Jenks, Okla., Aug. 15, 2019 – Gateway First Bank, one of the largest banks in the State of Oklahoma and one of the largest mortgage bank operations in the United States, announced the appointment of Jeff Schmidt as its Chief Mortgage Operations Officer.

As Chief of Mortgage Operations, Schmidt will manage the underwriting, appraisal, closing/funding, post-closing, and construction lending departments. In addition, Schmidt is tasked with the expansion of Gateway’s mortgage call centers based in Dallas and Frisco, TX. He will report directly to Gateway’s CEO Stephen Curry.

“Jeff brings deep expertise in mortgage banking derived from his 35 years of experience in both mortgage and banking. His knowledge will help us build the robust mortgage operation we need to support our growth goals,” said Curry. “Jeff has had a long track record of success at Gateway, and his promotion was well-deserved. This is a critical role as we implement new mortgage banking technology, streamline our operations and improve our recapture.”

Jeff’s career in financial services began as a bank teller. Throughout his roles over the next 20 years, Mr. Schmidt served as Assistant Vice President of Operations, Senior Loan Officer and Regional Vice President over Underwriting, Closing and Post-Closing. Mr. Schmidt’s management experience also includes leadership roles in personal & real estate banking, finance, operations, regulatory compliance, and merger transitions.  Schmidt held roles in Texas, Alaska, and Washington before returning once again to his roots in Texas. He joined the Gateway team in October 2010 as Regional Vice President and has been recognized in Mortgage Executive Magazine’s  “Top 1% of Mortgage Originators in America” every year since 2011 and as a Top Originator by Scotsman Guide in both 2017 and 2018. 

“I have loved being a part of the Gateway family and am very excited about this new role. As the company continues to gain momentum, the Gateway team will absolutely rise to the occasion,” said Schmidt. “Gateway is a proven leader in the mortgage industry and we have experienced a long tradition of success. I am eager in taking on a greater role as Gateway continues to grow and strive for excellence.”