From his first job and his most memorable moment to his thoughts about the reverse mortgage industry, we get the personal and professional facts from Erik Richard, CEO of Landmark Network and co-publisher of The Reverse Review, in this month’s edition of The Hot Seat.
You can’t always be right and be in a successful relationship of any kind.
Something nobody knows about me is that I am from Mexico… Mexico, Maine, that is. It’s a real place!
My favorite vacation was in Aruba.
My celebrity crush was Alyssa Milano, when I was 15.
If I were a professional athlete, I would be a baseball player for the Boston Red Sox. Go Sox!
My first car was a Hyundai Excel.
If I had three wishes they would be to have longevity, prosperity and happiness.
My favorite movie is The Social Network.
My favorite website is LinkedIn.
I never miss an episode of Scandal or Revenge.
I can’t go without my iPhone.
I’ll never forget how much colder it is in New England, and I’m grateful that I chose to live somewhere warmer.
My first job was as an administrative assistant at a property management company when I was 16. I haven’t left the real estate industry since.
I’ve never been to China. But, I plan to change that in the near future.
The most memorable moment in my life was when I was elected to the school board in Portland, Maine. I was 21 at the time and the youngest elected official in the state’s history.
The worst purchase I’ve ever made was a 32-foot Sea Ray and, as the saying goes, my best day was the day I sold it.
My favorite book is Fish! by Stephen C. Luden, Harry Paul and John Christensen.
If I could trade places with someone for a day, I would choose Sir Richard Branson, because really, who doesn’t want to own a private island.
For success I have sacrificed a sizable portion of my sanity.
If I could time travel right now, I would be at Harvard University in 2004, with a bunch of money ready to invest in “the Facebook.”
Ten years from now, the reverse mortgage industry will be a fully integrated concept in retirement and financial planning.
The most fascinating thing about the reverse mortgage industry is the massive growth potential over the next decade.
I entered this industry because I saw how rewarding it was to make a career out of helping senior citizens.
Industry growth is dependent upon a long-term commitment from its investors and financial regulators.
In shaping appropriate regulation of the reverse mortgage industry, government officials need to understand that sometimes it costs a little bit of money now to save a lot of money down the road.
The most important influence technology will have on reverse mortgages will be the evolution of the borrower’s application experience. I envision a time when borrowers will be able to manage their loans online from start to finish.
The ideal characteristics of leaders in this industry are the ability to be forward-thinking and technology-oriented, and to operate with a sense of integrity.
