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National Mortgage Professional Magazine’s 40 Under 40: The 40 Most Influential Mortgage Professionals Under 40
In our 10th annual “40 Under 40” feature, you will find a list of the top mortgage professionals under the age of 40, as voted on by their peers, who exemplify professionalism and top production in today’s housing market. In assembling this list, we at National Mortgage Professional Magazine took some heat when we began this endeavor a decade ago. Many felt a list of this nature ignored many, while some even cited age discrimination, but we firmly stood by our decision to assemble this group. Like their industry pioneers before them, these individuals are the ones who carried the torch of professionalism in the year 2019 and beyond. We’d like to congratulate all of the following individuals named to our “40 Under 40” list for 2019—in no particular order but alphabetical—and thank all of the nominees for their participation in our “40 Under 40: The 40 Most Influential Mortgage Professionals Under 40” feature.
Megan Anderson
VP of Social Media
MBS Highway
West Palm Beach, Fla.
MBSHighway.com
Megan Anderson is a leading source in the social media space. Before starting in the mortgage world, she trained men and women to prep for bodybuilding competitions. It was while growing her online business that she began to see the power in promoting ourselves and business through social media. It was during this time that she began to notice those who shouldn’t harbor any insecurities usually have the most and how those insecurities keep us from unlocking our true potential. Since starting with MBS Highway three years ago, it became apparent that loan officers and real estate agents have targets on their backs. It is important, now more than ever, to stay on the forefront of people’s minds. Megan combines her talents in helping people not only find their story, but become brave enough to share it with the world of social media. Megan is a sought-out speaker and coach in the social media realm, and her passion is helping others feel confident in themselves, their bodies and their business. She was also a winner of the 2019 Women With Vision Award.
Eric Braun
The Modern Millennial Originator
Contour Mortgage
South Hempstead, N.Y.
ContourMortgage.com
Eric Braun is truly “Not your average lender.” In his short time in the industry, he has built an extremely successful business by becoming an expert on personal branding, especially on Instagram. He has inspired thousands of originators to do the same. Being 24-years-old in a “older” industry comes with its own hurdles, but he uses his modern Millennial edge to not only overcome those hurdles, but use his age as a strength. He not only produces at a high level personally, but has built a team of other originators in his marketplace. When people look for a loan officer to model their social media presence off of, Eric is always brought up in discussion. His brand “Not Your Average Lender” has taken off on Instagram and he can contribute $50,000,000 in volume to his social media marketing. He has built his brand on “adding value” and building real partnerships with his referral partners and it shows.
Kerianne Brown
Vice President of Client Services
Valutrust Solutions
Overland Park, Kan.
Valutrust.com
Kerianne Brown jumped into the valuations industry in 2011. She’s been a key staffer at Valutrust Solutions from the start, when the company was much smaller, too. Kerianne put in the long hours, working her way up from customer service representative to account manager to director of client services to vice president of client services in just five years. But don’t let her title fool you, she still takes service calls from clients every day. Valutrust President Sean Pyle credits Kerianne’s time at the company as being key to embracing technology and establishing the company’s vision and role in the valuations space.
Andrew Cady
Epic Mortgage Guy
Fairway Independent Mortgage
Jacksonville, Fla.
EpicMortgageGuy.com
In just four short years in the mortgage business, Andrew Cady has built himself into a household name not only in his local market, but nationally within the mortgage originator community. Closing out nearly 200 units in 2019 for an impressive 60 percent growth year-over-year. Andrew's enthusiasm for the business is infectious, and is passed on to his clients and referral partners.
Ryan Carry
Vice President, National Sales
IMPAC Mortgage Corporation
Irvine, Calif.
IMPACWholesale.com
Ryan Carry is vice president of national sales for IMPAC Mortgage Corporation, a national, top 10 originator of non-QM assets. Ryan is responsible for the growth and performance of the company’s Wholesale Division, managing a team of more than 40 account executives, the client success team and the TPO marketing team that serving more than 1,000 originator clients nationwide. Ryan joined IMPAC in 2015, the same year that the QM rule took effect, creating the non-QM market. Since 2015, IMPAC has originated more than $3.75 billion in non-QM, the bulk of it through Ryan’s division, which he has led since 2017. During his tenure at IMPAC, Ryan has been instrumental to the development and rollout of several new solutions and programs, including: Non-QM product innovation, premier series of non-QM loan programs, comprehensive training programs, technology innovation, and pricing optimization.
Anthony Casa
Chairman
Association of Independent Mortgage Experts
Philadelphia
AIMEGroup.com
Anthony Casa is founder and chairman of the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME). Anthony also founded Garden State Home Loans Inc., a mortgage broker based out of New Jersey, which has developed into one of the top mortgage brokerages in the country based on annual closed loan volume. Prior to founding Garden State Home Loans in 2011, Anthony served in various sales and sales leadership roles in the mortgage industry dating back to 2003. Anthony’s vision for AIME is that it is an organization that champions independent mortgage professionals in a biased and proactive manner. With that in mind, the association is operating with a growth-focused strategy, providing tools and resources to propel the wholesale channel beyond a 20 percent share of the mortgage market by 2020.
Clayton Collins
Chief Executive Officer
HousingWire
Dallas
HousingWire.com
As president and chief executive officer, Clayton Collins leads HousingWire’s corporate strategy, product and editorial roadmap, while building a world-class team of business media professionals. He is also the founder and managing partner of Riomar Capital, an entrepreneurial investment firm that acquired HousingWire in 2016. Prior to founding Riomar Capital, Collins worked at RBC Capital Markets in the mergers and acquisitions group and served as vice president of national sales and marketing at Citibank. His drive to increase HousingWire’s impact earned him a spot on the 2018 Folio: 100, a prestigious list of thought leaders in the magazine and media industry. Collins holds a degree in business administration for Elon University and completed his MBA at The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.
Mark Cunningham
President & Chief Operating Officer/Co-Founder
Sales Boomerang
Megan Anderson
VP of Social Media
MBS Highway
West Palm Beach, Fla.
MBSHighway.com
Megan Anderson is a leading source in the social media space. Before starting in the mortgage world, she trained men and women to prep for bodybuilding competitions. It was while growing her online business that she began to see the power in promoting ourselves and business through social media. It was during this time that she began to notice those who shouldn’t harbor any insecurities usually have the most and how those insecurities keep us from unlocking our true potential. Since starting with MBS Highway three years ago, it became apparent that loan officers and real estate agents have targets on their backs. It is important, now more than ever, to stay on the forefront of people’s minds. Megan combines her talents in helping people not only find their story, but become brave enough to share it with the world of social media. Megan is a sought-out speaker and coach in the social media realm, and her passion is helping others feel confident in themselves, their bodies and their business. She was also a winner of the 2019 Women With Vision Award.
Eric Braun
The Modern Millennial Originator
Contour Mortgage
South Hempstead, N.Y.
ContourMortgage.com
Eric Braun is truly “Not your average lender.” In his short time in the industry, he has built an extremely successful business by becoming an expert on personal branding, especially on Instagram. He has inspired thousands of originators to do the same. Being 24-years-old in a “older” industry comes with its own hurdles, but he uses his modern Millennial edge to not only overcome those hurdles, but use his age as a strength. He not only produces at a high level personally, but has built a team of other originators in his marketplace. When people look for a loan officer to model their social media presence off of, Eric is always brought up in discussion. His brand “Not Your Average Lender” has taken off on Instagram and he can contribute $50,000,000 in volume to his social media marketing. He has built his brand on “adding value” and building real partnerships with his referral partners and it shows.
Kerianne Brown
Vice President of Client Services
Valutrust Solutions
Overland Park, Kan.
