John Wignall
Acra Lending
Huntington Beach,CA
1
Language
31
years of professional experience
Team-oriented professional prepared to take on leadership responsibilities with focus on driving results and fostering collaboration. Proven success in managing teams, overseeing project execution, and adapting to dynamic work environments. Known for reliability, flexibility, and strong organizational skills, ensuring seamless team operations and achievement of goals.
Work History
Underwriting Team Lead
1 Year 11 Months- Led loan processing workflows, ensuring accurate documentation and timely file progression.
- Coordinated underwriting and closing teams to resolve conditions and clear exceptions efficiently.
- Reviewed loan files for compliance with lending guidelines and regulatory requirements.
- Trained team members on Byte Pro usage, file preparation, and pipeline management.
- Woking with sales leaders on loan file escalations and exceptions.
- Led loan processing workflows, ensuring timely file movement through origination, underwriting, and funding stages.
- Monitored pipeline activity, resolving document issues and escalating exceptions to maintain smooth closings.
- Coached team members on loan file accuracy, condition clearing, and lender guideline requirements.
- Assisted staff with loan system navigation, task prioritization, and status tracking within mortgage operations platforms.
Underwriter
7 Years 2 Months- Non-QM 100% manual underwriting. Average 2 new decisions a day and next day conditional reviews.
- Evaluated residential loan files for credit, income, asset, and collateral compliance.
- Reviewed appraisal, title, and documentation packages for accuracy and salability.
- Identified underwriting process gaps and improved consistency across loan reviews.
- Analyzed credit, income, compliance, title documents, and appraisals during underwriting process.
Account Manager
1 Year 2 Months- Worked directly with wholesale mortgage brokers and account executives to get loans closed in a timely matter. Reviewed new loan approvals with brokers and fielded any questions regarding conditions or processes. Weekly team meetings to discuss pipeline management to project future closing.
- Managed broker and borrower relationships throughout loan pipeline, ensuring timely communication and issue resolution.
- Coordinated loan status updates with processors, underwriters, and closers to maintain accurate file progress.
- Reviewed submitted documentation for completeness, reducing delays during underwriting and closing.
DE Underwriter
3 Years- Worked directly with sales managers and processing to get loans closed quickly, average age of a loan was 30 days. Manual underwrite Alt A to specific investors, underwrite and conditioned Conventional and FHA files accordingly to the DU certificate with FDL overlays to a pool of investors. Worked with DRIVE report through data verify addressing any red flags, calculate income and appraisal review. Operating system encompass. Major reduction in workforce.
Senior Account Manager
1 Year 8 Months- Worked directly with brokers to get their loans closed. Majority of business was purchase money. Gathered conditions from brokers to present to underwriting for sign off. Managed a large pipeline working with 5 account executives VA, FHA and conventional loans. Operating system Encompass.
Lead Processor
4 Years 1 Month- Leads a team of 3 processors responsible for funding FHA, VA and Conventional Loans. Handles all documentation including disclosures and income documentation. Calculates income and reviews all client paperwork before submitting to the lender. Communicates with borrowers, and Loan officers and specific file needs. Ordered appraisals, title and insurance. Responsible for completion of 1003/1008 forms and ordering 4506s.
- Reviewed complex documentation for completeness, compliance, and timely submission to underwriting teams.
- Organized comprehensive documentation systems that facilitated easy retrieval of critical information when needed for decision-making or audits purposes.
- Conducted regular reviews of internal processes for potential improvements, resulting in reduced cycle times.
Underwriter
1 Year 6 Months- Manual underwrote Alt-A products to a pool of investors. Worked directly with Sales managers and processors to expedite CTC.
- Evaluated residential loan files for credit, income, asset, and collateral compliance.
- Interpreted agency, investor, and overlay guidelines to approve sound lending decisions.
- Analyzed complex borrower profiles and structured exceptions within risk tolerance.
Director of Account Managers
8 Years- Managed a team of 15. Including 12 Account managers and 3 data entry. Worked closely with Account Executives, Sales managers, and underwriters to accomplish specific company goals and targets. Implemented a breakthrough training program that helped get 5 account managers promoted to other positions including Underwriting and AEs. Compliance certified through HSBC training program each year from 1999 to 2007. Had signing authority for stipulations and conditions for loans up to $450,000. Signed off on Appraisal reviews. Signed off on Funding conditions such as HUD-1 Finals And Insurance declaration page.
- Directed wholesale mortgage operations, aligning broker workflows with underwriting guidelines and pricing standards.
- Led pipeline management efforts, resolving loan exceptions and accelerating file readiness for submission.
- Improved loan processing consistency by standardizing procedures across origination, disclosures, and closing stages.
- Supervised lending teams, coaching staff on compliance, service expectations, and file quality.
Underwriter/Funding
3 Years- Funded on average 50 loans per month. Front end underwriter for FHA and Alt-A Loans. Calculated income and completed 1003/1008 Application.
Education
Skills
Mathematical operations
Effective troubleshooting
Efficient documentation oversight
Effective leadership
Problem-solving ability
Effective time management
Operational administration
Microsoft Excel expertise
Provides training
Empowers team members
Implements company guidelines
Coordinates tasks
Forecasts/predicts
Leads group discussions
FHA and VA guidelines knowledge
Conflict resolution
Customer focus
Coaching and mentoring
Attention to detail
Accomplishments
- Supervised a team of 10 underwriters.
Languages
English
Timeline
Underwriting Team Lead
Acra Lending
11.2024 - CurrentRead More
Underwriter
Acra Lending
08.2019 - CurrentRead More
Account Manager
Acra Lending
06.2018 - 08.2019Read More
DE Underwriter
First Direct Lending (Retail)
03.2015 - 03.2018Read More
Senior Account Manager
Carrington MS (Wholesale)
07.2013 - 03.2015Read More
Lead Processor
Better Choice Financial (Retail)
06.2009 - 07.2013Read More
Underwriter
Solstice Capital/HSBC (Retail)
10.2007 - 04.2009Read More
Director of Account Managers
Decision One Mortgage (Wholesale)
01.1999 - 01.2007Read More
Underwriter/Funding
Conti Mortgage Corp. (Wholesale)
01.1996 - 01.1999Read More
Orange Coast College
Read More