Urban Lending Solutions Exec to Expand Firm’s Diversity Initiatives

""Urban Lending Solutions"":http://www.urban-ls.com, a provider of loan modifications, valuations, and other real estate information solutions to the residential mortgage industry, announced Monday that Thomas ""T.J."" Lewis, Jr. has accepted an expanded role within the company as corporate diversity and business development executive.
[IMAGE] Lewis has been actively involved in business development for the company since 2009. In 2012, he will expand his role with a focus on diversity, leading the company into new contracts with major banks and bringing new minority suppliers into the company's service.

""T.J. is a proven executive who will succeed in this role through his dedication to our clients, his consultative sales skills, and his understanding of the mortgage business,"" said Mike Forgas, president of Urban Lending Solutions.

Forgas continued, ""He will be an excellent resource for banks seeking to diversify their spending and has already

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proven an excellent mentor to minority enterprises entering our marketplace. He's the perfect executive for this new role.""

Prior to joining Urban Lending Solutions, Lewis spent 14 years in the financial services business, primarily with Bank of America. He served as a supplier relationship development manager in the supply chain management unit of the bank, where he increased business and developed relationships with diverse suppliers.

While at BofA, Lewis received the Six Sigma Green Belt Certification for managing a project that saved the bank more than $1 million annually. In addition, he worked with commercial bank middle market companies with annual sales greater than $20 million that were based in Florida, Virginia, and Maryland.

Previously, as head of business development at Urban Lending Solutions, Lewis helped lead the firm to achieve unprecedented growth despite a challenging environment for the mortgage business.

Since 2007, Urban Lending Solutions achieved 1,624 percent growth in revenue. Today, the company is listed on the Inc. 500 and has been named the fastest-growing company in the nation by _Black Enterprise_ magazine.

""My goal is for Urban Lending to be the model Minority Business Enterprise (MBE),"" Lewis said. ""We're in a position in the industry to demonstrate that MBEs can be the premier providers in their niches. We hold that position today and we can lead other companies to do the same in their own businesses.""