Valutrust.com
Kerianne Brown jumped into the valuations industry in 2011. She’s been a key staffer at Valutrust Solutions from the start, when the company was much smaller, too. Kerianne put in the long hours, working her way up from customer service representative to account manager to director of client services to vice president of client services in just five years. But don’t let her title fool you, she still takes service calls from clients every day. Valutrust President Sean Pyle credits Kerianne’s time at the company as being key to embracing technology and establishing the company’s vision and role in the valuations space.
Andrew Cady
Epic Mortgage Guy
Fairway Independent Mortgage
Jacksonville, Fla.
EpicMortgageGuy.com
In just four short years in the mortgage business, Andrew Cady has built himself into a household name not only in his local market, but nationally within the mortgage originator community. Closing out nearly 200 units in 2019 for an impressive 60 percent growth year-over-year. Andrew's enthusiasm for the business is infectious, and is passed on to his clients and referral partners.
Ryan Carry
Vice President, National Sales
IMPAC Mortgage Corporation
Irvine, Calif.
IMPACWholesale.com
Ryan Carry is vice president of national sales for IMPAC Mortgage Corporation, a national, top 10 originator of non-QM assets. Ryan is responsible for the growth and performance of the company’s Wholesale Division, managing a team of more than 40 account executives, the client success team and the TPO marketing team that serving more than 1,000 originator clients nationwide. Ryan joined IMPAC in 2015, the same year that the QM rule took effect, creating the non-QM market. Since 2015, IMPAC has originated more than $3.75 billion in non-QM, the bulk of it through Ryan’s division, which he has led since 2017. During his tenure at IMPAC, Ryan has been instrumental to the development and rollout of several new solutions and programs, including: Non-QM product innovation, premier series of non-QM loan programs, comprehensive training programs, technology innovation, and pricing optimization.
Anthony Casa
Chairman
Association of Independent Mortgage Experts
Philadelphia
AIMEGroup.com
Anthony Casa is founder and chairman of the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME). Anthony also founded Garden State Home Loans Inc., a mortgage broker based out of New Jersey, which has developed into one of the top mortgage brokerages in the country based on annual closed loan volume. Prior to founding Garden State Home Loans in 2011, Anthony served in various sales and sales leadership roles in the mortgage industry dating back to 2003. Anthony’s vision for AIME is that it is an organization that champions independent mortgage professionals in a biased and proactive manner. With that in mind, the association is operating with a growth-focused strategy, providing tools and resources to propel the wholesale channel beyond a 20 percent share of the mortgage market by 2020.
Clayton Collins
Chief Executive Officer
HousingWire
Dallas
HousingWire.com
As president and chief executive officer, Clayton Collins leads HousingWire’s corporate strategy, product and editorial roadmap, while building a world-class team of business media professionals. He is also the founder and managing partner of Riomar Capital, an entrepreneurial investment firm that acquired HousingWire in 2016. Prior to founding Riomar Capital, Collins worked at RBC Capital Markets in the mergers and acquisitions group and served as vice president of national sales and marketing at Citibank. His drive to increase HousingWire’s impact earned him a spot on the 2018 Folio: 100, a prestigious list of thought leaders in the magazine and media industry. Collins holds a degree in business administration for Elon University and completed his MBA at The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.
Mark Cunningham
President & Chief Operating Officer/Co-Founder
Sales Boomerang
Baltimore
SalesBoomerang.com
While earning a dual degree in computer science and business management, Mark Cunningham interned with the fifth largest lender in the country, helping elevate originations by 20 percent. Mark has since owned and managed large national title companies, closing more than 100,000 residential loans for more than 1,000 clients. In 2017, he had a realization … in order to compete in the future, lenders would need to apply metrics to big data and implement automation to increase originations—so Mark joined forces with Alex Kutsishin. Together, they built the industry’s first comprehensive Customer Retention Platform—Sales Boomerang. Intuitively, Mark has leveraged his experience building successful companies and designing business systems to build and fund Sales Boomerang without investor capital. The results speak for themselves … in 2019 alone, Sales Boomerang discovered more than $13.4 billion in missed loan volume for their lender clients and recaptured $6 billion-plus in new loan originations. Despite his busy role as president, Mark is currently pursuing his MBA at Johns Hopkins and continues to serve as an expert resource to lenders, helping them increase their ROI through marketing automation technology.
Jay Doran
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Culture Matters
SalesBoomerang.com
While earning a dual degree in computer science and business management, Mark Cunningham interned with the fifth largest lender in the country, helping elevate originations by 20 percent. Mark has since owned and managed large national title companies, closing more than 100,000 residential loans for more than 1,000 clients. In 2017, he had a realization … in order to compete in the future, lenders would need to apply metrics to big data and implement automation to increase originations—so Mark joined forces with Alex Kutsishin. Together, they built the industry’s first comprehensive Customer Retention Platform—Sales Boomerang. Intuitively, Mark has leveraged his experience building successful companies and designing business systems to build and fund Sales Boomerang without investor capital. The results speak for themselves … in 2019 alone, Sales Boomerang discovered more than $13.4 billion in missed loan volume for their lender clients and recaptured $6 billion-plus in new loan originations. Despite his busy role as president, Mark is currently pursuing his MBA at Johns Hopkins and continues to serve as an expert resource to lenders, helping them increase their ROI through marketing automation technology.
Jay Doran
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Culture Matters
Philadelphia
CultureMattersCourses.com
After studying more than 14 disciplines and building his own theory, Jay Doran knew the principles of an impeccable culture that could be transferred to every single company that exists. Jay coaches business leaders and high producing salesmen on how to develop cultural alignment within their organizations. He does this by helping them find their inner core values, and creating training programs around these values so the initial culture can live forever.
Jason Doshi
President
SD Capital Funding
CultureMattersCourses.com
After studying more than 14 disciplines and building his own theory, Jay Doran knew the principles of an impeccable culture that could be transferred to every single company that exists. Jay coaches business leaders and high producing salesmen on how to develop cultural alignment within their organizations. He does this by helping them find their inner core values, and creating training programs around these values so the initial culture can live forever.
Jason Doshi
President
SD Capital Funding
Iselin, N.J.
SDCapitalFunding.com
Jason Doshi has been living and breathing mortgages for over a decade. Prior to his role at SD Capital Funding, he was an analyst at Deutsche Bank’s MBS Division. As president of one of the nation’s fastest-growing mortgage companies, Jason keeps his finger on the pulse of the market and has been able to identify the inefficiencies that surround the homebuying and loan origination process. His experience and insight led him to co-found LemonBrew Technologies, along with a team of engineers and real estate industry vets. LemonBrew’s proprietary matching technology matches vetted and qualified homebuyers with top, local real estate agents. With thousands of agents already signed up on the platform, LemonBrew is proud to have a 98 percent success rate when a buyer and agent match on the platform.
Michelle Dugan
Broker/Owner
MS Lending LLC
SDCapitalFunding.com
Jason Doshi has been living and breathing mortgages for over a decade. Prior to his role at SD Capital Funding, he was an analyst at Deutsche Bank’s MBS Division. As president of one of the nation’s fastest-growing mortgage companies, Jason keeps his finger on the pulse of the market and has been able to identify the inefficiencies that surround the homebuying and loan origination process. His experience and insight led him to co-found LemonBrew Technologies, along with a team of engineers and real estate industry vets. LemonBrew’s proprietary matching technology matches vetted and qualified homebuyers with top, local real estate agents. With thousands of agents already signed up on the platform, LemonBrew is proud to have a 98 percent success rate when a buyer and agent match on the platform.
Michelle Dugan
Broker/Owner
MS Lending LLC
Ridgeland, Miss.
