Donald Anfuso
Picture this: It is 1997 and a smaller, younger, slightly thinner version of me is a senior at Hanover Park High School in East Hanover, NJ. In order to make up the number of credits needed to graduate, I was advised to participate in my high school’s “Work Study Program”. My teacher recommended a local mortgage company that was looking to participate in the program once again. That moment in my life became the catalyst for my career in Mortgage Banking!
At 27 years old I had been promoted to Vice President. I was responsible for over 100 employees and 15 multi-state branch locations. We focused our lending efforts in urban areas where our borrowers recognized the value in our one-on-one service and commitment to promoting homeownership in underserved areas.
We also established an innovative & profitable franchise platform that turned your everyday loan originators into entrepreneurs. Our expanded footprint created brand awareness and visibility across city and state lines. What may seem as the standard for the mortgage industry today was considered cutting-edge back in 2006. This was all accomplished with the fraction of staff, budget, and resources readily available to our larger competitors.
The economic crisis of 2008 hit us all like a ton of bricks, bringing new regulatory changes that had a significant impact on the mortgage industry. Mortgage lending was changing rapidly, and many were averse to change. In mid-2011, I had to decide how I would acclimate to these changes and continue to grow professionally.
After 13 years of sitting behind a desk with the safety net of a salary, I took a leap of faith! Our industry needed a “makeover” and I knew I could make a difference as the industry transitioned. I believed then, as I believe now, that we must evolve and constantly improve our systems and, most importantly, the customer experience. Being cutting-edge one day is being on par a year later. The ongoing challenge is to constantly stay ahead of the curve. This became my mantra as I jumped into sales headfirst, and I have not looked back ever since.
Hard work is the foundation for my success, and I believe it’s imperative that one takes pride in their work. My clients and business partners expect the best from me because I set that expectation and try my hardest to live up to that. Exceeding expectations keeps me from being easily replaced, and more referable, which I see from the testimonials from my clients.
Thank you for visiting donaldanfuso.com today. I look forward to working with you and becoming your “Mortgage Professional For Life”
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”.
‘- Aristotle’
