Synergy One onboards top-performing Louisiana branch

Synergy One Lending, a retail lender based in San Diego, is expanding its presence in the South with the addition of a new powerhouse branch.

The mortgage lender is currently onboarding a Louisiana-based team, which will add nearly $300 million in annual production to Synergy One, a press release said.

More than three dozen employees will join Synergy, bringing the mortgage lender's workforce to more than 400 loan officers, according to the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System. This marks a 50% increase in originator staff compared to this time last year.

The Louisiana branch was previously employed by GMFS Mortgage, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The 37-employee strong team is led by Toby Arceneaux, former senior vice president of GFMS Mortgage.

It also includes two top-producers in Louisiana, veteran originator Doug Bickley and Ryan Larussa.

Both Bickley and Larussa were previously team leads at GFMS and are ranked as Louisiana's No. 1 and No. 3 originator in the state, respectively, per a press release.

Aaron Nemec, president of Synergy One, noted that Arceneux and his team "built a reputation on trust and results."

"This isn't just about growth; it's about the integrity and excellence of the people joining us," he added.

Synergy One has been making a play to actively grow its ranks during a time of muted origination activity.

Last year Synergy acquired Montana-based Mann Mortgage for an undisclosed amount. This addition expanded its footprint in areas where it wasn't previously active, such as Montana and Washington State. 

Steve Majerus, CEO of Synergy One, previously noted that the addition of Mann Mortgage gave it the leverage to roll out a homebuilder division. The purchase of the Montana-based lender brought with it originators and administrative employees that have expertise required to launch such an initiative.

"We have the product and processes built out and the liquidity from our partners, so a solid foundation to spring into this," Majerus added. 

Synergy is now offering single-family construction loans to building partners. Over time, the mortgage shop aims to introduce builder forward commitments, too. 

The San Diego lender also previously absorbed 11 former Draper & Kramer Mortgage offices that opted out of a deal in which their parent company sold its single-family lending assets to New American Funding. 

Incorporating these branches expanded Synergy One's footprint into Ohio, Alabama, Texas, and Louisiana.

"We haven't hidden the fact that for all of 2024, our intention was to grow aggressively into potential market opportunities," Majerus said in an interview last year.

Synergy has 88 active branches and is sponsored to originate in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, per NMLS.