Mortgage Lenders: Local (25-100 MLOs)
Gold
Mountain West Financial
Mountain West Financial’s team members and its valued clients are the “why” behind everything it does, every decision it makes, and the moral compass that drives its vision and goals.
“We are family,” Tiffany Hade, marketing manager, says of the employees. “We expect a lot and hold each other to high standards. We invest in our family with educational opportunities, financial planning, strong benefit packages, and growth opportunities.”
The company’s culture is conducive to high standards of work, strong ethics, and teamwork. “Growth within the company is a high priority for us,” Hade says.
Mountain West’s core values are more than just words on paper, they were derived from the input of its team. When employees were asked to define who the company is and what it does, the words that were used time and time again: Community, Attitude, Reputation, Employees, and Service (CARES). MWF takes great pride that its values were not crafted from what it thinks people want to hear, but the voice of all who represent MWF and personify MWF CARES.
Hade says MWF’s reputation is built on putting its clients into loans that suit both short- and long-term goals. “We are passionate about being an employer of choice and earning the right to be a lender/partner for life,” she says.
MWF values the differences of its team members and ensures that everyone is treated equally and feels supported. “One of our core values of MWF CARES for Employees is we are engaged, we embrace diversity, and we are family,” Hade says.
Among the benefits MWF offers its employees: 401k with a company match; paid life and health insurance; paid time off; maternity leave; remote workplace; executive bonus; and designated client advocate.
The pandemic was the catalyst behind the company’s Family Fun Facebook, which helped bridge the work-life balance and kept its family members connected.
MWF takes pride in its outreach, aligning with many local/national organizations, charities, and events. Its longest standing partnership is Relay for Life, for which it has raised funds and participated in 24-hour events.
Mortgage Lenders: Regional (101-500 MLOs)
Gold
Waterstone Mortgage
People who enjoy working collaboratively and creatively to meet common goals excel at Waterstone Mortgage. It is a fast-paced organization, and employees are motivated, team-oriented, and supportive. They enjoy contributing to the mission of helping as many people as possible achieve their homeownership goals.
“Our team members are constantly looking for new ways to improve processes, introduce innovative technology solutions, and make the mortgage experience more streamlined and efficient,” says Jenna Connour, communications coordinator. “We also have a strong culture of promoting from within — which motivates and drives our team members to excel in their respective areas.”
Waterstone strikes the perfect balance between working seriously and infusing a positive attitude into its environment. It ensures employees have the tools and encouragement they need to be engaged, grow in their skills, and have fun.
“Working with kind, compassionate, and caring people makes coming to work every day worth it. I love our team meetings, seeing new faces, and working on the Employee Engagement Committee!” said Cassidy Duborg, Sr. Organizational Development Specialist.
“The culture and the technology have been a highlight of working here. The employee events make the hard work worth it; also, the ability to impact change from entry level to executive level. I feel like I am not just a random voice, but my opinion and thoughts matter. The collaborative culture is top notch,” added Magdie Rizk, Subservicing & Interim Servicing Manager.
“I love working for Waterstone Mortgage because I feel like a valuable contributor to the success of my department and company. My opinion matters, and I am encouraged by my peers and mentor to continue providing ideas which help foster innovative ways of expediting files to closing,” said Karen Bremer, Regional Closing Manager.
Its charitable contributions program invites employees to nominate organizations they want the company to financially support, and several are chosen each year. Corporate employees are given eight hours each year of paid time off to participate in volunteer activities.
Silver
Planet Home Lending, LLC
Planet Home Lending’s strength is its diverse and dynamic team of open-minded, creative individuals who are passionate about delivering top-notch service to their clients while driving industry innovation.
Planet Home Lending believes that it can achieve greatness by bringing together people with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.
“Planet is an exciting place to work. We’re a group of people who work together well and are open to innovative ideas,” says Dona DeZube, vice president, communications. “We know when our employees feel supported and empowered, they do their best work — and that’s when we all thrive.”
Originators who join Planet Home Lending can experience real growth. “People committed to making a positive impact in the lives of those around them thrive at Planet,” DeZube says. “We aim higher, work smarter, and constantly strive to improve ourselves.”
Planet believes in creating a long-term home for employees, and provides leadership training as well as courses via Planet University to help employees to learn and grow.
Planet was named a Top Workplace for Work-Life Flexibility, an award that recognizes organizations whose culture enables employees to meet the demands of their personal lives while maintaining high performance. More than half of employees work remotely, a quarter are hybrid, and just 20% work onsite.
Planet’s Diversity Advisory Council generates ideas to engage its diverse organization: 74% are minorities and women; 44% of the executive team are women; 49% of first/mid-level officials and managers are women; and 27% of first/mid-level officials and managers are minorities. Women and minority employees earned nearly three-quarters of the promotions in 2022.
Planet With a Purpose (PWaP), Planet’s environmental, social, and governance platform, has partnered with the National Forest Foundation to plant nearly a half million trees over the past five years.
Benefits include: 401k with company match; paid life, health, and disability income insurance; training; remote work options; and executive bonus.
Mortgage Lenders: Larger (501+ MLOs)
Gold
American Pacific Mortgage
Employees love working for employers who don’t forget their roots. Even though it has over 500 mortgage loan originators, American Pacific Mortgage thinks like a small business. Just look at its values for proof: Respect, Transparency, and Scrappy.
Employees resoundingly report that the company is like a family, and they appreciate the open and regular communication from leadership, along with the clarity of its strategic direction. They are 100% focused on making APM’s branch managers and originators look good.
They also create experiences that matter, and their commitment to these and their values has fostered a positive work environment where employees feel valued and a true sense of belonging. Its non-profit, APMCares, is funded 100% by employees and raises money to support employees and their families, as well as the communities APM serves with food, shelter, and clothing.