MSLending.net
After 13 years in the mortgage industry, Michelle Dugan opened her own mortgage brokerage in March 2019, MS Lending LLC. She has received multiple industry awards, including the 2019 Women With Vision Award, was a finalist for the 2019 Mississippi Business Woman of the Year, and in 2018, was named a Top 50 Leading Business Woman in Mississippi. Whether helping fulfill the dream of homeownership, or offering support to fellow loan officers via multiple online platforms including her own elite mastermind, Michelle's passion is evident in all that she does. Her love for all aspects of the mortgage industry is what truly sets her apart as an influential mortgage professional.
Charadie Finkle
Branch Manager
Academy Mortgage Corporation
Colorado Springs, Colo.
AcademyMortgage.com
Over the past 14 years, Academy Mortgage Branch Manager Charadie Finkle has gained deep and varied experience in the mortgage industry. Charadie started her mortgage career on the operations side, which helped her master the technical aspects of lending. Combined with her previous banking experience, Charadie is able to show her clients the big picture of how a mortgage is a key component of their overall financial plan. She takes pride in quickly and accurately placing her clients into the mortgage product best-suited to their individual needs and focuses on building long-term relationships with her clients and referral partners. Charadie joined Academy in 2010 as a loan officer. She is known for going above and beyond in training, supporting, and coaching her team members. Charadie was named Academy’s “Rookie of the Year” in 2013, and is a member of the company’s distinguished President’s Club, which consists of the highest-performing loan officers and managers. She has also qualified multiple times for Academy’s “Top Producers Club.”
Erika M. Franks
President & Chief Operating Officer
ACT Appraisal Inc.
MSLending.net
After 13 years in the mortgage industry, Michelle Dugan opened her own mortgage brokerage in March 2019, MS Lending LLC. She has received multiple industry awards, including the 2019 Women With Vision Award, was a finalist for the 2019 Mississippi Business Woman of the Year, and in 2018, was named a Top 50 Leading Business Woman in Mississippi. Whether helping fulfill the dream of homeownership, or offering support to fellow loan officers via multiple online platforms including her own elite mastermind, Michelle's passion is evident in all that she does. Her love for all aspects of the mortgage industry is what truly sets her apart as an influential mortgage professional.
Charadie Finkle
Branch Manager
Academy Mortgage Corporation
Colorado Springs, Colo.
AcademyMortgage.com
Over the past 14 years, Academy Mortgage Branch Manager Charadie Finkle has gained deep and varied experience in the mortgage industry. Charadie started her mortgage career on the operations side, which helped her master the technical aspects of lending. Combined with her previous banking experience, Charadie is able to show her clients the big picture of how a mortgage is a key component of their overall financial plan. She takes pride in quickly and accurately placing her clients into the mortgage product best-suited to their individual needs and focuses on building long-term relationships with her clients and referral partners. Charadie joined Academy in 2010 as a loan officer. She is known for going above and beyond in training, supporting, and coaching her team members. Charadie was named Academy’s “Rookie of the Year” in 2013, and is a member of the company’s distinguished President’s Club, which consists of the highest-performing loan officers and managers. She has also qualified multiple times for Academy’s “Top Producers Club.”
Erika M. Franks
President & Chief Operating Officer
ACT Appraisal Inc.
East Dundee, Ill.
ACTAppraisal.com
Erika M. Franks is an original ACT Appraisal Inc. employee, having started in 1998 when she was just 17-years-old. Erika is an expert at all mortgage appraisal portals, processes, available software, delivery methods and post-delivery issues. Erika's expertise is in the various appraisal processes and how they relate to her mortgage clients. Erika is a master at elite service to her mortgage clients and is available 24/7/365.
Ushma Gandhi
Portfolio Analyst
Angel Oak Capital Advisors
ACTAppraisal.com
Erika M. Franks is an original ACT Appraisal Inc. employee, having started in 1998 when she was just 17-years-old. Erika is an expert at all mortgage appraisal portals, processes, available software, delivery methods and post-delivery issues. Erika's expertise is in the various appraisal processes and how they relate to her mortgage clients. Erika is a master at elite service to her mortgage clients and is available 24/7/365.
Ushma Gandhi
Portfolio Analyst
Angel Oak Capital Advisors
Atlanta
AngelOakCapital.com
Ushma Gandhi is an analyst at Angel Oak Capital Advisors supporting the mortgage credit team in aggregating collateral, financing and contributing to all parts of the firm’s non-QM securitizations. She joined the firm in 2016, and has helped Angel Oak become one of the most efficient platforms in the non-QM securitization marketplace. During her tenure, she has played an integral role in 13 of the firm’s non-QM securitizations totaling $4.9 billion.
AngelOakCapital.com
Ushma Gandhi is an analyst at Angel Oak Capital Advisors supporting the mortgage credit team in aggregating collateral, financing and contributing to all parts of the firm’s non-QM securitizations. She joined the firm in 2016, and has helped Angel Oak become one of the most efficient platforms in the non-QM securitization marketplace. During her tenure, she has played an integral role in 13 of the firm’s non-QM securitizations totaling $4.9 billion.
Chasity Graff
Mortgage Broker, Owner
LA Lending LLC
Baton Rouge, La.
LALending.net
Chasity Graff, mortgage broker and owner of LA Lending LLC, recently celebrated her 12th anniversary as an independent mortgage broker and business owner. While Chasity was already an industry influencer, earning her this award in 2018, this year presented greater opportunities for growth and leadership within the mortgage community. With the support of the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME), Chasity found her voice on the national stage where she had the privilege of speaking in front of thousands of loan officers from across the country (#AIMEAC19/#AIME FUSE 2019). She has a passion for helping others, whether it be potential homebuyers or fellow loan officers, which has been a defining aspect of her career thus far.
Ryan Grant
Senior Vice President
The Ryan Grant Team of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation
Irvine, Calif.
RyanGrantTeam.com
Ryan Grant is disrupting the real estate and mortgage industries with a focused shift to demand a higher quality professional for the homeowner. Known for more than just his origination production, Ryan's major accomplishment and contribution to our field is that he founded and launched the industry-changing platform known as the “Art of Homeownership.” The Art of Homeownership is fundamentally changing the way that consumers see real estate and mortgage professionals. It helps real estate agents and lenders to become more valuable to their clients and creates more successful homeowners. The Art of Homeownership is poised to completely disrupt the status quo of commoditized lenders and will push the industry to become more valuable to each homeowner we serve! This platform now has hundreds of lenders and real estate agents partnering to become highly differentiated from there competition. Ryan has also been featured on podcasts by Bill Hart, Mortgage Coach, Tim Braheem and other local publications.
Marie Griffith
Vice President, Credit Risk
Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions
Atlanta
AngelOakMS.com
Entering the financial arena at age 19, Marie Griffith began in the loan setup department for a local mortgage company. She was able to work her way up to processing, then to underwriting, working for some of the largest and well-known financial institutions in the country. After a 15-year career in Michigan, she relocated to Georgia and began her tenure with Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions. As one of its first employees, Marie watched the company grow into one of the leading non-QM lenders in the space. Over the past five years, she has been responsible for overseeing the Credit Department in the Atlanta corporate office, as well as helping to establish a sister team in the Dallas office. In addition to heading up the credit channel, Marie plays an integral role in ensuring quality loan securitizations, as well as helping to build out quality and risk management program training companywide. When she is not glued to the computer, she spends time playing with her terrier, perfecting Spanish and working on a manuscript.
Jon Groves
Vice President of Sales
United Wholesale Mortgage
Pontiac, Mich.
