Interfirst Mortgage Company [1], a private equity-backed mortgage originator, announced that Dhaval Patel has been promoted to SVP, Consumer Direct Production. Patel joined Interfirst in January 2020 as VP, Consumer Direct. Patel is based in Chicago and will report to Mark Freedle, EVP, Production of Interfirst.
Last year, Patel grew his team to 120 remote-based mortgage loan originators. In his expanded role, his primary focus is to grow to 250 originators to occupy over 100,000 square feet of office space between Interfirst’s Chicago headquarters and the company’s new strategic hub in Charlotte. He plans to continue building his national footprint of remote mortgage loan originators.
Patel, who has nearly 30 years of leadership and strategic management experience, has managed direct-to-consumer sales, third-party origination, branch and centralized operations, and multi-state/regional centers.
At Interfirst, Patel developed a unique approach to the recruitment and hiring process by looking beyond a candidate’s technical expertise and focusing additional energy on assessing the candidate’s ability to quickly build an emotional connection. Once hired as a team member, the new loan officer is provided with the training to learn the technical components of the role and the mentorship to build a successful career as a mortgage loan officer. This approach has opened the door to industry outsiders from various backgrounds including military veterans, engineers, teachers, professional musicians, and more.
“Dhaval’s competitive differentiator is his ability to work through his leadership to help loan officers combine the needed technical skills and human touch with customers to deliver the right loan and the best possible lending experience,” said Mark Freedle, EVP of Interfirst. “His innovative approach to recruiting, and commitment to coaching and professional development allows us to attract a high-quality pool of talented professionals and recent college graduates. He recognizes the importance of building trust with customers throughout the process in order to deliver a transparent, streamlined customer experience.”
“I am really excited for this opportunity to expand my responsibilities at Interfirst and play a major role in building the next generation of professionals and leaders in the mortgage industry,” Patel said. “Over my 30-year career, this is the first time where I trust a company enough to recommend its products to my family, friends, and neighbors. This speaks to the strong belief I have in Interfirst’s culture and corporate vision. I look forward to continuing to grow our team of loan officers and providing the training and development opportunities they need to best serve our customers.”
Interfirst continues to expand its geographic footprint across the U.S. to include its loan offerings to all 50 states and is currently licensed in 19 states.