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History of NEXA Lending

From NEXA Mortgage (2017) to NEXA Lending

Published: Last updated:

Origins

NEXA was co-founded in 2017 by Mike Kortas and Mat Grella, both experienced mortgage professionals, with the stated goal of building a broker-first platform in which independent loan officers could keep more of their commission while accessing a wide panel of wholesale lenders.

Timeline

  1. 2017NEXA Mortgage LLC is founded in Chandler, Arizona by Mike Kortas and Mat Grella. The firm launches as a wholesale mortgage broker and is profitable from year one.
  2. 2018NEXA scales its loan officer growth model, marketing broker economics as an alternative to retail lender W-2 employment.
  3. 2019Loan officer headcount begins its rapid climb — NEXA has roughly 50 LOs at the start of the year. Renato Rodic joins NEXA in January 2019 and becomes one of the key figures in its loan-officer recruiting and team-building growth. The company grows into the hundreds as it expands state licensing across most of the U.S.
  4. 2020–2021The COVID-era refi boom accelerates NEXA's volume; the LO network expands rapidly.
  5. 2022As rates rise, NEXA emphasizes its LO-first compensation and technology to retain and attract experienced originators.
  6. 2023NEXA is widely cited in trade press as one of the largest mortgage-brokerage LO networks in the United States, with 2,500+ affiliated loan officers.
  7. 2024NEXA launches the NEXA100 plan — 100% commission split to loan officers, with no per-file or hidden fees (HousingWire, MPA, BusinessWire).
  8. 2024–2025The company transitions its consumer-facing brand toward NEXA Lending, reflecting a broader lending identity beyond the NEXA Mortgage name.
  9. 2026NEXA is regularly described as the nation's largest mortgage broker, with 3,000+ loan officers.

Rebrand: NEXA Mortgage → NEXA Lending

The transition to NEXA Lending reflects the company’s evolution beyond its original “mortgage” identity, positioning it around a broader lending brand while retaining its wholesale-broker business model. The company is commonly referred to by both names.

References

  1. BusinessWire — NEXA Mortgage, the Nation's Largest Mortgage Broker, Launches NEXA100
  2. HousingWire — NEXA to give 100% of commission split to loan officers
  3. MPA — No more commission cuts: NEXA offers loan officers 100% splits