As an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), the employees are also owners. Once eligible, participation comes at no cost to the employee and allows them to start building additional long-term savings with gifted shares.
The company supports work/life balance in multiple ways, including APM’s Wellness Team, which promotes healthy choices. They offer calming and meditation apps through the health insurance program, as well as hybrid remote work schedules. By also offering paid time off for volunteer opportunities (including volunteering in a child’s classroom), they ensure that their employees have the time and access to do good work within their communities and families.
Additionally, the company has several employee initiatives focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The mission of the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging is to promote social and economic equity by nurturing a diverse workforce and providing underrepresented communities with access to homeownership. APM’s goal is to reflect the communities it serves and to exceed its peers in providing homeownership to underrepresented groups. By doing this, APM strives to stand out as a social and economic leader while supporting our employees’ and consumers’ success.
Silver
New American Funding
Rick and Patty Arvielo, who each hold the title of co-founder and CEO, built New American Funding on the principles of helping families and individuals improve their quality of living through homeownership while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and customer service.
As the largest woman-owned and Hispanic-owned mortgage company in the country, NAF’s success has made a significant difference in the lives of its customers, employees, and business partners. Not only has the company hired with diversity top of mind, but it has also elevated the lives of women, minorities, and millennials through career opportunities and personal advancement, says Lauren Barnes, executive assistant.
The one thing that sets this company most apart from its peers is its culture. It is wholly unique in the industry to have a company that so many of its employees enjoying working at. More than 92% of NAF employees said that the company is a great place to work, compared to 57% of employees at typical U.S. companies.
This is the direct result of how the company operates: building an environment of respectful communication and cooperation among all employees; an open-door policy with executive management; teamwork; work/life balance; and employer and employee contributions to the communities they serve to promote a greater understanding and respect for the diversity.
NAF offers numerous programs for advancement. “If You Want to Grow, We Want to Know” allows employees to share their goals and aspirations. Patty Arvielo leads “Thrive and Lead,” which provides staff and outside mortgage professionals lifelong lessons through three months of intensive mentoring.
NAF360, the culture initiative that supports the goal of having happy employees who enjoy working, was designed to ensure workers feel balanced and valued. Employees have taken this philosophy to heart, creating a strong sense of community.
Among the benefits NAF provides are: 401k with company match; company partially paid life and health insurance; paid time off; maternity and paternity leave; training; remote workplace; and executive bonus.
Bronze
Supreme Lending
Supreme Lending takes its responsibility to foster a supportive and collaborative environment seriously. So much so that its corporate workforce is often referred to as the “Supreme Family.”
“Supreme Lending’s culture revolves around engaging with our most valuable asset — our people,” says Denise Castillo, director of brand and customer experience. “We prioritize being welcoming, transparent, approachable, efficient, and trustworthy to build strong connections between our team members, customers, and referral partners.”
Employees who are passionate team players, supporting not only their immediate team but the entire “Supreme Family” are recognized and rewarded. Supreme Lending’s investment in training, including its on-demand digital training portal, professional development, and routine field training seminars, covers a range of topics from mortgage basics, standard operating procedures, and best practices aligning with company values.
“We believe in the endless potential of our team-players and are committed to developing their skills and helping them achieve their goals,” Castillo says.
Supreme Lending fosters a familial atmosphere, prioritizing community, and values. Its employees relish coming to work, knowing that their efforts contribute to a positive workplace. This is more than a typical 9–5 job — it’s a fulfilling experience where their hard work is recognized and genuinely appreciated.
Supreme invests in its employees through fun, collaborative work environments, employee rewards, and flexible schedules. High-performing sales and operations associates are rewarded annually with an all-inclusive trip to 5-star resorts as part of the elite President’s Club. Company events and outings, including monthly catered lunches, happy hours, and seasonal/regional celebrations, promote culture enrichment and team building.
What’s most important at Supreme are the contributions employees will make to building the company. Hiring people of all backgrounds brings an invaluable range of talent, experience, and knowledge to guide Supreme through periods of growth and challenges.
Service Providers
Gold
wemlo
Company culture differentiates wemlo from other processing companies. A young brand, wemlo values the diverse perspectives and experiences of team members, and each plays a critical role in the growth and development of the company brand. It takes just a little grit and passion to excel.
The unique culture at wemlo focuses on collaboration, welcoming challenges, and ongoing development, and employees are celebrated daily. Team members nominate colleagues by using recognition cards to signify that they are living wemlo’s core values, and winners are announced monthly during a company-wide meeting with the executive leadership team.
“We host ongoing focus groups with our processors because we understand the value of organic workplace evolution and authentic collaboration,” says Brittany Johnson, senior manager, PR and communications. “It fosters a culture where each team member feels like they are part of something bigger as they help to redefine and improve our processes.”
Employees are encouraged to be active community members and are granted paid time off to do so. wemlo recently partnered with the Junior Achievement BizTown Program to mentor elementary students on making lifelong personal-finance decisions.
wemlo’s competitive benefits package and job perks allows it to hire and retain quality talent, extend employee longevity, and effectively grow the team. Employees earn annual bonuses or monthly commissions, plus they have access to an employer-paid financial wellness program and identity theft protection, 50% 401k match with no cap, discounted ClassPass, and employer-paid health advocate for medical benefits assistance. wemlo also offers unlimited paid time off for vacation, personal, or sick leave.
The company prioritizes hiring strong, talented, and driven people with unique backgrounds and talents and provides ongoing diversity and inclusion education courses. It looks for individuals with passions for growth and the ability to meet customers’ evolving needs.
