Mortgage Manager Playbook

Karen Blakeslee, EVP, East Division Manager at PrimeLending discusses Relationship-based vs Transactional Loan Officers. Highlights include: buying leads vs referral sources; how technology can help; no short cuts to relationship building and using text and video messaging. Karen has been in the mortgage industry for over 18 years after having been a math teacher. You will enjoy hearing her insights on planning your business for the future.

Eric Burgoon, Chief Lending Officer, Lake Michigan Credit Union talks about Installing a Permanent Hybrid Working Environment. Highlights include: why install hybrid working; how was hybrid working implemented; what were the goals and standards established and what are the results so far. Eric has been in the mortgage industry for 18 years and you will enjoy listening to this very timely topic.

Jared Maxwell, Consumer Direct Sales Division Leader & VP, Embrace Home Loans discusses Preparing for Lower Volumes in Consumer Direct. Highlights include: emphasize talent selection; follow up is key with consumers; connecting with your purpose; define your strategy and focus on the basics. Jared has been in the mortgage industry for 19 years and you will learn some key pointers to navigate the environment.

Steve Capen, Real Estate Agent and Licensed Mortgage Broker at Keller William Realty talks about Selling to Top Realtors: What works in today’s marketplace. Highlights include: setting expectations correctly; no surprises is key; give great service; develop better relationships with listing agents and get referrals from best realtors. With Steve being both a real estate agent and mortgage broker, he provides an unique perspective on today’s housing and mortgage markets.

Paul Gigliotti, COO of Pinnacle Home Loans and CEO & Co-Founder of Axis Lending Academy discusses Increasing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at your Mortgage Company. Highlights include: diverse workforce generates diverse production; trend is to deepen relationships with technology; connection economy and thinking outside the box is critical in this ever changing environment. You will enjoy listening to Paul talk about his program for diverse learners to be educated and equipped for operations roles in the mortgage and lending industry.

S.A. Ibrahim, retired CEO at Radian and GreenPoint Mortgage, talks about the Future of Consumer Lending: 10 Years from Now. Highlights include: the importance of embracing change internally and externally; greater control by consumer is a big change; consumers want best offer and easy access and companies need to think like their borrower. S.A. has over 40+ years leadership experience in fintech sectors. He currently is advisor and angel investor focused on socially responsible tech startups. You will enjoy S.A.’s insightful comments about the future.

Kevin Neely, East Coast Sales Manager for GoPrime Mortgage, discusses his views on Rethinking Hiring Experienced Originators: Start a Rookie Program. Highlights include: the switch to purchase money; bring “new blood” to industry; processor assistant program and attitude and aptitude hiring. Kevin has been in the mortgage industry for over 10 years and you will learn some interesting tips on hiring.

John Marshall, President and CEO of Home ASAP, a Facebook Marketing firm for Realtors interviewed Pat Sherlock on Building a Purchase Business with Realtors. Pat discussed trends in mortgage banking including strategies lenders are doing in a hot real estate market with multiple bids for residential properties and best practices of top producers in developing business with Realtors.

Frank DiMaio, SVP, Director of Sales/Marketing at Univest on Hiring Virtually. Highlights include: importance of involved leadership; targeted approach—look for strategic match; make connections through LI, social media and texts; and holistic recruiting approach. Prior to Univest, Frank was with Wells Fargo and GMAC. Frank has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years and you will learn some insightful tips on Hiring Virtually.

Andy Voyles, VP Area Manager at Bank of England Mortgage discusses Finding Relevance for Yourself. Highlights include: embracing a hybrid working model; decision made to move down the corporate ladder; enjoyment of working day to day with staff and deciding what you like and don’t like. Andy has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years in many senior level positions. He now is taking a different path. You will enjoy listening to Andy tell you about his journey in making this new decision.

Taylor Stork, COO, at Developer’s Mortgage Company discusses the Best Practices for Managers in Delegating to their Staff. Highlights include: Assigning responsibilities with authority and ownership; work flow and human capital issues; coach and develop other people and key to delegation is teach back. You will enjoy listening to Taylor share is personal story and how he used delegation.

Daniela Bigalli, SVP, Sales and Marketing at Homestead Funding Corp. talks about Lead Generation for Consumer Direct. Highlights include: review asset allocation; try smaller testing pilots; the importance of being in front of client first; speed to contact and team must believe in strategic mission. Daniela has been in the mortgage industry for 18 years and you will enjoying her very insightful comments on lead generation.

