DENNIS GARES

www.linkedin.com/in/dennisgares Chandler, AZ 85249 480-650-6982 gares1357@gmail.com

EXECUTIVE PROFILE
Accomplished, results driven leader with full knowledge of Call Center Operations and Mortgage Servicing.
Proven leader with a passion for improving customer and employee experience by building and retaining high
performing teams through an inclusive and engaged culture. Effectively collaborates and creates strategic
alliances with organizational leaders to align and support key business initiatives. Adept at implementing
process improvements to increase productivity and workflow efficiency in direct support of targeted
objectives. Proven track-record of managing risk and getting results through strategic techniques while
cultivating new relationships with key decision makers.

CORE COMPETENCIES
Leadership & Motivation
Operations Management
Change Management
Project Management

Strategic Planning & Execution

Financial Management/Controls
Loss Mitigation/Collections
Conflict Resolution Techniques

Problem Solving
Staff Development/Coaching
Develop SOPs & Best Practices
Team Building/Engagement

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
JPMORGAN CHASE & CO., Tempe, AZ
5/1984- 8/2015
VP, Mortgage Banking Customer Assistance, (10/2013- 8/2015)
Accountable for several specialty and non specialty portfolios comprised of approximately 250 FTE,
providing loss mitigation efforts to customers requesting retention or liquidation assistance. Inspire teams to
improve overall customer and employee satisfaction and exceed all regulatory and internal targets.

Ranked #1 in customer satisfaction scores, only one that achieved 100% to plan
Exceeded peers in employer attrition rates, achieved under 20%
Inspired employee satisfaction scores above peer group level, through inclusive and engaged
culture
10% reduction in attrition and 8% in absences achieved by initiating project to implement formal
training protocol for employees returning from leave of absence
Exceeded peers in outbound call service levels and productivity, achieved 91% (next closest 85%)
Reduced net underwriter rejects by 24% through implementation of workshops engaging staff
Improved underwriter referrals by 29% through workshops and collaborative review forums
12% performance improvement recognized through launching a well-received program of
professional development courses for all leadership staff
Go to person for start ups - Implemented and managed several champion/challenger pilots such as
multi lien, POD concept to working loans, and inbound POD concept.

VP, Mortgage Banking Loss Mitigation & Collections, (6/2010- 9/2013)

Oversaw, managed and developed team of 600 employees handling collection efforts and support functions
for managed investor portfolios. Worked early stage delinquent auto-dialer and later stage delinquent
manual processes. Recommended and implemented support team to consolidate and more efficiently handle
operational process functions within collections teams allowing for increased account workloads.

Increased loss mitigation referrals by 40% through revising scorecards to drive proper behavior
Consistently outperformed counterpart in delinquency and roll rates by engaging staff
Successfully managed offshore vendors and remote management of several locations and improved
vendor dialer performance by 22%, customer satisfaction scores by 28% within 6 months.

DENNIS GARES

480-650-6982 gares1357@gmail.com Page 2 of 2

15% improvement in performance and efficiency and fewer audit findings by recommending,
building, and leveraging team of lower earning staff to perform support functions
Successful start up of new unique functions such as skip tracing, manual work of TCPA affected
loans, attorney retained, forbearances, environmental hardships, deceased, inactive bankruptcy,
construction loans, and matured balloon loans, achieving satisfactory audits
Built forecasting and hold process to enhanced charge off function by partnering with MIS to build
waterfall reconciliation inventory process that resolved audit concerns
Key member of MHA implementation team working with legal, compliance, and risk departments
as well as other business units in developing implementation strategies for initial roll out & updates

VP, Mortgage Banking Collections, (8/2005-5/2010)

Built and led staff of 200+ employees to handle collection of nonprime mortgages. Partnered with existing
unit to implement reporting, controls, collection strategies, and training workshops. Ensured compliance
with all legal and regulatory requirements by implementing proper controls.

12% efficiency improvement by partnering with analytics team to develop more innovative, robust
early stage entry and calling strategies
Built partnership with recruiting staff and human resources to develop hiring strategy for internal
and external candidates to ramp up staffing quickly and avoid service level deterioration
17% attrition reduction and 12% performance improvement achieved by implementation of new
hire follow up training workshops and for employees lagging in performance
Outperformed peer groups in delinquency and productivity
Directed site consolidation strategy initiative with no degradation in delinquency or productivity

VP, Mortgage Banking Home Equity, (7/2002-7/2005)

Managed 150 employees handling different functions within our Home Equity portfolio including early stage
auto-dialer collections, late stage manual collections, pre-charge off, inbound collections, and skip tracing.

Directed site consolidation strategy to absorb work resulting in near doubling of loans worked with
only 50% increase in staff by partnering with dialer and analytic teams to redefine entry and calling
strategies and achieved better efficiency through segregation of functions
Achieved 32% higher contacts and 13% more payments working skip trace portfolio by partnering
with MIS and analytics to develop skip-tracing work flow database and scorecard to drive behavior
Implemented re-age/deferment strategy on pre-charge off loans and lines resulting in 40% reduction
in charge offs
$1M annual savings by challenging door knock strategy resulting in decommissioning program

VP, Consumer Asset Management, (11/1999- 6/2002)

VP, Regional Collections and Recovery Site Manager, (8/1998- 10/1999)
VP, Collections and Recovery Manager, (10/1990- 07/1998)
Retail Loan Officer Indirect Auto and Consumer Loans, (10/1987- 10/1990)
Collections Supervisor, (5/1984- 10/1987)

EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY of NEW ORLEANS, New Orleans, Louisiana
Various Courses