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54 more than just an organization that provides loan documents and statements. We've got to create the opportunity that will give customers the ability to obtain and then sustain homeownership. It's what brings value for the customer, our community, and, quite frankly, our country. Creating those forums through our channels—whether it be online or through our associates directly. Even as we think about hearing from industry advocates, and we hear from regulators, and we hear from the legislative bodies around what's important and what we should be taking greater care in. We have to observe all those different stakeholders as we serve our customers going forward. Also, one of the big things here is taking a personal approach to serving customers and creating that relationship to assist them. A good example of that is, most recently in some of the programming that we've made available in our forbearance options and contacting those customers in various ways, certainly through traditional mailings, but also through online communications, as well as direct outreach to make sure that customers understand what their options are and are making informed choices. at is critical as you think about long- term relationships. We're going to get through this situation, just as we have in the past. ose that create those forums, if you will, to collect that information, to listen to the customers and the associates, are going to be the ones that'll navigate it most successfully. WERE THERE ANY MENTORSHIP RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAVE IMPACTED YOU IN YOUR CAREER? I was very fortunate in my career, especially early on, to have leaders that cared for me, helped me find direction within my career, and challenged me to think about things outside of my comfort zone. One of the things that really stood out for me in a couple of the relationships that I still hold very close in value, is taking the time to catch people doing things right. Ensuring that you are recognizing folks for caring for the customers, for ensuring that we're doing things right, for caring for the company, for caring for one another. I was fortunate that I had two mentors who focused on that aspect of leading and making sure that they went out of their way to catch people doing the right thing and reinforcing that—not just with the individual, but then recognizing that broadly in the organization to ensure everyone understood what was expected and that you're going to be grateful for that type of action and activity. WHAT DOES THAT COMMITMENT LOOK LIKE, BEYOND JUST RECOGNIZING POSITIVE ACTION IN THE MOMENT IS? IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU PUT INTO PLACE AS FAR AS POLICY OR PROGRAMS? at's something also within the Home Point organization that we're working on. ere are certainly programs that you can do from a compensation recognition perspective, and clearly many of our associates are tied to the overall performance of the operation. However, what I've found throughout the years is that it really is the small things that matter. ings as simple as a handwritten note, thanking them for what they've done, or, when we get back to our offices, thanking somebody on the way out for something they did, for how they cared for a customer, for how they worked with another associate in the operation. ose are really the difference-makers. As an example, I was on the job less than 90 days back in the very early 1990s. I still have the very first handwritten note from a leader. In my first 90 days, I had experienced some success, particularly in how I was caring for customers. He took the time to write me a short note thanking me for that and reinforcing that that was one of the keys to long-term success. I still have that note today, and it's something that I've been focused on passing along throughout my career. at type of activity is a real difference- maker for leaders in our industry and, for that matter, more broadly. It resonates well, even in today's society of online digital and automation; a handwritten note still goes a long way. AFTER A 30-YEAR CAREER IN MORTGAGE, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO ARE JUST BEGINNING THEIRS? I would encourage them to be open to opportunities beyond what they know and what they're comfortable with. Our industry has so much to offer. ere's a broad array of activities. ere's a broad array of businesses. ere's a broad array of departments where you can work. In many cases, it's easy to get comfortable, especially when you've been successful in a certain area. I believe that the more we can challenge ourselves to get out of that comfort zone, the better. Understand that the journey is not necessarily a ladder, but more closely aligned with a lattice, if you will. You move around and ultimately up, as you broaden your experiences in the industry and learn from others. You don't always have to recreate the wheel. ere are others who have that experience that you can rely on. e other thing that I would remind people about today is to enjoy the experience and take the time to celebrate successes while also looking for ways to improve. ose two things can be one and the same; they don't have to be separate from each other. You can recognize that things have gone extremely well and still challenge yourself to look at ways to create improvement throughout the entire journey. David Wharton, Managing Editor at the Five Star Institute, is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, where he received his B.A. in English and minored in Journalism. Wharton has over 16 years' experience in journalism and previously worked at omson Reuters, a multinational mass media and information firm, as Associate Content Editor, focusing on producing media content related to tax and accounting principles and government rules and regulations for accounting professionals. Wharton has an extensive and diversified portfolio of freelance material, with published contributions in both online and print media publications. Cover Story By: David Wharton

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