Cindy Tomcak, Consultant/Coach at Make Every Conversation Count, talks about Managing Culture in a Remote Working World. Highlights include: personal development: how to develop me as a person; be able to pivot; how to manage hybrid working; employee value proposition and culture of collaboration engagement. Cindy has work in the mortgage industry for over 30 years and you will enjoy listening to her thoughts on culture.

Nicholas Rutherford, SVP Atlantic Coast Mortgage, discusses Starting a Consumer Direct Business from Scratch. Highlights include: determine the right strategy; allow time to set up CD business; 1st call matters; be authentic—no scripts and communicate in the customer’s preference. Nick has spent over 10 years in the mortgage business and you will learn some key tips in setting up a Consumer Direct business line.

Deborah Whiteside, SVP Endorsed Solutions/President ABA Community Banks Mortgage LLC, discusses What Works in Digital Strategy for Banks in 2021. Highlights include: digital strategy starts with vision; know your processes; the importance of communicating the change to the staff and the impact of technology vendors consolidating. Prior to joining the ABA, Deb spent over 15 years at Fannie Mae. You will enjoy listening to her insights on digital strategies.

Corey Shelton, SVP Marketing, Atlantic Coast Mortgage talks about Getting LOs to Use Digital Technology. Highlights include: understand vision--lead employees; adapt or die; scenario-based training; grow vs change; and overall brand & experience in scale. It’s all about the mortgage experience. Corey has been a web developer, a business owner and now is responsible for brand strategy and digital marketing. You will enjoy Corey’s comments on digital technology and the loan officer.

Ben Green, SVP, Strategic Growth at Synergy One Lending talks about Starting a Recruiting Group within a Mortgage Company. Highlights include: recruiter should have mortgage experience; three tests for candidates; mutual fit top match requirement; long-term recruiting approach and introductory call and follow up. Ben has recruited loan officers, sales leadership, and operations personnel across the country and has trained hiring managers on best practices related to sourcing, recruiting, and hiring. You will enjoy listening to Ben share his thoughts on this very important topic.

Kim Dybvad, Market Manager for PrimeLending discusses Building a High Performance Team in a Remote Selling World. Highlights include: try to listen and not give a solution; resiliency; set aside one-hour a day for learning; technology is critical and stay in touch “Game Night”. Kim has over 30 years experience in the mortgage industry and has spent over the past 9 years as President of the Ohio MBA.

Scott Bristol, EVP Retail, RoundPoint Mortgage, discusses Moving Originators from Refinance to Purchase Money. Highlights include: right sizing with ops; step into conflict vs avoid conflict; use tools that differentiate; purchase money is a long term play and the difficulty of reconnecting with realtors. Scott has had a long and successful career in the mortgage industry and you will learn some key tips from him.

Tom Finnegan, Principal, Stratmor Group talks about Adjusting Capacity in a Changing Marketplace. Highlights include: revenue story; work from home success; people vs technology; opt-in using technology and execution as a differentiator. Tom has over 35 years of comprehensive mortgage banking experience, with particular focus on mortgage banking operations. You will enjoy listening to Tom share his wisdom about today’s marketplace.

Nick Pabarcus, EVP of Stearns Lending and Board Member of CA Mortgage Bankers Association talks about Executing your Business Plan and Sticking with It. Highlights include: develop a detailed plan with controllable factors; three high and three low scenarios; review fixed costs; IT plan and sales headcount. Nick has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years and you will hear his ideas on the importance of pivoting to navigate through turbulent times.

Eric Declercq, President of Weichert Financial Services, discusses Originating Remotely in a Pandemic. Highlights include: stabilize the environment; provide social media strategy; conduct prospecting Zoom calls; video concepts; prospect for inventory and remain positive and have a long term outlook. Eric has spent many years in the mortgage business previously with Loan Depot and Capital One. Eric has been innovative with his team and you will learn some timely tips.

Dan Holtz, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Sovereign Lending Group talks about Rookie Programs: What Works and What Doesn’t. Highlights include: Good people are available today; Rookie Program details including the interview process, specific hurdles employees must meet and investment payback. Dan has had a Rookie Program in place for over three years so you will enjoy learning about what made his program so successful.

