American Advisors Group, Inc. (Aag Reverse Mortgage)

American Advisors Group is a lender in the reverse mortgage industry. The company is licensed in 48 states. Located in Orange, CA, there is also an additional retail office in Kennesaw Georgia as well as the wholesale division located in Scottsdale Arizona. The company was founded in 2004 by Reza Jahangiri. Now President and CEO, Jahangiri has expanded the company exponentially in the past decade with offerings beyond reverse mortgages. CEO Jahangiri is also a founding board member in the Coalition of Independent Seniors (CIS) and served as CEO of several healthcare providers prior to his work with American Advisors Group. His background in the industry has led to his success with AAG. In 2014, Jahangiri was announced as a semi-finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Since 2010, the company has grown from just 60 employees to more than 750. Of those new additions, more than 200 workers joined between 2012 and 2013. AAG Reverse Mortgage has recently acquired two companies to further add to its expansion: Reverse Mortgage USA, a smaller reverse mortgage company, as well as Associated Mortgage Banker’s Reverse Division. American Advisors Group provides home equity conversion mortgage (HECM) loans and has 81 HUD approved areas of business. Today, the company is ranked among the top reverse mortgage lenders in the country and has been the #1 lender for HECM Retail since July 2013. The AAG Reverse Mortgage team differs from others in the market due to their unique internal structure. The company operates on a direct-to-consumer, centralized model. Management and staff is all under one roof, which keeps the business agile and allows for spur-of-the-moment training in spite of the company’s large size. AAG offers substantial benefits to company employees including a 401K matching program and work-life balance policies. New Loan Officers go through a rigorous 6 week paid training program and are guided by the AAG Training Department team. Countless “AAG University” online courses are also available to all employees. In 2010, former senator Fred Thompson signed on as the spokesperson for American Advisors Group. Having seen numerous commercials and television advertisements featuring the politician, many Americans today associate his face with the reverse mortgage industry. Prior to Fred Thompson, American Advisors Group was represented by actor Peter Graves. In 2009, he served as the face of the company in a comprehensive marketing campaign touting the benefits of reverse mortgages for seniors. Aside from reverse mortgages, AAG participates in the non-profit space. In 2011, Jahangiri created the “AAG Gives Back Committee” to contribute to charitable organizations around the globe. Though initially AAG was dedicated solely to the Kwagala Project, they have since expanded to domestic charities including Alzheimer’s Association, Harvest Food Bank, Families Forward, and Friends & Helpers. The company is very active in fundraising events, sponsoring several fun activities for employee participation to encourage donations. Most recently, AAG held a company-wide Spelling Bee, sparking employees’ competitive natures and thus raising over $1100 dollars for low-income-seniors, which is the highest fundraising amount to date. In 2012, AAG’s CEO Reza Jahangiri took over The Reverse Review, a magazine devoted to the reverse mortgage market. This acquisition allows for a seamless exchange of industry information and increases the availability and quality of home equity conversion mortgage loan products. For Americans with questions about how to obtain an AAG reverse mortgage, The Reverse Review is one of the leading sources informational materials. The company’s mission states that employees should strive to make the reverse mortgage experience as informative and efficient as possible, in order to serve the senior community with the highest level of satisfaction. In September 2012, AAG’s dedicated sales team and management were rewarded for their efforts. Reverse Mortgage Daily awarded American Advisors Group three industry awards: 1. Best Retail Brand 2. Best Lead Provider 3. Best Celebrity Spokesperson The RMD Awards are based on more than 45,000 votes from contributors across various sectors of the reverse mortgage industry. Since then, the company has only continued to grow and accumulate positive press. In 2014, the AAG Digital Marketing department completed an overhaul of the company’s entire website, taking into consideration opinions and comments of their senior demographic and making the new site easier to navigate as well as more aesthetically pleasing. The first consumer newsletter, The Monthly Line, was also launched, containing a variety of content from heartwarming borrower stories to entertaining puzzles, in order to appeal to its target audience. American Advisors Group is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has ranked as one of the Top Workplace in Orange, CA by the Orange County Register four years in a row. In addition, AAG continues to maintain a 97% Customer Satisfaction Rating in customer surveys. The company is also an active member in the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA). Also, AAG is one of the finalists for the ACG Awards for Corporate Growth, which is an award that honors a local company that demonstrates growth in employment, profitability, charity and sales.