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RYAN KELLEY - THE HOME LOAN EXPERT
Trained in Teamwork R
BY BRITTANY NAY
YAN KELLEY IS A HOMEGROWN ST. LOUIS success story. The Kirkwood High School and St. Louis Community College graduate has established himself as ‘The Home Loan Expert’; and has become the No. 1 mortgage originator in the Midwest—and No. 2 in the nation. From the basement of his Richmond Heights home, Kelley used six years of experience in the mortgage business to start a one-man operation as a loan officer for NewCastle Home Loans in 2008. Within two years, he grew that position to an owner/partner role with the company. Today, business is thriving, with more than 20 employees at St. Louis, Chicago and Indianapolis branches. Kelley says the secret to the company’s success is a dedicated, well-trained staff, exemplary customer service, a top-tier lending platform and good old-fashioned hard work. With 12 years of award-winning experience in the mortgage industry, he leads his staff to treat each other and their
clients like family. The team works tirelessly to give clients the best possible customer-service experience during the home loan or home refinancing process. “Being a mortgage banker means we lend our own money: We process, underwrite, close and fund our own loans, so there’s no middle-man,” Kelley explains, adding that the company’s ability to make its own decisions on files allows it to offer lower interest rates and expedite the loan process. “That gives us a big edge on other companies.” The staff training model the business has developed also makes the difference, he continues. “We don’t hire loan officers, we train new ones.” The loan officers train alongside Kelley for a year before obtaining licenses and meeting with their own clients. “We really take pride in customer service, so we make sure our loan officers have had a lot of training,” he notes. Additional employees, from the receptionist to department heads, have 12-plus years of experience from some of the mortgage
Monte Gibbs, Brian McGovern, Ryan Kelley, Kyle Melvin, Kyle Kijowski
industry’s biggest players. “The staff knows the mortgage business inside and out, and they work hard, six days a week, 12 hours a day.” Through that close-knit work environment, the staff has become family, Kelley notes. “We go to Cardinals, Blues and Rams games together when we’re not working, and while we’re busy at the office, our spouses also spend time together. The Continued on page 73
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