WCS Lending announced that the company has achieved the prestigious designation as 46th among the top 100 mortgage companies in America for 2012 by Mortgage Executive magazine, and six of its loan officers have been formally recognized for their top performance in 2012 by several industry publications. Each year, Mortgage Executive magazine selects the country’s top 100 mortgage companies based on annual loan volume. This is the second consecutive year that WCS Lending has been named to the list, marking an important milestone in its 11 years of progressive and stable growth. In 2012, WCS Lending closed 6,100 loans with a total dollar volume of $1.95 billion, reaching number 46 on the list. The company, which is on an aggressive program of expansion and growth for 2013 and 2014, provides the full range of conventional and government mortgage products, including agency, FHA, VA and jumbo loans. Additionally, WCS Lending is one of the few lenders with a specialized division for the underwriting and origination of USDA loans.
“Our operations were designed to not only promote growth, but also to handle significant increases in volume,” said Avi Mizrahi, head of retail for WCS Lending. “We are pleased to be recognized as the 46th largest mortgage producer in the country, especially because WCS Lending is smaller than many of its top 100 peers. We’re looking forward to dramatic increases in production volume as we add loan originators and branches, and expand our reach this year and throughout 2014.”
Of the six loan originators who were recognized for outstanding performance in 2012, two were named to multiple top producers lists:
► Michael Raimi, vice president in the Michigan branch office, was named on the Scotsman Guide’s 300-person list of Top Originators based on dollar volume, as well as to the publication’s 150-person list of Top Originators based on most loans closed. Raimi closed 413 mortgage loans in 2012 for a total of more than $174 million.
► Stuart Shanefield, vice president in the Boca Raton branch office, was recognized on Mortgage Executive magazine’s list of the Top 1 percent of Mortgage Originators in America, as well as on the Origination News list of the Top 200 Loan Producers based on volume. Shanefield closed 187 loans for a total of $65 million in loans during 2012.
Two loan originators were recognized for exceptional overall mortgage origination volume:
► Jason Prussian, vice president in the New York City branch office, was named to Scotsman Guide’s list of Top Originators based on volume. Prussian’s total volume in 2012 was nearly $76 million.
► Michael Alexander, vice president in the Boca Raton office, was recognized among Origination News’ Top 200 Mortgage Producers based on dollar volume. Alexander’s volume in 2012 was $61 million.
Two loan originators were recognized for high closing volumes for FHA loans:
► Craig Stelzer, vice president in the Boca Raton branch office, was named among Scotsman Guide’s Top Originators based on FHA volume. Stelzer closed nearly $26 million in FHA loans, which comprised 92 percent of his business in 2012.
► Joseph Pimentel, senior loan originator with the Boca Raton branch office, was named among Scotsman Guide’s 75-person list of the Top Originators based on FHA volume. In 2012, Pimentel closed nearly $28 million in FHA loans, which comprised 78 percent of his total origination volume.
“Today’s stringent guidelines and regulations are making it even more challenging to produce loans,” said Mizrahi. “As the industry moves from a refinance to a purchase market, we have no doubt that these six top producers will maintain their leadership positions. They exemplify WCS‘ core values and demonstrate integrity, professionalism, knowledge, and customer service in every single transaction. That’s the key to success in any market.”
