Encouraged to try mortgage lending during his summers off, Sam Jadallah later left teaching to embark on real estate finance full time. A senior home lending advisor 23 years later, he still enjoys helping people achieve their dream of home ownership as much as he did when he first started. “As a teacher, I felt that I was in the same routine every day and there was no excitement in it,” he remembers. “I felt stuck to a desk, and that wasn’t for me. With lending, every day presents a new challenge that motivates me.”

Jadallah’s biggest professional accomplishment in the past year was his ability to weather the storm that hit the industry by staying positive and focused. Acknowledging the incredible business support provided by his assistant, he leaned into his vast product and market knowledge to turn challenges and volatility into client wins. For his steadfastness, he earned the rank of Top National Achiever at Chase Bank for the 10th year in a row.

“I believe one thing my clients appreciate about me the most is my accessibility,” says Jadallah. He sees his mostly referral-based business as underscoring his client-centric style. “I believe that I have built a reputation for myself that one never worries about referring clients to me,” he adds. Applauded for his honesty, Jadallah takes care to learn as much as possible about those he serves in order to best guide them.

A father to 11-year-old triplets (“two girls and a boy!”), he loves traveling with his daughters to their gymnastics meets and coaching his son in soccer.