Kenny Phillips Succeeds Kevin DeLory As Chief Sales Officer At Equity Prime Mortgage

Atlanta-headquartered independent mortgage lender, Equity Prime Mortgage (EPM), has promoted Kenny Phillips to chief sales officer, filling a void left earlier this year by the passing of Kevin DeLory. 

"I couldn't be more confident in Kenny Phillips as he steps into the large shoes left by our late friend and colleague, Kevin DeLory," said Eddy Perez, founder and CEO of EPM. "Kevin's vision and dedication built the foundation we stand on today, and I'm certain that Kenny's leadership will carry that legacy forward.”

"Kevin always challenged us to dream bigger," recalled Phil Mancuso, president, chief investment officer, and partner of EPM. "I'm committed to carrying that spirit forward by uniting our teams in collaboration, pushing boundaries in client experience, and ensuring Kevin's vision for EPM shapes our future success." 

DeLory, pictured above, passed away in April at age 53 after a battle with cancer. He was known as a leader who preferred a cubicle among his team to a corner office — one who believed in leading by example and staying “in the trenches” with his people. Read NMP’s feature story on DeLory here.

"I take joy in knowing I will see a bit of Kevin in this role every day." —Kenny Phillips, Chief Sales Officer, EPM

"I'm honored to step into my best friend Kevin's shoes as chief sales officer and to carry forward his legacy of innovation and service as part of EPM's new guard," Phillips said. "It is bittersweet to fulfill the plan we always shared to grow EPM together, but they say a legacy only ends when we stop talking about those who have passed.” 

“Stepping into this role ensures Kevin's legacy will endure for generations,” Phillips continued, “and I take joy in knowing I will see a bit of Kevin in this role every day."

Phillips has nearly three decades of mortgage lending experience. and joined EPM in August 2021 as senior vice president of lending for the East. That role followed almost a decade of regional leadership at Carrington Mortgage Services and Carrington Wholesale Lending.  

As EPM’s Chief Sales Officer, Phillips will oversee all wholesale lending operations, product strategy, and partner relations. 

Chief Compliance Officer To Retire

EPM also announced the upcoming retirement of James Minghini, its chief compliance officer. 

“I want to extend my deepest gratitude to James Minghini for his decades of service and unwavering commitment to excellence,” Perez said. “His impact on our compliance culture will be felt for years to come."

"This leadership team's drive to unite an entire industry for shared success is inspiring, and I leave knowing EPM's best days are ahead." —James Minghini, Chief Compliance Officer, EPM

Mancuso thanked Minghini for his contributions to EPM during his years of service. “His leadership, integrity, and dedication have been instrumental to our growth, and his presence will be deeply missed," said Mancuso. 

Minghini will retire effective June 30, capping off a career in the mortgage industry that spanned more than 30 years. He began his career in 1993 at CitiFinancial, where he spent nearly 20 years in branch compliance and training. Minghini later served as assistant vice president of compliance at Crescent Mortgage before joining EPM a decade ago. 

As Chief Compliance Officer, EPM noted Minghini strengthened its regulatory framework and cultivated a unified, values-driven culture across the organization. 

"After more than 30 years in this industry, I'm proud of everything we've built together at EPM," Minghini said. "This leadership team's drive to unite an entire industry for shared success is inspiring, and I leave knowing EPM's best days are ahead."