UWM.com
Jon Groves is a vice president of sales at United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), playing an instrumental role in the company’s exponential growth in production. UWM is on pace to more than double its 2018 production with more than $100 billion in loan volume in 2019. Groves leads 250-plus account executives and has a knowledge level unmatched by few in the wholesale mortgage industry. He has a keen ability to make the complex seem simple. Jon joined UWM in 2007 and worked his way up from an account executive to vice president of sales. In his time as an account executive, Jon built and developed some of the biggest lending relationships UWM has. He is a self-taught mortgage expert. When he first started with UWM, he took the FHA Handbook home every night until he had it memorized. As a sales leader, Jon loves sharing that knowledge with other account executives. He holds multiple one-on-one coaching sessions every day, reviewing accounts and teaching successful sales tactics. Jon also analyzes accounts, finding out how to increase business through research and analysis.
Alec Hanson
Senior Vice President of Production
loanDepot
Costa Mesa, Calif.
ShowUpEvolve.com
Alec Hanson is a contemporary leader within the mortgage industry. Constantly striving to improve, he began his career in origination in 2004, funding more than $85 million and was named “Rookie of the Year” by Scotsman’s Guide. Every subsequent year, Alec landed on Scotsman’s Top 200 Originator List, finishing his best year at $185 million. From there, he began coaching and growing a successful branch network in Orange County with his peak year in 2010 funding in excess of $1 billion at the branch level. Alec has received HouseWire’s Rising Star Award both in 2017 and 2019, and currently serves as senior vice president of production for loanDepot for the Pacific Southwest Division, overseeing approximately $4 billion in annual production. A dynamic coach and thought leader, Alec believes in leading and coaching within the trenches of the business, loves leading originators across the country, and is the author of loanDepot’s Modern Lending Playbook, a strategic and tactical tool designed to equip, train and evolve the traditional mortgage professional’s skill set into the modern era.
Danny Marogy
AVP, West Coast Development
United Wholesale Mortgage
Pontiac, Mich.
UWM.com
Danny Marogy has been a leader in the wholesale mortgage industry for over a decade. Closing more than 17,000 loans in his career, he is the top producer of all-time at United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM). Not only has he helped individual loan officers, brokers and processors grow, but he has developed starter companies and helped them become some of the top producing accounts in the country. He also helped grow his teammates as a leader in his company, he has been a team leader for more than nine years at UWM, and helped create other top producers in his field. His current focus is taking brokers to the next level. He was recently promoted to AVP of West Coast development at UWM in an effort to bring his skills across the country to grow the broker channel to its full potential.
Andres Munar
Co-Founder
Keystone Alliance Mortgage
AngelOakMS.com
Entering the financial arena at age 19, Marie Griffith began in the loan setup department for a local mortgage company. She was able to work her way up to processing, then to underwriting, working for some of the largest and well-known financial institutions in the country. After a 15-year career in Michigan, she relocated to Georgia and began her tenure with Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions. As one of its first employees, Marie watched the company grow into one of the leading non-QM lenders in the space. Over the past five years, she has been responsible for overseeing the Credit Department in the Atlanta corporate office, as well as helping to establish a sister team in the Dallas office. In addition to heading up the credit channel, Marie plays an integral role in ensuring quality loan securitizations, as well as helping to build out quality and risk management program training companywide. When she is not glued to the computer, she spends time playing with her terrier, perfecting Spanish and working on a manuscript.
Jon Groves
Vice President of Sales
United Wholesale Mortgage
Pontiac, Mich.
UWM.com
Jon Groves is a vice president of sales at United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), playing an instrumental role in the company’s exponential growth in production. UWM is on pace to more than double its 2018 production with more than $100 billion in loan volume in 2019. Groves leads 250-plus account executives and has a knowledge level unmatched by few in the wholesale mortgage industry. He has a keen ability to make the complex seem simple. Jon joined UWM in 2007 and worked his way up from an account executive to vice president of sales. In his time as an account executive, Jon built and developed some of the biggest lending relationships UWM has. He is a self-taught mortgage expert. When he first started with UWM, he took the FHA Handbook home every night until he had it memorized. As a sales leader, Jon loves sharing that knowledge with other account executives. He holds multiple one-on-one coaching sessions every day, reviewing accounts and teaching successful sales tactics. Jon also analyzes accounts, finding out how to increase business through research and analysis.
Alec Hanson
Senior Vice President of Production
loanDepot
Costa Mesa, Calif.
ShowUpEvolve.com
Alec Hanson is a contemporary leader within the mortgage industry. Constantly striving to improve, he began his career in origination in 2004, funding more than $85 million and was named “Rookie of the Year” by Scotsman’s Guide. Every subsequent year, Alec landed on Scotsman’s Top 200 Originator List, finishing his best year at $185 million. From there, he began coaching and growing a successful branch network in Orange County with his peak year in 2010 funding in excess of $1 billion at the branch level. Alec has received HouseWire’s Rising Star Award both in 2017 and 2019, and currently serves as senior vice president of production for loanDepot for the Pacific Southwest Division, overseeing approximately $4 billion in annual production. A dynamic coach and thought leader, Alec believes in leading and coaching within the trenches of the business, loves leading originators across the country, and is the author of loanDepot’s Modern Lending Playbook, a strategic and tactical tool designed to equip, train and evolve the traditional mortgage professional’s skill set into the modern era.
Danny Marogy
AVP, West Coast Development
United Wholesale Mortgage
Pontiac, Mich.
UWM.com
Danny Marogy has been a leader in the wholesale mortgage industry for over a decade. Closing more than 17,000 loans in his career, he is the top producer of all-time at United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM). Not only has he helped individual loan officers, brokers and processors grow, but he has developed starter companies and helped them become some of the top producing accounts in the country. He also helped grow his teammates as a leader in his company, he has been a team leader for more than nine years at UWM, and helped create other top producers in his field. His current focus is taking brokers to the next level. He was recently promoted to AVP of West Coast development at UWM in an effort to bring his skills across the country to grow the broker channel to its full potential.
Andres Munar
Co-Founder
Keystone Alliance Mortgage
Harrisburg, Penn.
KeystoneAllianceMortgage.com
Andres Munar is a seasoned mortgage professional with 13 years of industry experience. What once started off as a race to see how many loans he could close, has turned into a passion for leading, serving and guiding people, including his friends, family, community and team. Servant leadership is his main focus. He strives to provide service that is undeniable, while teaching his team to push themselves past their comfort zones. Being bilingual has also made him one of the top Hispanic originators in the nation. He leads a team set to close 200 transactions with 95 percent of his business being purchase-driven.
Austin Niemiec
Executive Vice President
Quicken Loans Mortgage Services
KeystoneAllianceMortgage.com
Andres Munar is a seasoned mortgage professional with 13 years of industry experience. What once started off as a race to see how many loans he could close, has turned into a passion for leading, serving and guiding people, including his friends, family, community and team. Servant leadership is his main focus. He strives to provide service that is undeniable, while teaching his team to push themselves past their comfort zones. Being bilingual has also made him one of the top Hispanic originators in the nation. He leads a team set to close 200 transactions with 95 percent of his business being purchase-driven.
Austin Niemiec
Executive Vice President
Quicken Loans Mortgage Services
Detroit
QLMortgageServices.com
Austin Niemiec is the executive vice president of Quicken Loans Mortgage Services (QLMS). In this role, Austin oversees a team based out of Charlotte and Detroit who provide the highest level of service to 6,000-plus partner brokers, regional banks and credit unions—increasing the efficiency of home financing. Austin’s team provides technology, resources and regular networking opportunities to partners so they can offer the best loan products in the industry. Before his current position, Austin served the company by leading the account executives at QLMS. Austin joined Quicken Loans in 2009 as a mortgage banker, where he grew to understand the varied needs of homeowners through his work with thousands of clients. Austin earned a bachelor’s degree in business, management and marketing from Hillside College, where he was also a member of the football team. Austin brings innovation to his roles and lives by the motto: “Always grateful, never satisfied.”
