About the book...
Seeing Around Corners is the incredible story of Stanley C. Middleman, who came from modest beginnings and built one of the largest privately held financial companies in America: Freedom Mortgage. More than just another business success story, it's about Stan's journey from his humble start in northeast Philadelphia as he overcame early business failures until he ultimately created enduring success for himself and many others.
What people say...
Any historical reference to the United States mortgage market, especially the last twenty years, must include Stan Middleman and the significant expansion of Freedom Mortgage into an industry leader. Stan's vision, exceptional work ethic, and inability to take no for an answer made him an industry titan whose advice and counsel are in high demand.
Brian Montgomery
Partner, Gate House Strategies, LLC
I am blessed to call Stan Middleman my friend. He is the epitome of the American success story—hard work, an idea, loyalty, friendship, and treating people right. Stan's dream has helped thousands and thousands of Americans see their dream of a home for their family come true. My friend Stan has always cared for others and worked to make his community a better place. Stan Middleman's devotion to his family, his faith, his country, and his friends helps make him such a special person. Stan's decency and character shine through in all he does every day. Stan Middleman has been an adviser and a friend to me, and I am very lucky that he is a big part of my life.
Joe Donnelly
An American success story, Stan Middleman leveraged hard work and a focus on looking around corners to build a mortgage empire. His success is more than that, though. Stan truly cares about providing homeownership opportunities to those striving to climb the economic ladder like he did. His belief in the broad social good from families achieving homeownership led him to become one of the country's leading FHA and VA lenders. His business success also derives from planning ahead, knowing that a down market today could be up tomorrow, and that a booming market today won't last.
Ed DeMarco
President, Housing Policy Council
Former FHFA Director
Success is never an accident. It takes commitment, drive, energy, risk taking, and the keen sense to go a different direction from the herd at times. I first met Stan when I was FHA commissioner at HUD back in 2010. In the years since, I've seen how Stan has turned Freedom into the massively successful institution it is today while remaining basically a family-owned company. Freedom, under Stan's leadership, remains on the forefront of the success stories in the mortgage banking industry. Over the past many years, Stan has shown his insights that separate him from others. From bold moves to grow his servicing portfolio, technology implementations that have reduced friction in his loan operations and servicing to significant moves in channel focus on the origination side of the business. This book is a must read for all current mortgage executives as well as the up-and-comers who want to understand what it takes to be simply better than the rest.
David Stevens, CMB
Former FHA Commissione
This book is a joy. It is both the story of Stan Middleman, the founder of Freedom Mortgage, one of the largest government lenders in the country, and a look at principles for managing a successful business, merged together into a really enjoyable to read book.
Laurie Goodman
Urban Institute
Stan is not a "go with the flow" guy, and his somewhat unorthodox approach has served him well as he has created and grown one of the nation's largest mortgage lenders and servicers. He has a passion for providing homeownership opportunities to people from all walks of life, and he gives back generously to causes and organizations that strengthen our communities.
Robert D. Broeksmit, CMB
President and CEO, Mortgage Bankers Association
Stan Middleman possesses all of the qualities and then some of the most successful among us: talent, drive, perseverance, and imagination. But what most distinguishes Stan is his heart for the mission—the mission of giving every Main Street American the freedom to choose to own their own home.
Kurt Potenhauer
Vice Chairman, First American
Seeing Around Corners is an insightful story about a mortgage banking icon, Stan Middleman, founder and CEO of Freedom Mortgage. As a Pennsylvania native, hearing about Stan's early years in Philadelphia and his serial approach to entrepreneurship from a very early age helps us understand his journey to leading a top national residential mortgage originator and loan servicer. His story is not for the faint of heart yet shows young entrepreneurs not to be afraid of failure. The book showcases Stan's indomitable character and his values as a leader. By Seeing Around Corners, Stan anticipated the mortgage cycles over three decades and achieved enduring success as a result.
Faith Schwartz
CEO and Founder, Housing Finance Strategies
About Stan...
Stan was born and raised in Philadelphia. Knowing he wanted to be the boss at a young age, he embarked on numerous business ventures before he founded Freedom Mortgage in 1990. Today, this business is one of the largest full-service independent mortgage companies in the United States. One of Stan's key drivers toward success was providing for his wife, Ros, as well as their two sons, who have now joined him at the helm of Freedom Mortgage.
About the author...
R. Christopher Whalen is an investment banker and author who lives in New York. He is chairman of Whalen Global Advisors LLC, and focuses on the banking, mortgage, finance, and fintech sectors. The author of several books, Christopher is a contributing editor at National Mortgage News.
From the book...
Seeing around Corners will be published on September 17, 2024.