Meet Your Loan Analyst

Richard Gale, President - Ext. 1118

Rich is a lifelong resident of Baltimore and Harford counties in Maryland. He has superior knowledge of property values both on and off the water throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region.

In 1990 he earned his Series 7 degree to trade on the Stock Markets. In 1995, after a 5 year career in investments, he turned his finance skills to the mortgage market. Rich started ground level with a large Baltimore mortgage firm, and within the first year was promoted to manager while increasing production 3 fold during his tenure.

August of 1999 Rich founded First Fidelity Mortgage. He is nationally licensed for FHA/VA loans with HUD, a Reverse Mortgage approved Broker, has extensive experience in Credit Repair, is a National Commercial Loan Broker and is licensed and approved to fund loans in MD, PA, DE, VA, DC, NC, SC, FL, and MI. In addition, Rich is a Licensed Real Estate Agent.

Achievements

• Member of the Maryland Mortgage Brokers Association
• Better Business Bureau
• Perry Hall Community Association
• Licensed Money Merge Acct. Agent-Software to payoff mortgage in 1/3 time
• 2007 Celebrity guest and founder of TV’s show “Creating Wealth”
• 2006 Top 50 CEO’s in Baltimore-Smart CEO Magazine
• 2006 Opened South Carolina Branch
• 2005 Earned Md. Real Estate License-Represent Buyers and Sellers
• 2005 Opened Pennsylvania Branch
• 2003, 2004 Top Branch and Lender for Synergy Mortgage
• 2000, 2001, 2002 Top Branch, Originator, and Lender for Adv. Investors Mortgage
• 1999 Received Maryland Mortgage Broker’s License and opened Baltimore Md. office

Rich serves the community, volunteers with youth sports in the area, and is a member of the Perry Hall Business and Community Association. He is married with 2 children.

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John Ranocchia - Ext. 1103

John joined the First Fidelity team in its inaugural year of 1999 as a part-time loan officer. A local resident of thirty-seven years, John brought with him over fifteen years of strong management and financial background. With a life-long career of servicing local communities, John immediately made an impact on the lives of his clients with expert analysis and dedication to his client’s needs. In 2001, John became a full-time mortgage analyst to further broaden his career and to meet the needs of homeowners in over thirty-five states. In 2002, John led the First Fidelity “For Sale by Owner” campaigns to assist local home sellers save thousands in realtor fees, and to welcome the challenges that faced new home buyers with respect to financing and effective planning. With glowing client testimonials to accompany his mortgage product expertise, John expanded his services to assist several local realtors to provide a superior level of mortgage products that were often not available to realtor in-house lending institutions. In 2003, John was a model of integrity to his ever-growing client base during the refinance “boom”, and a member of the top mortgage originating team of over two-hundred net branches. In 2004, John accomplished a closing ratio of 97.6% for new refinance applications, and maintained a career 100% closing ratio for purchase mortgage applications. These closing ratios were unheard of, and spoke volumes for his dedication to the needs to his clients and their families.

In 2005, John became a member of the First Fidelity management team to help lead and direct new team members adopt the company ethics and level of professionalism. Early in 2006, John became the First Fidelity Loan Manager. He holds this position today with a mission that has remained unchanged over the years. As a leader in the originating and support team, his mission is to “provide the cost-effective mortgage solutions to our clients and their families. As we are all homeowners with families to support, we understand the challenges faced every day by our clients and their families. Nothing less than expert advice and dedication to those needs will suffice”. That mission was behind John’s business model as a mortgage analyst, and remains to this day the operating philosophy John’s leadership with the First Fidelity team of Mortgage Analysts.

Achievements

• 2001 Financial Strategies
• 2003 Mortgage Lenders Network Silver and Platinum Awards
• 2003 Financial Strategies
• 2004 Mortgage Lenders Network President Award
• 2004 Long and Foster Real Estate Agent Certification
• 2005 Financial Strategies
• 2006 State Of Maryland Mortgage Originators License
• 2007 Money Merge/U-First Financial Member
• 2007 Reverse Mortgage Originator

Born 09/20/1967, John recently celebrated his 20th wedding anniversary to his wife Lisa, proud parents of 3 children: Nichole (18) and twin boys Jason and Joshua (15). Hobbies and interests include quality time with family and friends, football, softball, golf, cooking, outdoor and water recreation.