Matt Oliver
Loan Originator
Lund Mortgage Team Inc
QLMortgageServices.com
Austin Niemiec is the executive vice president of Quicken Loans Mortgage Services (QLMS). In this role, Austin oversees a team based out of Charlotte and Detroit who provide the highest level of service to 6,000-plus partner brokers, regional banks and credit unions—increasing the efficiency of home financing. Austin’s team provides technology, resources and regular networking opportunities to partners so they can offer the best loan products in the industry. Before his current position, Austin served the company by leading the account executives at QLMS. Austin joined Quicken Loans in 2009 as a mortgage banker, where he grew to understand the varied needs of homeowners through his work with thousands of clients. Austin earned a bachelor’s degree in business, management and marketing from Hillside College, where he was also a member of the football team. Austin brings innovation to his roles and lives by the motto: “Always grateful, never satisfied.”
Matt Oliver
Loan Originator
Lund Mortgage Team Inc
Glendale, Ariz.
LundMortgageTeam.com
Born and raised in Arizona, Matt Oliver has been a loan officer in the Phoenix area for more than 16 years. He started at a large retail bank and switched over to Lund Mortgage Team in 2008. Matt enjoys getting involved in the community and seeing the mortgage broker community grow. He is treasurer/director of the Arizona Association of Mortgage Professionals, a member of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers and supports the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts. He's received the Scotsman Guide Top Originator Award the past four years. Matt is able to achieve this success because he puts the client's interest first. He is not about closing the loan "now" if it is not best for the client. He knows his honesty and knowledge will pave the way for future loans, even if it is not right at this moment. He is an inspiration among his peers and is never too tired to help out a fellow loan officer.
Chris Olsen
Vice President of Sales Engineering
OpenClose
LundMortgageTeam.com
Born and raised in Arizona, Matt Oliver has been a loan officer in the Phoenix area for more than 16 years. He started at a large retail bank and switched over to Lund Mortgage Team in 2008. Matt enjoys getting involved in the community and seeing the mortgage broker community grow. He is treasurer/director of the Arizona Association of Mortgage Professionals, a member of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers and supports the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts. He's received the Scotsman Guide Top Originator Award the past four years. Matt is able to achieve this success because he puts the client's interest first. He is not about closing the loan "now" if it is not best for the client. He knows his honesty and knowledge will pave the way for future loans, even if it is not right at this moment. He is an inspiration among his peers and is never too tired to help out a fellow loan officer.
Chris Olsen
Vice President of Sales Engineering
OpenClose
West Palm Beach, Fla.
OpenClose.com
Chris Olsen was recently hired as vice president of sales engineering at OpenClose, providing critical software support for the company’s sales executives catering to mortgage bankers, credit unions, community banks and other real estate entities. He holds a through-and-through background in mortgage technology with a deep understanding of individualized lender needs. He has enterprise-level solution-based experience, sales engineering methods supporting large lenders, development knowledge, project execution and management expertise from start-ups to Fortune 500 Companies. Chris comes to OpenClose from Ellie Mae, where he was a senior technical sales engineer, managing enterprise LOS pre and post-sales engagements for their core as well as add-on services. Prior to Ellie Mae, Chris was a senior project manager and AVP at JP Morgan Chase, interfacing with senior management to prioritize projects, determine business requirements, and serve as the primary vendor point of contact throughout new projects. Previous to that, he was a senior software developer and partner at ClosersEdge, an independent software provider for the real estate title and settlement services industry.
Sam Parker
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
My Credit Guy
OpenClose.com
Chris Olsen was recently hired as vice president of sales engineering at OpenClose, providing critical software support for the company’s sales executives catering to mortgage bankers, credit unions, community banks and other real estate entities. He holds a through-and-through background in mortgage technology with a deep understanding of individualized lender needs. He has enterprise-level solution-based experience, sales engineering methods supporting large lenders, development knowledge, project execution and management expertise from start-ups to Fortune 500 Companies. Chris comes to OpenClose from Ellie Mae, where he was a senior technical sales engineer, managing enterprise LOS pre and post-sales engagements for their core as well as add-on services. Prior to Ellie Mae, Chris was a senior project manager and AVP at JP Morgan Chase, interfacing with senior management to prioritize projects, determine business requirements, and serve as the primary vendor point of contact throughout new projects. Previous to that, he was a senior software developer and partner at ClosersEdge, an independent software provider for the real estate title and settlement services industry.
Sam Parker
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
My Credit Guy
Mesa, Ariz.
MyCreditGuy.com
Sam Parker has been a key player in bringing quality and integrity to such a fragmented industry. His vision for how to treat people right, do what you say you’re going to do, and add more value than any other credit repair agency has been a key formula for his success.
Dan Patty
Mortgage Broker/Owner
Solcosta Home Loans
MyCreditGuy.com
Sam Parker has been a key player in bringing quality and integrity to such a fragmented industry. His vision for how to treat people right, do what you say you’re going to do, and add more value than any other credit repair agency has been a key formula for his success.
Dan Patty
Mortgage Broker/Owner
Solcosta Home Loans
Vallejo, Calif.
SolcostaHomeLoans.com
As a mortgage broker, Dan Patty prides himself on communication, service, speed and competitive pricing. He has a knack for creative problem-solving and a thorough knowledge of loan guidelines. Serving everyone from first-time homebuyers to experience real estate investors, Dan focuses on transparency. His motto is: "Doing the right thing is always the right thing."
SolcostaHomeLoans.com
As a mortgage broker, Dan Patty prides himself on communication, service, speed and competitive pricing. He has a knack for creative problem-solving and a thorough knowledge of loan guidelines. Serving everyone from first-time homebuyers to experience real estate investors, Dan focuses on transparency. His motto is: "Doing the right thing is always the right thing."
Josh Pitts
Founder & Chief Enthusiasm Officer
Shred Media
Park City, Utah
ShredMedia.com
Josh Pitts is the founder of Shred Media and an industry entrepreneur with a passion for public speaking. Josh has spent the last decade in the mortgage industry in positions including mortgage advisor, chief marketing officer, chief operations officer, and his favorite, chief enthusiasm officer. Recently, he has refocused his energy and efforts on Shred Media by building the industry’s first attention and influence agency. Along with his work in the industry, Josh built a massive personal brand in less than eight months by doing live interviews every day with top professionals throughout the mortgage, real estate, insurance and title industries by sharing what they’re doing to dominate their marketplace. His daily goal is to provide valuable content to all industry professionals and inspire them to influence their audience through building their personal brand.
Kelly Rice
Branch Manager
Hancock Mortgage Partners LLC
ShredMedia.com
Josh Pitts is the founder of Shred Media and an industry entrepreneur with a passion for public speaking. Josh has spent the last decade in the mortgage industry in positions including mortgage advisor, chief marketing officer, chief operations officer, and his favorite, chief enthusiasm officer. Recently, he has refocused his energy and efforts on Shred Media by building the industry’s first attention and influence agency. Along with his work in the industry, Josh built a massive personal brand in less than eight months by doing live interviews every day with top professionals throughout the mortgage, real estate, insurance and title industries by sharing what they’re doing to dominate their marketplace. His daily goal is to provide valuable content to all industry professionals and inspire them to influence their audience through building their personal brand.
Kelly Rice
Branch Manager
Hancock Mortgage Partners LLC
Bourbonnais, Ill.
