Standalone division will serve the bank’s trade area of Mississippi and the Alabama Gulf Coast
Mississippi-based Merchants & Marine Bank has announced the launch of Canvas Mortgage, its new residential mortgage banking division.
In a statement, the firm said that Canvas Mortgage will operate as a standalone division of the bank and serve the bank’s trade area of Mississippi and the Alabama Gulf Coast, as well as surrounding communities.
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The new division will be led by Jonathan Shows and Sharon Rice, who will serve as president, mortgage production and president, mortgage operations, respectively. Additionally, the pair will be supported by a team of mortgage loan originators, underwriters, and compliance officers.
“Mortgage lending is an increasingly critical and relationship-oriented part of community banking,” said Clayton Legear, president and chief operating officer of Merchants & Marine Bank. “By committing resources to create Canvas Mortgage, the bank will have the opportunity to deepen existing customer relationships, attract new customers to our company, and help support the continued growth of the communities we call home.”
“We created Canvas Mortgage to be unique, with a focus on individualized service and providing the community with creative solutions to meet a broad range of home buying needs,” said Shows. “With over 100 years of experience in mortgage lending, our team knows how to help customers find the right solution for their home buying or refinancing needs. We believe customers will welcome the opportunity to turn to us first as their primary option for a mortgage loan.”
