Rose Marie David is far from her first career as a professional ballet dancer, but there is where David learned what it means to be committed and tenacious.
The grit that made David shine onstage pushed her through more than 30 years in the highly competitive mortgage industry — from owning her own brokerage, dominating the sales force at MetLife, and to her current role as senior EVP of the mortgage lending division at HomeStreet Bank.
Since 2012, David has led HomeStreet’s single-family lending team with discipline and vision, achieving 500% growth in mortgage banking volume despite increasingly difficult housing market conditions.
Under her leadership, the team provided 25,589 home loans in 2017, earning the No. 1 purchase market share in the Pacific Northwest and reaching the Scotsman Guide’s top 15 mortgage lenders by retail volume — an especially impressive feat for an institution that serves only a handful of states.
David also embodies the company’s customer-first attitude, taking full responsibility for every mortgage the company touches. In the rare case it looks like a loan is about to go sideways, David is in the room helping to fix the problem so the client can still buy their home.
David also takes an active role in the mortgage banking industry, often participating in roundtables with other leaders — like the Women in Mortgage Banking panel at the PNMLC Women in Executive Leadership conference earlier this year — to talk through the challenges they’re currently going through and collaborating on solutions.
What has been the secret to your success?
“Persistence. You’re going to encounter challenges in life, but it’s important that you learn from them and grow.