Mortgage Manager Playbook

Eric Mitchell, Chief Revenue Officer, NEXA Mortgage. Key Highlights include: change is no longer optional; top talent leaving is the #1 warning sign of a failing organization; learning equals value; the problem isn’t knowledge—it’s execution; and systems are no longer optional especially CRM.

Paul Wyner, Chief Solutions Officer, Revolution Mortgage. Key Highlights include: AI in mortgage is an evolution—not a replacement; the biggest shift is from tools to orchestration; lack of adoption is the real risk; AI should augment not replace human roles; and the real opportunity is freeing salespeople to sell.

Pat Polson, SVP, Div. Sales Mgr for NC/VA/TX. Key highlights: retention starts in recruiting, not after the hire; managers must uncover a candidate’s real “why”; day one onboarding must create a “wow” experience; retention requires ongoing manager involvement; and lenders must be honest, intentional, and structured.

Mike Cush, VP of Purchase Strategy, AmeriSave. Key Highlights: removing friction must start with the consumer, not the lender; too much tech is built to help the lender, not improve the customer experience; AI should simplify the process; best place to reduce friction is a the beginning of the home search; and lenders need to rethink their strategy now because AI will change mortgage quickly.

LaTasha, President, NFM Lending. As a lawyer (and a mom of five), LaTasha wanted to write something for her children about making wise decisions, then expanded it into a creative way to teach financial literacy. Key highlights include: money can be used in more than one way; spending is ok—but not all at once; create a simple plan—spending and saving; future—you needs to have options; and making wise money decisions.

John Owens, CEO Primis Mortgage Co. and author. Key highlights include: culture drives long-term success; leadership begins with self-awareness; core values must be authentic and actionable; culture determines performance and strategy and technology depend on culture.

Brad Blumberg, Co-Founder, Aster Key. Key highlights: Trust is the new currency; Consumer Data is treated as “owned” by institutions—and that’s the core problem; Legacy systems are the biggest security liability; Putting consumers in control unlocks both security and growth; and Trust and privacy are untapped marketing and competitive advantages.

Dave Savage, Chief Growth Officer, TrustEngine & Founder, Mortgage Coach. Highlights include: real competitive edge comes from identifying and addressing consumer needs—even before the consumer is fully aware they have them; success requires delivering data-driven insights directly to LOs in simple, mobile-first formats with scripts and tools to act immediately; top producers differentiate by getting in front of the customer earlier—before they’ve engaged a referral partner; the industry underinvests in financial literacy, waiting until buyers are in their 30s or 40s; and the modern LO must evolve beyond transaction processing to educator and presenter. The future belongs to mortgage professionals who combine data + education + proactive engagement to reach borrowers at their true Speed to Need.

Dave Savage, Chief Growth Officer, TrustEngine & Founder of Mortgage Coach. Highlights include: discussion of transactional training vs advisory model; the trap of price and rate thinking; leadership’s role; the LO as wealth advisor and the use of technology in the future. The illiterate of 2025 and beyond will not be those who can’t read/write but those who can’t unlearn old practices and relearn new ones.

Rich Weidel, CEO, Princeton Mortgage. Highlights include: industry profitability challenges; misalignment across the organization; productivity as the key driver of cost; cultural and leadership issues and path forward: transparency and smaller profitable teams. Rich has been recognized as the 2019 Most Admired CEO Award – Philly and National Mortgage Professional Top 40 Under 40.

Randell Gillespie, President, LeaderOne Financial. Highlights include: true sales entrepreneurship requires initiative, risk and ownership; avoid the “herd mentality”; managers must foster a “retailpreneur” culture; leadership demands selflessness and coaching and long-term industry growth depends on trust, talent quality and purpose. Randell has been in the mortgage industry for over 25 years.

Bernard Nossuli, COO, iEmergent. Highlights include: minority homebuyers will drive future growth; denial rates are higher for diverse borrowers; data-driven targeting is the new competitive advantage; most lenders lack a forward-looking strategy and market opportunities are being missed due to outdated assumptions. iEmergent is a forecasting, analytics, and advisory company for the mortgage industry.

Andrew Panagos, President, GO Mortgage. Highlights include: mortgage business model is outdated and needs reinvention; senior leadership faces an innovation gap; recruiting young talent requires a different strategy; consumer behavior has fundamentally changed and earn-out and transition models could bridge the talent gap. Andrew has over 27 years of executive leadership.

