From his favorite job and his most memorable vacation to his thoughts about the reverse mortgage industry, we get the personal and professional facts from Scott Norman, VP of the reverse mortgage division of Sente Mortgage, in this month’s edition of The Hot Seat.
Ten years from now I will be entering my 25th year in the reverse mortgage space, so I hope I will be hitting my stride by then.
Something nobody knows about me is that I was a high hurdler for the University of Texas.
My favorite vacation was in Rome, Italy.
My celebrity crush is Keira Knightley.
My first car was a 1985 Ford Bronco.
The craziest thing I’ve ever done was quit a mortgage company that I owned to go into the reverse mortgage business.
If I could meet anyone, past or present, it would be General Ulysses Grant, immediately after Lee surrendered at Appomattox.
My favorite movie is Patton.
I never miss an episode of The Blacklist or Homeland.
When I was a kid I wanted to play shortstop for the University of Texas.
My favorite job was president of the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association.
My parents taught me that character is more important than reputation.
My favorite time of the day is sunset.
My iPod go-tos are Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.
I’ve never had a cup of coffee.
The most memorable moment in my life was when I was invited to have breakfast in the White House to talk about the reverse mortgage industry.
The best purchase I’ve ever made was, without question, my wife’s engagement ring.
My favorite book is Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin.
If I could trade places with someone for a day, I would choose Joe Demarkey or Reza Jahangiri.
If I could time travel, I would be in Philadelphia in 1776.
The future of reverse mortgages is ahead of us.
The greatest setback for our industry was the exit of Wells Fargo, Bank of America and MetLife.
People should seek a career in the reverse mortgage industry because there is a retirement crisis in America.
I am pessimistic about the reverse mortgage industry because our current fate rests in the hands of the federal government to an unhealthy degree.
I entered this industry because Jim Mahoney told me it would change my life—and it has.
Industry growth is dependent upon better communicating to law firms and wealth management offices around the country that monetizing home equity as a retirement option is a good, safe idea.
