Longbridge Financial CEO Chris Mayer Earns Fourth Consecutive Inman Best of Finance Award

Award marks continued recognition of Mayer's leadership in expanding home equity access and retirement security for older Americans

PARAMUS, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Longbridge Financial, a leading national mortgage lender and servicer specializing in home equity solutions for older Americans, today announced that CEO Christopher Mayer, PhD, has been named to Inman's 2026 Best of Finance list for the fourth consecutive year.

The annual award recognizes top executives, advisors, and entrepreneurs transforming the residential lending and real estate finance sectors. Under Mayer's leadership, Longbridge has expanded its proprietary product suite, including Platinum Preserve, and in 2025 launched HELOC For Seniors®, the first-of-its-kind HELOC product designed specifically to meet the needs of older homeowners.

"Being recognized by Inman four years in a row is a great honor, and it's a reflection of the team we've built at Longbridge," Mayer said. "We remain focused on developing responsible, flexible solutions that give older homeowners more choices and more confidence as they look to live their best life in retirement."

Mayer, an economist and emeritus professor at Columbia Business School, has led Longbridge's growth from a startup in 2013 to one of the nation's largest reverse mortgage lender and the largest wholesale lender. The company's portfolio includes Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs), its proprietary Platinum suite of products, and HELOC For Seniors.

Product innovation at Longbridge comes against a backdrop of growing financial pressure, and opportunity, for older Americans. According to the NRMLA/RiskSpan Reverse Mortgage Market Index, homeowners 62 and older are sitting on a record $14.66 trillion in home equity as of Q3 2025. Yet a 2025 Vanguard study found that only about 40% of baby boomers nearing retirement are expected to have sufficient wealth to maintain their lifestyle -- suggesting that for millions of seniors, home equity may be their most underutilized financial asset. It's a gap Longbridge is building products to address.

"The data paints a clear picture -- older Americans are sitting on record levels of home equity at a time when retirement savings gaps have never been more visible. At Longbridge, we're building products that help seniors turn their largest asset into lasting financial security, with the choice and dignity they deserve."

The full list of Inman's 2026 Best of Finance honorees is available at Inman.com.

About Longbridge Financial Longbridge Financial, LLC (NMLS #957935), is a nationally recognized mortgage lender and servicer focused on helping older homeowners access their home equity through flexible, responsible lending solutions designed to support a more secure retirement. Founded in 2012 and led by a respected Ivy League professor, the company combines deep industry expertise with a strong commitment to education, innovation, and transparency. Guided by a mission to empower aging Americans, Longbridge Financial provides the tools and insights they need to help make confident financial decisions in or near retirement.

For more information about Longbridge Financial or interview requests, visit longbridge-financial.com/newsroom.