Here at Mid America Mortgage Services, we consider you a part of our family! So we thought you might like to know a few tidbits about us.
In today’s post, we’re getting to know Jeanie Byland, our Executive Vice President.
How long have you been working with Mid America Mortgage Services?
I opened the company with Ralph Gates on June 1, 1984, so I have been with Mid America Mortgage Services for 34 years.
Do you have any nicknames?
I had two nicknames when I was growing up. My grandmother always called me “Jeanie Beanie.” I was the only granddaughter out of seven grandchildren and she loved to spoil me. My other nickname stems from an old song, “I Dream of Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair.” And guess what? I did have light brown hair!
Do you have any siblings, children, and/or pets?
I have two siblings, one child, and one pet. I am the middle child and have two brothers, Wayne and Dan. They both live in the Moberly area where we grew up. I have a daughter named Sarah who makes me very proud. We have a cat named Elsa. (Can you guess who she was named after?)
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Moberly, Missouri. It was known as the “Magic City” because of the rapid growth due to the Railroad. It has always been known as a railroad town and the sound of the trains was common to me growing up.
What was your first job?
Other than babysitting, my first job was a summer job at the local swimming pool. I ran the concession stand and later moved up as an assistant manager. What a fun job!
Another early job I had was working at Patterson’s Dept. Store. It taught me great customer service skills, which I still use to this day. One fond memory from Patterson’s was that on Friday evenings, when it was quiet, we used to try on wedding dresses in the bridal department.
What is your favorite movie of all time?
Steel Magnolias. I have a close group of friends that we call “The Girlfriends.” Steel Magnolias reminds me so much of all of us. Some of us have been friends since Kindergarten and we all graduated from high school together 50 years ago. We will often grab one of the girls when we are together and say “Here, hit Weezer!”
What is your favorite song of all time?
“Let There Be Peace on Earth.” The message is so perfect! I remember it had a special meaning when my brother was serving in Vietnam and Iraq at Christmas time.
What is your favorite vacation you’ve ever taken?
The ones my Daddy planned when he was in his 80s. He decided he wanted to visit several of his WWII Army buddies, so he would plan a road trip to visit them and we would visit land marks along the way. The trip included my mother, my daughter, and me, as well as 3 or 4 other family members (cousins and an aunt), so it was a big group.
We would rent a van and we had so many laughs and great times. On various trips we visited Mount Rushmore, Gettysburg, Lake Michigan, The Badlands, and many more fun places.
What is something you wish you could do one more time?
If I could do something one more time it would be to hug my Daddy and Mother and tell them how much I love them and sit down for a long talk with them.
If you could only have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A meal from the Pear Tree in Macon. Prime Rib, Onion Rings and their awesome salad with house dressing.
What is one thing you want people to know about Mid America Mortgage Services?
The one thing I want people to know about Mid America Mortgage Services is that we really care about each and every one of our borrowers and we will treat them like family. We would never make you a loan that we wouldn’t make to ourselves.
I hope you enjoyed learning more about me. I have truly enjoyed working at Mid America Mortgage Services for a longer amount of time than a 30-year mortgage itself. I invite you to “Lean across the table and shake hands” with me, Jeanie Byland!
