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MortgagePoint » Your Trusted Source for Mortgage Banking and Servicing News 28 October 2025 F E A T U R E S T O R Y the question she asks is not, 'How was your day?' It's more like, 'What have you done nice for someone today?'" That sense of caring is evident in and echoed by Coon's colleagues. David Little, EVP Consumer and Business Banking Operations for U.S. Bank, who has worked closely with Coon within that organization, describes it simply: "When I asked our colleagues here to describe Patrick, one word that's often used is caring. Patrick has a deep level of caring that goes beyond what I would consider normal." Little recalled, "We've had a lot of conversations about what it means to be a second-miler: somebody who goes that extra mile in all circumstances." He says that Partrick has demonstrated this quality throughout their time working together. The admiration runs in both direc- tions, with Coon saying of Little, "He makes sure that people are cared for. I try to emulate his passion, his faith, his love of family. He's an absolute profes- sional. David's the real deal." Guided by Mentors R eflecting on a career that began in 1979, Coon credits mentors and colleagues who shaped his professional path. From Jim Overby, his first man- ager at Ford Motor Credit, he learned diligence, humility, and patience. Coon recalls Overby as the type who "walked in the door at 8:00 a.m. and walked out at 5:00 p.m." One particular conversa- tion between the two has stuck with Coon over the years: "He called me in and said, 'You're gonna go places, but you'll only get there if you appreciate the people every step of the way.'" At the outset of Coon´s mortgage career, Robert Caruso—now President & CEO of ServiceMac—modeled what it meant to be humble and to lead with character. Coon remembers how Caruso carried himself upon their initial encounter, amid a meeting in a sea of big egos: "Amongst all the chest-puffing, here was Bob, just sitting and being a man of character. Didn't have to raise his voice. Didn't have to get anybody's attention. And I realized that you don't have to be the loudest. You just have to think things through and speak when it's appropriate. That sticks with me." Paying It Forward F or Coon, leadership has always meant mentorship. One story, in particular, stands out. At SPS, more than two decades ago, he met a talented young professional named Douglas Whittemore. Their relationship began not with flattery but with frank advice. "The mentorship didn't kick off in a true mentorship fashion. It kicked off like a father talking to a son. It was, 'Slow down. You're getting ahead of yourself.'" Whittemore echoes the familial com- parisons. "What can we say about Patrick Coon other than 'executive dad?" jokes Whittemore, currently serving as Chief Strategy & Growth Officer for Selene Finance. He has known and worked with Patrick for more than 20 years. "The one piece of coaching he offered to me was to be the first one in and the last one out, every single day. I've taken that to heart to this day as one of the values that I try to instill in my daily routine." That mentorship has extended far beyond office hours. "Patrick invited me to his house for Thanksgiving," recounts Whittemore. "He made sure that I was never left alone during the holidays. … He was one of the voices that helped convince me to propose to my beautiful bride, Lindsay, and he was one of the first to arrive at my household when we brought our little girl home back in 2015. Patrick is more to me than just an execu- tive, a boss, a friend, or a colleague. He's been there for every single one of my major life events." Shaping Future Leaders C oon's influence is visible in the next generation of leaders he has helped to nurture. James Campbell, EVP, Head of Servicing at Roundpoint Mortgage, reflects on this legacy: "Patrick has left many distinguishing marks on this in- dustry throughout his career. However, if you ask me to key in on just one, that would be the development of future leaders in organizations that have been fortunate enough to have Patrick in their ranks. Their passion for this business was ignited under Patrick."