HancockMortgage.com
Kelly Rice joined Hancock Mortgage Partners LLC in 2015; bringing with her the operations background of more than 15 years and a total of 18 years in the industry. Combining her skill set with the love of providing exceptional service, she is able to be the face in the field that others count on. This has led her to become the area's trusted source when it comes to their financial needs. Her social media presence focuses on encouragement instead of negativity, and her passion for her work is clearly demonstrated. One who leads by example, year after year. Kelly’s goals are achieved by adapting to this forever-changing industry and holding herself to a higher level of standards. She is a producing branch manager who doesn't lose sight of her ultimate role, which is building a team the right way.
Mike Richardson
Branch Manager/Producing Loan Officer
Bay Equity Home Loans
HancockMortgage.com
Kelly Rice joined Hancock Mortgage Partners LLC in 2015; bringing with her the operations background of more than 15 years and a total of 18 years in the industry. Combining her skill set with the love of providing exceptional service, she is able to be the face in the field that others count on. This has led her to become the area's trusted source when it comes to their financial needs. Her social media presence focuses on encouragement instead of negativity, and her passion for her work is clearly demonstrated. One who leads by example, year after year. Kelly’s goals are achieved by adapting to this forever-changing industry and holding herself to a higher level of standards. She is a producing branch manager who doesn't lose sight of her ultimate role, which is building a team the right way.
Mike Richardson
Branch Manager/Producing Loan Officer
Bay Equity Home Loans
Reno, Nev.
BayEQ.com
In the five short years Mike Richardson has been in the mortgage business, he has become the highest-ranked online lender in Northern Nevada (Google, Yelp, Zillow). He also won the “Best Mortgage Lender” award from The Reno Gazette Journal in 2017 and 2018, and we recently named “Reno's Best Mortgage Company” in the Reno News & Review. All of these awards are through nominations/voting by members of the local community which he represents. After getting his start at another mortgage company, where he originated for four years, Mike joined forces with Bay Equity in January 2019 and opened a branch in downtown Reno. After hovering around $25 million in annual loan volume in 2017 and 2018, Mike is on pace to double his business in 2019.
Stephanie Robotnik
Vice President of Claims
BayEQ.com
In the five short years Mike Richardson has been in the mortgage business, he has become the highest-ranked online lender in Northern Nevada (Google, Yelp, Zillow). He also won the “Best Mortgage Lender” award from The Reno Gazette Journal in 2017 and 2018, and we recently named “Reno's Best Mortgage Company” in the Reno News & Review. All of these awards are through nominations/voting by members of the local community which he represents. After getting his start at another mortgage company, where he originated for four years, Mike joined forces with Bay Equity in January 2019 and opened a branch in downtown Reno. After hovering around $25 million in annual loan volume in 2017 and 2018, Mike is on pace to double his business in 2019.
Stephanie Robotnik
Vice President of Claims
RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing Corporation
Fort Mill, S.C.
RoundPointMortgage.com
Stephanie Robotnik serves as the vice president of claims for RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing Corporation. Prior to joining RoundPoint in 2018, Stephanie held leadership roles with Quicken Loans, where she advanced her career from a claims specialist to director of post-sale. Stephanie is a 12-year veteran of the mortgage industry, with a heavy focus on default servicing. During her tenure, she served as a member on the Black Knight advisory board. One of Stephanie’s most impactful experiences of her career was visiting the devastated areas in Texas, post-Hurricane Harvey. This was a profound experience for Stephanie, as it enabled her to become an advocate by collaborating with other industry leaders to determine the best course of action for impacted borrowers and also identify preventive measurements for future disasters. Stephanie is a subject matter expert excelling in a production environment, identifying ways to increase organizational efficiencies. She is recognized as a trusted leader, with an ability to collaborate and motivate others to achieve to their fullest capabilities.
Lindsay Sills
Loan Officer
Fort Mill, S.C.
RoundPointMortgage.com
Stephanie Robotnik serves as the vice president of claims for RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing Corporation. Prior to joining RoundPoint in 2018, Stephanie held leadership roles with Quicken Loans, where she advanced her career from a claims specialist to director of post-sale. Stephanie is a 12-year veteran of the mortgage industry, with a heavy focus on default servicing. During her tenure, she served as a member on the Black Knight advisory board. One of Stephanie’s most impactful experiences of her career was visiting the devastated areas in Texas, post-Hurricane Harvey. This was a profound experience for Stephanie, as it enabled her to become an advocate by collaborating with other industry leaders to determine the best course of action for impacted borrowers and also identify preventive measurements for future disasters. Stephanie is a subject matter expert excelling in a production environment, identifying ways to increase organizational efficiencies. She is recognized as a trusted leader, with an ability to collaborate and motivate others to achieve to their fullest capabilities.
Lindsay Sills
Loan Officer
CARE Finance Group
Folsom, Calif.
CAREFinanceGroup.com
Lindsay Sills believes every single loan should begin with educating her clients. Her process involves in-depth consultation that helps to arm clients with the knowledge they need to make the right choices. She firmly believes that this education is why her clients and referral partners continue to choose CARE Finance Group over and over for their financing needs. Lindsay provides a tech-based, but highly personal, experience for all parties involved in the transaction, providing clarity and an amazing customer experience.
Adam Stern
Chief Product Officer
Folsom, Calif.
CAREFinanceGroup.com
Lindsay Sills believes every single loan should begin with educating her clients. Her process involves in-depth consultation that helps to arm clients with the knowledge they need to make the right choices. She firmly believes that this education is why her clients and referral partners continue to choose CARE Finance Group over and over for their financing needs. Lindsay provides a tech-based, but highly personal, experience for all parties involved in the transaction, providing clarity and an amazing customer experience.
Adam Stern
Chief Product Officer
Docutech
Scottsdale, Ariz.
Docutech.com
Adam Stern serves as the chief product officer of Docutech, a provider of document, eSign, eClose and print fulfillment technology for the mortgage industry. Currently, Stern is responsible for leading new product innovation and ongoing optimization of Docutech’s ConformX document generation engine and Solex eSign, eClosing and eVault platforms. Prior to Docutech, Stern served as chief information officer at NewRez, where he focused on developing and integrating technology as a core component of a rapidly growing origination business–including the launch of a proprietary consumer portal and mobile applications, POS/LOS transformation and modernization, and integration of Robotic Process Automation into both the front-end and back-end operations. Stern is a cum laude graduate of Arizona State University with a BA in journalism.
John G. Stevens
Vice President
Cornerstone Mortgage Group
Scottsdale, Ariz.
Docutech.com
Adam Stern serves as the chief product officer of Docutech, a provider of document, eSign, eClose and print fulfillment technology for the mortgage industry. Currently, Stern is responsible for leading new product innovation and ongoing optimization of Docutech’s ConformX document generation engine and Solex eSign, eClosing and eVault platforms. Prior to Docutech, Stern served as chief information officer at NewRez, where he focused on developing and integrating technology as a core component of a rapidly growing origination business–including the launch of a proprietary consumer portal and mobile applications, POS/LOS transformation and modernization, and integration of Robotic Process Automation into both the front-end and back-end operations. Stern is a cum laude graduate of Arizona State University with a BA in journalism.
John G. Stevens
Vice President
Cornerstone Mortgage Group
Provo, Utah
CStoneMortgage.com
John G. Stevens has worked in the mortgage industry since 2003, and considers this to be the best career choice for the rising group of Millennials. Within the mortgage industry, John served as president of the Utah Association of Mortgage Professionals (UAMP) in 2010, and has served NAMB as president, vice president, president-elect, a delegate for Utah, as PAC Chair, NAMB+ president, Legislative Action Fund chairman, NAMB National chairman, and as a Committee member on the Membership, Bylaws, Policy and Procedures, Nominating, Finance and Government Affairs Committees. John started on the NAMB board of directors in 2011, has served as vice president for the 2015-2016 year, president-elect for the 2016-2017 year, and was sworn in as president for the 2017-2018 year. He also served as the immediate past president, as well as Ethics Committee chair for the 2018-2019 term.
