Chris Salazar — The passing of a pioneer of the mortgage brokerage professionRalph LovuoloChris Salazar, industry pioneers, California Association of Mortgage Brokers
Preface by Joel Berman.
It was more than 10 years ago that I embarked on my new
career in publishing and began what is now known as The
Mortgage Press Ltd. Through a mutual friend, Ralph LoVuolo, I was
introduced to a fellow mortgage professional, Chris Salazar of
California. Chris's path through the mortgage profession was almost
identical to mine. He had been a mortgage broker; president of the
California Association of Mortgage Brokers; and at the time of our
introduction, a publisher of Mortgage Originator Magazine. Chris
had a passion for the mortgage profession that was best revealed by
his new role as publisher. The magazine provided a unique forum to
express what he had said during the years at numerous meetings
throughout California and the nation. Chris used the editorial
pages of his magazine as a communication tool, and the readers
enjoyed what he had to say every month. He was a pioneer in the new
world of mortgage brokers, and with pen in hand, he sought to "tell
it like it is." It was during the formative stages of The Mortgage
Press Ltd. that I turned to our industry pioneer, Chris
Salazar. Chris never regarded me as competition, and during the
early years of our publication, he allowed me to share some of his
editorial content and features. He welcomed my entrance into the
mortgage brokerage trade publishing industry and, in fact, was one
of my strongest supporters. He always told me that being a mortgage
broker, which I was for almost 10 years, combined with my two-term
presidency with the New York Association of Mortgage Brokers,
afforded me the same unique perspective that had helped him build
his own magazine. I can almost hear him in the halls of my office:
"No one can tell a story as well as a character from the story."
Chris was right, and I often wonder where the mortgage brokerage
industry would be, and even more so, how I would have faired
without his pioneering spirit and energy.
When I entered the publishing field, Chris always advised me
to think like a mortgage broker. In fact, when someone asks me what
I do for a living, I answer that I'm a mortgage broker who
publishes newspapers for the mortgage profession, even though I
haven't originated loans for 10 years. Chris has left his ink on
all of the pages of our profession, and while his presence will be
sorely missed, his impression on all of us is indelible. I
personally and publicly thank him for all that he's done through
his life to support this profession.
While I may not have enjoyed the close, individual
friendship he had with many (probably a result of being on opposite
coasts), I knew that our mutual friend that introduced us, Ralph
LoVuolo, had sustained such a friendship with Chris throughout the
years. So, when it came time to write a tribute for Chris, I could
think of no one more suitable for that task than Ralph. What
follows is not just a tribute, but a dedication to a man taken
before he finished building his life, leaving his family and
friends only to wonder what they lost by his early
departure.
The life of Chris Salazar, an industry pioneer
On April 30, thousands of phone calls were made worldwide
regarding one person: Chris Salazar, 57, who passed away in his
home. It is sometimes too easy to praise people most don't truly
deserve the adulation that is heaped upon them. In Chris's case,
the words here will not do justice to his importance to you, me and
every person that has been in the mortgage business during the last
25 years. His impact on our lives is so far reaching that it's
difficult to adequately describe his contributions to our society.
He was our advocate, warrior, watchdog, keeper of culture,
inspiration, voice and mover of ideas. No one else, anywhere, could
do it all, better than he did.
Chris Salazar was the founder and first president of the
California Association of Mortgage Brokers. Subsequently, he was
the founder and publisher of Mortgage Originator Magazine,
the foremost source of information concerning the origination of
mortgages. Beginning his career as a shoe salesman, he discovered
his penchant for solving problems and combined that with a learned
skill making money. But according to everyone who knew him, skill
was not first and foremost in his mind. Although he was driven by
the desire for success, money was not the first thing he discussed.
His overwhelming driving force was the manner in which the job was
executed: correctly, professionally, passionately and
completely.
Whenever I was in his presence, he would inevitably express some
opinion sometimes harsh, sometimes soft, but always true to his
standards. He expected, like Pete Rose, that you would play the
game as hard as he did, and if you didn't, he would suggest that
maybe you shouldn't be in the game. We once ran into one another at
a national mortgage broker convention. I was wearing a tie that had
been purchased from a street vendor on the sidewalk of Manhattan,
N.Y.; it cost $3. Chris effusively expressed his love for the tie.
As was my wont, I ripped the tie from my neck and tossed it to him.
