GIVING BACK
Truist Bank announces $60 billion community investment plan
BB&T and SunTrust Bank aligned forces earlier this year, emerging together as Truist Bank. Now, Truist partnered with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition to launch a three-year, $60 billion community benefits plan that will increase financial resources for low- and moderate-income communities.
The plan will focus on affordable housing and small business development, economic stability and mobility, workforce development and public safety, the companies said. The bank also committed to opening at least 15 news branches in LMI and minority communities.
“Many bank mergers proceed without any detail on how communities will benefit from the combination,” NCRC CEO Jesse Van Tol said. “However, BB&T and SunTrust showed tremendous leadership by participating in a collaborative process with NCRC and our community-based member organizations to establish the largest-to-date community benefits plan. This plan spells out a substantive and detailed commitment of loans, investments and services to LMI people and neighborhoods across 17 states and the District of Columbia.”
The Guaranteed Rate Foundation reaches $3 million giving milestone
The Guaranteed Rate Foundation has reached a new giveback milestone of more than $3 million to be donated to individuals across the U.S. The foundation helped more than 300 individuals thus far who have experienced unforeseen hardships and is on pace to grant over $1 million in 2019, a 68% increase from 2018, the foundation said.
“We started the foundation seven years ago with the focus of making a meaningful difference in someone’s life who is in desperate need of help,” said Victor Ciardelli, Guaranteed Rate founder and CEO. “Today, we feel blessed to have provided over $3 million of support for individuals in need.”
With 100% of overhead expenses covered by Guaranteed Rate, every penny donated to the foundation goes directly to someone in desperate need of help. The average Guaranteed Rate recipient receives $20,428 in forms of grants for rent, car payments, groceries or additional assistance.
TOP WORKPLACE
Fannie Mae recognized as top place to work for IT professionals
Fannie Mae was named one of the 100 Best Places to Work in IT for 2019 by IDG’s Computerworld. This is the second year the company has been recognized for its workplace culture and mission, climbing to number 34 in the large organizations category.
“The mortgage process is unnecessarily complex,” said Kimberly Johnson, Fannie Mae chief operating officer. “It is ripe for innovation and our technology team is helping drive positive change. We are delighted to be named one of the best places to work for IT professionals. We’ve made big improvements within our industry and there is much more underway. Being a great place to work that helps people access affordable homeownership is about as rewarding as it gets.”
Churchill Mortgage named top workplace for 7th consecutive year
Churchill Mortgage has been recognized as a Top Workplace by The Tennessean for the seventh consecutive year. The Tennessean assesses companies based on positive employee feedback gathered through anonymous surveys.
“Working for a company like Churchill Mortgage is inspiring,” said Stephanie Christian, Churchill Mortgage director of sales conversion. “They truly value people over profits, which is reflected across the entire organization and through the close relationships built with borrowers. The environment here has cultivated a culture and commitment to mentoring borrowers throughout their journey towards debt-free homeownership. At the end of the day, helping someone achieve financial freedom is truly rewarding.”
“Recognition alone as a top workplace is an accomplishment, but to be named seven years in a row is a testament to our dedication to cultivating an outstanding team and environment,” Churchill President Mike Hardwick said. “Our employees are our most important assets and what allows us to deliver service unlike other lenders. Their commitment to this service has led to tremendous growth where we can better assist communities nationwide in achieving their home-buying goals. We aim to continue that tradition.”
Guild Mortgage named 2019 top workplace in St. Louis
Guild Mortgage was named a 2019 Top Workplace by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Guild, which employs 162 people in the greater St. Louis area, was ranked No. 27 in the midsize company category in this year’s rankings.
“We value the Top Workplace program because it puts the employee at the center of the process,” Guild president and CEO Mary Ann McGarry said. “Our culture is based on doing what’s right and a commitment to empowering our people. We’re very pleased that our employees feel we are providing the right tools they need to succeed.”
Veterans United Home Loans recognized as one of the top workplaces in the country for Millennials
Veterans United Home Loans has been named one of the country’s 100 Best Workplaces for Millennials in 2019, coming in at No. 11 on a list compiled by Great Place to Work and FORTUNE.
The full-service lender with corporate offices in Columbia, Missouri; Lenexa, Kansas; and Irving, Texas, specializes in helping veterans use their VA home loan benefit to achieve the dream of home ownership. It is the largest VA lender in the country and has nearly 2,700 employees nationwide, of which more than 1,800 are Millennials.
“Our employees foster a work environment that promotes opportunities for friendship, growth and success across generations,” said Amanda Andrade, 
Veterans United chief people officer. “Having a collective mission to enhance lives provides us with unity and common goals that include serving our Veterans and their families, our communities and each other.”
AWARDS
Freedom Mortgage’s Michael Middleman receives philanthropy award
Freedom Mortgage Executive Vice President Michael Middleman has been recognized by The Philadelphia Inquirer for his philanthropic contributions to the United Service Organizations in support of military families.
Middleman, who founded Freedom Mortgage’s First Flyer recruitment and training program, received The Inquirer’s Leadership Award at the newspaper’s Corporate Philanthropy Conference and Awards ceremony. The Leadership Award recognizes executives who are “champions of charity in the workplace,” by empowering employees to support charitable activities.
“While I am honored to receive this recognition, philanthropy to me is not about winning awards – it’s a way of promoting positive changes in our communities,” Middleman said. “Our mission at Freedom Mortgage is to foster homeownership, which means that our connection to our employees, our customers and the communities in which we serve does not end once a mortgage is complete.”
“Whether it’s providing relief when natural disasters occur, filling the shelves of food shelters, providing children of military families with back to school supplies, or financing home builds for those who have served our country, we are here to help,” Middleman added.
