Independent Banker - July 2018 - 42

CONSUMER AND MORTGAGE
competitors. " The bank is active
throughout Wisconsin, although
it primarily serves customers in
Milwaukee, Madison and the Fox
Valley market, which is an 18-county
region in northeast Wisconsin.
The third factor, says Doyle, is the
team, which includes 11 loan officers.
" We couldn't manage the 50 percent
growth of the last four years without
the team we have in place, " he says.
That team includes both seasoned
veterans and newer hires.
" Our processing and closing team has
also been able to adapt to the regulatory
environment, especially TRID in late
2015, and keep our turn times among
the best in our market, " Doyle says.
Loan officers like the fact that the
bank's decision makers are down the
hall and very accessible, he adds.
" I think we have garnered a good
reputation in the community among
Realtors and builders, who have come
to respect our processes and how we
work, " Doyle continues. That helps
generate new and repeat business.
" Understanding the market
in the communities we serve
allows us to take a bit more risk
than our larger regional and
national competitors. "
-Dennis Doyle, Great Midwest Bank
Loan officers work closely with
borrowers so there are no surprises.
Combined, those three factors also
are a key part in maintaining what
continues to be very high asset quality.
Among the current challenges for
residential lenders is constricted
inventory of for-sale homes, which
creates stiff competition from other
banks, credit unions and online
lenders. Great Midwest sets itself
apart from those competitors with
a portfolio product that serves a
variety of borrowers, whether it's new
construction, major renovations,
or someone who doesn't quite fit
into the secondary market box that
other competitors remain within,
notes Doyle.
" We're also good at the secondary
market product, where we focus on
lower costs and competitive rates, " he
says, " while maintaining servicing on
most everything we originate, which
borrowers still appreciate. "
Beth Mattson-Teig is a freelance
business writer in Minnesota.
COMMERCIAL
Outshining fierce competition
B
Smart, customized CRE loans fuel growth at Bankwell.
By Beth Mattson-Teig
ankwell credits its commercial
real estate (CRE) lending with
driving much of the growth
in its loan portfolio in 2017. Its
residential lending was relatively
flat, while the community bank's
commercial loan portfolio jumped
17.9 percent year-over-year.
Based in New Canaan, Conn.,
Bankwell has landed commercial real
estate business in what has become
a very competitive financing market.
Sources range from banks and life
insurance companies to commercial
42 Q ICBA Independent Banker Q July 2018
mortgage-backed securities (CMBS)
and debt funds.
" While we are not necessarily the
lowest-cost provider out there, we do
pride ourselves on being competitive,
being able to deliver what we offer in
a term sheet and getting a loan done
Independent Banker - July 2018

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