Rocket, UWM take di erent paths to weather storm

Di cult fourth quarter showcases diverging strategies for Detroit’s largest mortgage lenders

BY NICK MANES

Metro Detroit’s two largest mortgage lenders emerged from a di cult fourth quarter, which underscored their increasingly diverging paths.

Rocket Companies Inc., the Detroit-based parent of Rocket Mortgage and other consumer nance companies, and United Wholesale Mortgage in Pontiac have their headquarters about 30 miles apart from each other, and both originate mortgages.

e comparisons mostly stop there.

Both companies more than made it through a di cult 2022 during which rapidly rising interest rates crimped pro tability and e ectively crushed the re nance market. But the strategies employed by the two companies were vastly di erent and o er some glimpses into how each will operate through the rest of this year and beyond.

UWM has fared better — at least in the short term, one industry expert says.

“ e bottom line is, United Wholesale’s broker business grew enough in certainly the latter part of (2022) to enable it to keep up originations in a rapidly declining market,” Guy Cecala, executive chairman of industry publication

See LENDERS on Page 20

Brinker Group looks to build on reputation and expand

Construction rm works on city’s biggest projects

BY JAY DAVIS

Visit any of the various sections of Detroit and chances are you’ll see work done by Corktown-based Brinker Group.

Brinker Group — a Black-owned business comprising ve companies that do everything from construction management, glass and metal work, electrical work, carpet and ooring, to exterior and interior carpentry work — has worked on some of the biggest projects in the city. at includes the $85 million Henry Ford Detroit Pistons Performance Center and Little Caesars Arena. Brink- er construction management division L.S. Brinker is also one of the managers on Ford Motor Co.’s Michigan Central Station project in a joint venture with Detroit-based Christman company.

Brinker Sr.

Larry Brinker Sr., who established the business in 1989 in Detroit after working in construction and as a truck driver, is proud of what he’s built. And he’s still building, expanding business to another state.

“We’ve had to make ourselves more attractive as a company to attract some of the best

See BRINKER on Page 21

BY KURT NAGL

1-800-Call-Sam. 855-Mike-Wins. Joumana “Always Watching.” • For years, the billboards of these local law rms have been the wallpaper of metro Detroit’s roadways. But the battle for dominance is intensifying — and not just among the usual players. • Enter Morgan & Morgan, an Orlando, Fla.-based personal injury law behemoth, whose “Size Matters” advertising campaign has recently swept through Michigan and across the country.

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