It’s perhaps telling that when Dave McNabb’s name was called at the recent CMP Canadian Mortgage Awards banquet, he was nowhere near the Toronto venue.
Despite being a finalist for Independent Mortgage Broker of the Year, the founder of Red Deer’s Regional Mortgage opted to remain on the job to fill in for vacationing staff and make sure things were in order before he started his own holidays.
That commitment to his business and customers explains why the judges chose McNabb to receive the award, said Vanessa Chris, a spokesperson for Axion Mortgage Partners, a broker network that Regional is affiliated with. McNabb’s community work was also a factor, she added.
Although he was thousands of kilometres away when his award was presented, it didn’t take long for McNabb to hear the good news.
“Quite a few people were there that I know, so my phone got busy.
“It’s a great honour.”
Independent Mortgage Broker of the Year was one of a number of industry awards presented by Canadian Mortgage Professional Magazine on April 3. Thousands of brokers across Canada were eligible for recognition, said Chris.
Asked why his firm stood out, McNabb said: “I believe it’s our customer service and our focus on not just our customers but our community.”
He stressed that the award belonged to his 11-person staff.
“Let’s keep in mind that no one person does all this by themselves. I’ve got a really great team at Regional who work with me.”
In fact, McNabb recently sold shares in his company to some of his employees.
Started 12 years ago, Regional Mortgage has grown into one of the top 25 mortgage producers in Canada. The award should help business, said McNabb, explaining that it shows the integrity of Regional.
He expressed confidence in his industry.
“We’ve actually been very busy. With the (interest) rates the way they are today, I think people are going to take advantage of those.”
Current home prices are also attractive, he added.
“The market has levelled out in Red Deer and area in the average price range.”
Regional Mortgage was a Red Deer Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year winner in 2003, and was also named Professional Member of the Year by the Central Alberta branch of the Canadian Home Builders Association for 2004 and 2006.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com