Deb Jones, SVP Director of Capital Markets, at Citizens Bank talks about Explaining Loan Pricing to Originators. Highlights include: transparent pricing policies; two types of loan officers; transactional business; market commentary and stop resisting and start helping. Deb has spent almost 30 years in the mortgage industry and you will enjoy her discussion on this timely topic.

Tammy Butler, CEO, Fair Lending Diversity and Publisher of Mortgage Currentcy discusses Wisdom from a Mortgage Banking Serial Entrepreneur. Highlights include: how to achieve results differently; people are different; managers as recruiters; crowdsource information and opinions and how to manage wearing many hats. Tammy has started business, acquired businesses and sold businesses over many years. You will enjoy listening to her keys to being a successful entrepreneur.

Jennifer Whip, Principal, Cambridge One talks about the Lessons Learned in having a Corporate Career vs. Owning your Own Business. Highlights include: delegating is key; people will rise to the occasion; remove mundane tasks; client drive-value proposition and networking with other consultants. Jennifer was with Fannie Mae for over 25 years. As a seasoned veteran, you will enjoy listening to how she made the transition.

Rob Spellman, Board Member & Advisor to President of Gold Star Mortgage, discusses Management Styles and Originators. Highlights include: constantly evaluate the team; have a repeatable process; 80/20 is real; top LOs should be treated differently and identify LOs strengths. Rob has spent many years in the mortgage industry with some of the top mortgage lenders. You will want to hear Rob talk about this timely topic. You will also want to hear how he became the “HP12C expert”!

Pat Sheehy, President & CEO, Hamilton Home Loans talks about How to Manage an Outside Owner of a Mortgage Co. Highlights include: frequent communication is key; spend time coaching and teaching; setting expectations and being transparent; deliver the good and bad; be patient and focus on the long-term view. Pat has over 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry and you will enjoy listening to him on this very interesting topic.

Brian Vieaux, President, FinLocker discusses How do you Drive LOs to be Top of Mind in their Marketplace. Highlights include: what is the LO doing to be digitally relevant to the consumer; content must be personal to an individual; it’s critical to offer value added content; how do you become a local expert and what technology will you use to differentiate yourself in 2021. Brian has over 28 years in the mortgage industry and you will want to listen to him talk about these important topics for 2021.

Kevin Crichton, President and COO, EMM Loans LLC talks about Making the Transition from a Large Lender to a Smaller Lender. Highlights include: the challenge of blending cultures; be ahead of the curve—be proactive; listen, not just hear; how to strike the right balance between structure and entrepreneurship and your partners are critical to growth. Kevin has spent over 35 years in the mortgage industry and has held many roles as owner and senior leader for both large and smaller lenders. You will really enjoy listening to his thoughts on leading in different corporate environments.

Brian Simon, President, Lenders One Mortgage Cooperative and Trelix discusses How the Consumers’ Journey has Changed. Highlights include: hire employees not like you; have patience—success does not happen overnight; rise of independent mortgage banker will continue; be more convenient to consumers and future of branch structures is questionable. Brian has spent many years in the mortgage industry and you will enjoy his comments about the consumer and the mortgage industry.

Otway Wallace, SVP, Director of Mortgage Sales, Southern Division at South State Bank discusses the Future of Video Selling in Origination. Highlights include: slow down and be patient; be relevant; all stewards in business; personal connections with video and the uses of technology in business. Otway talks about introducing the team by video. You will particularly enjoy his English Bull Dog story.

Stacy Blair, Regional Manager Consumer Direct, NewRez talks about Helping Order Takers Become Value Sellers. Highlights include: stride for respect; stay humble; treat employees like family;give consumers multiple options and focus on conversion rate. Stacy has some very thought provoking ideas on selling that you will enjoy hearing about.

Danny Deaton, EVP, Head of National Production, Highland Residential talks about Helping Experienced Originators Adapt a New Way of Selling. Highlights include: knowledge is power in serving customers; servant leadership; net promoter scores matter; selling is a value added process and when there is a problem—apologize. Danny has been in the mortgage business for over 40 years and you will enjoy listening to his comments on selling.

Joe Camerieri, EVP, Client Account Management, Mortgage Cadence/Accenture talks about What is the New Normal in Selling. Highlights include: management transparency; know the rules; resist hiring people like you; future is consumer direct and poor performers are not corrected by training. Joe gives some key points on what he sees as the keys to the new normal in selling.

