Embrace Employee Spotlight: Jenn Brownell and Suzanne Bove

There’s a lot to love about Embrace Home Loans, but one of our strongest assets has always been our employees. We have teammates who have been with us for 10, 20, even 30+ years. And we’ve also been hiring new employees at a furious pace this year — new employees that many of us haven’t met yet as we continue to work remotely during the pandemic.

In this Employee Spotlight, we’ll be featuring two Embrace teammates each week — one new employee, and one employee who has already been with us for a while. Each will give different perspectives on the Embrace experience and a little more personal info so you’ll be able to get to know them better.

Want to nominate someone to feature in a future spotlight? Email Mary Mack at [email protected]

SUZANNE BOVE, Mortgage Advertising Compliance Specialist

What is your official title and what do you do at Embrace?

My official title is Mortgage Advertising Compliance Specialist. I focus on marketing and advertising compliance across Embrace’s advertising channels and platforms and am responsible for providing compliance expertise to the marketing and advertising teams. I review and approve all public communications prior to distribution.

What made you want to work at Embrace?

Embrace is a highly-regarded company within the financial services industry, not only for how it treats its external customers but also for how it treats its internal customers (i.e., our employees and contractors). Combined with a desire to challenge myself with a similar yet different course in my career, Embrace was the perfect place to join. I am extremely grateful for and being given this opportunity by Dana Fortin, Al Dussinger, and Ben Giumarra.

How has it been starting a new job during COVID? And just working for Embrace in general?

Without a doubt, COVID has touched everyone’s lives in a multitude of ways. It’s made me more introspective on how incredibly fortunate I am. I am happy to be starting a new job in a place I love. It just so happens that I started my new position during COVID. I think in many ways, COVID has made the work environment more humanized. Where you may have been more self-conscious about background noise or having to wear more formal attire for meetings, COVID has made us think more about the human element. How important is it really that you hear a young child or pet on a call or video conference? For the most part, not much. I think seeing another side of each colleague is a good thing. It would have been infinitely better if we could have learned this lesson under much better circumstances, but in a strange way, I am glad I learned it now and can apply it going forward.

Embrace is an amazing workplace. Whenever you interact with anyone, that person treats you as if you are the only person in the world to whom they want to be and engage with at that very moment. Another example of how welcoming Embrace is…the weekend prior to my first day, which turned out be Halloween weekend, a FedEx box was delivered to my home. It contained a Welcome to Embrace welcome box which included a desk kit, stationery supplies, sunglasses, a cup, water bottle, mouse pad, and more, just perfect for my home office. What a great surprise and Halloween treat!

What did you do for a living before you came to Embrace?

I have been in the financial services industry for my whole career. Right before I joined Embrace, I was a Compliance Officer/Risk Manager for a large Rhode Island financial institution for over 20 years. I held positions in and/or supported multiple areas including Electronic Banking Risk, Financial Intelligence, Commercial Loan Operations, Debt Management and Recovery, Home Equity, and Fraud & Claims Operations. I am a certified Project Management Professional, a Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager, and a Certified Fraud Examiner.

We’d love to get to know you a little better! Tell us about yourself.

I was born in Baton Rouge, LA, and moved to Massachusetts when I was very young. I grew up in Wellesley Hills, MA. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Wellesley College, graduating Magna Cum Laude. I earned my MBA in marketing and management from Babson College.

I’ve been married to my college sweetheart for over 30 years. We have a 13-year-old son. The three of us live on a former horse farm in Wrentham, MA with our orange tabby and Turkish Van cats.

My most recent hobby was karate where my son and I earned our Black Belt ranks. I am also a Wrentham, MA Library Trustee and the Membership Director for the RI Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

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JENN BROWNELL, Quality Assurance Associate

What is your official title and what do you do at Embrace?

My official title is Quality Assurance Associate.

How long have you worked for Embrace?

Four years, as of this past August. My first three years at Embrace were as a Receptionist, but I moved to QA under HDMA almost a year ago now.

What made you want to work at Embrace?

I was looking for a career change and I’d heard from Embrace employees about how great the company is and how it feels like you’re part of a family.

What’s one of your favorite Embrace memories?

Wow, I have so many — but I’d have to say my first Thanksgiving with Embrace. I was working in Reception and saw all the donations coming in and how everyone at Embrace came together to help the community.

How has it been working from home for most of this year? Has Embrace made it easier for you in any way?

When COVID started and we were told we would all be working from home, I was only a couple months into my new career as QA Associate. Needless to say, I was a little scared that I wouldn’t have my co-workers right there to help when help was needed. But I was reassured that we would all be connected. I can say with confidence that anytime I reach out, someone is always there to help.
 
Embrace set me up with the equipment needed and I can say it has been one of the best experiences — to be able to be work from home, keep learning my new job, and be safe. Embrace and the QA Team have made it a smooth transition for me.

We’d love to get to know you better! Tell us about yourself.

I’m single and have lived in Middletown, RI most of my life, with a short four-year stay in Hanson, MA. I have an older brother and my parents still live in the same house I grew up in Middletown with an older brother. After graduating from Middletown High School, I went off to study Nail Technology in Warwick, RI

I love the outdoors. As a kid, my mother would find me playing with the dog in the yard or at the barn up the street to help out with the horse. As an adult I raised bunnies; my animals were and are a big part of my life. I love anything to do with the outdoors, my house, animals, gardening, and taking care of my yard. I would love to become a foster for rescue dogs one day.