The HousingWire award spotlight series highlights the individuals who have been recognized through our Editors’ Choice Awards. Nominations for HousingWire’s Vanguards are now open through Friday, July 22, 2022. Click here to nominate someone.
Each year, HousingWire’s Vanguards recognize a list of elite players in the industry who have made it to the top and are now dominating the housing economy. These tenured leaders have weathered many storms over the years, consistently remaining nimble through a never-ending list of challenges facing the industry.
The Vanguards include nominees like Baron Silverstein, president at Newrez who has been with the organization since 2020. Silverstein was recognized as a 2021 Vanguard for his more than 30 years in the industry and his attentive and progressive approach to leadership. Silverstein played a pivotal leadership role in the acquisition process of Caliber Home Loans last year and his drive to succeed can be summed up in his favorite piece of advice: “If everything seems under control, you’re not going fast enough.”
We reached out to Silverstein for the latest on Newrez’s acquisition of Caliber Home Loans and learn more about what’s to come for the company in 2022.
HousingWire: In 2021, you were named a HousingWire Vanguard and your company Newrez acquired Caliber Home Loans. What has been the biggest challenge in completing the acquisition and combining operations?
Baron Silverstein: The integration of both companies is still underway but has gone really well so far. And while there is still more work to be done, we expect to be fully integrated by end of year. Our biggest challenge has been managing the integration through the current market conditions, but all of our teams have done an incredible job in getting us to where we are today.
HousingWire: How has this acquisition influenced your overall corporate strategy?
Baron Silverstein: Both Caliber and Newrez were large and mature platforms who had different approaches to the same common goal of originating and servicing mortgages. The acquisition has allowed us to identify and evaluate best practices from both organizations to ensure the most efficient and cost-effective strategies to create the best mortgage company in the market.
HousingWire: How has your approach to leadership evolved or changed over the last year?
Baron Silverstein: The greatest evolution over the past year has been trying to find the most impactful and effective manner to connect with and communicate to a remote workforce. While most companies are experiencing the same issues, finding new ways to connect with employees remains key to building a best-in-class corporate culture.
HousingWire: How are you preparing the business to succeed in 2022 and 2023?
Baron Silverstein: We are getting back to basics by simplifying our strategies for our core businesses while looking for new opportunities. We’re focused on expanding business through new partnerships, new products, evaluating opportunities in non-mortgage asset classes and focusing on homeownership accessibility and affordability.
