A Culture of Champions: Atlantic Bay Wins "#1 Best Large Mortgage Company to Work For" — Four Years Running

One word: consistency.

It's the thread that runs through everything Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group® does. 30 years of it, in fact. Since brothers Brian and Stan Holland opened our doors in 1996, the mission has never wavered: put people first, build something worth being proud of, and the rest will follow. Which is a big part of the we're proud to announce that we’re #1... again!

For the fourth consecutive year, Atlantic Bay has been named the "#1 Best Large Mortgage Company to Work For" by National Mortgage News. That’s certainly more than a streak. We might call it a “dynasty unlocked.”

What the Award Means

National Mortgage News recognizes companies every year that prioritize workplace excellence, and this particular honor carries some real weight. It’s not a lifetime achievement award or a popularity vote. No, it’s earned through an extensive, data-driven process conducted in partnership with the Best Companies Group, and the methodology makes the result meaningful.

To even qualify, companies must clear a minimum response rate among their employees, which means the outcome cannot be manufactured from the top down. Eight dimensions shape the employee side of the equation: Leadership and Planning; Corporate Culture and Communications; Role Satisfaction; Work Environment; Relationship with Supervisor; Training, Development and Resources; Pay and Benefits; and Overall Engagement.

It comes from the people doing the work.

One Jersey. One Team.

We all wear the Atlantic Bay colors. From Corporate to Sales to Operations, every role, every market, and every team member is part of the same pursuit. A culture of champions is built deliberately, day after day, by people who genuinely care about each other and the families they serve.

Emily Farley Gardner, our Chief Lending Officer, put it best:

"We work at Atlantic Bay with the best group of people ever. It's so amazing to see the genuine care that they have. Day after day, there are stories about how teammates are helping each other, how leaders across areas are working together, how they're really knowing what's going on in our team's lives and our people's lives…

This mindset shows up in real, everyday moments. Branch Manager Aaron Blackmon describes how it plays out even across market lines: "My coach is not licensed in my market. And so, a lot of times, I'll bounce ideas off of him. We'll share ideas with each other." That kind of open, trust-based collaboration is what one jersey, one team actually looks like in practice.

Champions in the Field

In 2025, our team helped 12,128 families achieve homeownership. Behind each of those families is a story. Some of those stories are straightforward. Others are not.

Take Dwayne, for example. A first-time homebuyer with a zero credit score, spending hours every week commuting back and forth to work. In less than 90 days, he went from renting to owning his first home. His commute dropped to 10 minutes. His kids now walk to school safely. That is what the right guidance, education, and support can do. At Atlantic Bay, we believe homeownership should be accessible no matter where you are starting from, and our team shows up every day ready to prove it. This is our “work.” And this is why, when National Mortgage News asks our team whether they feel valued, engaged, and proud of where they work, the answer comes back the same. You cannot manufacture that kind of response. You build it, one family at a time.

What 30 Years Builds

This year marks Atlantic Bay's 30th anniversary. The mortgage industry has seen significant turbulence in recent years, and Atlantic Bay has met every challenge the same way: together.

Winners know winners. High performers build alongside other high performers. That is the environment Atlantic Bay has cultivated since day one, and it is exactly why this recognition keeps coming back.

As CEO Brian Holland reflects: "Nearly 30 years of genuine care, inspiring growth, and having fun continues to be the reason for our success and incredible environment."

So, What's Next?

What the members of our team have accomplished is less of “finish line” but more so proof the system works. Here’s what we mean:

Jordan Duty joined Atlantic Bay five years ago as an intern, just looking to gain some experience. Today, she is on the National Market Impact Team. "I went back to school that fall and actually added a minor in Housing and Society because of my internship," she shared. That is not luck. That is what a culture of champions produces.

If you are someone who wants to do meaningful work alongside people who are equally committed to excellence, you already know where this is going. High performers build alongside other high performers. Atlantic Bay is 30 years in, four-time #1, and we are just getting started.

Congratulations to all the companies honored this year! Building a workplace where people thrive is hard work, and every organization on this list deserves their flowers.

More About the Award:

The Best Mortgage Companies to Work for Awards program is a collaboration between National Mortgage News and the Best Companies Group, which conducts extensive employee surveys and reviews employer reports on benefits and policies. The employee survey covers eight topics: Leadership and Planning; Corporate Culture and Communications; Role Satisfaction; Work Environment; Relationship with Supervisor; Training, Development and Resources; Pay and Benefits; and Overall Engagement. The overall score is calculated using the employee survey (weighted at 75%) and the employer questionnaire (25%). To qualify, organizations with more than 25 employees must achieve a minimum 40% response rate.