Meet our team


Bay Equity is made up of the most accomplished mortgage and financial professionals at every level. Currently licensed in 48 states and DC (with retail branches in 27 states and growing), we’re so proud of our highly experienced team of corporate executives and operations professionals—a team that’s here to get you home.

Brett McGovern - Chief Executive Officer | Bay Equity Home Loans

Brett McGovern

Chief Executive Officer

With more than 20 years of experience in real estate sales and lending, he leads our Executive Management Team, charting our strategic direction and partnering with only the best in our business to bring about steady, methodical growth. He leads the company with a family-oriented culture and a commitment to providing exceptional service to borrowers.

Casey McGovern - President & Chief Production Officer | Bay Equity Home Loans

Casey McGovern

President & Chief Production Officer

Now in his 20th year as a mortgage industry sales professional, he manages Bay Equity’s production staff at more than 100 retail branch locations across the country. Under his leadership, Bay Equity has grown from its base in the West to become one of the top retail lenders in the nation. Casey was listed among the 100 Most Influential Mortgage Executives of 2019 by Mortgage Executive magazine. He prides himself on the family culture at Bay Equity and on providing the dream of homeownership for the thousands of families we help each year across the country.

Sue Melnick - Chief Operating Officer & Chief Compliance Officer | Bay Equity Home Loans

Sue Melnick

Chief Operating Officer & Chief Compliance Officer

Prior to joining Bay Equity, Sue was our compliance and licensing consultant.

A licensed attorney for 20 years, she has expertise in litigation, mortgage compliance and consumer law, making her our resident authority on all aspects of compliance and consumer issues. Sue has been honored as one of the Elite Women in the mortgage industry by Mortgage Professional America.

John Curtin - Executive Vice President — Corporate Initiatives | Bay Equity Home Loans

John Curtin

Executive Vice President — Corporate Initiatives

With 25 years of experience in consumer finance, business development and management, his focus as Executive Vice President is to reinforce our Corporate Initiatives with Regional Market Managers. This includes implementing Bay Way Best Practices, coordinating the application of systems and leading Bay Equity’s internal Mastermind Program. John credits Bay Equity’s family culture of sharing as a critical aspect of the company’s steady growth for over a decade.

Paul Chevez - Chief Financial Officer | Bay Equity Home Loans

Paul Chevez

Chief Financial Officer

Paul joined Bay Equity in January 2012 and has more than 20 years of experience in mortgage industry finance.

After starting in 1993 as a retail loan officer, he migrated to the secondary marketing and finance sides of Mortgage Banking. He has held the roles of Director of Secondary Marketing, Controller and CFO. At Bay Equity, his main responsibilities include assisting in the strategic development of the company and managing all financial functions.

Chad Santander - Senior Executive Vice President — Capital Markets | Bay Equity Home Loans

Chad Santander

Senior Executive Vice President — Capital Markets

Chad has 20 plus years of mortgage banking experience.

His career has focused on the Capital Markets through trading, hedging and pricing roles with Freddie Mac and Tuttle & Co., as well as Conduit, Correspondent and wholesale sales with ABN AMRO, HSBC and Paul Financial.

Autumn Van Rooy - Executive Vice President — Branch Finance & Onboarding | Bay Equity Home Loans

Autumn Van Rooy

Executive Vice President — Branch Finance & Onboarding

Autumn has been in the mortgage industry for more than 20 years, fulfilling various roles such as President, CFO, Executive VP, Divisional VP, Regional Manager and Loan Officer.

He specializes in developing and maintaining production and creating financial and cultural success for retail locations within the corporate framework.

John Marler - Executive Vice President — Marketing & Communications | Bay Equity Home Loans

John Marler

Executive Vice President — Marketing & Communications

John is responsible for our marketing and internal/external communications.

His prior experience includes overseeing marketing and communications for a nationwide lender and a career in broadcast journalism.

Philip Mikolaj - Executive Vice President — Technology | Bay Equity Home Loans

Philip Mikolaj

Executive Vice President — Technology

Philip has an impressive track record in Information Technology and senior-level management.

His background includes creating state-of-the-art IT systems for fast-growing mortgage companies and startups, as well as implementing mortgage banking software at more than 100 mortgage banks nationwide.

Sharon Echols - Senior Vice President — Credit & Underwriting | Bay Equity Home Loans

Sharon Echols

Senior Vice President — Credit & Underwriting

An industry veteran of more than 30 years, Sharon is responsible for all aspects of credit policy, credit risk and underwriting.

She works closely with our many Bay Equity branches to streamline the process of loan production.

Lorraine Coppa - Senior Vice President — Human Resources | Bay Equity Home Loans

Lorraine Coppa

Senior Vice President — Human Resources

Lorraine is an accomplished Human Resources professional with proven expertise in organizational development, best practices and strategic planning.

She provides oversight in all Human Resources functions, including employee relations, benefits, payroll and compensation.