Emory ‘Tripp’ Bellard III has been a marketing account executive at Pablo Beach Mortgage since July.
WHAT DOES HE DO?
Marketing and growth for Pablo Beach Mortgage. “I am developing relationships with Realtors and builders to expand the business. I’m sort of a jack-of-all-trades and do a little bit of everything with the company.”
PABLO BEACH MORTGAGE?
The mortgage company has been open a little more than two years. “The majority of their work has been referral and repeat business.”
HIS HISTORY?
He recently separated from the Army as a captain. He was a field artillery officer for six years. He recently returned from Iraq where he was stationed for a year. “We were a motorized infantry where we kicked in doors, chased bad guys, built schools and ran the whole gamut.”
HOW DID HE GET TO JACKSONVILLE?
He and his wife, Rachel, were stationed in Germany and when he went to Iraq she returned home to Jacksonville and started working at Pablo Beach Mortgage, which her father owns.
COLLEGE?
He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
HOW DID YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE HELP?
“Interacting with people. What I learned in the military will carry over into anything that I do.”
BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?
“Being negative in any situation is never going to help you. You have to remain positive. The only thing being negative is going to do is make other people upset and keep you from making the situation better. I try to bring that into every situation I am in.”
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THE MORTGAGE INDUSTRY?
“I like learning about the mortgage industry.
FUTURE PLANS?
Bellard wants to go to graduate school to earn an MBA and open an international development and real estate company. “This is giving me background for the future.”
CUSTOMERS HE DEALS WITH?
Realtors and smaller builders.
AREA HE IS FOCUSING ON?
Beaches and Intracoastal West.
ADVICE FOR REALTORS WHEN DEALING WITH LOAN OFFICERS?
“Communication across the board is very important.”
BEST WAY YOU’VE FOUND TO GET CLOSE TO REALTORS AND BUILDERS?
Bellard said he is relying on attending Realtor meetings, community involvement and calling on Realtor offices.
PET PEEVES?
“I don’t like negativity and lethargy.”
LESSONS LEARNED?
Bellard said that he believes the average Realtor is not concerned with products that he can provide their customers; they are only interested in whether he can make a deal close it with minimal problems. “It’s a little difficult to establish that trust, but it’s really easy to break it.”
ADVICE FOR SOMEONE NEW TO MARKETING?
“I would say that it is important to have an overall strategy. You can have all the energy in the world and be focusing on the wrong area unless you sit down and actually analyze where your target market is and who you want to go after.”
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS?
Northeast Florida Association of Realtors and its Ponte Vedra and Beaches councils.
HOMETOWN?
Dallas, Texas.
RESIDES?
Pablo Bay.
PERSONAL SIDE?
He has been married to Rachel, a loan officer with Pablo Beach Mortgage, for two years. When he is not working he enjoys playing basketball, golf and traveling. “My wife and I have visited 24 countries in Europe.”
His favorite book is “Atlas Shrugged,” by Ayn Rand. His favorite movies are “Good Will Hunting” and “Dead Poets Society.” When relaxing at home, he enjoys tuning into Fox News or SportsCenter on ESPN. When traveling, his three favorite places are Munich, Vienna and Florence. When dining out, he likes Marker 32.
-by Michele Newbern Gillis