CEO Steve Jacobson has created a culture of giving back and has placed Fairway Independent Mortgage’s focus on community and serving people across America. Over the past 12 months, the company has served 58,906 first-time homebuyers, and has received $885,000 in donations for its nonprofit, American Warrior Initiative. 

Additionally, the company donated 21 service dogs to veterans. It also created another nonprofit, FairwayCares, which was established to provide support to individuals and families with a critical illness, have sustained physical trauma, or are grieving the loss of a loved one. It has sent more than 800 care packages to those in need over the past 12 months.

Jacobson proposed the development of a new training for Fairway loan officers, which led to the creation of the military mortgage specialist division within Fairway. The division trains Fairway loan officers on the culture and core values of military clients. 

Fairway employees from around the nation gathered in Dallas at the very first military mortgage specialists training in April of 2012, and since that time, thousands of Fairway loan officers have received this designation. Just a few weeks later at an annual meeting, Fairway employees were encouraged to donate through payroll deduction to help veterans in need. Within 10 minutes, a quarter of a million dollars was pledged to give back over the next year to disabled veterans.

Jacobson encourages his team to give back, and provides training specialized to the military community, saying that, “They served us, now we serve them.”

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

“You can choose to make adjustments and improve – stay in the precious present!”