This December, Scotsman Guide published our annual State Champions rankings, crowning the top originator by volume from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. From those rankings, we handpicked six and asked them how they’ve grown so successful. To learn more about the State Champions rankings, click here. To view the rankings, click here.
ARIZONA
Brent Nardecchia
High Place Mortgage Inc.
2022 Production Numbers
Closed Loans: 199
Total Dollar Volume: $204 million
“I do what I say I’m going to do, I always show up, I communicate and I do what is best for my clients. Instead of just chasing commissions, I forge long-term relationships. And I’m in a luxury market, which keeps me on my toes with all different types of clients. Although we average loan amounts in the jumbo market, we service every client, including first-time homebuyers, veterans and more.”
OREGON
Julee Felsman
Guaranteed Rate
2022 Production Numbers
Closed Loans: 405
Total Dollar Volume: $180.5 million
“We get to do a little bit of everything — from jumbo to USDA, from condos to new construction, from vintage properties to manufactured homes. Urban, suburban and rural, we really run the gamut. And Oregonians are a creative and entrepreneurial lot, so many of our clients are self-employed or freelance. I love the challenge of keeping up on everything and never knowing what puzzle we’ll have the opportunity to solve next.”
IOWA
Amber Ernst
New American Funding
2022 Production Numbers
Closed Loans: 352
Total Dollar Volume: $72.1 million
“Our market is saturated with portfolio lenders, so it is a challenge sometimes to help the customer understand the difference between fixed-rate financing and combo ARMs. I really try to break it down and show pros and cons, so they understand. In a stable market, things are easy — everything stays the same. But when things change like they have, man, it is a blessing to have a fixed-rate loan.”
ALABAMA
Kim Moon
FirstBank Mortgage
2022 Production Numbers
Closed Loans: 229
Total Dollar Volume: $77.8 million
“I have been in the industry for 40 years and know a lot of people in my market (Huntsville). That is one of the benefits of working in the market where I live. Our market has been named one of the top cities in the U.S. to live for affordability, and we are growing at 3%-plus per year. A challenge is that our market is very rate- and cost-conscious. You must be very competitive on every deal.”
KENTUCKY
Jesse Cronen
Northpointe Bank
2022 Production Numbers
Closed Loans: 546
Total Dollar Volume: $146.7 million
“Kentucky is a very affordable market, thus allowing more clients to achieve the dream of homeownership. With that said, I’m also armed with many products to help meet clients’ needs and ultimately close more loans. If you take care of your clients and put their needs first, your referral base will grow. And with a strong referral base and a strong work ethic, you can grow to whatever heights you put your mind to.”
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Chris Cox
First Savings Mortgage
2022 Production Numbers
Closed Loans: 279
Total Dollar Volume: $200 million
“I have been in this business for over 25 years, and I have built long-lasting relationships with agents and real estate offices in the D.C. metro area. I have a talented team and back room. I am beyond lucky to work in Washington, D.C. I set up an office on Capitol Hill in the early 2000s and it was the best decision of my career. I immediately became easy to reach, meet with and drop in on, and this changed everything for me.”
