TheMReport — News and strategies for the evolving mortgage marketplace.
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M R EP O RT | 13 MCROWD partnered with his proven track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics. "We are honored to welcome Jammie Jelks into the community," said Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, the collective that includes Forbes Real Estate Business Council. "Our mission with Forbes Councils is to bring together proven leaders from every industry, creating a curated, social capital-driven network that helps every member grow profes- sionally and make an even greater impact on the business world." JOHN OWENS Nations Lending, a full-service national mortgage lender, has selected John Owens as VP of Strategic Growth. Owens will play a critical role in driving production strategy, identifying growth opportunities, and tapping into exceptional talent throughout the United States. "John is an outstanding leader with a proven track record," Corey Caster, EVP of National Production, said. "He brings a wealth of experience we can leverage to focus on big opportuni- ties." With over 20 years' experience in the mortgage industry, Owens has served in many roles, from develop- ing sales channels within wholesale to overseeing national business development. He will lead Nations Lending on its path to becoming a Top 10 Independent Mortgage Bank. Fostering the company's diverse and welcoming culture is an essential part of that goal, he said. "Nations Lending has a stellar culture that's all about family, purpose and transpar- ency," Owens said. "Our task will be to keep what we have and then build upon it with likeminded, top-flight talent to ensure our culture remains intact. We'll share our story across the country so more people can experience what Nations Lending has to offer." LAURA ORCUTT Bell Bank has hired Laura Orcutt as SVP/ Director of Product, with oversight of strategy, develop- ment, and operational implementation of financial products for the growing financial company. Orcutt offices at Bell Plaza in Bloomington and works across Bell's divisions and regions. "We're very proud to have Laura choose to join our team," said Michael Solberg, Bell's President and CEO. "Her experience and insights, as well as her ability to collaborate with divisional and regional leaders, will help us continue to offer not only the personal service we're known for, but also the tools and experiences our customers need to manage the financial services they use." DHAVAL PATEL Interfirst Mortgage Company, a private equity-backed mortgage originator, announced that Dhaval Patel has been promoted to SVP, Consumer Direct Production. Patel joined Interfirst in January 2020 as VP, Consumer Direct. Patel, who has nearly 30 years' leadership and strategic management experience, has managed direct-to-consumer sales, third-party origination, branch, and centralized operations, and multistate/regional centers. "Dhaval's competitive differentiator is his ability to work through his leadership to help loan officers combine the needed technical skills and human touch with customers to deliver the right loan and the best possible lending experience," said Mark Freedle, EVP of Interfirst. "His innovative approach to recruiting and commitment to coaching and professional development allows us to attract a high-quality pool of talented professionals and recent college graduates. He recognizes the importance of building trust with customers throughout the process in order to deliver a transparent, streamlined customer experience." SERVICE PROVIDERS GREG HOLMES Credit Plus, a provider of reliable data and intelligent insights for more-informed lending and credit decisions, announced that it has elected Greg Holmes as President and CEO. Holmes has more than 25 years' mortgage industry experience and joined Credit Plus 15 years ago. He has served in several roles at the company, most recently as Managing Partner, and previously as National Director of Sales and Marketing and Southeast Regional Sales Manager. "I'm thrilled to be stepping into this role during such an exciting time for Credit Plus. The future holds great promise, and my goal is to lead Credit Plus into the next stage of growth," Holmes said. RICHARD JACKMAN SimpleNexus, developer of a homeownership platform for loan officers, borrowers, real estate agents, and settlement agents, announced it has hired Richard Jackman to its executive team as vice president of marketing. In this role, Jackman will lead the company's strategic marketing plan and expand SimpleNexus' share of voice in the mortgage market. Jackman brings over two-decades of marketing leadership experience to SimpleNexus, having directed marketing campaigns yielding thousands of sales leads and millions of dollars in revenu. "Richard is a keen digital mortgage marketing executive with the demonstrated ability to help innovative firms rapidly expand their market footprint and scale to their full potential," SimpleNexus President Cathleen Schreiner Gates said. "Richard's experience leading high-performing marketing divisions will play a key role in helping SimpleNexus expand the customer journey and deliver superior value to our clients." Jackman says SimpleNexus "has a clear vision for improving the mortgage industry through a connected platform that ultimately streamlines the entire homeownership process for all parties involved." MELANIE MODROVICH Melanie Modrovich has been promoted to Mortgage Connect's VP of Closing Operations. Modrovich says when she got the letter about her promotion to VP of Closing Operations, her first thought was about how far she had come in her 16 years in the mortgage and financial services industry. Modrovich said, "I started as a temp and didn't know what a mortgage was." Modrovich quickly learned the ins and outs of the business, along with something she heard from Mortgage Connect CEO Jeff Coury. "It's one of the first things Jeff ever told me," Modrovich said. "(That) we're a title company, but we're a customer service company first. It's been on my mind since day one and that's what I tell people who come in on interviews now." Modrovich said she feels fortunate that culture is a huge priority to executive leadership at Mortgage Connect. "I have the best teams," Modrovich said. "Their dedication to the company and each other is what keeps me going." Know someone moving up in the industry? Email us at Editor@theMReport.com. "Dhaval Patel's competitive differentiator is his ability to work through his leadership to help loan officers combine the needed technical skills and human touch with customers to deliver the right loan and the best possible lending experience." —Mark Freedle, EVP, Interfirst Mortgage Company.