Sue Woodard, Kevin Peranio and Brian Vieaux will help academy achieve more diversity, equity and inclusion in mortgage industry
June 8, 2021 – SAN FRANCISCO – AXIS Lending Academy, a non-profit educational program that offers free training to people seeking a career in the mortgage industry, has appointed three prominent industry leaders to its board of directors. The new board members, Kevin Peranio, Brian Vieaux and Sue Woodard, will help the academy achieve its mission of creating greater diversity in the real estate finance industry while helping home lenders diversify their workforces and lower costs.
AXIS announced its formal launch of operations last month. The academy provides a comprehensive 90-day education program in which students are trained and mentored by a team of experienced leaders for a career in the mortgage industry. By expanding career opportunities to candidates from all types of backgrounds, AXIS helps lenders achieve better diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) while bringing down the costs of originating loans.
“Bringing my dream of a more diverse and equitable mortgage industry to life has been an exciting adventure,” said AXIS Lending Academy President, Co-Founder and Chair Paul Gigliotti. “Having added three genuine mortgage industry superstars to our board of directors will enable us to make meaningful changes to the way the industry operates.”
Woodard is the chief customer officer at Total Expert, a CRM and customer engagement platform built specifically for the financial services industry. A former top producing originator and winner of multiple industry awards, Woodard began her mortgage career more than 30 years ago and is frequently called on as an industry speaker and subject matter expert.
“We believe in the potential and lift of the individual at AXIS,” Woodard said. “Through education, mentoring and a paid internship, you can make a career path that lifts your life and changes the lending and mortgage industry.”
Peranio is the chief lending officer for PRMG, one of the nation’s largest mortgage lenders, where he oversees all loan production. His two-decade mortgage career includes leadership roles at North Star Lending and First Magnus Financial. Before that, Peranio spent two years at Dell Computer.
“AXIS is committed to lifting people into new opportunities,” Peranio said. “If they have the drive to engage in this industry, we are here to open that door and empower them to have a long-lasting career.”
Vieaux is the president and COO of FinLocker, a leading provider of next-generation, digital, consumer-permissioned personal financial assistance tools. He has three decades of home lending experience and has held leadership roles at Citigroup, Flagstar and IndyMac Bank.
“At AXIS Lending Academy, we’re innovating mortgage lending education to equip a better, more diverse and innovative workforce,” Vieaux said. “It’s time to create growth for all.”
In addition to Peranio, Vieaux and Woodard, the AXIS board includes Gigliotti, Bianca Broos, Dan Greiner, Brendon Weiss and Jerri Herrera.
Gigliotti added: “These additions to our board of directors will help us ensure that the AXIS path training course will be integrated into our learners’ lifestyle – optimizing their potential for a value-driven and profitable career in the lending industry.”
About AXIS Lending Academy
Established in 2021, AXIS Lending Academy is a non-profit organization that provides advanced education in mortgage operations to individuals coming from outside the mortgage industry. Upon graduation, AXIS Lending Academy offers paid internships and maintains a diverse pool of job candidates for mortgage lenders seeking to improve their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. AXIS is based in San Francisco, California. For more information, visit www.axislendingacademy.com.