Ruby GrynbergPresident, Loan Officer
MLO-92631
Ruby started college at age 15 through the University of Washington’s Early Entrance Program and has been on a high-achievement track ever since. After working as a loan officer for four years, Ruby founded Salmon Bay Community Lending in July 2005, as she explains it, “To provide more personalized service in the always fast-paced, often intimidating Puget Sound home mortgage market.”
After receiving her B.A. in Social Welfare from UW, Ruby honed her listening and problem-solving skills as a social worker for King county. While on a two-year visit to Argentina to study tango and take her Spanish fluency to the next level, Ruby met her future husband, Sebastian Grynberg. They settled in the Salmon Bay neighborhood (aha!) of Ballard in 2001 with their two sons, Zac and Alejandro (and now number three, Mateo). In the spare time she intends to have again any day now, Ruby looks forward to indulging in her passions for performing tango and classical violin. But not in the same performance.
Jeanne NealLoan Officer
MLO-94009
Jeanne has 15 years experience in mortgage banking, including 4 years working with Ruby Grynberg at a local mortgage company. Her BS in Finance from the University of Oregon and MA in Teaching from the University of Alaska are obvious assets in a job that involves helping people do the important math. “Even experienced homebuyers can find it daunting to compare lenders, loans and costs,” Jeanne says. “Part of my job is help people make sense of their options and secure a mortgage that’s going to work for them today and down the road.” As for job satisfaction, she adds, “There’s nothing I enjoy more than telling a client that they’ve just been approved for their dream home.”
Jeanne likes to stay in motion, so the upbeat tempo at Salmon Bay suits her perfectly. She enjoys kayaking with her 8-year old daughter and is a volunteer for the Sierra Club’s Inner City Outings, a community outreach program that facilitates a wide variety of out-in-nature activities for urban youth and adults.
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Ellaina LewisLoan Processor
Ellaina has the important role of helping Salmon Bay’s clients complete their loan applications and expediting the approval process as much as possible to ensure that loans close on time and as promised.
Ellaina’s timing skills and her ability to exhibit grace under pressure come naturally, thanks in part to her training and experience as an operatic soprano. She studied at the Aspen Opera Theater Center, the University of Washington, Iowa State University and at the Astoria Music Festival and Academy. Her awards include the Helen Crowe Snelling Scholarship from the Seattle Musical Art Society, and the Opera Aria Division title at the Performing Arts Festival of the Eastside in Bellevue. Ellaina is also active with the Open Door Theater, whose mission is to free children from violence and abuse by teaching safety skills through dramatic live performances.
Mary LandLoan Officer
MLO-115410
Mary has lived in Seattle for 20 years and is currently living in the Greenwood/Phinney area. With 15 years of experience in real estate, home buyer education, and mortgage lending; she loves helping people prepare to buy a home and to create a strong financial foundation.
As a loan consultant, Mary is pro-active and forward thinking, solving problems before they materialize. She guides people through every step of the process so they will have a stress free buying experience. Her high level of enthusiasm drives her to continue sharing her knowledge by offering free seminars to the people in her community.
www.savvyhomebuyer.org
Steph Fairweather
Loan Officer
MLO-98646
Steph Fairweather is a Seattle/Vashon Island native, UW alumna and has been a Ballardite for 11 years.
Steph has enjoyed the process of buying and selling homes, and this dovetailed into a career as a loan consultant five years ago. Prior to providing mortgages and home finance education, she promoted and marketed national and local artists in the music industry for over a decade. Naturally, her initial client base tended toward diversity and creativity in their lives and jobs. “I wanted to be able to help people who need out-of-the-box solutions to home loans to fit their unique, individual scenarios.”
Steph prides herself on her attention to detail during the loan process, quick response and great communication with her clients, and on providing a positive experience for the people she works with.
Cate Weisweaver
Office Compliance Manager
MLO-186478
Cate didn’t find mortgage. Mortgage found her; twice. With five years of operations experience in residential retail lending, Cate is eager to return to the industry with Salmon Bay Community Lending. She hopes to bring benefits only a type A organizing freak can bring to an already solid group of professionals. Her draw is SBCL’s consumer advocate approach to working with their clients and the connections they build with the community. Raised in Puyallup, a graduate of Western Washington University; Cate is a Washington girl. Cate can never dance enough and is always working to stay connected with dancing tango. (Yes – another tango dancer.)
Jessica Marshall
Assistant to Ruby Grynberg
MLO-184830
When it comes to buying your first home or refinancing into a loan more suited to your changing needs, there are few things more important than confidence that you’re making the right decision for you. Navigating the ever-evolving mortgage industry can be extremely challenging, even for those working in the field every day. Jessica joined the Salmon Bay team to help bridge that gap and ensure that the process is as simple and transparent as possible.
After finishing her BA at Stanford University she came back to the Pacific NW and began her career in the mortgage industry with one of the nation’s largest lenders. The experience gained over five years in finance and mortgage provided the perfect foundation for her transition to Salmon Bay Community Lending.