Susan Brown, SVP, Construction Loan Production Director, Umpqua Bank discusses Holding Employees Accountable. Highlights include: hard stuff in the morning; look for key characteristics; take time to think and plan and the importance of role play during the interview. You will enjoy Susan’s talk on managing people and leadership.

Steve Powell, SVP, Growth and Leadership Coach, Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, discusses Building a Positive Accountability Structure. Highlights include: accountability and choice; progression of thinking; ownership and self-awareness; mentoring, training and coaching and embracing reality. With Steve’s many years in the business, you will learn the key points about Building a Positive Accountability Structure.

Tim Frederick, Group VP, M&T Bank—Consumer Direct, talks about Establishing Meaningful Employee Objectives. Highlights include: establishing clear communication; small goals; quarterly check-ins; momentum must be quick and how to ground in reality. You will enjoy Tim’s talk on employee objectives.

Maria Fregosi, Chief Financial Officer, Home Point Financial discusses her views on Scaling Profitability. Highlights include: the importance of knowing your baseline; boom vs bust; what is the true cost per loan; becoming relevant and explain the why.

Mike Fontaine, Chief Operating Officer/CFO, Plaza Home Mortgage talks about Planning for Tomorrowin a Volatile Marketplace. Highlights include: establish a strategic committee; look for big wins; erasecustomer pain points; don’t forget about the future when busy and scorecard metrics.

Kevin Peranio, Chief Lending Officer, PRMG, Inc. discusses the Future Role of Loan Officer. Highlights include: What is path to pivot; diversify your selling strategies; cheaper, faster & better is the new mantra and mortgages are a team sport.

RJ Kistka, Chief Lending Officer, First National Bank of America discusses Selecting a Business Niche. Highlights include: change master; pay it forward; make it easier to sell; and people driven. You will enjoy listening to RJ talk about timing and assessing your business niche.

Alex Rosenblum, Chairman and CEO, Axia Home Loans talks about the timely topic of Hiring the Right People. Highlights include: #1 Decision service and people; excellence wins; plan and stay the course and play to strengths. You will want to hear Alex discuss all of these topics as well as sales culture and product mix.

Teresa Bazemore, CEO of Bazemore Consulting, Director of T. Rowe Price Mutual Funds and former President of Radian Guaranty discusses Establishing a Clear Direction. Highlights include: Spin the Dime Game; Town Halls; scenario planning; challenge of growth vs. survival and having the right people in the room. Teresa gives a very timely talk for today’s environment.

Dave Lowman, with over 40 years of national and international finance expertise, talks about Getting Experienced Originators to use New Technology. He is a member of the Board of Directors for Stearns Lending and Roostify. Dave is the former EVP of Freddie Mac’s Single Family Business. Highlights include: mirror good manager; don’t be a sales dinosaur; consumers will make the choice and you can’t manage unless you measure.

Alissa Sykes, Sr. VP, Chief Growth Officer, Sunmark CU discusses Managing Remotely. Highlights include: employee check-ins; online fun-hangout; little things matter; never stop learning and be a mentor. Listen to Alissa talk about this very timely topic for today’s environment.

Marc Hernandez, SVP, Head of Retail Lending, Alterra Home Loans talks about Preventing Employee Disengagement. Highlights include: celebrate small wins; correct bad behavior quickly; servant leadership and communicate proactively. You will want to hear Marc’s thoughts on how to create a positive environment.

Rob Robertson, Senior Executive, Sales & Operations gives an inspirational talk on Setting a Good Example. Highlights include: Servant Leadership—what it is and how it’s implemented;90% of business is attitude; everyone is a walking commercial; and how you show up matters. Don’t forget to listen for Rob’s 10 Tips on Setting a Good Example.

Phil Shoemaker, President of Originations, Home Point Financial talks about Scaling Your Sales Group. Highlights include: Thinking Small vs. Thinking Big; Recruiting Known Performers; Keys to Compensation Design; and Emphasize Volume & MBO.

Pat interviews Mark Korell, Chairman, Hamilton Group Funding. Highlights include: Three Keys to being successful with the Boss; Handling Resisters and Change and New Leadership. You will want to hear how Mark applies Lou Holtz’s Rules for Success.