and brilliant technologist, says he always seeks out difficult, enigmatic situations where the road to success must always be discovered. “I pursue the things I love…creativity, imagination, and problem-solving to support a mission that results in a positive impact on the world while working with friends who truly care for each other,” says Weakley. “Paul’s joy and purpose with clients is infectious,” says Brennan, recalling when he was nominated for Technologist of the Year by a mortgage client he supported even though, ultimately, he was ruled ineligible given he was not an employee.
Client Outcomes: Change is inevitable. PhoenixTeam leadership structures its contracts, software development approach, and management approach to expect change and adapt accordingly. They measure success by solving the business’s needs and achieving the outcomes set out by the client, even as those things change.PhoenixTeam’s practitioners are experts at transforming legacy systems into modernized platforms that drive greater efficiencies. As a Salesforce Partner, PhoenixTeam is well known as a company comprised of “craft masters” who develop a clear understanding of each client’s vision and create custom strategic plans for discovery, development, and implementation of the new stack. PhoenixTeam’s experts work to break down every requirement thoughtfully, focusing on the “art of the possible” and helping to open clients’ eyes to process improvements and efficienciesthat previously seemed out of reach.
Lindsay Bennett, Partner, sums it up best: “Delivering better outcomes comes from embedding with our clients, internalizing their situation, and working together as one team. We’re not interested in showing up, ticking off a set of deliverables, and going home. We’re here to deliver value. Full stop.”PhoenixTeam’s record aligns to this mindset. When a top mortgage FinTech engaged Phoenix to transform its lending process after more than a year of trying to implement Salesforce, PhoenixTeam wasted no time. Within a matter of weeks, the team reimagined the product vision, mission, and scope. They defined the first container of rapid value and 12 weeks later, onboarded the client’s first users. “Speed to value realization is the name of the game,” says Mathias.
When
Jacki Frazer, Managing Practitioner, joined PhoenixTeam six years ago, her decision was based on a number of factors, but primarily because of the proven leadership of “T3.” Frazer recalls, “I knew that this company would be a major player in the mortgage industry, staffed with premium talent and a laser focus on our mission and purpose. In my six years with PhoenixTeam, those beliefs were confirmed. PhoenixTeam has been wildly successful due to its top talent, deep knowledge of the mortgage industry, and unwavering dedication to our clients. It is this winningcombination that will keep PhoenixTeam at the forefront of technology delivery and ensure its continued success.”
“PhoenixTeam has supported USDA RD on multiple key initiatives over the past five years. They provided business advisory support services for GUS 2.0 to launch the new URLA; helped us develop the Business to Government loan and underwriting specifications leveraging MISMO standards; and, most recently, [are] leading the development of the Direct Loan Program loan origination replacement solution.”—Dean Daetwyler, Director, System Implementation and Management Division, USDA SFH
Our ImpactAt PhoenixTeam, the company’s leadership tells
MortgagePoint that the word “impact” is not thrown around lightly or loosely. PhoenixTeam earned its reputation as an organization that “walksthe talk” because of the continuous impact it strives to deliver for its clients, community, and team members.With its mission to enable homeownership through technology, PhoenixTeam initially supported mortgage banks and mortgage technology vendors to provide a better experience for borrowers and homeowners. PhoenixTeam then sought to partner with our country’s largest federal housing agencies to help them achieve their respective missions to enable affordable and accessible homeownership for all Americans. While it took several years to accomplish this goal, PhoenixTeam is honored to now support Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Federal Housing Administration (FHA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS), and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Loan Guaranty Service.“Community” is described by the PhoenixTeam leadership as a vital component to PhoenixTeam’s culture, and the company prides itself on supporting numerous causes near and dear to the hearts of its team members. PhoenixTeam supports, partners, and sponsors causes that increase awareness, affordability, and equal opportunity for minority and underprivileged communities, like Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, the Down Syndrome Association, and the Florida Department of Blind Services. PhoenixTeam embraces its team members’ passion for community support too, marketing and matching funds raised for causes they care about.
A New Venture: Blue PhoenixIn mid-2023, PhoenixTeam partnered with Blue Bay Solutions, LLC, to form
Blue Phoenix, a mentor-protégé joint venture (MPJV) committed to serving those who serve by delivering technologyexcellence for federal agencies. Whereas PhoenixTeam’s niche is mortgage technology, Blue Phoenix serves all industries within the federal sector.
Blue Bay, a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE)-certified service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB), was formed in 2022 by
John Trodden who was on a mission to provide a pathway for servicemembers as they reintegrated into civilian life and workforce.“Veterans contribute technical and interpersonal skills, discipline, leadership, loyalty, commitment, and many other attributes to a company’s workforce—all of which improve the organization and the bottom line,” says Trodden, a disabled veteran who tirelessly served our country for over 25 years. John retired from the United States Marine Corps after serving 15 years as an enlisted member earning his commission to Second Lieutenant and then went on to serve an additional 10 years as a Commissioned Officer. Deployed overseas multiple times, John led troops into andthrough battle, receiving numerous meritorious, commendation, and achievement awards for leadership excellence.
John says his decision to retire from the Marine Corps was not easy, but he was confident that he could apply his skills, military mindset, and passion to an industry also hungry for mission success and outcomes. He joined PhoenixTeam as part of its Department of Defense (DOD) SkillBridge Program, where he was able to learn and master the fundamentals of designing and developing software.Within a few months, John started to connect the dots and bring to life the parallels between his military and civilian experiences that are so applicable to all industries. “I quickly came to realize that these young men and women are making a living, work hard, are smart, and are dealing in projects that are intricate with many levels,” notes Trodden. “Drawing upon my military leadership skills, I had 400 people from different walks of life, religions, backgrounds, and ethnicities under my command. But we all shared one driving force and mission, as we truly took care of one another. Troop welfare was huge, and we had each other’s backs. We were more than just brothers and sisters in arms. I thought, well, let me bring that mentality into this industry and see if we can make it work.”
Looking AheadLast month, PhoenixTeam and Blue Bay celebrated the launch of Blue Phoenix with their clients and partners in our nation’s capital. The founders reflected on their journey that night and the future state vision for PhoenixTeam, Blue Bay, and Blue Phoenix.“Each of these companies put people first and seeks to deliver impactful and meaningful outcomes,” says Brennan. With PhoenixTeam’s long history serving commercial and federal agencies, and Blue Bay’s mission to help veterans transition to civilian life, Blue Phoenix is in the arena to solve tough problems and deliver outcomes for federal agencies.
As featured by MortgagePoint, October 2023
