Churchill Mortgage Charts Path for Growth with Two Key Personnel Moves

Jesse Vazquez signs on in talent acquisition role, while Kelly Lee is promoted to nationwide sales post

NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Churchill Mortgage, an industry leader providing conventional, FHA, VA and USDA residential mortgages across 49 states and the District of Columbia, announced two key moves today, with Jesse Vazquez joining the company as Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Kelly Lee being elevated to Executive Vice President of National Production.

“We are growing and refining our workforce despite recent cooling in the housing market, which is a testament to the strong foundation of our company,” said Mike Hardwick, CEO of Churchill Mortgage. “With so many talented loan officers looking for better opportunities during uncertain times in the industry, we are thrilled to have Jesse join our team to bring talent acquisition in-house and Kelly oversee our loan officers nationwide.”

With more than 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry, Kelly Lee originally joined the Churchill Mortgage team in June 2022 as Senior Vice President of Production for the Pacific Northwest region. Lee previously served as an EVP and Divisional Manager at PrimeLending, growing its West Coast presence over the course of seven years from $280 million to $3.1 billion, eventually leading to a role expansion that allowed him to oversee the management of $7.25 billion. Prior to PrimeLending, Lee was Vice President of Sales and EVP for a regional mortgage company and is a U.S. Army veteran.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead our national sales team and ensure we are hitting our production goals, while also remaining true to the values that have allowed Churchill to thrive for over 30 years,” said Lee. “Achieving sustainable and meaningful fiscal growth that aligns with our culture is my top priority, with a focus on consistent performance across all regions.”

Jesse Vazquez brings a 27-year track record of success in talent acquisition to the Churchill Mortgage team, with a history of building robust, internal recruiting operations at multiple stops on his journey, including Stearns Lending and First Guaranty Mortgage Corporation. At First Guaranty, he built a talent acquisition model that drastically reduced the need to engage external recruiters, saving the company over $2 million in the process. Over the course of three years, Vazquez grew the number of loan officers from 23 to 188.

“Churchill’s reputation is unmatched in the mortgage industry, and I’m humbled to join an organization with such a deeply held commitment to its culture,” said Vazquez. “Given the company’s long-term stability, quick turnaround times and 100% employee ownership, I’m confident we have the tools to establish a smart and sustainable model to grow the team with talented loan officers from across the country.”

For more information on Churchill Mortgage, please visit ChurchillMortgage.com.

About Churchill Mortgage
Founded in 1992, Churchill Mortgage is a privately-owned company with 616 employees. A full-service and financially sound leader in the mortgage industry, the company provides conventional, FHA, VA and USDA residential mortgages across 49 states and the District of Columbia. As heard on personal finance expert and author Dave Ramsey’s nationally syndicated radio show, the lender’s mission is to help borrowers achieve debt-free homeownership and build wealth through a smarter mortgage plan, regardless of their starting point. Churchill Mortgage is a wholly owned subsidiary of Churchill Holdings, Inc.

Churchill Mortgage’s notable achievements include recognitions as a “National Top Workplace”, “Top Lender” by Scotsman Guide: Residential, an eight-time “Top Workplace” by The Tennessean, one of the “Best Mortgage Companies to Work For” by National Mortgage News and a “Fast 50” company, “Top 100 Private Company” and “Best in Business” by the Nashville Business Journal. For more information about Churchill Mortgage, visit churchillmortgage.com or follow the company on LinkedIn, Twitter @ChurchillMtg, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.