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Aaron Brotman - Ext. 1162

Aaron Brotman is a Senior Mortgage Consultant at First Fidelity Mortgage. He started in the mortgage business in 2000 and has worked through, and succeeded in, up and down market types. Aaron is an expert in conventional, subprime and FHA financing, Money Merge Account, Reverse Mortgages, new home purchases, commercial and new construction financing.

In 2004, he received a call from a gentleman Mr. Kai Dal. He had just been in the US for a couple years having moved here from Korea. He explained to me that 2 years ago he made a goal to move his entire family to the US. Within a month of working with Mr. Dal, Aaron was able to assist him in obtaining new financing on his existing home mortgage. This enabled him to obtain new financing on an investment property for his remaining family in Korea to come to the US and move into. Mr Dal was able to make his American dream a reality.

Aaron is involved in volunteer work with the youth of the community in Carroll County Maryland. Coaching and managing fund raising for his son’s travel baseball team in Hampstead keep him very busy.

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Angela Pobletts - Ext. 1117

Angela has been in the mortgage industry for over 9 years and a member of the First Fidelity team for over 6 years. She is a licensed loan officer in MD, DE, PA, VA, MI and FL, and is also able to broker loans in SC and NC. Angela has been the top producer at First Fidelity Mortgage for the past 3 years. She has a Bachelors Degree in Business from the College of Notre Dame of MD. She is also a Nationally Registered Agent for the Money Merge Account (Mortgage Reduction Software). Committed to her customers and always available for them night or day, Angela’s entire pipeline is from referrals and previous clients. Her goal is always to find the best loan and the right loan for her clients.

In her personal time, Angela is an active member of SARC for battered women in Harford County.

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Bryan McCrea - Ext. 1129

Bryan was born and raised in the Baltimore Washington Metro area, residing in Baltimore city and the surrounding counties. After graduating high school, his undergraduate studies brought him to Towson, MD, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Towson University. Bryan has worked in the housing and mortgage market in many facets for more than a decade. His years of experience and continuing education have made him a top mortgage professional. Brian is licensed loan originator in MD, PA, DE, VA, FL and MI, able to broker in NC and SC.

Achievements

• Certified continuing mortgage education through Financial Strategies
• Loan Officer of the month 12/07

Brian has traveled to most of the eastern states, and his experiences have given him a good sense of the real estate markets in each region. He is currently a resident of Harford county Maryland along with his wife, son, and German Shepherd.

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Brian McDougle - Ext. 1107

Brian, who grew up in Columbus, Ohio, moved to the state of Maryland back in 2005 where he started his career in the mortgage business. He is extremely knowledgeable about the current market trends past, present, and future. With this knowledge he has helped thousands of clients fulfill their dream of home ownership. Brian is very adamant about helping people put themselves in the best financial position for themselves and their families. He is licensed in the states of MD, VA, DE, PA, MI, and FL, and able to broker NC & SC loans through First Fidelity.

Achievements

• 2007 Completed the Maryland 40 hr Mortgage Originators Licensing Class
• 2006 - 2007 was included in the “Baker’s Dozen”, which consists of the top 13 Loan Officers companywide, 8 out of 8 months while working with Heartland Home Finance
• 2005 - 2006 consistently maintained as one of the top loan officers in the branch, region, and companywide while working with Town & Country Credit
• 2006 was awarded the National Award Trip Winner which consisted of the top 32 loan officer’s companywide
• 2005 - 2006 helped the Elkridge Branch of Town & Country Credit become the #2 branch year end producing more than 100 Million Dollars of home loans

Brian is very active in his local community of Baltimore. He helps participate with the Ragin Cajun foundation which is a fundraiser for the Special Olympics. Brian is an avid hockey and tennis player in his free time and loves the Ohio State Buckeyes.

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Chris Dershak - Ext. 1138

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Debra Sherry - Ext. 1139

Debra Sherry has been a loan analyst for close to seven years. She is knowledgeable of current market trends and mortgage guidelines and is quick to find a solution to any homeowner's situation. She has completed Reverse Mortgage seminars and continuing education training. Debra has consistently proven her abilities by remaining one of the top five loan analysts with First Fidelity Mortgage for over four years.

