Amy Tierce, Regional VP
Drew Grandi , Divisional Sales Manager
Deana Kirbach, Operations Manager
Wintrust Mortgage, Northeast
Wintrust Mortgage’s three-person team of Amy Tierce (regional vice president), Deana Kirbach (operations manager) and Drew Grandi (divisional sales manager) has proved to be a successful collaboration. Tierce and Kirbach have worked together for almost 20 years. The two teamed up after years of working as an origination/processing team to open Fairway Independent Mortgage’s first branch in the northeast. As regional vice president, Tierce helped to grow the region to $1 billion in production across 10 branches, which supported some of the top loan originators in the industry. Two years ago, they left their legacy behind to build a new team with Wintrust Mortgage. That’s when Grandi joined forces with the duo, bringing more than 20 years of experience in banking and technology. Before joining Wintrust, Grandi opened the mortgage banking company Dynamic Capital Mortgage, which grew to more than 17 branches under his leadership and closed more than $1 billion a year in loan production over a seven-year span.
Tierce started her professional career in the music industry, but a love of homes forged at an early age while looking at properties with her mom pushed her toward real estate. Kirbach studied political science and planned to pursue a career as a lobbyist, but found her first job at a mortgage company more than 20 years ago and that was that. Grandi planned from the beginning to work in mortgage banking, having first received his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and later a master’s in international finance. But while they have all traveled different paths, a common thread ties them together: a desire to help. “Helping people into their first home and then helping their kids into theirs, there is nothing more satisfying than a referral from a client who we helped years ago and they still remember us,” Tierce says.
The Wintrust team serves a wide variety of clients with diverse lending needs, ranging from first-time homebuyers to seasoned finance professionals to those seeking government loan programs. Above all, serving with excellence is always at the forefront, because the financing process can be difficult to navigate for first-time buyers. “The mortgage process is very complex today, and I feel that my job is that of translating a complex process into understandable parts and processes,” Tierce says.
But she’s not alone, and thankfully, the trio has complementary skills. Grandi has extensive knowledge of financial workings and systems; Kirbach, having previously worked as a processor, closer and underwriter, understands the mortgage process inside and out; and Tierce handles marketing and recruitment while providing support to their growing team of loan officers. Together, they’re working to build the company’s brand in the northeast region. “Our goal is to attract and support top mortgage talent,” Tierce says. “Wintrust offers an excellent platform, and we combine that with local leadership, marketing, branding and operational excellence.” Tierce says that Wintrust isn’t for everyone, but for those who feel it’s a fit, “your career will take off with our help.”
In her free time, Kirbach enjoys skiing, horse racing and spending time with her family and friends. Tierce volunteers her time doing fundraising and board work, including sitting on an advisory committee for HomeStart, an organization that focuses on assisting the homeless.
