TheCOMPANY
From servicing and retention to asset management and disposition, VRM Mortgage Services provides flexible, compliant-driven outsourcing solutions that outperform industry benchmarks and client expectations. VRM’s solution offerings are routinely verified by institutional and government audits including the OIG. But while VRM consistently delivers proven solutions for mortgage servicing’s toughest problems, it wanted to do more to engage the entire industry to find solutions that help mitigate risk, drive performance and improve bottom lines — all while remaining committed to promoting integrity, transparency, diversity and commitment to communities.
To further expand VRM’s client and community focus, VRM formed The Mortgage Collective, an independent organization of forward-thinking solution providers and industry partners committed to changing the industry.
“The Mortgage Collective serves to fill a demand for new approaches to fostering business relationships, engaging in honest dialogue and innovative ways to tackle the industry’s evolving operational challenges,” said CEO Keith Murray.
The networking and thought leadership events produced by The Mortgage Collective are designed to build relationships and consensus among the sponsors, solution providers and the operational leadership of the industry’s various investors, lenders and servicers. It also offers a singular industry source that is able to combine service offerings from various best-in-class industry service providers to deliver a unified, component-based outsourcing solution.
“This offers more nimble and more responsive solutions that provide a greater breadth of technology and process by combining the core strengths of each company,” said Brandon Kirkham, senior vice president. “Approaching the market this way enables The Mortgage Collective to provide the best solution at a competitive price with bundled services, while allowing the group’s clients to benefit from volume pricing even when the volume is low.”
The Mortgage Collective is a natural outworking of VRM’s innovative vision of doing business from a different perspective to benefit both the company and the communities it serves. VRM is a certified minority-owned business, committed to promoting a culture of diversity and inclusion. Its vendor partners include a number of women, minority, disabled, veteran and LGBT-owned businesses.
“VRM has developed sourcing solutions to help ensure that it uses small, minority-owned businesses wherever possible and uses technology to track progress of diversity spending goals,” said Cheryl Travis-Johnson, EVP and COO of VRM. “Our dedication to our mission and protecting our clients’ interests as our own forms a partnership that is aligned at every level with our clients’ needs.”
Going forward, VRM sees its biggest opportunity in continued expansion and diversification.
“We’ve seen the industry shift multiple times over the past two years, which has manifested itself in our clients’ demands for new approaches to solving problems,” Murray said. “At VRM, we choose to approach every situation with the same entrepreneurial spirit that the company was founded on – embrace change because it’s the only thing that’s certain.”
TheEXECUTIVES
Keith Murray, Founder and CEO
Keith Murray is the founder and CEO of VRM Mortgage Services and president and CEO of PCV Murcor. He is also founder and CEO of Hightide Settlement Services. Murray has over 32 years of experience in real estate analysis, consultation and valuation and is a California state licensed real estate broker. He has worked with numerous agencies including the RTC, VA, HUD, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Murray holds the MAI designation of the Appraisal Institute and the IFAS designation of the National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers.
Brandon Kirkham, SVP, Business Expansion
Brandon Kirkham has more than 20 years of mortgage banking experience. Prior to joining VRM, Kirkham was the co-founder and president of Compliance Connections and served as the EVP of First Preston Management and first vice president for Countrywide Home Loans. In that capacity he supported teams in multiple servicing centers across the U.S., managing unit start-ups, portfolio and operations management, loss and risk management and due diligence.
Cheryl Travis-Johnson, EVP and COO
Cheryl Travis-Johnson joined VRM in 2008 and championed the development and rollout of VRM University. She has also led the development of non-traditional solutions for lenders, servicers and investors that mitigate losses associated with non-performing loans. Prior to joining VRM, she served as director of REO sales operations for Freddie Mac and held senior leadership roles at First Interstate Bank, World Savings and Loan and First Deposit Corporation. She actively participates in NAREB, NHORA, MBA, AREAA, the Asset Manager Forum and California Mortgage Bankers Association.