InterLinc Mortgage, residential mortgage bank with branches across the Midwest and Southeast US, is closing out another successful year in mortgage lending. On the heels of 2020 and the pandemic-induced mortgage boom, 2021 was a year of change, newness and growth for the company under first-year CEO, Gene F. Thompson III.

In January, former CEO and current Chairman of the Board, James VanSteenhouse, passed the torch to Thompson, former COO and President. As President and CEO, Thompson has stewarded InterLinc to new heights in his first year at the helm. "In 2021, InterLinc focused on introducing processes that will aid in our efforts toward strategic, scalable growth in the future,” said Thompson.

A key initiative of Thompson's to ensure a sustainable growth trajectory has been recruitment. Over the course of the year, InterLinc has added 12 new branches and four new state licenses to bring the total license count to 25 and added over 160 new hires across branch operations and corporate positions. In total, the new production teams that have joined InterLinc represent a 28.12% increase in volume potential for the company. To assist with the new hires that have come on board, InterLinc has made several investments in training and onboarding. A dedicated SEAL Team was created comprised of individuals in all departments to ensure a seamless transition to InterLinc for new branches, promote a continuous training experience through ‘live files’ and identify training opportunities on an individual level. In addition, numerous on-site trainings were facilitated at new branches to give a hands-on, personal introduction to InterLinc and the way the company conducts business.

Investments were also made in technological resources to advance the company’s promise of a ‘service without exception’ mortgage experience. One of the strongest investments made this year was SimpleNexus, the industry-leading point-of-sale system. Since launching, SimpleNexus has allowed InterLinc originators the opportunity to effectively communicate with borrowers and referral partners from start to finish inside one platform. To increase the customer experience post-closing, InterLinc rolled out an advanced, electronic survey system, Experience.com, to aid in gathering feedback and reviews to increase digital presence and local SEO potential. The company also developed a proprietary marketing hub, Emerge, designed to provide 24/7 access to over-the-counter resources, relevant marketing news, training materials and other FAQ’s and documents to support the expansive marketing tech stack. Within the first 6 months of launch, InterLinc has added over 235 training and marketing resources while achieving an 81% adoption of the Emerge platform.

2021 also brought new programs and products to the company as they expanded into new markets and customer bases. Two of those include their proprietary Renovation and Texas Vet Programs. One Time Close, Northpoint 100 Medical Professional, USDA MH Pilot, Citi Jumbo, InterLinc Texas Vet, FGMC Non-QM, Deephaven Non-QM and FNBA Non-QM ITIN were also rolled out in 2021.

As markers of the advancements made this year, InterLinc received designations on 5 notable industry awards lists including, Scotsman Guide’s Top Mortgage Lenders, National Mortgage News’ Best Mortgage Companies to Work For, Houston Business Journal’s Fast 100, Houston Chronicle’s Top Workplaces and a spot on the Inc. 5000 for the fourth time in company history - highlighting InterLinc’s rapid growth.

Not only is the company celebrating a great production year, they’ve also impacted lives across several communities nationwide through their InterLinc Family Foundation. With a mission to ‘strengthen and help improve the quality of life in communities where InterLinc does business’, the Foundation and its corporate participants have assisted 12 not-for-profit organizations by way of monetary grants in excess of $164K and countless volunteer hours. All of these organizations are championed by InterLinc team members with funds for the Foundation's grants coming from employee contributions and an annual company match.

As 2021 comes to a close, the Texas-based mortgage bank has no plans on slowing down in 2022. “If 2021 was any indicator of the success that lies ahead for InterLinc, we’re all in for the trip of a lifetime,” says Thompson.