Jesse Allen, President, Rate. Highlights include: reverse mortgages--niche to necessity; regulatory reforms have made reverse mortgages safer; distribution and awareness are the biggest constraints and future growth requires innovation in tech, training and messaging.

Brian Boyles, National Sales Manager, Middleton Advisory Group. Highlights include: recruiting is still the #1 priority but needs a smarter approach; compensation is over-discussed; leadership quality and culture drive recruiting decisions; the industry is litigious and lacking flexibility; and aging workforce & lack of succession planning is a ticking time bomb. Brian has spent over 25 years in the mortgage banking industry.

Jerry Rader, SVP, Strategic Growth & Development, ALCOVA Mortgage. Highlights include: face-to-face communication builds trust; incentivizing retention with shared upside; retention requires a post-sale strategy; cultural fit beats highest bid and respecting people as stakeholders is the #1 retention lever. Jerry has been in the mortgage industry for over 30 years.

Brian Vieaux, President & COO, FinLocker. Highlights include: point of thought matters; hybrid sales model; trusted financial educator; customer centric stories and franchise with no rules. Brian has been in the industry for over 30 years.

Michael Cush, Owner, Mortgage Startup Consulting. Highlights include: mortgage industry resists change—and it’s dangerous; AI and outside forces are disrupting the status quo; industry still doesn’t prioritize customer experience; executives are not preparing for the future and bold, not incremental, change is needed. Mike is a 25 year mortgage veteran.

Jeff Scheuren, EVP, President, COO at Fulton Mortgage. Highlights include: volatility is unprecedented and driven by emotion, not fundamentals; hedging must be hyper-responsive and continually reassessed; communication and tools are vital for loan officer confidence; profitability relies on cost control and technology investment and first-time buyers and new construction are driving activity. Jeff has been with Fulton Mortgage for over 15 years.

Rob Robertson, Author. Highlights include: your pain can become your purpose; don’t freeze in the face of life’s hits; support systems matter; the NFL taught him more than football and plug into others when your battery is low. Rob has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years and is currently with First Citizens Bank.

Connor Bartley, Content Creator and Podcast Host, The LO Down. Highlights include: build by design, not by default; internal alignment and realism are crucial; prioritize quality over quantity; leverage technology and community and recruit through relationship, not just offers. Connor has over 20 years in production and recruiting.

Michael Moorhouse, CEO & Founder, Moorhouse Group. Highlights include: three types of distinct leader groups; sales staff disconnect; failure to recognize “true state”; renting loan officers and retention-proof your staff. Michael is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience in business management, leadership, and strategic planning.

Michael Kelleher, Founder, Adopt the Brand and Co-Founder, Easy Mortgage Apps. Highlights include: closed-loop digital mortgage model; loan officers must go digital; Zillow’s “Super App” is a game-changer; data-driven prospecting and mortgage calculator experience. Michael has over 15 years’ experience in the mortgage industry.

Kirk Redding, Co-Founder, President, Promise Home Loans. Highlights include: broker model growth; industry challenges; success factors in the broker model; changing realtor perceptions and the need for strong support system. Kirk has thirty plus years of mortgage banking, brokering and marketing experience.

Kirk Redding, Co-Founder, President, Promise Home Loans. Highlights include: broker model growth; industry challenges; success factors in the broker model; changing realtor perceptions and the need for strong support system. Kirk has thirty plus years of mortgage banking, brokering and marketing experience.

Ralph Armenta, SVP, Incenter Lending Services. Highlights include: growth of private label mortgage securities; shifting trends in mortgage banking; opportunities in Residential Transition Loans (RTL); focus on high volume areas and the four R’s of successful lending strategies. Ralph has spent over 20 years in the mortgage business.

Jeff Schummer, CEO, Financial Independence. Highlights include: the importance of understanding the business situation; right people and change coalition matter; vision and communication drive change success; trust is essential and leaders must stay connected to the front lines. Jeff has over 30 years’ experience. This is Part 2 of a two part series.

Jeff Schummer, CEO, Financial Independence. Highlights include: four managing challenges in 2025; falsehood of training as an expense; need for structured learning process; five key leadership mistakes and culture of continuous learning. Jeff has over 30 years’ experience. This is Part 1 of a two part series.

Chuck Sanders, CEO and Founder at Diverse Mortgage Services. Highlights include: restore the personal touch; minority markets untapped; grass roots engagement opportunity; technology a competitive edge and “Jaime Dimon’s stand”. Chuck has over 20 years’ experience in the mortgage business.

