Draper and Kramer Mortgage has opened its new Downers Grove, Ill. Headquarters, as more than 125 employees, area business professionals and government officials were in attendance for the event and ribbon cutting ceremony. The new 23,000-square-foot space is larger than the firm’s previous headquarters in nearby Lombard, Ill., accommodating additional core staff to support the growing lender’s nationwide business.
“This is a small move for us in terms of distance but an important move in terms of impact,” said Paul Lueken, Chief Executive Officer of Draper and Kramer Mortgage Corp. “We needed a larger facility for our growing support staff and wanted a more open, collaborative work environment. We now have all of that in a beautiful space with state-of-the-art equipment. It’s a happier, more productive place to come into every day and a great investment in the employees who support the company and our customers across the country.”
The larger headquarters was necessitated by the mid-sized lender’s continued growth over recent years. Draper and Kramer Mortgage Corp. increased its annual loan production from approximately $1.5 billion to $2 billion from 2015 to 2016 and is on pace to add more than a dozen branches nationwide in 2017. The company is now licensed in 42 states.
Staffed by more than 100 employees, the Downers Grove headquarters features private and team offices, an open-concept kitchen and dining/gathering area, two conference rooms and a dedicated training room. The headquarters is occupied by the company’s loan processing, underwriting, closing, training, information technology, secondary shipping, accounting and human resources departments. Staff members were transitioned into the new space from the company’s previous Lombard location beginning this spring.
