Mortgage Lender Pro, Community Advocate Pam Ender Celebrates Retirement
7/30/2020 | Team United
Mishawaka, Indiana – Longtime mortgage lending professional and community advocate, Pam Ender, is celebrating the end of a prolific career with her retirement from United Federal Credit Union (United) on July 31.
For over 40 years, people in southwest Michigan and northern Indiana as well as co-workers in the financial industry have counted on Ender’s lending expertise to help bring dreams of homeownership to reality or to meet goals within an organization.
In her ten years at United, Ender helped the credit union expand into the Mishawaka/South Bend area, and was vital to the success of growing membership in the region through her reputation of working hard to help others and her unparalleled knowledge of the mortgage lending process.
“My time at United has been absolutely wonderful,” Ender said. “I have had the chance to work with amazing people at the credit union, and felt the mortgage department valued my experience.”
In July 2020, Ender reached an incredible milestone by reaching 1,006 closed mortgages while a member of Team United. To her, this number represents the value of hard work, the importance of team work, and highlights the good that can be done by helping others.
“I am almost speechless when I am asked about this number,” Ender said. “I was determined to have at least 1,000 closings, and I owe a big thank you to the entire mortgage team that worked to make this happen. Having goals has always been a big part of my career.”
While the number of loans is impressive, Ender also knows that behind each closed mortgage is a member who she helped achieve homeownership.
“I feel in a small way I was able to contribute to the member and their goals,” she said. “I was in line at Dollywood three years ago and I heard someone say ‘You are Pam Ender, “the Lender” and you did my mortgage.’ That really made my day that I had touched a member to remember me in that way.”
She also recalls having helped three generations of one family—a grandpa, son, and grandson—with their mortgage loans. Ender says she will miss those types of interactions the most, as well as answering members’ questions or having them stop by her office to say hello—knowing many of them and their families for years.
Ender’s team at United, meanwhile, will miss her passion for the job and her positive presence at the credit union each day.
“Pam has been an incredible asset not only as a lender to our members, but as an internal resource with much knowledge and expertise for all lines of our business,” said Erica Young, United’s Director of Mortgage Sales in Indiana.
“She is a wonderful colleague, peer, mother, grandmother and friend. We will miss her at the Edison Lakes branch, but am confident we will still see her around the community.”
In fact, community involvement and volunteerism continue to be a huge part of Ender’s life. She has been actively involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters—Southern Lake Michigan Region for over 20 years, and has also been known to lend a hand at Bethel University’s Service Days as well as organizations in the Niles, Michigan area including: Michiana Christian Service Camp, Deer Run Church of Christ-Youth Group, Premier Women’s Network of Niles, and Michiana Networking.
In 2014, Ender was named “Volunteer of the Year” by the Four Flags Area Chamber of Commerce (Greater Niles Chamber of Commerce) in part for being an inspirational role model for students in the Niles area.
“Since this is my community, I want to give back. It brings much happiness to me to be able to volunteer,” Ender said. “To give back to those in need is priceless; I have been blessed. I believe if you are going to volunteer, it needs to be for a cause or need that you are passionate about.”
Ender’s retirement plans include traveling and camping with her husband and spending time with their five grandchildren.
“I really have not had time for a hobby, so I guess I will have to see what I can come up with,” she said.
