Keith Merrefield

Position:

Chief Software Arch.

Employer:

CH Mortgage (DR Horton)

Job description:

I work with a mortgage company that is owned by the fourth largest homebuilder in the country.  When a buyer buys one of the builder's homes, they meet with me to take care of their financing.

Salary range:

$80K-120K

Job satisfaction:

The job is very satisfying.  I put families in homes.

Employment history:

I began with another homebuilder mortgage company as a Loan Officer Associate in Ft Myers, FL.  This was basically a receptionist position.  I was aggressive in asking for more challenging work and began to learn the business.  An opportunity opened in Houston,TX for a Loan Officer and I accepted.  Then transferred to our Clearwater, FL branch.  Our company merged with another and, due to some changes, left the company for CH Mortgage in Atlanta.  I then transferred to another branch here in Orlando.  Each transfer was a new opportunity to rise in my career.

Suggestions for students:

Find a company that has a lot of room for advancement.  Start at the bottom.  It doesn't matter if you are making $18K per year, if you prove yourself, then the company will recognize and promote.  My income has quadrupled in the three years since college and I am very happy in my career.

Advisor/Student relationship:

I was very pleased with my advisor, Dr Ed Azoff, and the Math department.  Dr Azoff turned out to be my advisor, my professor, and friend.  Now that I am out of school, I look back and can appreciate his guidance.

Internships:

Unknown.

Miscellaneous comments:

In all of the math classes, I learned a lot of odd things that you say to yourself "When am I ever going to care how many possibilities there are for 50 red cars and 25 yellow cars, and 10 blue cars to park in 30 spaces with no blues touching yellow?"  I have learned now that math teaches you mind to be analytical.  When I finance people buying homes, I have 1000 different loan programs.  What makes me a good Loan Officer is that I am analytical and can choose the right program for my buyers.  This has helped me rise very quickly in my company.

E-mail Keith
 

Date of last update: Aug. 29, 2001
 
 

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