How did Ben get into mortgages?
Ben started on the other side of the desk: he used to be a financial planner, working with high-end practices before moving into mortgage lending in 2001. That background never left — it is the source of the white-glove, whole-picture approach his clients and referral partners describe.
A mortgage is the biggest line item in most households' financial lives, and Ben treats it that way. Every file — first home or fifth — starts with the full picture: income, debts, plans, timeline. Program recommendations come after the analysis, never before it. It is why the same team closes multi-million-dollar loans and first-time MHFA purchases in the same week without either feeling like an afterthought.
What makes his approach different?
Three things: he is the informed, smart mortgage consultant agents trust for sharp analysis; he outworks the competition on responsiveness and availability; and he gets deals done others can't — rescue loans and tricky files are a specialty of the practice.
"Solutions for everyone" is the working motto, and the turndown piece of it has its own line, in Ben's words: "Turn other banks denials into approvals and helping families into homes." Denials elsewhere are often about lender overlays and program fit, not about the borrower — the second-look guide explains how that works.
And the human side matters here: Ben is funny, a great time to hang out with, and known by partners as an extension of their own team. Refer a client to Ben and the goal is fixed — they come back raving about the experience, and the loan he says will close, closes.
Who is on Ben's team?
A local Edina team that processes files in-house: Niki Kachel, Operations Manager; Anna Waldron, Processing Extraordinaire; and Celena Eggeling, Processing Wizard. Local people who know your file by name — never a call center.
The team also speaks your language: bilingual support is in place in English, Spanish, and Russian, for both buyer clients and the realtors and loan officers we work with. Supreme Lending Midwest is the Edina branch of Supreme Lending (Everett Financial, Inc.), and Ben leads the branch as Producing Branch Manager.
What does Ben do in the community?
Through Supreme Cares, the team supports a charity of the month, volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House, runs a coat drive in November, and donates from every closing. Clients also get VIP perks — a free family photos event, a March Madness fundraiser for St. Jude, client concerts, and drawings for Timberwolves and concert tickets.
Speaking of the Timberwolves: Ben is a day-one fan — he has followed the team since its 1989 debut — and a Minnesota Golden Gophers football fan. Past clients are never past tense either: annual mortgage reviews as advisor-style checkups, no lender fees on refinances, and a free appraisal on purchases are standing offers for the people who have already closed with us.*
*Past-client offers are current as of November 2026 and subject to change; ask for details.