Best Military Originators 2023

Accolades for originators who best serve the heroes who serve us in the military

Best Military Originators 2023

Tanja Allen

Loan Officer

Fairway Independent
Mortgage Corp

Harker Heights, Texas

Total VA Loans Closed in 2023 by originator: 94

Tanja Allen

Why does this originator serve those who serve to protect?
Tanja has a heart for serving those who serve. Her dad is a veteran, and she understands the sacrifices of service. She has lived and worked near a military base and served active duty military, their families, and veterans for over 20 years. The more stories she hears, the more her desire to give back grows — and she is great at it!

Why is this originator the best at supporting the military/ military borrowers?
According to those who work alongside Tanja, having her in your corner means you have the best advocate and helpmate. She truly fights for her clients and has a loyal following of veteran clients and real estate professionals because she doesn’t just do loans, she takes steps that others won’t to help get veterans into homes, helping them with credit and, understanding and working through challenging loan scenarios. She is an absolute master of her craft.

What contributions is this originator making to the military community?
Tanja and her team are avid supporters of the non-profit American Warrior Initiative, raising awareness and also funds to give back to Veterans. You can visit her Facebook page at Team Tanja L. Allen and see where she spends most of her time. She’s actively serving Active Duty Military, Veterans and their families, attending closings, meeting with them to go through financing, and helping them to achieve their goals of homeownership. 


Alona Hayes

Branch Manager

Supreme Lending
Lawton, Oklahoma

Total VA Loans Closed in 2023 by originator: 30

Alona Hayes

Why does this originator serve those who serve to protect?
Alona has been serving the military community for more than 35 years — the first 21 years being a military spouse, so she understands first-hand the trials and tribulations of military life. VA loans have become second nature to Alona and being able to originate them allows her to meet military families’ unique home financing needs. In 2022 alone, Alona originated $6.4 million in VA loan volume. She takes her service to a personal level through volunteering.

Why is this originator the best at supporting the military/ military borrowers?
Alona supports the military on all levels. For example, when her local base was on lockdown, she rounded up donuts from a local shop to donate to the gate guards who were working 24-hour shifts. When her husband’s unit received a two-day notice to deploy overseas, she drove and delivered food to their headquarters as they weren’t allowed to leave. These are the types of acts of kindness she lives by on a personal level.

What contributions is this originator making to the military community?
Alona has been awarded the Order of Molly Pitcher, which recognizes exceptional individuals who have voluntarily contributed in significant and meaningful ways to the U.S. Field Artillery Community. She always tells her borrowers that she is around after the fact if they ever need her, and she lives up to that promise. For example, when a military family’s VA loan had to wait 90 days to close, Alona opened her home to them. 

This article originally appeared in National Mortgage Professional, on the week of November 1, 2023.
About the author
Published on
Nov 03, 2023
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