SitusAMC Power Pro: Cindy Buchanan

Name: Cindy Buchanan
Title: QC Specialist II
Office: West Des Moines, Iowa; remote

What Excites Me: I look forward to team meetings, training, development and coaching opportunities. It gives me the interaction with people that I need and appreciate. The more I learn, the more I feel like I can grow with the company. I enjoy coaching others, sharing knowledge gained and finding ways to make our job more efficient.

How I Got Here: I’ve been in this industry for 20 plus years: I’ve worked in customer service, processed mortgages from origination to close, managed foreclosure processes at a law firm, and analyzed post- foreclosure loan packages for validity. I was with Freedom Mortgage for two years when they closed the Des Moines office. Within a month, I was recruited to SitusAMC.

Day to Day: I perform a second review of the title search package, ensuring that the underwriter correctly identifies and reports documents pertaining to the security instrument for a target loan and superior claims on the property.

First Gig: I was 14 years old. I worked at an amusement park in food service. I liked everything about it except that it was seasonal and I had to wear a uniform. I didn’t mind only making $2.75 an hour, because it was more than I had and got free tickets to get into the park. But my favorite aspect was meeting all the different people.

Home Sweet Home: They say home is where your heart is – well, I agree. I live in the first house that my husband and I bought, in Des Moines. My dad helped us remodel before moving in. A week after getting settled in, he passed away, but I was blessed to make these memories with him. The same year, I started a vegetable garden that I tend to every year: growing cucumbers, potatoes, tomatoes, and green peppers, to name a few.

Fondest memories: Growing up, my favorite memories were going to the nursing homes with my mom where she worked. She let me follow her on patient rounds and give out ice water. I also loved baking bread with my grandparents on Saturdays and making frybread with the leftover dough. My grandpa used to take my sister and me to the stockcar races in Knoxville. They weren’t professionals but had a lifetime of experience. We are big “do-it-yourself” people.

Favorite Hobbies: I like growing new veggies in my garden, and I may try herbs this year. I love to cook and bake. I treasure time with our family, so at every chance possible we have Sunday dinner, watch a movie, play a game like Family Feud or bowling, or catch an NFL game when in season. I enjoy camping, fishing and hiking on trails. One of my favorite spots is Lake Anita, Iowa, because we can park right in front of the lake and the sunset is just beautiful. I also like traveling and we are about to embark on our first ever cruise to the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic.

Personal Motto: “Keep pressing forward.” For me it means no matter what stumbling block gets in my path, I will look toward the hills from where my help comes and keep pressing toward that mark. Past situations conquered helped me be the person I am. I need to press forward to become the person that I am supposed to be.