Influential Woman · Escrow and Title Industry
Yvonne Ramirez
Senior Director of Operations, Escrow
CA
Her Story
About Yvonne
I've dedicated 26 years to the escrow and title industry, and throughout that time I've truly worn every hat imaginable. Right now, I serve as Senior Director of Operations over a national branch for a title company, where we close transactions across all 51 states. My journey has taken me through so many different roles - I've been Director of Operations for Independent Escrow Companies, I even owned my own independent escrow company (though I'll never do that again because it's very stringent with all the guidelines and compliances). I've worked for lending companies where I built their in-house escrow departments from the ground up, worked for a mortgage broker company where I went ahead and applied for my real estate license (which I've maintained for almost 15 years now), worked on the builder side closing their escrow transactions and starting up escrow companies for builders, and even worked on the REO side when our market crashed. I've handled all different types of transactions, which has given me such a comprehensive understanding of this industry. What drives me is making sure I give good customer service and great communication - those values are sometimes difficult to maintain because not everybody has those same values as you, but I make sure my team is on the same track as myself, with the same ambitions and goals. I treat everybody as equals and use a collaborative team effort to make adjustments and changes, because one of my mentors who I worked with for about 5 years when I first started always told me to treat others as I'd like to be treated and to not look at my title as any different from anybody else's title. By taking that advice, I've been able to grow my team to the extent that they are right now.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Yvonne
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would say that would have to be my kids, my family, and my husband. Without them being able to support my career and the profession that I have - you know, staying late nights, becoming the person that I am in our industry - that would have made it a little bit more difficult. So I've always had it where, you know, if I'm doing what I'm supposed to, then my family will prosper from it.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I did have a mentor, one of my mentors who I've been with for probably a good 5 years when I first started in the profession, who always told me to make sure you treat others as you'd like to be treated, and do not look at your title as any different from anybody else's title. So, always make sure that you treat every person with respect. By taking that advice, I've been able to grow my team to the extent that they are right now, because I treat everybody as equals and use a collaborative team effort to make adjustments and changes.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say to mentor with somebody that has been in the industry for over 20 plus years, in order to get the overall experience that you need in order to grow in this business.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The challenges that I'm currently facing right now are the interest rates. Because our branch is national, and we lead all the refinance products - HELOC products, reverse, etc., and purchases for California and out of state - that is one of our challenges right now. But we do foresee that refinances are going to go through a big boom eventually, so you just have to hold on tight. Our industry always goes up and down.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Number one is giving good customer service and great communication. Those values are sometimes difficult to maintain, because not everybody has those same values as you, so I make sure that my team is on the same track as myself, with the same ambitions and goals as I do. That way they know they can move up, and eventually do the same thing that I'm doing, if not higher. So I'm always making sure that those types of values are within me, so that way nobody feels as if they're at a different level or different position.
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