In my role as chief production officer for conventional multifamily at Lument, I oversee our conventional production efforts and am responsible for managing all of our Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac relationships. Previously, I oversaw our internal bullpen—which offers analytical support for our production teams—and I’m one of the business leads for new tech initiatives. During my 19 years at Lument and its predecessor companies, I’ve witnessed many changes both within our company and the commercial real estate industry as a whole. I have learned a tremendous amount along the way.
I really enjoy interacting with coworkers not only internally, but also our Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac counterparts—I like being an external-facing member of the firm. Having the opportunity to do both is a fun part of the job. I’ve been able to mentor some junior colleagues, just as there were senior leaders who mentored me and whose guidance I’m incredibly grateful for—like Steve Cox, Bill Hyman, and others.
There’s also not a day that goes by without a problem to solve, which keeps things interesting. You’re always finding ways to help people arrive at solutions and pull deals together. It’s not instant gratification by any means, but ultimately, it’s really satisfying to see your impact when those deals close successfully.
Lument’s corporate culture has grown more collaborative over the years—there’s definitely more of a camaraderie now than when I first started. Thanks to Jim Flynn’s and Tyler Griffin’s leadership, as well as that of the management committee, there’s been a concerted effort to foster a collegial environment, which makes it a great place to work.
Speaking of, my nearly two-decade career here is an accomplishment that I’m proud of. Over the last couple years, a large part of my role has been solidifying our relationships with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which has been a huge win for us as a company. We’ve had some big wins with both agencies lately, and I’m proud to have been part of those.
Meanwhile, my role as a resource for my colleagues has also been meaningful. Whether it’s a small victory in helping someone to engage a deal, or a huge win in assisting a coworker to close one, I don’t take any of those successes for granted. I built out our bullpen—it’s something near and dear to me, and I’m very protective of the talented people on that team. When I see them succeed, that makes me prouder than my own successes.
I’m impressed by how Lument encourages entrepreneurial thinking. The company has changed and grown exponentially during my time here, and people aren’t siloed whatsoever—there are so many different parts of the firm to get involved with. If I can help expose colleagues, especially my direct reports, to a wider audience, that’s a win.
If there’s a piece of advice I wish someone had given me when I was coming up through the ranks, it’s the value of being patient. There’s so much to be said for taking your time to learn—and also for going out of your way to establish relationships. You can’t wait for people to come to you—you have to be willing to move beyond your comfort zone. There are many things I’ve had to do in my career that I’d never had any experience in—technology, for example. I’m not a tech person, but I’ve helped lead a number of initiatives that we’ve rolled out over the years. There are real benefits to taking on new responsibilities.
One thing a lot of people might not know about me is that I’m die-hard Kentucky Wildcats fan, having gone to college there. I’ve even dragged my wife and my daughter, who’s in sixth grade, over to London to see them play. While my wife thinks it is somewhat unreasonable, you could say I have an emotional attachment to the team.
