Accolades are not foreign to Ryan Morgan. The Mortgage Corp East partner and senior loan officer has been included in the Top 1% of loan originators in America every year since 2014 and has been recognized by multiple publications, including Banker & Tradesman, Mortgage Executive Magazine and the Scotsman Guide. And all this after starting out in Major League Baseball.

Morgan worked for a year with the Chicago Cubs. He intended to become a coach but found he didn’t love it as much as he thought he would. In 1988, he met Mike Aizenstadt, Mortgage Corp East’s founder, and began a friendship over their shared love of baseball. Eventually, Aizenstadt offered Morgan a job, and the latter has been in the industry for 18 and a half years now.

“My time in baseball, both amateur and professionally, has helped shape my approach to being a loan officer and business owner,” Morgan explains. “Every team I played on had its own unique dynamics, as every borrower and every deal does, so it helped me prepare to deal with many different types of personalities and situations. It’s helped me to have the right team around me, as well.”

Morgan is part owner of Mortgage Corp East. He manages the sales and processing staff and secondary-market relationships, in addition to his role as a loan originator. His clients come completely from referrals.

Morgan aims to mitigate his clients’ stress and make them comfortable as they navigate the loan process. He accomplishes this by explaining nuances in a way people can understand and also asks questions until he’s clear on clients’ goals. He focuses on a personal touch, so clients don’t feel they are simply a number, as well as the best programs, options and strategies.