New Position is Part of Company-Wide Initiatives to Foster an Inclusive Environment and Empower a Diverse Workforce

Guild Mortgage (NYSE: GHLD), a growth-oriented mortgage lending company originating and servicing residential loans since 1960, announced the appointment of Lamont Watson (NMLS #474326) as the company’s first vice president of diverse talent development. In this new role, Lamont will spearhead Guild's initiatives to recruit, develop, and empower a diverse workforce, while fostering an inclusive environment where Guild employees feel valued and supported.

Lamont brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new position having spent the past 11 years with Guild serving clients in South Carolina, managing five branches, and earning a spot in the top 15% of production at the company, first as a producing sales manager and then as a producing branch manager. Before joining Guild, Lamont was a loan officer with JPMorgan Chase and then Bank of America.

“Through Lamont's leadership, Guild will continue to build a diverse and inclusive organization that thrives on the strengths and talents of its employees, where borrowers and employees feel welcomed and supported,” said Mary Ann McGarry, CEO, Guild Mortgage.

With nineteen years of success in the mortgage industry, Lamont has consistently demonstrated his commitment to helping families achieve homeownership and financial goals. Since 2004, Lamont has helped more than 2,500 families, and in 2020 his team surpassed the $50 million volume milestone in service of Guild clients.

“My personal experience as a Black man working in the mortgage industry for the past two decades has given me insights and experience to draw from that I’m ready to put to work to help create an environment that supports and empowers Guild’s diverse workforce,” said Lamont. “I think this is a pivotal role and I’m proud that Guild tapped me to bring my personal perspective as someone who has successfully overcome cultural differences and achieved a high level of success within the mortgage industry to foster diversity and inclusion.”

“With this new role, one big area of focus is to build strong relationships and collaborations with internal stakeholders and external diversity-focused organizations,” added Watson. “To attract and retain diverse talent we will improve our talent development processes, including mentorship and career advancement opportunities.”

Headquartered in San Diego, Guild Mortgage is a leading national lender with an established history of offering a comprehensive array of loan products and partnering with government organizations to help deliver the promise of home in every neighborhood and community. Its loan professionals can serve the needs of any homebuyer, from helping first-time buyers achieve homeownership, often through government loan programs, to homebuyers looking for a jumbo loan. Guild also helps active duty and retired military personnel who qualify for VA loans with 100% financing and flexible qualifying standards. The company is consistently recognized for its impact in the communities it serves, commitment to customer service, strength in regulatory compliance, and workplace culture.

About Guild Mortgage

Founded in 1960 when the modern U.S. mortgage industry was just forming, Guild Mortgage Company is a nationally recognized independent mortgage lender providing residential mortgage products and local in-house origination and servicing. Guild’s collaborative culture and commitment to diversity and inclusion enable it to deliver a personalized experience for each customer. With more than 4,000 employees and over 300 retail branches, Guild has relationships with credit unions, community banks, and other financial institutions and services loans in 49 states and the District of Columbia. Guild’s highly trained loan professionals are experienced in government-sponsored programs such as FHA, VA, USDA, down payment assistance programs and other specialized loan programs. Guild Mortgage Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guild Holdings Company, whose shares of Class A common stock trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol GHLD.

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