Charles “Chip” Pallman has been a mortgage loan officer with SunTrust Mortgage for five years. He has been in the mortgage business for 24 years and has worked for several different banks and companies.
BEFORE SUNTRUST?
Over the last 15 years, he has worked at First South Bank as a loan officer, Merrill Lynch Credit Corporation as a mortgage and credit specialist and CitiBank as an insurance trainer and loan officer.
WHAT DOES HE DO?
He originates residential mortgage loans.
BEFORE MORTGAGES?
He owned his own insurance company, Chip Pallman Insurance Agency. Before that he was in the warehousing and transportation industry for 10 years.
HOW DOES HIS PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE HELP?
“Since the insurance business was very competitive, we had to go out and get our business. So, I did the same thing when I went from insurance to mortgages. I brought on a different attitude towards going after business when I went into mortgages. I had to, since I was brand new.
“I’ve developed a little different strategy as I’ve gotten older and have been in the business for a while. I no longer travel all over, although I do get referral business from a lot of places, but I still tend to concentrate on my main market area, which is Clay County, Orange Park, Avondale, Ortega and Riverside.”
HOW DID HE GET HIS START IN BANKING?
He was working at CitiBank and saw how well the loan officers were doing. “I saw how much money loan officers were making, so I said I could do that.”
AREA HE FOCUSES ON?
Clay County, Orange Park and the Avondale/Ortega areas.
COLLEGE?
Pallman has a bachelor’s degree in industrial management from Georgia Tech and a master’s in business administration from the University of Georgia.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT LENDING?
“I’ve always enjoyed helping someone get into a home. I want to provide a service of enriching their lives and fulfilling dreams.”
BEST PROFESSIONAL ADVICE EVER RECEIVED?
Pallman had a job offer from a company, and he asked his friend if he should take it or stay where he was. “He told me, ‘The one thing to remember is that all you have is yourself and your service. So, you have to look at your opportunities and see if it is a good fit for you or not. You don’t want to pass it up just because you are comfortable. Sometimes you have to be uncomfortable to be successful.’”
ADVICE FOR NEW LOAN OFFICERS?
“They need a marketing strategy – not one that is set in stone, but one that is flexible and fluid to where it can be changed. You have to have a plan as to where you want to go for your business initially. You are not going to be able to be all things to everyone. You really need to focus on one group, like first-time home buyers, to start out with. You have to build a referral base, and that takes time.”
ADVICE FOR REALTORS WHEN DEALING WITH LOAN OFFICERS?
“They need to find a loan officer that they can trust and count on.”
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS?
Clay County Builders Association, Northeast Florida Association of Realtors Southwest Council, Northeast Florida Builders Association’s Sales and Marketing Council.
- by Michele Newbern Gillis