They say opportunity knocks when you least expect it, and that’s certainly been the case for Jesse Lokken. When he was just 19 years old, Lokken was selling promotional coupon books door to door when one of his potential customers recognized his innate sales acumen and offered him a job right on the spot. “I was offered a position to make cold calls for $20 per hour, and after a couple of months I was doing so well that they promoted me to a loan officer,” he says. “This industry found me, rather than me finding it. It was pure luck, and I am extremely grateful. I have always loved helping people, and there is no better feeling than helping people achieve homeownership.”

Honest, transparent and willing to help, Lokken always makes himself accessible to clients and goes the extra mile to ensure they fully understand the lending process. “I look at my clients’ homes as part of their wealth strategy,” he says. “By understanding their time horizon and risk tolerance, I can get a better view into how to help them accomplish their objectives.”

Now a National Achiever at Chase, Lokken has been recognized as one of the top loan officers by previous companies he’s worked for. With a keen ability to solve complex problems, he strives to make sure each party in a process feels like they’re the only one he’s serving.

Lokken also has high praise for his teammate, Gretel Aschenbrenner, with whom he has worked for over seven years. “Gretel is my right hand, and some days also my left hand,” Lokken jokes. “She is extremely organized, makes sure the clients fully understand what needs to take place and puts together a step-by-step action plan for them to follow.”

A devoted family man, Lokken shares that he and his wife are expecting their third child in August. “Being a father and husband is my best accomplishment year over year,” he says.