How did you get involved in the mortgage industry?
I was a stay at home mom for 13 years.  When I was ready to begin my career, I had a friend who owned a mortgage company who thought it would be a good career choice for me.  I was able to work as a loan originator part-time for 16 years and took the position at VisionBank three years ago as VP Mortgage and Consumer Lender.

What is the biggest challenge or opportunity you have seen in the mortgage industry?
The biggest challenge in the mortgage industry is keeping up with all of the changes.  Probably the hardest thing is to gain the confidence of our referral sources and maintain their confidence as underwriting, disclosure, and compliance issues evolve.

What advice would you give people just entering the industry?
Be prepared for an ever-changing industry.  Work hard to please the borrowers and your referral sources, but don’t lose sleep over a loan.  Be diligent to make sure you find the best product available for your borrowers.  Enjoy the ride!

Do you have a quick tip for saving time, generating leads, tracking information, etc. that you would like to share?
iphones.

When you are not at work, what do you like to do most?
I enjoy time with my family, vacationing – primarily in a boat at Lake Panorama or in the Gulf of Mexico off of Siesta Key, Florida, and basketball.

What is a quote or a guiding principle you live by?
When you make a mistake, own it, apologize for it, and make it right.  “I prefer working with humans.”