David Temko
Principal/Managing Director
C2 Financial Corporation
CStoneMortgage.com
John G. Stevens has worked in the mortgage industry since 2003, and considers this to be the best career choice for the rising group of Millennials. Within the mortgage industry, John served as president of the Utah Association of Mortgage Professionals (UAMP) in 2010, and has served NAMB as president, vice president, president-elect, a delegate for Utah, as PAC Chair, NAMB+ president, Legislative Action Fund chairman, NAMB National chairman, and as a Committee member on the Membership, Bylaws, Policy and Procedures, Nominating, Finance and Government Affairs Committees. John started on the NAMB board of directors in 2011, has served as vice president for the 2015-2016 year, president-elect for the 2016-2017 year, and was sworn in as president for the 2017-2018 year. He also served as the immediate past president, as well as Ethics Committee chair for the 2018-2019 term.
David Temko
Principal/Managing Director
C2 Financial Corporation
San Diego, Calif.
C2FinancialCorp.com
Growing up in the mortgage industry, David Temko interned for top originators through his college years, learning best practices and the tools that makes them successful. With experience in all facets of the industry, he continues to grow on both a personal and professional level, as he further established C2 Financial and its loan officers to be a full financial resource for their clients. Outside of mortgage brokerage, David has a passion for commercial real estate and finance. In his free time, he takes advantage of time with family, friends and being active in the great outdoors of coastal California or around the world.
Phil Treadwell
Vice President of Development & Regional Manager
Mason-McDuffie Mortgage
C2FinancialCorp.com
Growing up in the mortgage industry, David Temko interned for top originators through his college years, learning best practices and the tools that makes them successful. With experience in all facets of the industry, he continues to grow on both a personal and professional level, as he further established C2 Financial and its loan officers to be a full financial resource for their clients. Outside of mortgage brokerage, David has a passion for commercial real estate and finance. In his free time, he takes advantage of time with family, friends and being active in the great outdoors of coastal California or around the world.
Phil Treadwell
Vice President of Development & Regional Manager
Mason-McDuffie Mortgage
Dallas, Texas
PhilTreadwell.com
Phil Treadwell is the vice president of development and regional manager for Mason-McDuffie Mortgage. He has spent 15 years on the origination side of the industry as both a top-producing mortgage banker, as well as an independent mortgage broker. Phil has built teams in markets all over the country and been coached by some of the mortgage industry’s elite. Phil is the founder and host of the Mortgage Marketing Expert podcast, which interviews leading expert guests who share firsthand experience and tips on how mortgage professionals can build a more effective and efficient business. He is also a co-founder of Industry Syndicate Media Network, the real estate industry’s first network of podcasts, Alexa flash briefings and social media shows. Phil has been sought out as a national speaker on various mortgage industry topics, and has spoken at dozens of major events.
Evan Wade
President & Chief Executive Officer
Epoch Lending
PhilTreadwell.com
Phil Treadwell is the vice president of development and regional manager for Mason-McDuffie Mortgage. He has spent 15 years on the origination side of the industry as both a top-producing mortgage banker, as well as an independent mortgage broker. Phil has built teams in markets all over the country and been coached by some of the mortgage industry’s elite. Phil is the founder and host of the Mortgage Marketing Expert podcast, which interviews leading expert guests who share firsthand experience and tips on how mortgage professionals can build a more effective and efficient business. He is also a co-founder of Industry Syndicate Media Network, the real estate industry’s first network of podcasts, Alexa flash briefings and social media shows. Phil has been sought out as a national speaker on various mortgage industry topics, and has spoken at dozens of major events.
Evan Wade
President & Chief Executive Officer
Epoch Lending
Philadelphia
EpochLending.com
Evan Wade is 10-plus year financial services professional, having spent time in both retail banking and the mortgage industry. He is currently the president and chief executive officer at Epoch Lending, and a co-founder and partner at Philadelphia Mortgage Brokers. Evan has an innate understanding of technology to improve the mortgage process for both industry professionals and consumers. In his spare time, Evan enjoys watching Philadelphia sports, drinking craft beer and attending concerts.
Rich Weidel
Chief Executive Officer
Princeton Mortgage
EpochLending.com
Evan Wade is 10-plus year financial services professional, having spent time in both retail banking and the mortgage industry. He is currently the president and chief executive officer at Epoch Lending, and a co-founder and partner at Philadelphia Mortgage Brokers. Evan has an innate understanding of technology to improve the mortgage process for both industry professionals and consumers. In his spare time, Evan enjoys watching Philadelphia sports, drinking craft beer and attending concerts.
Rich Weidel
Chief Executive Officer
Princeton Mortgage
Pennington, N.J.
PrincetonMortgage.com
Rich Weidel is an admired chief executive officer among his colleagues and team at Princeton Mortgage. His personality is that of a passionate and compassionate leader, and his biggest desire is to foster an environment where each of his colleagues and team members can reach their full potential. One of Rich’s greatest accomplishments for his team was building a culture that he built and fosters daily, a culture of freedom and responsibility. Each Princeton Mortgage team member has the freedom to choose their actions and is held responsible for their outcomes (results-based, not input-based). He is building a high-performance culture, much like that of a professional sports team. Team members are drawn to the challenging environment and even more so to his sense of adventure. They know it will only help them reach their goals faster. With Princeton Mortgage's success paired with industry accolades on a personal and company level, it’s clear that he’s building meaningful relationships with his family at Princeton Mortgage. This shines through in the work and shared values on a daily basis.
Michael Wojcik-Holmes
Director of Broker Advocacy
Class Valuation
PrincetonMortgage.com
Rich Weidel is an admired chief executive officer among his colleagues and team at Princeton Mortgage. His personality is that of a passionate and compassionate leader, and his biggest desire is to foster an environment where each of his colleagues and team members can reach their full potential. One of Rich’s greatest accomplishments for his team was building a culture that he built and fosters daily, a culture of freedom and responsibility. Each Princeton Mortgage team member has the freedom to choose their actions and is held responsible for their outcomes (results-based, not input-based). He is building a high-performance culture, much like that of a professional sports team. Team members are drawn to the challenging environment and even more so to his sense of adventure. They know it will only help them reach their goals faster. With Princeton Mortgage's success paired with industry accolades on a personal and company level, it’s clear that he’s building meaningful relationships with his family at Princeton Mortgage. This shines through in the work and shared values on a daily basis.
Michael Wojcik-Holmes
Director of Broker Advocacy
Class Valuation
Troy, Mich.
ClassValuation.com
Passionate and dedicated to providing impeccable service levels, Michael Wojcik-Holmes’ main goal is the success of the Class Valuation client partners. Michael started as a receptionist at Class Valuation five years ago and quickly proved to be a great asset to the team. He was promoted time and time again, and now serves as director of broker advocacy, where he is responsible for the growth and success of Class’ broker partners, as well as appraisal process education. Through transparency and constant communication, he builds long-lasting relationships that contribute to the success of not only Class, but more importantly, his clients. Michael also prides himself on being accessible for assistance and support, no matter the time or the day. In the mortgage industry, forming partnerships that support one another is key, and there is nothing that Michael values more. Mentored by some of the best in the industry, Michael is focused on providing that same support and guidance for his broker advocacy team.
