Tom: First, what was going through your mind when you heard that you are the recipient of the Kenton K. Brown Sente Spirit Award? What was your first reaction?

Jennifer: It was just shocking. You know, looking back over the previous winners, many of them are in operations because they have more of a presence within the company. They deal with more people. Or someone like a Branch Manager—somebody that has more of a footprint. It was just shocking to hear my name called for the award. It’s a beautiful, beautiful award and I’m just very honored.

Tom: Why don’t you share a little bit about Jennifer, the award winner, that others in the organization might not know?

Jennifer: I grew up in Minnesota and lived there until I was married at 18. Then I moved to Germany for three years. I spent time in Mainz, Germany, and also Hano, Germany. After that I came back to the United States and lived in Alabama, Kentucky, and Texas. I ended up in Killeen, Texas, about 25 years ago, and I’ve been here ever since.

Tom: So you traveled quite a bit, ended up in Texas, and then stayed in Killeen since then?

Jennifer: Yes, my husband is Captain in the Killeen Police Department. His job is here in the city of Killeen, so we’ll probably be here until we retire.

Tom: Now that you’re not traveling around the world, what do you like to do when you’re not working and you have free time?

Jennifer: My husband and I still like to travel. We like to go to different places. Last year we went to the Grand Canyon, and our goal is to see more national parks. And at least once a year we like to go see my family in Minnesota or South Dakota.

Tom: So tell me how you got into the mortgage business?

Jennifer: It was strictly by chance. I applied for a receptionist position at a local bank. After a few months they downsized, and I ended up in the mortgage department of that branch. They wanted me to do loan setup, so I started doing that. After that I became an assistant processor, then processor. And then I started training processors. So it just kind of evolved over time as I was doing more and more with mortgage loans.

Tom: What do you love about being in the mortgage business?

Jennifer: I like helping people accomplish their goals. I think getting a home is one of the best financial decisions that people can make in their lives. Equity that you have in your home is going to increase. I like helping them achieve that goal of getting a house. And there have been many people throughout the years that you remember, because they’re so appreciative. Imparting my knowledge to them and making them feel comfortable, that’s what I appreciate about being in mortgages.

Tom: We talked about what you did for fun. But I also understand that you’re a big dog lover. So tell me, how many dogs do you have?

Jennifer: I have four dogs and one cat. I have Bailey, she’s the oldest. She’s a heeler mix and she’s about 12. We have Boba, named after Star Wars. She’s a black lab, and she’s about 6. We have a chocolate lab named Daisy, she’s about 3. Last year my husband was driving to work and saw a dog running on the side of the road. He stopped, she jumped into his truck and now we have a new puppy name Dalia. The cat demands attention—my current cat is Rogue and she’s a mama’s baby.

Tom: When we looked at the nominations and we saw what people wrote about you, you’ve done some remarkable stuff this last year for the company, and we’re grateful!

Jennifer: I am very honored. I’m still in shock over winning the award. Thank you. Thank you so much.