A lifelong Chicagoland resident, Dave Hilger practically grew up in the mortgage industry. In his teens, he worked at his father’s appraisal company and quickly discovered he loved the business. “As my career developed, I gained experience in most areas of the industry,” he says. “However, I have always had the strongest passion for sales and sales leadership.”

Hilger made the move from appraising to lending over 25 years ago. He is now the growth manager for Illinois and Northwest Indiana with Union Home Mortgage. Last year, he accepted the challenge of becoming the first retail partner for Union Home Mortgage in Illinois. Honored by the opportunity to help the company grow in a critically important market, he is pleased that the outcome has been successful. “I am in the process of opening my fourth branch this year,” he says. He considers his fellow partners to be his clients and is wholeheartedly committed to their success. “I am very blessed to be keeping busy during the pandemic.”

Hilger owes it all to the knowledge that comes from 34 years of experience in the real estate industry. “Originating at a high level helped me understand the needs of borrowers, as well as the needs of loan officers, operations staff, real estate brokers and attorneys,” he says. “In addition, my executive-level experience with large organizations offered me good insight into all of the other areas of mortgage banking that directly impact the client experience.”

His determination at work has crossed over into his personal life. He is an officer of The Andrew Weishar Foundation, also known as Weish4Ever, which supports families battling cancer. Last year, in its sixth year of operations, the foundation exceeded the milestone of $1 million in donations, helping more than 200 families in the process. 

Empty nesters, he and his wife, Lynn, enjoy traveling, spending time with friends and family, supporting local restaurants, and hanging out at home.