Wesley Wyrick
Sales Manager
Wyrick Mortgage Group of Victorian Finance
ClassValuation.com
Passionate and dedicated to providing impeccable service levels, Michael Wojcik-Holmes’ main goal is the success of the Class Valuation client partners. Michael started as a receptionist at Class Valuation five years ago and quickly proved to be a great asset to the team. He was promoted time and time again, and now serves as director of broker advocacy, where he is responsible for the growth and success of Class’ broker partners, as well as appraisal process education. Through transparency and constant communication, he builds long-lasting relationships that contribute to the success of not only Class, but more importantly, his clients. Michael also prides himself on being accessible for assistance and support, no matter the time or the day. In the mortgage industry, forming partnerships that support one another is key, and there is nothing that Michael values more. Mentored by some of the best in the industry, Michael is focused on providing that same support and guidance for his broker advocacy team.
Wesley Wyrick
Sales Manager
Wyrick Mortgage Group of Victorian Finance
Charleston, W.V.
WyrickMortgageGroup.com
Wesley Wyrick has built his own mortgage brand around a team of modern lenders dedicated to provide an exceptional homebuying experience. The Wyrick Mortgage Group is set up to service West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio. Wes also is a sales manager for Victorian Finance. He leads a team in the Nashville area and also in the Metro Washington, D.C. area. Wes also wrote two books to help first-time homebuyers, Official Home Buyers Playbook and Official Home Buyers Playbook for Veterans. Wes was recently featured on his local NBC news station on Veteran’s Day to share about his book. All book proceeds are donated to his local veteran’s homeless shelter. Wes has also been featured on multiple podcasts to cover his story. Wes leads a local real estate food drive on Thanksgiving to feed the homeless. Wes also serves on the board for the PACE foundation. Wes is also a coach with Next Level Loan Officers.
Luke Ziegenmeyer
Director of Product Management
Veros
WyrickMortgageGroup.com
Wesley Wyrick has built his own mortgage brand around a team of modern lenders dedicated to provide an exceptional homebuying experience. The Wyrick Mortgage Group is set up to service West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio. Wes also is a sales manager for Victorian Finance. He leads a team in the Nashville area and also in the Metro Washington, D.C. area. Wes also wrote two books to help first-time homebuyers, Official Home Buyers Playbook and Official Home Buyers Playbook for Veterans. Wes was recently featured on his local NBC news station on Veteran’s Day to share about his book. All book proceeds are donated to his local veteran’s homeless shelter. Wes has also been featured on multiple podcasts to cover his story. Wes leads a local real estate food drive on Thanksgiving to feed the homeless. Wes also serves on the board for the PACE foundation. Wes is also a coach with Next Level Loan Officers.
Luke Ziegenmeyer
Director of Product Management
Veros
Orange, Calif.
Veros.com
Luke Ziegenmeyer joined the Veros team in June 2017 as director of product management, with responsibility for Veros’ suite of automated valuation products, as well as key private and government strategic relationships. Most recently, Luke has been focused on Veros’ alliance with Veterans Administration (VA), focused on providing Vero’s valuation risk products inside of Veterans Administration’s system to support lending to our veterans. Prior to joining Veros, Luke worked at Ethos Lending as the director of solution development, overseeing the company’s business analysts, quality assurance and help desk teams—responsible for the company’s product vision for their wholesale and retail lending channels. Luke’s career in lending begin in real estate appraisal and expanding into systems integrations and automation during his tenure working at Black Knight Financial Services in both their appraisal management and automated title divisions.
Veros.com
Luke Ziegenmeyer joined the Veros team in June 2017 as director of product management, with responsibility for Veros’ suite of automated valuation products, as well as key private and government strategic relationships. Most recently, Luke has been focused on Veros’ alliance with Veterans Administration (VA), focused on providing Vero’s valuation risk products inside of Veterans Administration’s system to support lending to our veterans. Prior to joining Veros, Luke worked at Ethos Lending as the director of solution development, overseeing the company’s business analysts, quality assurance and help desk teams—responsible for the company’s product vision for their wholesale and retail lending channels. Luke’s career in lending begin in real estate appraisal and expanding into systems integrations and automation during his tenure working at Black Knight Financial Services in both their appraisal management and automated title divisions.
The Next 40 Mortgage Professionals to Watch …
Due to the voluminous number of submissions we received for the “40 Under 40” list, there are those who continue to make noise in the industry who could not be overlooked. They, like those on the “40 Under 40” list, will be leaders in the industry for years to come, so keep an eye out for the following mortgage professionals as they continue to impact the industry …
►Ashley Bedford of Patriot Home Funding Inc. in Altamonte Springs, Fla.
►Alicia Blackwood of American Dream Wholesale Brokers Inc. in Roseville, Calif.
►Laura Campbell of Home Point Financial in Ann Arbor, Mich.
►Tyler Carlston of Mortgage Accelerated in Rockford, Ill.
►Bryan Carpenter of Adsmiths in Fort Worth, Texas
►Nicholaus Carpenter of Legion of Loan Officers in Durant, Okla.
►Brandon Carrero of Carrero Mortgage Advisors in Miramar, Fla.
►Paul Carson of Philadelphia Mortgage Brokers in Philadelphia
►Christine Clark of INmortgage in Lake Geneva, Wis.
►Jackie Clark of Planet Home Lending in Irving, Texas
►Jenni Connor of Pacific Residential Mortgage in Raleigh, N.C.
►Keith Collins of Movement Mortgage in Roseville, Calif.
►Robert Cotton of Hancock Mortgage Partners LLC in Charlotte, N.C.
►Caton Del Rosario of American Mortgage Network in San Diego, Calif.
►Neel Dhingra All Western Mortgage Inc. in Reno, Nev.
►Sam Fannin of Premier Nationwide Lending Flower in Mound, Texas
►Matt Gouge of Matt The Mortgage Guy, powered by Answer Home Loans in Folsom, Calif.
►Chris Hallows of Wallick and Volk in Flagstaff, Ariz.
►Stephanie Ham of Caliber Home Loans in Fairfield, Calif.
►Lawrence Hooks of Hancock Mortgage Partners LLC in Houston, Texas
►David Hosterman of Citywide Home Loans in Denver, Colo.
►Alex Jimenez of Benchmark Mortgage in Spring Hill, Tenn.
►Brian Kempf of George Mason Mortgage in Arlington, Va.
►Lisa Lund of Lund Mortgage Team Inc. in Glendale, Ariz.
►Laura Martell of Mountain West Financial Inc. in Redlands, Calif.
►Adam Mason of Gershman Mortgage in St. Louis, Mo.
►Jennifer Miller of Hancock Mortgage Partners in Greenville, S.C.
►Gina Montes of Paramount Residential Mortgage Group in Sarasota, Fla.
►Sara Nakae of FirstClose in Austin, Texas
►Amber Patterson of Allied Mortgage Group in Winter Park, Fla.
►Rocio Portella of Mint Mortgage in Miramar, Fla.
►Shawn Presnell of Academy Mortgage Corporation in Plymouth, Mich.
►Mike Romano of Evolve Mortgage Services LLC in Frisco, Texas
►Arvin Sahakian of BeSmartee in Huntington Beach, Calif.
►Valentin Saportas of Mortgage Hippo Inc. in Chicago
►Rick Scherer of OnTo Mortgage in Boston
►Kyle Spotts of Home Point Financial in Ann Arbor, Mich.
►Craig Ungaro of AnnieMac Home Mortgage in Mt. Laurel, N.J.
►Melody Warren of Envoy Mortgage in Houston, Texas
►Matt Wilson of WEST, a Williston Financial Group Company in Portland, Ore.
About the author