MPA’s Housing Industry Icons report celebrates the professions who have moved the industry forward and improved the home-buying and lending processes on every level. For their inaugural year, 21 mortgage professionals and six mortgage technology professionals were given the award.
James Hedvall, chief capital markets officer at Mann Mortgage was one of the distinguished winners. With more than 18 years in the industry, James is a pro. His expertise is in secondary and capital markets and he’s worked across retail, wholesale, as well as correspondent lending – giving him an incredible amount of experience.
With great experience comes great advice. The mortgage industry can potentially be a lucrative career where hard work pays off, and James has some incredible insights on getting started, the future of the industry, and what makes a great place to work.
Getting into the mortgage industry
“The great thing about mortgage banking, in my opinion, is that the barrier to entry is relatively low; hard work and showing up every day gets noticed almost immediately,” he says.
James oversees the secondary marketing, servicing, and product development departments for Mann Mortgage. In this role, he establishes the analytics, strategies, and internal controls which allow the company to compete in an ever-changing mortgage environment
The key to success in the ever-changing industry? “Strive to become an expert in your area, and your career path is limitless,” he says.
Making a successful career
Looking back, James credits two bosses early in his career who took the time to teach him 90% of what he knows of secondary marketing. “I owe them a huge debt of gratitude,” he says.
And now, as a boss himself, James tries to pay-it-forward in his own department. He takes time to teach the “how” as well as the “why” of things they are doing as a department and as a company.
Looking ahead
Over the past 10 years, leveraging technology has allowed the industry to change for the better. From the way borrowers fill out an application, the way mortgage banks process loans, and how they are sold on the secondary market, innovative technology is a main driver. And all indications point toward this being a continuing trend for the next 10 years.
But James cautions not to forget the industry is still a relationship-based transaction on so many levels.
“Borrowers still desire the guidance of loan officers, loan officers still rely on knowing processors, underwriters, and who is funding their files. I doubt we’ll ever move away from that in any meaningful way,”
What makes for a good place to work?
To James, it all boils down to a few simple philosophies: treat everyone well and work with great people.
James saw something special at Mann Mortgage when he chose to join the team, and, years later, he’s still glad to be part of it. “Our president and CEO treats everyone who works here with compassion, respect, and integrity,” he says. “This isn’t a management style or technique, but it’s rather who they are as people. This permeates through our organization.”
He stresses that it’s the people that make coming to work fun most of the time, “I have a great department. It enjoy being a passenger on the pirate ship I helped create, and I look forward to what the future brings for this great company.”
Careers at Mann Mortgage
Mann Mortgage helps qualified borrowers fulfill the dream of home ownership. The company provides a highly personalized service to their customers – from finding the best financing option to answering questions during the loan approval process. Their goal is to make the loan experience as uncomplicated as possible. The company was voted the #12 Best Place to Work in 2020 by Outside magazine, 2021’s #1 Top Workplace in Montana the category of large employers by Lee Enterprises, a 2020 Top Mortgage Workplace by MPA, and many other awards.
Learn more about career opportunities and how to join the Mann Mortgage team.