The Pinnacle Loans - Committed to St. Louis Traditions with a Vision for Transformation of its Futur
The Pinnacle Loans, Committed to St. Louis Traditions with a Vision for Transformation of its Future
Tradition is defined as the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation. St. Louis is a town steeped in tradition. It has good bones and it is undergoing a transformation. Good bones are instrumental for strong communities. The St. Louis community is forging ahead with a positive transformation due to the efforts of many of its residents and businesses.
Pinnacle Real Estate Advisor a/k/a Pinnacle Home Loans is a local mortgage company which is deeply committed to the preservation of traditions, as well as the implementation of technology. It would be difficult to find a company which embodies the St. Louis traditions more than Pinnacle Home Loans.
Chris Gianino and Bill Lally founded Pinnacle Home Loans in 2014. But they met many years earlier when they entered CBC High School as freshmen soccer stars in 1994. They were important members of that team which posted a record of 20 wins, no losses, and no ties. No CBC freshman team before then or since then has enjoyed a perfect season.
Chris and Bill established a strong friendship which has survived their choices to attend different colleges and the more than 20 years which has passed since high school graduation.
The friendship resume of Chris and Bill was amended about 11 years ago ... when they became brothers-in-law. Yes, Chris and Bill married sisters Julie and Jaime Stanley - local girls who grew up in the north county and attended Rosati Kain High School. And if going from best friends to brother-in-law wasn't enough, Chris and Bill decided to go into business together.
After 7 successful years in the mortgage business, Chris drove to Bill's house... as Bill was giving serious consideration to moving with his family to Chicago to accept an executive position with Walgreens. Essentially, Chris and Bill decided that day - on Bill's front porch - to let friendship and family guide their next big career decision. And so it began - Pinnacle Home Loans became a reality.
Chris didn't approach Bill about teaming up in business simply because of their friendship and family relationship. Actually, Chris was well aware of Bill's ingenuity and his unique ability to utilize technology for game-changing business development. You see... while Chris is a relentless leader for the success of his business, his team and his clients, Bill is an unparalleled visionary dedicated to the power of imagination.
It was determined that creating joy and happiness should be the mission of this team. In fact, Pinnacle's "Purpose," as stated on its website, is to "create joy and happiness by making dreams come true." From the outset, they were determined to create joy and happiness not only for themselves, but also for their team members and their clients.
Chris and Bill had success early and they wanted to share that success with others as their business grew. Bill quickly identified Bob Long as an important addition to Pinnacle Home Loans. Bob has been a part of Pinnacle for several years. He is the Director of Loan Processing and he is as good as anyone in the business in navigating the loan process and discovering solutions that many others would miss.
Bob Long was a former colleague of Bill's at Walgreens... but years later, as further opportunities emerged, Chris and Bill looked toward family to further establish their team. They hired Tim Earle. Tim is a brother of Julie's and Jaime's ... so he is a brother-in-law of Chris and Bill. Tim's role is somewhat broad, in that he assists Bob with processing, but also he is technologically savvy with both hardware and software which is such a critical characteristic in connection with Pinnacle's business.
In 2017, they added one more family member to the Pinnacle team - Pete Gianino, older brother of Chris Gianino, joined Pinnacle. After attending St. Louis University High School, Pete went to Nashville, where he graduated from Vanderbilt University. But then, he returned to St. Louis in order to attend SLU Law School. Pete is an attorney and has worked in private practice at St. Louis law firms for over 20 years. He serves as Vice President of Pinnacle fostering relationships and resources from his unique background. Pete's presence further solidifies the "family business" and adds another important dimension to the already incomparable think-tank that constitutes the Pinnacle team.
After a few years of working at various mortgage companies refining their skills and defining their mission, in the summer of 2018, Pinnacle Home Loans became their own mortgage company. It is a brokerage ... captivating the market by boasting a Lower Rate Guarantee. The Lower Rate Guarantee is available because of Pinnacle's elite processes and low overhead.
One of the main aspects of Pinnacle's low overhead is its office building. This is not your typical mortgage company office... rather this is a building which has been in the Gianino family for more than a century - located in the in the heart of The Hill neighborhood in St. Louis. It is safe to say that few communities in America embrace tradition like The Hill. And the center of this community can be found at 2020 Marconi ... which is the address of Pinnacle Home Loans.
For members of Pinnacle's inner circle, 2020 Marconi is generally referred to as "The Hill House." It is a shotgun style building like many homes in the neighborhood. The building is a small single story brick structure with a flat roof and a front awning with fading paint depicting colors of the Italian flag. The first Gianino to own this building was Leonarda Gianino... great grandmother of Chris and Pete. Leonarda came to the United States from Italy as a young woman and she lived in this country until she was 104 years old. Her stories about the "old country," her gratitude for the opportunities in the United States, and her talents in the kitchen continue to be recalled today.
From the outside, The Hill House appears to be a simple modest old building... but when you walk inside, you will find a contemporary renovated interior with many modern conveniences. The renovation included a preservation of some materials from the original construction. For instance, the original hardwood floor planks were moved toward the ceiling. Those planks serve as decorative casing for the duct work of the new H VAC system. This 762 square foot office likely has more monitors and video screens per square foot compared to anything of its kind... and perhaps, anything in the industry. The green, red, and white interior walls are decorated with photographs of the many images and people reminiscent of the traditions secured by this building and the St. Louis brothers entrusted with preserving them.
Another important part of the décor at The Hill House is a large framed collage of articles highlighting Leonarda. One such article offers Leonarda's Recipe for Happiness. That recipe includes ingredients such as gratitude for opportunities, respect for tradition, and love of family. Leonarda was proud to share that recipe; however, she was a bit more guarded of her recipe for pasta sauce.
Pinnacle is committed to enhancing the St. Louis community and embracing its traditions. The recipe for happiness for St. Louis homebuyers is lower interest rates on home mortgages. At this point, just like Leonarda's recipe for her delicious pasta sauce, Pinnacle's Lower Rate Guarantee is a bit of a secret.
The spring and summer months attract much activity in The Hill community, and particularly near the The Hill House at the intersection of Marconi and Wilson. If you find yourself in The Hill neighborhood enjoying a sandwich or stocking up on some fresh-baked bread or Italian wine, be sure to drop by The Hill House and introduce yourself to members of the Pinnacle Team. Check out some local boys making a big impact by embracing tradition, relying on family, and moving forward with technology.
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