"People will always remember how you made them feel – this is my business card"

This article was produced in partnership with Community Trust

Mallory Hendry of Canadian Mortgage Professional sat down with Camelia Brisca, senior manager, Mortgage Advisory Alt-A, to discuss her career journey so far.

When Camelia Brisca began her career in the financial industry, she was immediately drawn to the hustle of the mortgage underwriting department. She recalled they were always busy collaborating, finding solutions for clients and discussing options.

“It was such a vibrant place, and I was instantly attracted to it. I wanted to be part of it – and here I am, many years later, still working in the mortgage industry,” Brisca said. “I’m passionate about everything I do, and I truly care. Whether I’m interacting with clients, internal or external partners, or my colleagues, I strive for a memorable experience. People will always remember how you made them feel – and this is my business card.”

Brisca joined Community Trust in 2015 as an underwriter, appreciating the family feel of the then-small company. She was attracted to the collaborative and supportive vibe and took the opportunity to expand her knowledge, eventually becoming a member of the credit management team and, following that, as her talent for motivation and positive leadership unfolded, taking the reins of a dedicated team of underwriters. Still driven by her desire to be part of the solution, Brisca then took on her current role of senior manager, Mortgage Advisory Alt-A and considers herself lucky to inspire “an extraordinary team of individuals who bring the best alternative advice to broker partners – and always with a smile on their face.”

Community Trust is now a much bigger company, and the mortgage advisory team is critical both to the business it does today and to its vision of the future. The lender has a laser-focus on building greater reach through increased technological resources and speed of service, and Brisca’s team is at the forefront of that evolution as a “diverse team of individuals who raise the bar of service excellence every single day.”

“Even if you don’t see them, they’re these little miracle workers that get things done,” Brisca laughed. “I can’t say enough good things about them.”

The department is comprised of two teams: the mortgage advisory team that are in direct contact with the brokers and the digital mortgage advisory team that collaborates daily, and both are equipped to assist partners in less than 30 seconds with any inquiries related to a mortgage transaction. They offer tailored solutions and professional mortgage advice through various means of communication including email, Community Trust Café, an app for brokers’ phones and an 8am-8pm ET Monday to Friday toll free line - 1 (888) 649-1169.

Broker partners appreciate the ability to access assistance in a variety of efficient ways because they want to be in the know, Brisca said, noting her team is often asked about new products, such as the InstaValue service or the newest 35-year amortization product that was recently launched. Her team also fields questions about mortgages and home equity lines of credit in first and second position, about Community Trust’s lending areas in Ontario, BC, beginning in Alberta, and about the broker partner rewards program and how to be part of it.

“Whether it’s a quick status update over the phone or a more complex question that brokers have on the café, we’re here to assist in less than one minute,” Brisca said. “That is a standard that sets us apart.”

Despite Community Trust’s robust growth, it has kept that small-team approach and atmosphere, and it’s become the default mindset for Brisca. She comes into work every day with a smile, genuinely enjoying her role and helping to guide her team through that day’s series of quick turnarounds. While it can be stressful to respond in 30 seconds, people like Brisca at the helm make a key difference: working in a positive way inspires everyone to work harder with you and for you, and people react to your energy. Brisca’s team is as happy to be there as she is, and “that’s exactly how I want to continue,” she said, adding “the way I was inspired when I joined the underwriting team here at Community Trust, I want to have my team feel that same positive energy – it’s the gift that keeps on giving.” 

Those key drivers that Brisca admired when she first began her career journey – connecting people and ideas, providing solutions and advice, always collaborating to deliver the best service possible – are still guiding her and her team today, and they won’t be changing any time soon.

“We’re all trying to make Canadians more successful in their financial plans and in their homeownership goals,” she said. “Everybody at Community Trust continues with our We Care mission.”

A privately held Canadian company in operation since 1975, Community Trust prides itself on a creative and optimistic approach to finding you the best options, executed by experienced and capable experts in the financial services field.