United Wholesale Mortgage Hires Chief Strategy Officer

United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), a Troy, Michigan-based wholesale lender,  has announced the hire of Alex Elezaj as its Chief Strategy Officer. Elezaj most recently served as CEO of Class Appraisal, a nationally recognized leader in residential real estate appraisal management.

“We are thrilled to have such an amazing leader join our team, and his main focus will be aligned with UWM’s which is to help our mortgage broker partners grow,” said Mat Ishbia, President and CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage. “He is in total lockstep with our company from a leadership vision and culture standpoint, as he believes mortgage brokers are the best place for loan originators to work and for borrowers to get a mortgage.”

Under Elezaj’s three-year tenure as CEO of Class Appraisal, the company more than tripled its annual revenue and built strategic business partnerships with more than 300 mortgage lenders and over a thousand of the nation’s top-performing appraisers.

“What UWM has done over the last several years, growing at such an impressive rate despite market declines and entrenching itself as the run-away best wholesale lender in the country, is insanely impressive,” Elezaj said. “You can see UWM’s momentum and still-massive growth potential everywhere you look. I am excited to join such a great group of people and industry powerhouse, and play a role in its continued efforts to grow the mortgage broker channel.”

Elezaj has received several industry awards, including distinction as one of National Mortgage Professional’s “40 Under 40” honorees and  Mortgage Professional America’s “Hot 100” selection.

UWM finished as the No. 1 wholesale lender in America for the past three years in a row. In 2017, UWM grew its loan volume by 29 percent. Through the first quarter of 2018, UWM continued trending upward, increasing production by 85 percent while the industry overall declined by 10 percent.