Debra grew up in the mortgage industry- her mother was a real estate broker in Washington D.C., where Debra attended National Cathedral School. She lives in downtown Baltimore City and shares her home with a German Shepherd.

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Erin Lyles - Ext. 1150

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Jennifer Brown - Ext. 1132

Jennifer has unusual depth and breadth of experience. During her 5 year career in Mortgage Banking, she has assisted a variety of clients needs with strategic planning and consulting of home loan solutions. As a licensed senior loan consultant, she regularly attends seminars and workshops to further develop her knowledge in this ever changing marketplace. Jennifer has taken her wealth of knowledge and excellent client communication skills and integrated these concepts into a customized consultation practice specialized to each client’s needs.

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Jim Metz - Ext. 1130

Jim was born near Philadelphia and raised in Bel Air, MD. He attended Bel Air High School and Frostburg State College. Jim has been in the mortgage business as a loan analyst and senior loan officer for over eight years in the Baltimore Region. He has been at First Fidelity for over three years now and has finished in the Top Five in production every year. He is licensed to originate loans in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Michigan. He is also able to broker loans through First Fidelity in North and South Carolina. He has always completed the forty hour continuing education courses mandated by the mortgage industry.

Jim has been a homeowner in Baltimore City since 1987, where he lives with his wife and their dogs and cats. He is a past president of the Christian Fellowship Council, which is represented by groups from many of the churches in the Hampden section of North Baltimore. Jim is also a past member of the Board of Trustees at Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church and is active in his community association in the Remington section of Baltimore City. He enjoys traveling, motorcycling and gardening in his spare time.

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Kathleen McCotter - Ext. 1149

Kathleen has been working in the sales industry for 15 years. She worked for Comcast form 1993 to 2003, and began her career with First Fidelity Mortgage as a loan analyst in 2003. She is bi-lingual speaking Spanish fluently, which has been a great asset in her career. Kathleen has completed 40 hours of Mortgage Originators training, as well as Reverse Mortgage and FHA trainings, and attended several seminars such as MMA, FHA and many top Originator seminars.

During her time with Comcast she excelled in customer service along with receiving many top sales awards. She has truly taken in the concept of delivering what her client is asking for.

Kathleen continues to educate herself by attending additional training seminars and other continuing education courses for mortgage originators, keeping herself up-to-date on the ever changing market. She promises to give her clients 100% and to be the person they look to for all of their financial needs and expectations.

Kathleen is a mother of 3 wonderful girls, which has really helped her relate to her clients and the demanding needs of a family. Kathleen gets involved in her community by attending meetings and fund raising events, and enjoys and take pride in volunteering for company related events.

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Melissa Farrell - Ext. 1112

Melissa (friends and clients call her “Missy”) Farrell was raised in Towson, MD. Melissa has over 19 years of sales experience. In 2004 she took her first real estate class which turned her interest into home mortgages. In 2005 she joined First Fidelity Mortgage where she became the top 10 loan officer. In 2006 Melissa became personally licensed in the state of Maryland with continuing education. She is also licensed through another firm in the states of PA, DE, VA, NC, SC, FL and MI. In 2007 she received her approval to broker FHA and other Government loans. 2007 she earned her Reverse Mortgage license throughout the country.

Melissa believes that her success comes from her passion of helping her clients achieve their financial goals. She takes great pride in keeping in touch with her clients so they know that she is their only mortgage advisor. Melissa is married and has two children. She is an active member in both of her children’s schools, and is active in their youth sports.

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Michele Botely - Ext. 1115

Michele has been a loan officer for over 18 yrs. Within one year of starting as a loan officer with Eastern Savings Bank in 1990, Michele was promoted to a branch manager. During this time she also obtained her Life and Health License and also her Series 6 License for stocks and bonds.

She co-owned her own Mortgage Company for over 10 years with excess of 35 employees and branch offices in New York and Ohio.

