2023 PRISM AWARDS FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORP.

Madison, Wisc.

CEO: Steve Jacobson

Website: fairway.com

Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. prides itself on being a company that strives to serve all.

Backgrounds, heritages, choices, or preferences don’t matter. Fairway, a retail lender licensed in all 50 states, exists to help and serve people, says Julie Fry, Fairway’s chief human resources officer.

No. 1 among Fairway’s core values is humility first. This value, paired with servant leadership, allows Fairway to encourage diversity of thought, create a culture of trust, have an unselfish mindset, and foster a team mentality, Fry says.

“Our core values and Fairway philosophy continue to be our foundation in serving our communities, one loan at a time,” she says.

Fairway believes inclusive practices benefit both customers and employees.

“We have the freedom to advertise to whichever platform we want to promote our services to diverse clients of any background,” Fry says.

“As just one example, one of our loan officers, Richie S., is a board member of our FairwayPride Employee Resource Group,” Fry says. “He advertises his loan services on the Arizona Pride Guide and participates in LGBTQ+ chamber events.”

Another example is Cole S., a loan officer and FairwayPride lead/board member.

“He feels he can be his true, authentic self serving his clients,” Fry says. “He has built a network of people who refer him to clients that seek a gay loan officer they can trust and build a relationship with during the homebuying process.

Both Richie and Cole feel they can perform better and feel much more satisfied at a job that accepts and supports who they are, she says.