I grew up in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. I graduated from Michigan State University (go Green) and instead of pursuing a job in my field I decided to enter the work force. Since then, I have enjoyed playing soccer in the Detroit City Futbol League, flipped a home in East English Village from the Detroit Land Bank Authority, and bought a home of my own in Grosse Pointe Park, MI with my partner Katherine Thomas with our two dogs Jofa and Abby.

I am proud to say that with support of my family, friends, and community – I am approaching five years in remission from Hodgkins Lymphoma and am thankful for the chemotherapy and radiation care provided at the Van Elslander center. We are enjoying living in Grosse Pointe Park and raising our son. We have a new found love for Pickleball at Patterson Park and always love a bike ride around Belle Isle, but most of the time we are doing the best we can at parenting and balancing work and life!

How I fell into mortgages.

I was working in steel fabrication as a shop manager at Airtec in Detroit, MI and felt like I was stuck with no upward trajectory. I loved the work and getting my hands dirty everyday, but I was looking for a career instead of a job. My then girlfriend Katherine Shabo (now my amazing wife and CEO of Iris Mortgage) found me a perfect opportunity as a loan officer at a small mortgage brokerage in West Bloomfield, MI. After learning obsessively about mortgages and finding my niche I decided to join my wife on her new adventure after five years of originating loans!

Why I do what I do.

I am in love with structuring a loan that is custom tailored to my client. Whether it is a purchase or refinance, there is nothing better than finding the perfect solution for my clients and realtor partners. I have always wanted to be a “helper” my entire life and this is my way of doing it—one mortgage at a time!

A professional is awarded this rank in recognition of time served as a Vetted VA professional and once the promotion board is passed. This rank is focused on educating and mentoring lower ranks of Vetted VA and speaking publicly as a voice of education about the VA Home Loan benefit. Professionals are required to create educational assets as requested and to serve as a voice for determining external educational topics and reviewing content before publication. They review common topics in Vetted VA and bring those to the group to address and disseminate for the creation of new training. They provide feedback on topics and ideas before they are brought to the other ranks. VVA5 are held to the highest standard amongst all ranks and are to set an example for others to emulate. They lead with fairness, courage and commitment to those they are in charge of while enforcing all regulations and articles governing the disciples of Vetted VA.