Mortgage Basics

Nick Long and Chris Hardiman bring a wealth of experience and a strong partnership to the company’s sales leadership. With a formal educational background in finance as well as a deep breadth of professional experience in sales, the two have been friends since childhood and began their professional journey together in 2018 at Amerifirst Home Mortgage. Prior to that they had both held separate roles at other independent mortgage banks. Their partnership has since flourished, spanning multiple companies, and they now serve as Producing Area Managers at the 2^nd largest direct independent mortgage bank in the U.S., where they have been for the past two years. Prior to their current roles, they were ranked as the #1 and #2 MLOs, nationally, at Amerifirst Home Mortgage.

Together, Nick and Chris lead a high-performing team of 11 MLOs and 11 operational support staff, achieving a combined team production of over $1.5B.

Individually, both have surpassed $250M in career production, earning recognition as President’s Club producers consistently over the past five years, along with other industry accolades. With Nick and Chris’s collective 30+ years of experience in mortgage banking, they have developed a sales approach centered around purchase mortgage business, focusing on building and maintaining relationships with key referral partners including Realtors, home builders, CPAs, and wealth managers. Their strategy has always emphasized cultivating long-term relationships rather than direct-to consumer marketing, except during refinance booms when they prioritize engaging their existing client base. Their combined expertise, proven track record, and commitment to relationship-driven sales make them integral to driving the company’s growth and expanding its market presence.

Lee Gross brings over 35 years of distinguished experience in the mortgage industry, specializing in financial strategy, operational excellence, and transformative leadership. Most recently, Mr. Gross served as President and CEO of Platinum Home Mortgage, where he navigated complex market challenges and played a pivotal role in a successful merger and acquisition with Planet Home Lending, ensuring a seamless integration that preserved client relationships and operational stability.

In his decade-long tenure as CFO of American City Mortgage, Mr. Gross demonstrated exceptional expertise in financial restructuring, optimizing cash flow, and improving liquidity positions. He successfully guided the company through multiple economic cycles, deploying effective risk management strategies and establishing robust compliance frameworks in alignment with shifting regulatory landscapes.

His prior roles at Irwin Mortgage and Pinnacle Financial showcased a forward-thinking approach to capital management, enabling strategic partnerships and operational transformations.

Mr. Gross also led technology-driven innovations, enhancing underwriting efficiency and streamlining mortgage servicing processes. A Certified Public Accountant with degrees in Finance and Accounting, Mr. Gross began his career at a top-tier CPA firm, focusing on structured finance, asset liquidation, and complex financial modeling for large-scale real estate portfolios. His extensive background in finance, combined with his strategic vision and leadership capabilities, has earned him a reputation as a trusted advisor and industry innovator.

Committed to building and mentoring high performing teams, Mr. Gross’s leadership philosophy centers on transparency, data-driven decision-making, and a focus on sustainable growth and community-focused initiatives.

Doug Long is a transformative force in mortgage lending, with over 40 years turning bold ideas into billion-dollar realities across finance, real estate, and technology. As CEO and co-founder of Pinnacle Financial, Doug took the company from a first-year production of $68 million in 1988 to $7 billion by 2006, establishing Pinnacle as a top 50 lender with a reputation for dynamic, customer centered solutions.

At Prospect Mortgage, LLC, where Doug served as President of National Lending from 2012 to 2017, he propelled annual growth by 30% and implemented strategic pricing models that took the company’s profit margins from 4 basis points to an average of 100 basis points. During his tenure as Executive Vice President at HomeBridge® Financial Services he guided his team effectively through a significant transition period.

Most recently, as Senior Vice President at Amerifirst, he opened a new southeast region leading growth from zero production in 2018 to $1.2 billion by 2021, showcasing his ability to build substantial value in short timeframes.

Doug is an active investor of innovative startups including Daily Human, Liteforge, Finding Floridians, Comply Hub. Doug serves as Chairman and advisor for Crittora, a cyber security startup creating data security solutions for a postquantum computing environment. In 2022, he founded WUTIF, a tech accelerator lab focused on AI solutions to revolutionize business operations.

A University of Central Florida alumnus and Hall of Fame member, Doug lives by the philosophy, “The future is now.” He remains dedicated to empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs and is known for transforming challenges into opportunities for growth and success.