In the two years I have worked as an originator for TS Ag Finance, I have worked with the best people I’ve ever worked with and have gotten unprecedented support from the organization.
I am fortunate to work out of my home in North San Diego County in Southern California which spares me a three-hour daily commute that I had to endure for 20 years. My days are full. The work is gratifying and constant. I source my business from old customers and colleagues from my past as an ag lender. I also spend some time each day developing referral sources among realtors, appraisers and loan brokers.
I enjoy working with the great people of TS Ag Finance; David Buman, Mark Dunn and Hugh Marsden. All are tenured professionals. They are among the most, if not the most, experienced people in the country packaging loans to Farmer Mac and other funding sources. Each day, they provide help and guidance as I prepare my loan packages. As every ag lender knows, the regulatory and compliance environment, creates constant change in rules and loan approval metrics. It is great to have competent teammates pulling in the same direction to help navigate this terrain.
My past work experience includes credit analyst, loan officer, business developer and manager. Each of those positions have helped me in carrying out my duties as an originator. However, I believe it is much more important to have an entrepreneurial attitude that recognizes agricultural and rural real estate financing is an underserved niche. The next thing is to make yourself visible and available to talk to people interested in such financing. We can provide direction and support once an originator finds interested applicants for land loans.
I am at an age when some people are thinking about retiring. But, I like what I do and I enjoy helping people. I like doing it full time and I want to keep doing it for a few more years. A Loan Originator for TS Ag Finance can be an effective loan producer and earn residual income while maintaining their preferred lifestyle. People at any stage of their career should consider becoming an originator. I wish I had known about TS Ag and the packaging of land loans much earlier in my career. There is a deep well of opportunity that rewards experience, relationships, energy and creativity in equal portions.
I encourage anyone with an interest in ag real estate or ag finance to consider becoming an originator with TS Ag Finance. Your job is to find applicants and develop referral sources. We can help with the rest.
Barry joined TS Ag Finance as Vice President in July 2017. Prior to joining TS Ag Finance, Barry was Senior Vice President in the Food and Ag Division at Wells Fargo. Prior to that he was Senior Vice President for the Agribusiness Division at Bank of the West. At both places, Barry developed business on a nationwide basis. He built a portfolio of nearly $600 million consisting of loan commitments ranging from $500,000 to $130,000,000. In addition to providing constructive financing, Barry has always worked with management to ensure their long-term financial strength. He has done this by assisting in the budgeting process and by setting goals to meet key financial metrics.
Barry has spent his entire 38-year career financing farms, ranches and agribusinesses. During that time, he has witnessed first-hand how consolidation, increasing size and vertical integration of agribusinesses has impacted every commodity in agriculture. This has required more hands-on work and understanding on the part of lenders. Barry is proud to be a part of the team at TS Ag Finance and their culture of understanding and supporting production agriculture.
About TS Ag Finance: TS Ag Finance is a DBA of TS Bank, located in Iowa serving the Midwest and beyond. The primary goal of TS Ag Finance is to partner with agricultural real estate originators, brokers and banks to help them retain and expand their ag client base and services offered. TS Ag Finance uses a network of national and regional team members with first-hand knowledge and years of experience in agricultural lending.