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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThis week\u2019s HW+ member<\/a> spotlight features Eric Lapin, who was recently appointed chief strategy officer at FormFree<\/strong>. Tapping into more than 25 years of experience, Lapin will strategically identify and execute growth opportunities at FormFree to drive the company forward. Prior to joining FormFree, Lapin served as first vice president of corporate development, national agency services, at Old Republic Title<\/strong>, and has also held leadership positions at Altisource<\/strong>, Black Knight<\/strong>, First American<\/strong> and Credit Suisse<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Below, Lapin answers questions about the housing industry:<\/p>\n HousingWire<\/strong>: What is your current favorite HW+ article and why?<\/p>\n Eric Lapin<\/strong>: I\u2019ve been enjoying the HW+ team\u2019s coverage of Figure Technologies <\/strong>(including this recent piece from Fl\u00e1via Furlan Nunes<\/a>). I appreciate companies with the boldness and fortitude to drive the industry forward. That\u2019s what drew me to this role at FormFree, too.<\/p>\n HousingWire:<\/strong> What is the weirdest job you’ve ever had?<\/p>\n Eric Lapin<\/strong>: I attended Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. There was a row of clubs and restaurants right in the middle of campus, including O\u2019Sullivan\u2019s Wharf<\/strong> on Colley Avenue where I waited tables during the day. <\/p>\n A few nights a week, I also worked DJ shifts at a bar on Hampton Boulevard called The Elbow Room<\/strong>. I had a blast playing all sorts of rock, dance and hip-hop music using the bar\u2019s turntables and my own CD collection. Being around that energy was enthralling and created a nice diversion from studying.<\/p>\n HousingWire<\/strong>: If you would have picked a different career, what would it be?<\/p>\n Eric Lapin<\/strong>: In a different life, I would be a professional musician or music producer. I currently play in two bands as a drummer in Charleston, South Carolina. One is a rock band, and the other is a jam band (complete with a horn section) that specializes in 90s and 2000s hip hop and funk. <\/p>\n We have an agent and play private gigs, clubs, corporate events, festivals and even the occasional wedding \u2014 though we politely refuse to do \u2018typical\u2019 wedding favorites like the Macarena, Brown Eyed Girl, and the Electric Slide. <\/p>\n People often say that when you do something you love, it won\u2019t feel like work. That is how I feel about playing music. I love being able to improv on the fly, translating the energy of my bandmates and the crowd into something new and different. It\u2019s even fun when one of us messes up. It\u2019s all part of the \u201clive\u201d experience, and you can’t recreate that. <\/p>\n HousingWire<\/strong>: What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?<\/p>\n Eric Lapin<\/strong>: When I was in my mid-20s, I worked for Provident Bank<\/strong> based in Cincinnati, which was later acquired by PNC<\/strong>. As my role with the bank grew, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to learn various areas of the lending business, including wholesale, correspondent and warehouse lending. <\/p>\n There was always a lot going on within the different divisions, and the business would ebb and flow depending upon the rate environment. The president of the mortgage division was a seasoned veteran in finance, and whenever he would hold company meetings, he would end the calls by taking questions from the audience. <\/p>\n I\u2019ll never forget when I asked him, \u201cWhen do you think we will stick with an operational flow that works and will help drive more business\u201d? He replied, \u201cIf it ain\u2019t broke, break it.\u201d His point was that complacency kills progress. Learning and improving is an ongoing process, so we should never stop augmenting our knowledge and trying new approaches.<\/p>\n HousingWire<\/strong>: What\u2019s 2-3 trends that you\u2019re closely following?<\/p>\n Eric Lapin<\/strong>: Here are the following:<\/p>\n HousingWire<\/strong>: What keeps you up at night and why?<\/p>\n Eric Lapin<\/strong>: I worry we\u2019re not making enough progress when it comes to creating opportunities for more renters to become homeowners. Housing inventory is low, interest rates are rising and median income isn\u2019t keeping up with rent inflation. I believe government and private actors alike need to move faster to address these trends and make generational wealth-building available to many more families.<\/p>\n HousingWire<\/strong>: What\u2019s one thing that people aren\u2019t paying attention to that you think they should be paying attention to?<\/p>\n Eric Lapin<\/strong>: We all need to pay better attention to what\u2019s going on outside of our respective \u2018bubbles.\u2019 Instead of saying \u201cwe don\u2019t do that here\u201d or \u201cwe have never done it that way,\u201d leaders should pay attention to what is working well in other countries as relates to lending. Legacy thinking and well-intended regulation have kept industry innovation to a snail\u2019s pace, especially in the United States, when in reality data, technology and analytics exist today and could provide value right now. <\/p>\n The financial institutions that are thinking globally, learning from others\u2019 success stories and investing in research and development are the ones making the greatest strides and positioning themselves for future success.<\/p>\n Don’t forget, HW+ members receive exclusive pricing at HW Annual 2022, click here<\/a> to learn more. <\/em><\/p>\n To become an HW+ member, click here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n For more information on HW+ benefits, click here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n To view past issues of our HW+ exclusive HousingWire Magazine, go here.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The post HW+ Member Spotlight: Eric Lapin<\/a> appeared first on HousingWire<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n