Key Mortgage Services Names Top Industry Executive Ralph Melbourne As New President

Key Mortgage Services, a full-service financial products provider, announced the hiring of top industry executive Ralph Melbourne as its new president. (Photo: Business Wire)

CHICAGO--()--Chicago-based Key Mortgage Services today announced the hiring of top industry executive Ralph Melbourne as its new president. Selected after Key Mortgage engaged in a nationwide search, the Chicago-area financial services professional begins his new role immediately at the mortgage arm of Baird & Warner, Illinois’ largest family-owned independent real estate services company.

“As one of the first one-stop-shop companies delivering brokerage, mortgage and title services, we’re proud to add the expertise and knowledge of Ralph Melbourne as we continue making the process easier for homebuyers and sellers in the Chicago area and beyond,” said Steve Baird, president and CEO of Baird & Warner. “We’re amid another record-breaking year and Ralph’s 25-plus years of work as an innovative change leader in the financial services industry will help us further elevate the transaction-to-closing experience with a vision toward future growth.”

Melbourne most recently served as national head of mortgage lending for BMO Harris Private Bank, and as managing director of Guaranteed Rate Affinity’s mortgage origination venture with Realogy Holdings Corp. – both based in Chicago. Prior to those leadership roles, he was president of the real estate channel for PHH Mortgage in Mount Laurel, N.J., where he managed an operation of more than 400 loan officers with annual volume of over $8 billion. Preceding his pivotal role at PHH Mortgage, Melbourne held a variety of executive positions at PNC Mortgage, Morgan Stanley Credit Corp., Washington Mutual and Citibank.

“I’m proud to lead such a successful independent mortgage firm and work with the talented team at Key Mortgage in developing new methods and processes to support additional volume as the market continues its trajectory,” Melbourne said. “Consumers want easy mortgage solutions, and the one-stop-shop model Baird & Warner has perfected over three decades quickly connects clients to finance products that get them into the house of their dreams.”

Melbourne has a bachelor of business administration degree from the Anderson School of Management at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. A resident of Chicago’s western suburbs for over 30 years, he has volunteered at Shriners Hospitals for Children, and continues as a governing member of the Chicago Zoological Society.

In 2020, Baird & Warner recorded the most successful year in its 166-year history with more than $11.5 billion in sales and over 37,500 transactions companywide. Its one-stop-shop partners at Baird & Warner Title Services and Key Mortgage Services contributed to those results, achieving their own record sales of over $2 billion and $1 billion, respectively.*

About Key Mortgage Services:

Established in 1988, Key Mortgage is a full-service financial products provider, consistently ranking among the top lenders in Chicagoland. The company has been named a Top Employer five years in a row by National Mortgage Professional Magazine, while its affiliation with Baird & Warner Real Estate was ranked #5 for Core Services / Mortgage Closings on the 2021 RealTrends 500 list. Key Mortgage loan originators combine industry-leading technology and operational excellence with in-house underwriting capabilities and a wide variety of financial products to ensure homebuyers get a loan that fits their unique situation and closes on time, every time. Learn more at MyKeyMortgage.com.

About Baird & Warner Real Estate, Inc.:

Established in 1855, Baird & Warner is Illinois’ largest family-owned independent real estate services company. The Baird & Warner brand has been synonymous with making real estate easier through experience, innovation, and integrity for more than 165 years. Steve Baird, the firm’s fifth-generation owner, has been consistently recognized among the industry’s most influential leaders. In 2019, Baird & Warner was named a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace for the eighth year in a row. With more than 2,500 broker associates in 29 offices and comprehensive mortgage, title, and relocation services, Baird & Warner ranks among the nation’s top real estate firms. Learn more at BairdWarner.com.

*Source for sales and transaction data: Baird & Warner Real Estate Inc. residential sales, mortgage, and title companies.

Contacts

Rebecca Boykin
rboykin@taylorjohnson.com

Contacts

Rebecca Boykin
rboykin@taylorjohnson.com