Lamont Watson Named Guild Mortgage’s VP of Diverse Talent Development

Guild Mortgage, an independent mortgage lender and member of the American Mortgage Diversity Council (AMDC), a subsidiary of MReport's parent company Five Star Global, has announced the appointment of Lamont Watson as the company’s first VP of Diverse Talent Development. In this new role, Watson will spearhead Guild's initiatives to recruit, develop, and empower a diverse workforce, while fostering an inclusive environment where Guild employees feel valued and supported.

Watson brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new position, having spent the past 11 years with Guild Mortgage, serving clients in South Carolina, managing five branches, and earning a spot in the top 15% of production at the company, first as a producing Sales Manager and then as a producing Branch Manager. Prior to joining Guild Mortgage, Watson was a Loan Officer with JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America.

“Through Lamont's leadership, Guild will continue to build a diverse and inclusive organization that thrives on the strengths and talents of its employees, where borrowers and employees feel welcomed and supported,” said Mary Ann McGarry, CEO of Guild Mortgage.

“My personal experience as a Black man working in the mortgage industry for the past two decades has given me insights and experience to draw from that I’m ready to put to work to help create an environment that supports and empowers Guild’s diverse workforce,” said Watson. “I think this is a pivotal role, and I’m proud that Guild tapped me to bring my personal perspective as someone who has successfully overcome cultural differences and achieved a high level of success within the mortgage industry to foster diversity and inclusion.”

With nearly 20 years of success in the mortgage space, Watson has demonstrated his commitment to helping families achieve homeownership and financial goals. Since 2004, he has helped more than 2,500 families, and in 2020, his team surpassed the $50 million volume milestone in service of Guild Mortgage clients.

“With this new role, one big area of focus is to build strong relationships and collaborations with internal stakeholders and external diversity-focused organizations,” added Watson. “To attract and retain diverse talent we will improve our talent development processes, including mentorship and career advancement opportunities.”

Guild Mortgage recently announced the launch of its 1% Down Payment Advantage program, a new 1% down and 1% interest rate buydown offering (for the first year of the loan) to aid low- to moderate-income borrowers in today’s tight housing market.

“Guild is committed to providing innovative solutions that meet the current and future needs of homebuyers. No matter what is happening in the housing market, we want to get people into homes and help keep them there,” added McGarry. "With our new 1% Down Payment Advantage program, we are meeting our clients where they are and addressing head on the accessibility challenges so many Americans are facing in today’s housing market."