Meet Your Local Mortgage Advisors
ROSS SYKES
Mortgage Advisor
Ross Sykes is a local mortgage advisor in Fairhope, Alabama. As an Air Force veteran, he is committed to his community and ensuring individuals are provided consistent and reliable information when deciding to buy or refinance a home. Ross is an expert with the VA Home Loan product. He is committed to ensuring our nation’s heroes are represented beyond the transaction. An unwavering supporter to the Veteran community is what drives him daily.
- 251-509-7791
- ross@hflend.com
- NMLS# 1577789
Some of the achievements that Ross has earned are Airmen of the Year for the Air Force Reserves, Superior Performance Awards for the National Background Investigations Bureau, and Chairman of the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce. Ross has served the U.S. Government as a Special Agent in the past ensuring individuals were vetted prior to fulfilling roles throughout our nation.
As a business professional, Ross cares about others beyond himself. As a lifetime learner and valued member within the business community, he wants what is best for his clients. Ross enjoys boating, fishing, and spending time with his family in his free time. He also performs volunteer work within the local community for Veterans, Cub Scouts, and many other initiatives. The mortgage industry has provided Ross an avenue to plan, develop, and educate clients on what matters most when buying or refinancing a home.
JARED VINCENT
Mortgage Advisor
- 251-422-1016
- jared@hflend.com
- NMLS# 2015287
Jared Vincent is a mortgage advisor located in Fairhope, AL. His military career began in the Marines, and later, he retired as an Army Warrant Officer. Jared understands when to put the mission (his clients) first. He is devoted to educating his clients first. Though Jared has a unique perspective as a military Veteran, his sense of duty allows nothing but excellence in all transactions.
Throughout his military career, Jared served two deployments to Iraq and two deployments to Afghanistan, earning the global war on terror medal and the OIF/OEF campaign medals, as well as numerous other awards.
As a mortgage advisor, Jared will treat each client as if they were his family. He enjoys spending time with his family and particularly enjoys time on the water fishing or simply being outside.
Jared is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Technical Management. He excels in leadership and communication and strives for transparency during every step of his client’s mortgage process. As the military motto states, “Leave no man behind.” Jared strongly believes in this motto, which is why continuing relationships with his clients beyond their mortgage experiences are imperative.
CRAIG GARDNER
Mortgage Advisor
- 251-243-1425
- craig@hflend.com
- NMLS# 2326071
Originally from San Louis Obispo, CA, Craig Gardner moved to the beautiful State of Alabama in 1975, where he grew up on the Eastern Shore. Craig enjoyed growing up here as a kid because it was always adventurous and never boring from playing sports to fishing, hunting and camping. He graduated from Fairhope High School in 1983, then attended Sacramento State University on a football scholarship. Upon graduation, he went to work with his father in California as a mortgage broker. His father taught him the business from the ground up including loan processing, jr. underwriting, and loan originating. While in California, he met his wonderful wife and was married in 1987. In 1993, Craig and his wife moved to Kentucky where he continued his career in the mortgage industry. In 1996, he left the mortgage industry to pursue a career in restaurant management.
In 2000, he and his wife decided to move back where he grew up in Fairhope, AL. and continued as a restaurant manager where he gained valuable knowledge in excellent customer service. In 2004, he decided to return to the mortgage industry as an Account Executive with a bank. The 2008 financial crisis put a halt to his plans, so he reverted to restaurant management. He retired from the restaurant management industry at the age of 50 to spend some well needed and deserved quality time with his wife. In 2016, he then returned to the financial industry in the lending department doing personal, auto, boat and ATV loans. In 2022, he decided to make a career shift back to his first love of his career in the mortgage industry and obtained his Mortgage Loan Origination license.
Overall, the mortgage industry and the restaurant industry demand the same kind of excellent customer service and attention to detail when dealing with the customers needs. Craig truly enjoys helping people meet their financial goals in life. Buying a house is probably the biggest investment someone will make in their life and understands the process needs to be made as easy as possible for the customer.
RACHEL MARION
Mortgage Advisor | "The MTG Fam"
- 205-657-3540
- rachel@hflend.com
- NMLS #1938801
Rachel Marion is a local mortgage advisor in Northern Alabama and surrounding areas. She has 15 years of real estate/mortgage experience. In 2020, she decided she no longer wanted to be a “landlord” for the property management company she had worked at for 7 years. She
realized her true passion was helping people become homeowners. She specializes in helping first time home buyers have the best possible home buying experience as well as educating them along the way.
TOM MARION
Mortgage Advisor | "The MTG Fam"
- 205-657-3829
- tom@hflend.com
- NMLS #322086
Tom Marion is a loan officer in Northern Alabama and surrounding areas. He has 12 plus years of experience in the mortgage industry as well as over 20 plus years in sales. He knows how important purchasing a home can be and he works tirelessly for his clients through the entire home buying process. His true passion is serving veterans with their home financing.
WILTON "WILL" ABBOTT
Mortgage Advisor
- 251-979-0910
- will@hflend.com
- NMLS #2234905
As a former Firefighter/EMT of 10 years Will knows what it takes to get the job done, even when it’s tough. He will work hard to find a solution for your specific needs. As a husband and father of 5, he also knows the value of time. He ensures you spend less time worrying about your new home and more time making memories in it! He enjoys helping others achieve their goals of home ownership. Whether buying your first home, investment, or your retirement home, Will takes pride in serving you from application to closing.
Ron Sivak
Mortgage Advisor
- 251-219-8914
- ron@hflend.com
- NMLS #2042731
Ron is a Mortgage Advisor residing in the Port City, but equally serving both sides of Mobile Bay. He is also the proud Father to a daughter currently attending Daphne High School. As an Army veteran, he understands the value of VA home loans. As a lifelong learner, Ron’s
passion is to provide best-in-class service – and the most suitable loan product – for those purchasing or refinancing a home. Moving to the Deep South as a teenager from Southern California, Ron graduated from the University of South Alabama with a Banking degree, personally financing 100% of his college tuition through athletic scholarships and hard work.
As an ardent USA supporter today, Ron is a tenured board member for The Mitchell College of Business Melton Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, active with the National Alumni Association and belongs to the Jaguar J-Club Athletic Alumni Association. Ron has also served as a volunteer official for the South Alabama Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Home Invitational meets for the past 15 years. Active in the community, Ron is also a successful freelance real estate and business writer and collectively, has had nearly 1,000 articles published in well-known publications around the area over the past decade. Ron also co-hosted and co-produced an eponymous podcast show (Lagniappe’s The Real Deal with Ron Sivak) for several years.
With a mindset of gratitude and a track record of success, Ron always places his customers needs first and will work tirelessly in the trenches with the expectation of attaining a smooth and flawless close for every home buyer, every time.