Inside the Lenders’ Studio: City Bank

Welcome to another installment of Inside the Lenders’ Studio, where we get to know top-producing lenders from their start in the industry through their rise to the top.

Our latest guests are mortgage consultants Greg Reichel, Jessica Baldwin and Michael Addison who hail from Dallas-based depository City Bank.

Surefire CRM:

How did you get started in mortgage banking?

Jessica Baldwin, NMLS# 857625:

After I purchased my first home in 2011, I decided that I wanted to change careers. I was interested in finance and working with people, so I took a leap of faith and started working for a mortgage company on my own.

Greg Reichel, NMLS #911450:

 I moved from Oklahoma in one car with all my stuff to work for a big credit union here in Dallas doing consumer loans. They needed help inputting loan applications. I didn’t know what it was, but it sounded great. Fifteen years later, here I am. I love it, it’s become a passion.

Michael Addision, NMLS# 603214:

 I had a friend in college that was doing well at a call center. I joined him for about a year until I found a mentor that really got me going in the mortgage industry. Twenty-three years later it has become a fulfilling career.

Surefire CRM:

What motivates you?

JB:

My family and serving others.

GR:

Not only my family, but everyone on my team’s families. I love helping people and everyone on each of our teams. Jessica and Michael are a huge part of the production we’re able to do. It’s motivating to see how we can positively affect others.

MA:

I’m extremely competitive and my team is too, so that’s a big driver for me. We try to improve ourselves every day. It’s a lot of fun to motivate my team and watch each of them grow.

Surefire CRM:

Who is your digital mentor?

JB:

I would say the new youth that we’ve brought onto our team, some of the younger guys have really put themselves out there and been able to integrate themselves into different groups, whether it be Reddit or different Facebook groups that are across the country, since we are able to originate in multiple states.

GR:

From a digital aspect, I lean on my team a lot because I am not very digital. But I’ve had many mentors in this business that have helped me tremendously that I still talk to this day.

MA:

My previous boss of many years, Chris Christensen was a mentor to me in the earlier years of my career. He was on the forefront of using technology to track trends in pipelines and things like that. I learned a lot from him in terms of not digital in the way we think of it today as social media, but more digital in terms of how to use software and systems to automate the loan process. But most recently I’d say my son and the younger people that have joined our teams.

Surefire CRM:

What is your top marketing trick?

GR:

Speaking for all three of us, we’re very authentic and relationship-based. Whoever we’re meeting with, we show up as our true selves. I think that’s especially important in this business and why we’ve been so successful.

Surefire CRM:

What is an on-the-job experience that made you especially proud?

JB:

One thing I’m very proud of not just on the job but career is when Michael and I partnered in 2013, a lot of people had zero clue of what a partnership would look like in our industry. We’ve managed to make it almost eight years and have been able to grow our team and go through several changes within companies. We’ve had other loan officers who originally questioned our type of partnership try to replicate it because they see we still put up big numbers and maintain a lifestyle with our family and enjoy life.

GR:

I never thought that we would be in a position to employ so many people on our teams. I love seeing how our teams integrated with each other and being able to sit down with them, one-on-one, and talk about what I’ve learned from other top originators and how we can grow their family’s wealth. I love being able to help other people.

MA:

I think the biggest thing that’s really been cool the last few years is watching some of these guys come in and leave a different career. We’ve been able to take folks from another career and learn the mortgage business. And now we’ve got one guy who works for us, who just became a rocket ship. He had an incredible year last year. It’s really rewarding to watch.

Surefire CRM:

Where would you go on your dream vacation?

JB:

Africa.

GR:

Germany

MA:

Switzerland.

Surefire CRM:

Show us your most treasured possession.

JB:

My son, Croix.

GR:

My Family.

MA:

My Family.

Surefire CRM:

Who’s the most famous or interesting person you’ve ever met?

JB:

George W. Bush

GR:

Willie Nelson.

MA:

Donald Trump.

Surefire CRM:

If you weren’t a mortgage banker, what other profession would you like to attempt?

JB:

Business Coaching.

GR:

Attorney.

MA:

Architect.

Surefire CRM:

Rapidfire: You’ve just won an Oscar. Give us your top-3 acceptance speech shout-outs.

JB:

My Family, all of the support teams around me, and of course, God.

GR:

I have to give it to my family, my kids, my wife, my mentors, and my parents.

MA:

My family, all of the intentional and unintentional lessons they taught me over the years would be a big one. God for me was definitely very important especially in my younger years. And lastly, I’d probably just say, my former boss, Chris Christensen, taught me so much and just how to do things the right way.