisional Manager, Rock Mortgage on making the jump from top producer to manager. Highlights include: The Secret Sauce in managing; does micro-managing work; and making the jump to management.
Pat interviews Lisa Schreiber, SVP Non-Agency at NewRez on getting your sales team to adopt a new sales strategy or skill. Highlights include: The Secret Sauce – What makes a manager successful; key practices in managing a new staff; and tactics to help employees adopt change.