Board Room Our Industry Serves a Noble Purpose By Alex Pistone AS WE OBSERVE Older Americans Month this May, I cannot help but reflect on the incredible elders who have shaped me into who I am today. I am mostly grateful for the wisdom and knowledge that was shared with me and the work ethic and resolve that was modeled before me by some extraordinary people. I know I am not alone in my gratitude. The generations that came before us are truly remarkable. I often tell our team at Mutual of Omaha Mortgage just how fortunate we are to be part of an industry and profession that can improve the lives of these Americans. We have a noble purpose. We have the ability to help our fellow Americans remain in their homes with dignity and independence, improve and extend their retirement outlook, move closer to their loved ones and even enhance their health and wellness. I have seen how financial stress can have a direct impact on the physical, mental and emotional health of our customers. What other financial product has the potential to make such a dramatic and positive difference in people’s lives? The solutions that we help facilitate are meaningful. I have the pleasure of reviewing customer surveys, where I see satisfaction rates that are consistently positive—off-the-charts positive. Over the years, I have received so many thank-you letters, and even gifts, from our customers, who express that their quality of life and peace of mind has been improved—in some cases, dramatically so. If you have been in this industry for any length of time, you know exactly what I am talking about. We all get to do this for a living. I feel blessed to be a part of it. Unfortunately, the majority of the American population, even financial professionals with good intentions, continues to misunderstand the simple yet powerful concept of a reverse mortgage. This truly is a shame. The result is misdirected criticism but also missed opportunities for older Americans who could benefit from unlocking their housing wealth. We can help so many more— millions more. Knowledge of the truth of a reverse mortgage continues to be our biggest challenge as an industry and our largest opportunity. It is up to us to take on that challenge. If we expect to grow as an industry, making the impact we know to be possible, we must focus on education on a large scale. Mutual of Omaha Mortgage is taking on that challenge as we look toward the future. We should all have pride in the good work that we do, because it is good work. We should remain grateful for the opportunity to make a difference. However, we should not be content, because together there is so much more that we can do. Alex Pistone 6 REVERSE MORTGAGE / MAY- JUNE 2022
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