Rick Roque, VP, Growth at NFM Lending. Highlights include: expansion and discipline; small pool of recruitable LOs; automation and lower costs; super brokers and specialized call centers. Rick has experience as a mortgage broker, entrepreneur and a national leader in growth strategies.

Scott Moriarty, Principle Partner, Mountain View Advisors. Highlights include: proactive technology change management is essential; need to leverage existing systems effectively; focus on data-driven decision-making; leadership empowerment and employee dedicated change management team. Scott has over 25 years of experience in the mortgage and financial services industries.

Eric Mitchell, Author and Chief Revenue Officer, Client Direct Mortgage. Highlights include: five key drivers of the 1% in sales; your personal profound experience; true mentorship; restructuring of sales roles and reluctance to change. Eric has over 25 years’ experience in the mortgage industry.

Erica Acie, Head of Originations, Truist. Highlights include: prioritizing the client experience as a foundational KPI; become valued financial advisors; core competencies for sales success; robust on-boarding process and embracing technology. Erica has been in the mortgage industry for over 30 years.

Ruth Stephenson, Area Manager, Guild Mortgage. Highlights include: “power hour” approach emphasizing peer accountability; fostering confidence to overcome call reluctance; quantitative feedback and group discussions and commitment and incentives drive increased lead generation. Ruth has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years.

Jen Poniatowski, Consultant, Center for Practical Management. Highlights include: tailored goal-setting improves performance; activity goals are key to success; training is crucial and often overlooked; managers need development and cultural investment encourages retention. Jen has been in the mortgage industry for over 15 years.

Jen Poniatowski, Consultant, Center for Practical Management. Highlights include: tailored goal-setting improves performance; activity goals are key to success; training is crucial and often overlooked; managers need development and cultural investment encourages retention. Jen has been in the mortgage industry for over 15 years.

Chris Blevins, National Sales Director. Highlights include: difficulty of managing remotely; less is more; start with center of influence; fund the leader and managing the right way. Chris has been in the industry for over 30 years.

Phil Reichers, SVP, National Sales Manager, ServiceLink. Highlights include: tech stack efficiency; serving your staff; feedback is a gift and adding value with each conversation. Phil is an experienced mortgage and technology executive with over 20 years in the industry.

Katherine Gardner, SVP, Open Mortgage Wholesale. Highlights include: size doesn’t matter; three C’s; value of repeatable process and don’t sell scared. Katherine has been in the industry for over 25 years.

Jennifer Fortier,CMB, Mortgage Banking Consultant. Highlights include: importance of a roadmap; falsity of “little tweaks”; problem of work arounds; focus on speed vs hype? and what does success look like. Jennifer has spent over 25 years in the mortgage industry.

Jay Promisco, President, Sierra Pacific Mortgage. Highlights include: “Amazon Impact”; right now and cheap; slowing down the start; track for success and protect your book. Jay is a mortgage veteran for over 20 years.

Brian Weis, Consultant/Coach, Brian R. Weis Consulting. Highlights include: hiring wrong people who don’t fit; ignoring current people; lack of support/coaching; lack of manager interface and do it your self-development. Brian has over 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry.

Stewart Vickers, Author. Highlights include: first 10 seconds are key; cheat code; importance of an email list; YouTube analytics and YouTube sales funnel. Stewart shares his proven framework for YouTube success. The book is perfect for sales people and sales leaders because it gives you the step by step guide toward making YouTube work for you.

David Upbin, VP, MBA Education at MBA. Highlights include: ROI of Training; Training Investment = Better Retention; Executive coaching; Joining committees and College programs. David is the leader of the operations, program execution, and financial management of MBA Education.

Tom Finnegan, Principal and Author, STRATMOR Group. Highlights of article include: decline of bank mortgage share; risk and return of mortgage lending; needs-based discovery at branch; mortgage as a set of skills and Big World Theory. Tom is an experienced mortgage banking chief executive and is currently a strategic consultant in mortgage banking.

Mike Seminari, Director of Customer Experience, STRATMOR Group. Highlights include: why you are not getting referrals; “liking” and testimonials are not enough; delighting is delivering the unexpected; 7 keys to customer experience success and 90% of finding a LO is their personal network. Mike has been in the industry for over 25 years.

Mike Seminari, Director of Customer Experience, STRATMOR Group. Highlights include: why you are not getting referrals; “liking” and testimonials are not enough; delighting is delivering the unexpected; 7 keys to customer experience success and 90% of finding a LO is their personal network. Mike has been in the industry for over 25 years.