"Here, wear it in good health." Afterward, he often called to tell
me that he had worn the tie to one event or another, and that he
received so many compliments for that cheap piece of cloth. Then we
had a fight, a serious one, that pitted his ego against mine. It
was a fight that I was going to lose, I just didn't know how. So I
stopped calling him, and he did the same. Then a package arrived in
the mail with a P.O. Box as a return address, but no name. Inside
was my tie, no note, nothing else. Chris wins! I called him
immediately and told him that regardless of our divergent opinions,
we needed to remain friends. He allowed me back into his grace. I
was moved; the pope had given me absolution.
Chris's family took first place in his life. After someone
passes away, it is often noted that they really loved their wife,
kids, etc. Well, you can take it to the vault; his family
overwhelmed every facet and action of his life. Family vacations
with his wife and sons were highlights best discussed over Johnnie
Walker Blue. And the descriptions of his grandchild were envied by
everyone because he told the best stories imaginable. When he
started to speak of his family, it was as if he just came up with a
new business idea that would revolutionize the mortgage
business.
In talking to a few people who were close to his personal life
and, conversely, in the mortgage industry, you can see into the
life of this very complicated man. His signature was this unique
ability to frustrate and then enthrall someone with just two
sentences. He would start with words as cutting as a razor,
followed by a comment or suggestion that could change your life for
the better. This is the most telling insight I can offer.
Chris's integrity was beyond reproach. If he told you he was
going to do something, create something, perform some activity, he
turned heaven into hell to get it done. Accomplishing tasks was his
mantra. He understood how to get things done better than anybody I
know. And his insight into your mind was flawless. He knew the loan
originator's mind better and clearer than anyone I've ever met. He
could give you 10 different ways to make money in one sentence, and
it always suited his interpretation of your abilities. And for the
most part, he was right on target. Mostly? Hell, I don't know when
I found him to be wrong, and believe me, I challenged him
constantly.
His family and friends will miss his complex creativity.
Creativity, followed by action directed to the benefit of his
narrow focus of the moment, made him a self-made man who began in
the barrios of Los Angeles and rose to the top of the ladder.
When we talked about his office staff, it was just like talking
about his family. He considered every one of them his child. While
nurturing and suggesting how to help them, he occasionally drove
some of them to leave the office in a huff. Then he would chase
them down and take them to lunch or dinner, just so he could make
his point. His point always was: Do it my way; I know how to do it!
Follow me and I can lead you to the Promised Land!
We all owe him a moment of reflection. We owe what we do, in
large part, to his fervent desire to raise the professionalism of
the loan officer. He wanted us to be the best we could be. He
wanted every one of us to not just see what we do as a job, but as
the profession it is. He wanted to help everyone achieve the
success he had enjoyed. I promise, he didn't have one jealous bone
in his body. He would promote, help, teach, cajole and bother you,
and in the end, he almost always got what he wanted. I do what I do
everyday of my life, exactly how he told me I would. He was that
powerful.
His ability to make complicated subjects understood by any
person, whether in or out of the mortgage industry, was a talent
aspired to by many, but reached by few.
Chris's foresight cultivated his magazine and elevated it to the
prestigious level at which it now resides. Long before anyone
believed that we were ready to read the articles he put in the
magazine, he knew we needed it. And thousands envied his
singularity of thought and desire. Chris changed our industry as
few have done or ever will do. His early editorials caused
tremendous hubbub because of his truthful questions and
suggestions. Much of his writing was so cutting, many of us truly
believed that he had a desire to crash, not promote, the magazine.
In actuality, he was true to his personal code. He questioned the
basic tenants on which our business was built. He asked the tough
questions, which he had already thought through to their ultimate
conclusion. Long before he sat at his computer to write, he
imagined all the phone calls, e-mails and letters he would be
taking, and despite all that, he was unafraid of naming names and
getting tough. In fact, when he put together the first CAMB
convention, he named it "Real World Mortgage Brokering." New
business ideas came out of his mouth like breaths of air. He never
failed to see the future and make it part of his life.
Therefore, we need to thank, in our hearts, Chris Salazar. He
was a great man, husband, father, grandfather, friend, boss,
thinker, leader and one of my personal heroes.
Ralph LoVuolo Sr. is a consultant and training and personal
coach for the mortgage industry. He may be reached at (609)
652-6901 or e-mail
[email protected].
