#1: Most Years in Business

> Volume Rank: #31
> Closed-Loans Rank: #4

Top Originators rankings | Next profile >>

---

In her 35 years as a mortgage lending professional, Sherry Zickert has experienced the industry's highs and lows. Last year was certainly on the plus side, with more than $111 million in origination volume.

Zickert started her lending career as a teller and expanded to farm, car and business loans before settling into residential origination. One constant in her 3.5 decades has been upholding the basic approach to a successful business: maintaining contact with past customers and strategic referral-partners. For example, she still mails her customer database monthly, she says.

It has paid off.

"My early customers began sending me their children, and I’m now working with many of their grandchildren," Zickert says. "I’ve been in the community so long, people trust me."

— David Robinson