Editor’s note: goodmortgage.com will be the host Tuesday night for the latest TechExec networking event in Charlotte that is put on by Local Tech Wire in partnership with the Business, Innovation and Growth Council. The event begins at 5:30 PM. For details, see: www.localtechwire.com/charlottetechexec
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CHARLOTTE — A familiar face to North Carolina State football fans, and followers of other teams who faced him over a stellar career, has joined the sales team at goodmortgage.com.
Ray Robinson, the 1998 ACC Rookie of the Year and a second team all-conference running back in 2001, is off and running for a real estate career after a stint with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys didn’t turn into a long-term career.
“I have always had a strong background in finance and math, enjoy building long term relationships with people and providing good service,” Robinson tells Local Tech Wire. “So the mortgage industry just made sense when I left Dallas.”
Running to Daylight
Robinson finished his NCSU career with more than 2,000 rushing yards, good for eighth on NCSU’s career list. He had many memorable moments, perhaps none more so than during a game against Maryland in 2000 when he set a school record for carries with 40.
In the MicronPC Bowl in December of 2000, Robinson ran for two touchdowns, caught a pass for a two-point conversion, rushed 15 times for 74 yards, and caught another five passes for 36 yards.
His performances were strong enough to encourage the Cowboys to sign him as a free-agent in June of 2002. While he was with the storied franchise for only a few months, Robinson remembers the experience with relish.
“Just getting the opportunity to play with great players like Emmitt Smith and the other players which were there,” he says when asked what his fondest memories were. “I watched these guys when I was in high school. Also, seeing old players like (defensive back) Deon Sanders and (quarterback) Troy Aikman at practice.”
Part of a New Team
Robinson did more than play football at State. He majored in business management with a concentration in finance and marketing. The skills he learned helped him get started in real estate. He joined goodmortgage.com, a provider of mortgage financing, earlier this summer.
“I heard about the company when I was working at Aegis Lending, another mortgage company in Charlotte, and was thinking about leaving there,” Robinson recalls. “So, one day as I was coming from a customer home I just stopped by and talked to the manager who was in at the time.
“We made a good connection right away. I liked the different programs they had which could benefit the people I worked with more so I made a decision to join the team.”
After getting cut by the Cowboys, Robinson went into the banking and mortgage business in April of 2003. He says working at goodmortgage.com gives him many options. “The programs I can offer to customers in many states and the technology behind the company makes it easy to do,” he replies when asked what he likes about his job.
The longing to play football remains, he admits, but his new career is now his priority.
“I do,” he says when asked if he misses football. “I would love to give it another opportunity but because of family and so many other things I never seem to find the time to go after it full speed. And, I know in order to be successful I would have to give football a lot more time that I do now.”
Working for goodmortgage.com does help him satisfy his competitive spirit, too.
“I love this business because it’s not that different from sports in a lot of ways other than the financial side of it,” he explains. “Starting with dealing with the customers, ‘team meets’, coming up with the best way to provide a financial benefit in their life ‘game plan’ and beating out the other lenders along the way ‘winning the game’. These traits are similar to the game I played or anything in life where you have to find a way to make it happen.”
Keith Luedeman, founder of goodmortgage.com, says Robinson’s competitive spirit and ability to be a team player were among the reasons he hired the former running back.
“Attitude, integrity, and professionalism,” he replies when asked for reasons he picked Robinson. “The fact that he has played competitive team sports at a high level as a leader is attractive to us. It means he can function as a leader on a team – and a high growth company is a team. And the personality characteristics that we wanted were there also – he has an eagerness to help people – and when you’re dealing with the largest financial transaction in a customers life (their mortgage for their home) – caring is key.”
goodmortgage.com: www.goodmortgage.com
