By Scott Schulz, Vice President, Mortgage Lending, Core Bank
My career path is not unique: start at a large company for the initial experience then work your way to where you want to be. From national banking behemoth to large regional bank franchise to local bank with the feel of a “startup”. But when I look back at my path to where I am today, it’s full of irony.
College
I went to college to be an aerospace engineer. The son of an Air Force fighter pilot, but with eyesight more akin to a mole than an eagle, I was going to design the next supersonic wonder jet. A few semesters in, it was clear engineers design the parts, not the plane, so exploration led me to an Intro to Marketing course that captivated my interest and set my career course. But even as I worked to complete my graduate degree, my friends (and a few professors) thought I was too technical for marketing and should look to finance. Although finance didn’t seem as “exciting” at the time, I split the difference and took a marketing job at a bank.
Marketing
I had a chance to dabble in all facets of marketing: advertising, publicity, product development, entertainment and spent a lot of time with various sales groups, learning what they did and what they needed to be successful. It was also where I met the person who would redirect my course to where I am today. I interacted often with an operations executive who eventually took over the local mortgage group and he offered me an opportunity to enter the sales side of marketing.
Mortgage
Now, more than 15 years later, what I do doesn’t remotely feel like “sales”. I take a technical approach, presenting data to help my clients identify and refine their needs and then match the most appropriate lending option. The technical side from my engineering background, marketing experience and finance all blended into what I do every day. It’s become a bit of a passion since it involves so many facets of what I enjoy.
Core Bank
At Core Bank I have the ability to put all I know into a smaller, local operation and build toward the experience my clients have told me they prefer: expertise and advice presented personally; options without too many layers; technology without getting lost in phone menus or online portals.
There is no better feeling than shaking hands with my clients at a loan closing… it’s why I do what I do!