WCS Lending LLC has announced two appointments to its board of managers, along with internal promotions designed to further support the company’s long-standing commitment to service and position as one of the nation’s premier direct mortgage lenders. The staffing developments follow recent news of the company’s fourth consecutive year on the Inc. 500 list of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the nation and the appointment of Lisa Taylor as its president and chief operating officer.
“WCS Lending remains committed to its strategy of expanding its platform and market reach and further positioning itself amongst the leading direct lenders in the United States,” said Taylor. “We are fortunate to have the opportunity to augment our executive team and management with the expertise necessary to help WCS substantially increase market penetration through our retail branch system and wholesale lending operations. These new appointments encompass decades of experience growing loan production and streamlining operations within a highly cost and quality conscious environment and will improve our offerings to our customers and business partners.”
Tim Walsh and Sharon Bitz will join the board of managers at WCS Lending. Walsh brings to WCS more than 25 years of experience in mortgage banking as a senior-level strategic and management executive with a strong background in sales management, contract negotiations and staff development.
As co-head of Retail, Walsh will focus on building WCS’ retail branch network in the western region. As former CEO of United Tech Lender Services (UTLS), which was acquired out of bankruptcy, Walsh and his team re-engineered UTLS into a highly productive and profitable entity. Prior positions also include EVP/managing director at First NLC Financial Inc., where Walsh partnered with executive management to implement new products, policies and procedures; and president and CEO of Global Bancorp, where he directed all management and administrative functions before successfully selling the company to First NLC Financial Inc.
Bitz joins WCS Lending as a non-executive advisor. With over 30 years as an accomplished mortgage banker and senior level executive, Bitz brings to WCS comprehensive sales, fulfillment and operations expertise. Her consistent record of leading continuous operational improvement includes building, refining and driving high performance in sales/production, origination teams and end-to-end lines of business.
Bitz was co-founder and chairman of the board at Direct Valuation Solutions Inc., a software platform that brings appraisers and lenders together in a compliant fashion. Prior positions also include EVP for MortgageIT, where she was responsible for wholesale lending 25 branches in 23 states, as well as P&L, sales and operations; regional vice president at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage; and president of Automated Credit Systems, where Bitz designed, grew and maintained her own credit reporting agency.
In an internal promotion, WCS team member Brent Chapman was named director of lending operations, where he will oversee all post-funding activity. Chapman previously served as purchasing manager at WCS Lending, overseeing the timely process of investor-purchased whole loans.
Kim Elsass has also been promoted from funding manager at WCS to director of production operation, where she will head the retail and wholesale sales support functions including loan processing, underwriting and closing.
