Amrock, the nation's largest provider of its kind, offering title insurance, property valuations and settlement services – and a part of Rocket Companies (NYSE:RKT) – today announced the upcoming retirement of Brian Hughes, the company's Chief Executive Officer, Nicole Beattie, who currently serves as Executive Vice President of Mortgage Servicing for Amrock sister company Rocket Mortgage, will assume the role of Amrock CEO beginning November 19, 2021.
"I would like to congratulate Brian on Amrock's success. His leadership has solidified the company's position at the top of the industry and paved a clear path of innovation for years to come," said Beattie. "I'm excited to build on the company's momentum, continuing to create technology solutions that improve the mortgage closing experience for our lender partners and the clients they serve."
Beattie will step into the CEO role after nearly 18 years with Rocket Companies, the last four of which have been spent leading Rocket Mortgage's servicing team – managing a portfolio of more than half a trillion dollars in home loans, as of the end of October.
Her leadership has been instrumental in helping Rocket Mortgage clients navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the company took an extremely proactive approach toward helping those impacted. As the pandemic began to affect homeowners, Beattie's mortgage servicing team released a proprietary technology system to quickly assist them. While many lenders were experiencing several-hour wait times, Rocket Mortgage clients were able to log into an online portal containing educational resources and an automated solution to apply for a forbearance plan. The net result of Rocket Mortgage's use of innovative technology, trusted expert advice and proactive outreach is a forbearance rate that has been significantly lower than the industry average.
Rocket Mortgage has been ranked the nation's top mortgage servicer for client satisfaction by J.D. Power the past eight years. The accolade is a direct result of feedback from Rocket Mortgage clients. The true proof of how clients feel is the company's industry-leading 90-plus percent retention rate, as of the third quarter, showing that clients appreciate the service they receive so much that they return to the company for their next home loan.
In addition to Beattie's work improving homeowners' experience, she has tremendously impacted those on her team. She lives by her servicing team's motto of "love your team members and love your clients" by leading with empathy and passion for the company's award-winning culture.
Beattie's experience and achievements in the housing industry will have a direct, positive impact on Amrock clients as she applies these elements to advance the company's team member experience, business strategy and digital transformation agenda.
Hughes is retiring after more than 21 years at Amrock, with a total of 30 years devoted to the title, appraisal and settlement services industry. Throughout his time with Amrock, he has been instrumental in enacting change and spearheading company growth through a variety of leadership positions. He led Amrock's integration of digital mortgage closings and advocated for adoption throughout the country. In fact, in the third quarter, Amrock reached the milestone of completing the company's one millionth eClosing.
"In my time at Amrock, I've had the honor of challenging the housing industry's status quo and positively impacting client experience, making the home buying journey easier to navigate," said Hughes. "I know the company is in good hands with Nicole. Her leadership has brought innovation to mortgage servicing that many didn't think possible. I look forward to seeing the strides that will be made in home valuation and mortgage closing under her direction."
Beattie and Hughes will work together to ensure a smooth transition leading up to Hughes' retirement.
Once Beattie assumes the role of CEO at Amrock, LaQuanda Sain will lead Rocket Mortgage's servicing team. Sain has been with Rocket Mortgage since 2013, currently serving as Executive Vice President of Mortgage Retention.
About Amrock
Amrock is the leading national provider of title insurance, property valuations and settlement services. The company delivers FinTech solutions to streamline the real estate and mortgage experience for lenders, consumers and real estate professionals. Amrock is a preferred provider to top retail mortgage lenders, with a wide range of clients throughout the residential and commercial real estate finance industries. Driven by thousands of professional partners and team members nationwide, Amrock is headquartered in the heart of downtown Detroit, Michigan with regional service centers in California, Pennsylvania and Texas and additional locations in several other states. For more information, please visit Amrock.com.