SANTA ANA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Stearns Lending, LLC, a leading independent mortgage bank, announced today that Steve Smith, CFO of Stearns will take on the additional role of President of Stearns Lending. Smith will work closely with David Schneider, CEO of Stearns Lending, to identify growth opportunities. Smith has also been appointed to the Operating Committees of both of Stearns’ Preferred Partnerships – Certainty Home Loans and Citywide Home Loans.
“Success in today’s mortgage industry requires a strong leadership team focused on our employers, customers and partners,” said Schneider. “In his dual roles as President and CFO, Smith and I will work closely together as we continue to identify growth opportunities for Stearns while remaining focused on serving our customers, business partners and most importantly our team.”
Since joining the executive team three years ago, Smith’s strategic focus on digital amplification has created efficiencies and increased cost containment, while also ensuring that Stearns Lending stays ahead of the technology curve. A seasoned industry professional with three decades of finance, mortgage banking and real estate industry experience, Smith previously worked at Caliber Home Loans and Bank of America. Named a 2017 Vanguard Award recipient, Smith is known throughout the lending community as someone who makes “an unmistakable impact on the industry at-large.”
“At Stearns, our mission statement is simple: ‘I Can Help You’ and our team executes this mission every day,” said Smith. “In my new role, I look forward to continuing to explore opportunities for growth including ways we can continue to engage our employees, customers and partners with new advances in technology that are changing the mortgage landscape.”
About Stearns Lending, LLC
Stearns Lending, LLC is a leading provider of mortgage lending services in Wholesale, Retail, and Strategic Alliance sectors throughout the United States where licenses are held. In 2018, the company ranked as the #12 non-bank mortgage lender by Inside Mortgage Finance.
Stearns Lending is an equal housing lender and is licensed to conduct business in 49 states and the District of Columbia. Additionally, Stearns Lending is an approved HUD (United States Department of Housing and Urban Development) lender; a Single-Family Issuer for Ginnie Mae (Government National Mortgage Association); an approved Seller/Servicer for Fannie Mae (Federal National Mortgage Association); and an approved Seller/Servicer for Freddie Mac (Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation). Stearns Lending is also approved as a VA (United States Department of Veterans Affairs) lender, a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) lender and is an approved lending institution with FHA (Federal Housing Administration). Stearns Lending, LLC is located at 4 Hutton Centre Drive, 10th Floor, Santa Ana, CA 92707. Company NMLS# 1854.