About Me
I have spent nearly 15 years in the mortgage industry, as both a retail mortgage banker and an independent mortgage broker. I have founded several companies over the last decade, including an independent mortgage company, a craft beer microbrewery, and most recently a marketing company for mortgage professionals. I have been a top producer in a multi-state region for the largest mortgage lender in the country, I have built sales teams in regions all over the country, and currently serve as a Vice-President and Central Area Manager. In the last few years I have built a team of nearly 25 people that has seen volume growth of 65-85% year-over-year, and created nearly $5M in annual revenue.
My Background
I was born and raised in a rural area of SW Missouri. My mom was an elementary teacher, and my dad owned a residential construction company. I graduated high school and went to the University of Arkansas before leaving college after just a few semesters, which was not a fun conversation to have with a parent who is a teacher with a Masters degree. I gained some extremely valuable career skills over the next several years as a retail store GM, a corporate recruiter, and in residential construction, before starting my mortgage career.
Throughout my life I have been fortunate to be surrounded by people who taught me the importance of education, both in and out of the classroom. I was taught to always seek out information from people who can help get me where I wanted to go, both in books and in having mentors.
I went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in Organizational Management at John Brown University, a Certified Residential Mortgage Specialist (CRMS), and was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Arkansas Association of Mortgage Professionals (AAMP). I also received an Independent Mortgage Broker license, and owned/operated my own company before selling it to the largest mortgage lender in the country. I became the top originator in a multi-state region with that company during the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009, and spent time after that as Business Development Manager opening offices throughout the South and Southeast. I found a home at Highlands Residential Mortgage in late 2013 working with some of top mortgage banking talent in the country.
I also founded a craft beer microbrewery in 2012 that has gone on to thrive in a crowded marketplace. Even though I have sold my interest in the brewery, I still enjoy home-brewing small batches of craft beer. I also enjoy reading (a lot), traveling the country with my wife and kids, and helping other entrepreneurs and mortgage professionals find success in their business.
