As a senior director for the Sales and Trading Desk, my work treads a fine line between Lument Securities, the broker/dealer within ORIX USA, and Lument on the mortgage lending side. I’m responsible for trading our direct origination business to Wall Street through Lument Securities. On the Lument agency side, my team and I perform a variety of important functions, such as providing soft quotes for new business. When Lument wins those deals, we work with the deal team to move the loans through the pipeline. Once a deal is cleared to rate lock from an internal perspective—passing all legal, underwriting, and credit requirements—we take it to market for auction.
I’m a very social person so one thing I like about my job is being able to talk with different teams in the organization, as well as investors, on a daily basis. I also love the fast-paced environment of the Trading Desk. I thrive on hectic days, pursuing a specific goal while often facing unexpected challenges that make us adapt quickly. It keeps things interesting and exciting. And there’s no greater feeling than having a banker tell you how happy the borrower was with our execution on note rate. I also enjoy working with everyone on the Desk—both in New York and Columbus. Liking the people you work with is one of the best perks of a job at Lument.
During my time here, I’ve been impressed with Lument’s investment in promoting a diverse workplace. It’s great to see the drive and commitment to DE&I that’s occurring at top levels of corporate leadership across the entire firm. For example, I see Lument CEO Jim Flynn take time out of his day to meet with Project Destined interns. And it’s inspiring to see the firm make meaningful donations, both to causes that support social responsibility and to educating employees on topics like the LGBTQ community, the impact of mental health, and the benefits of meditation. That’s a real and tangible commitment to me, creating a culture that supports employees’ sense of belonging.
Lument’s commitment to diversity affects me on a personal level as well. As a Hispanic woman, I’ve never felt passed over here. I think both Lument and all of ORIX USA have a strong culture of inclusion and recognize the different backgrounds of all employees. Not only do I feel welcomed, but also respected and valued.
One thing not everyone knows about me is that I wasn’t born in the United States. I was born in Colombia, South America. My family moved to the U.S. when I was nine years old. At first, I had a hard time fitting in—I didn’t speak any English and was placed in a classroom where only one other student spoke Spanish. Thankfully, I learned English quickly, but that first year was quite an adjustment.