Michele is a licensed Mortgage Broker in the states of MD, PA, VA, DE, FL, and MI and also able to do loans in SC and NC. She has taken many hours of continuing education for her Mortgage License. She has spoken at the annual Smart Woman Magazine Seminar on the basics of Mortgages and refinancing. Michele is a licensed National Registered Agent for the Money Merge Account (Mortgage Reduction Software), and has been one of the top producers at First Fidelity for the last 6 years. Michele is very knowledgeable and has been in the business for many years. She is always interested in what her clients needs are and is always looking for the “right” loan for them.

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Patrick Sheehan - Ext. 1137

Patrick graduated from Towson University 1999 with a BS in Business Administration and Marketing.

Patrick entered the Management Trainee program with Wells Fargo Financial Acceptance, where he received employee of the region four times during his tenure. He has also been a Credit Analyst III with Citigroup, where he was an underwriter for various types of loans - mortgage personal, and auto. Next Patrick made his move into the mortgage industry working as a Brokers Assistant with Access National Mortgage. There he became experienced in all aspects of the mortgage loan origination process.

Patrick is currently a Senior Loan Analyst First Fidelity Mortgage. Originate loans in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, DC, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Michigan. He is a licensed loan originator in the State of Maryland.

In his spare time, Patrick does volunteer work for Habitat for Humanity and Special Olympics of Maryland, and is an active member and volunteer of his local parish.

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Philip W. Keister - Ext. 1134

Phil has been in the sales industry for 17 years. In 1993-1995-1997, he received awards, for top salesperson in Customer Satisfaction Index for the Mid-Atlantic Region from Nissan Automotive. He then was promoted to manager of Sales & Finance. He also put together a free credit repair class, where consumers would meet with him once a month and he would teach them about the importance of having good credit and how to restructure their financial foundation. Phil continues to offer this program to all of his mortgage clients. It was a smooth transition to the mortgage industry, with his financial background and the ability to work well with consumers. Phil completed 40 hours of training for his Maryland Originators License. His goal is to provide sound financial advice and exceptional customer service.

Phil was born in 1967 in Harford County, Maryland. His father is a retired teacher and his mother is a retired registered nurse. His sister is also a registered nurse and does a lot of volunteer work. As you can see he grew up in a family that worked with people and helped people every day. He believes that his personality is a direct correlation to his background. He has a lovely wife and a beautiful daughter. Phil’s hobbies include fishing, hunting, and golfing. He belongs to many clubs and organizations. W.A.F., U.B.B.B.’S who take kids fishing that don’t have fathers or families.

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Reggie Hyacinthe - Ext. 1136

Reginald Hyacinthe was born in White Plains New York in 1975. Reggie moved to Maryland 12 years ago as a transfer to finish at Towson State University. He graduated in 2000 and received B.A. in Fine Arts. While interning at Channel 2 news Reggie decided he wanted to further his career and decided to go into the mortgage industry. Reggie has attended many seminars for licensing, marketing, and sales skills. Reggie is licensed in several states, including Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Florida, & Virginia. Reggie has been in the mortgage industry for 6years now, and with First Fidelity for 4 ½ of those years. Reggie has finished in the top ten for the last 2 years, and strives to continue to rise to the top as one of our top loan analysts. His knowledge and excellent customer service will take him a long way in the industry. When he is not working, Reggie enjoys reading and spending time with his family.

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RJ Stumpfl - Ext. 1160

RJ Stumpfl was born and raised in the Baltimore and Washington metro area. After graduating high school, his studies brought him Northern Kentucky University were his studied Education. After college he moved back to the Baltimore area where he taught in the Howard County Public School System. He also coached in the county for several years, for which he earned a Special Educator of Year nomination. The years have lead him to the Financial field where he has been working at First Fidelity Mortgage. RJ has completed extensive training and education in the Maryland Mortgage educational field. He has become one of the FHA and purchase specialists at First Fidelity. He currently resides in Bowely’s Quarters, MD with his wife and daughter.

RJ is a licensed loan originator in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, Florida, and Michigan (brokering also in North Carolina and South Carolina).

Achievements

• Certified mortgage continuing education through Financial Strategies
• Certified Reversed Mortgage Originator
• Volunteer in the Baltimore County Community
• Support and Volunteer with the Special Olympics

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