Tammy Richards joins NEXA Lending as chief strategy officer

NEXA Lending is continuing to shake up its leadership by adding Tammy Richards to its team as chief strategy officer.

The news follows several other leadership announcements for the Arizona-headquartered company. Most recently, NEXA announced a rebrand from NEXA Mortgage to NEXA Lending.

Richards confirmed the news on her LinkedIn page and NEXA CEO Mike Kortas confirmed the addition on Sunday afternoon on the platform, too.

“We are thrilled to have Tammy join our executive team,” said Kortas. “Her proven track record of developing and implementing transformative strategies is exactly what we need as we enter our next phase of growth. Tammy’s leadership will be invaluable in helping us innovate and solidify our position as a market leader.”

Jason DuPont, who recently became chief operating officer of NEXA Lending, added, “We are excited and honored to have Tammy Richards join the growth team at NEXA Lending. Huge things ahead…”

Geri Farr, who was recently named NEXA’s chief growth officer, described Richards as a dominant force. “Hiring Tammy is a monumental win. She is a T-rex in the mortgage industry—a powerful, influential leader who will be unstoppable in driving our strategic initiatives forward.”

In her new role, Richards will be responsible for spearheading NEXA Lending’s national expansion, driving top-tier talent recruitment, and identifying strategic merger and acquisition (M&A) opportunities. Kortas’ LinkedIn post also added that Richards will be involved in leading the company’s non-delegated lending channel.

“I am incredibly excited to join the talented team at NEXA Lending,” said Richards. “This company has a fantastic reputation for innovation and customer service. I look forward to building on that strong foundation and helping to steer our strategic direction for a future of continued success and groundbreaking achievements.”

Richards was most recently employed at Kind Lending since 2024, growing from the company’s chief operating officer to the president of Kind’s retail division.

She has held past positions at Caliber Home Loans and Bank of America. She also served for three years at loanDepot. Shortly after departing, Richards sued the company, alleging that it closed loans without proper documentation in the lead-up to its initial public offering.

Richards also alleged that she was demoted after refusing to fast-track loan closures. The lawsuit was fully dismissed in February.

loanDepot filed suit against Richards in 2023, claiming that she swiped confidential information about the lender’s customers. The case is still ongoing.