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If you visit the offices of First Residential Mortgage Network Inc., you might find some of its employees engaged in a hotly contested game of pingpong, but the bosses don't mind. The company's "work hard, play hard" philosophy has been a major factor in its rapid growth, said Saul Pohn, 35, president.
Pohn helped found the company in 1995 and was joined a year later by his twin brother, Jordan, formerly an attorney with law firm Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC. Jordan Pohn serves as CEO, overseeing operational issues, while Saul Pohn focuses on strategic planning.
"I had been in the mortgage business and saw a different way to do it so I decided to try it on my own," said Saul Pohn. "I thought if I had a company that treated its people right and gave them the best tools and a lot of freedom, we could have better personnel, better retention and just be better overall."
Internet enables national reach
Eight years later, First Residential has grown from five employees to 405 with offices in four states and a thriving Internet business that brings in customers nationwide. Its revenues have doubled each year and are expected to reach $55 million this year, Saul Pohn said.
Part of the company's success...