At Stairway Mortgage, we focus on helping clients build real, lasting wealth through strategic real estate leverage. To do this well, we partnered with the most powerful mortgage brokerage platform in the country—NEXA Mortgage, founded by visionary leader Mike Kortas.
This partnership means:
Stairway Mortgage trains Certified Stairway Advisors™ to go beyond traditional lending. We guide clients to make strategic financial decisions that grow wealth over time.
We teach our clients how to:
Mike Kortas, CEO and founder of NEXA Mortgage, has over 20 years of industry experience and has built NEXA into the largest mortgage broker in the U.S. since its launch in 2017. With 2,500+ loan officers across 48 states, his bold, disruptive leadership is driving rapid growth and innovation. Focused on doubling the company’s size by 2025, Kortas is reshaping the mortgage landscape with relentless ambition and a clear vision for market dominance.
Paul Adams, CIO at NEXA Mortgage, brings 40+ years of IT leadership, overseeing strategy, innovation, and AI integration across NEXA and Jet NEXA. He ensures enterprise efficiency, security, and compliance through certified expertise in SOC and cybersecurity. Paul has led major infrastructure transformations, including for the U.S. Air Force, and founded Arizona Onsite Computer Services. His work consistently enhances operational resilience and drives competitive growth through cutting-edge technology.
With a proven track record in mortgage lending, I’ve helped grow a start-up to $18M in revenue and earned recognition as a top producer by Mortgage Broker Magazine. As a Loan Officer and Recruiter at NEXA Mortgage, I’ve consistently achieved Presidents Club honors while mentoring others. I also serve as Chairman of the Board at Broker’s Care/NEXA Cares and have supported the Boys & Girls Club of the East Valley for over 30 years. Now, as Director of the Non-Delegated Correspondent division at NEXA, I focus on building strong teams and simplifying processes to drive collective success.
Christopher “Chris” Porter, General Counsel at NEXA Mortgage, oversees all legal affairs, providing strategic guidance to the executive team and managing litigation, regulatory matters, and business operations. With deep experience in financial services and the mortgage industry, he brings expertise in contract negotiation, risk management, and compliance, playing a key role in supporting NEXA’s growth and governance.
Dan Fouts began his career at NEXA Mortgage as a Loan Officer and quickly advanced to leadership, becoming Director of Loan Officer Support and NEXA University. He mentors loan officers across the company and leads training initiatives to enhance skills and drive performance. Through NEXA University, he curates educational webinars and resources that support loan officer growth and success nationwide. His leadership fosters a culture of collaboration and continued learning within NEXA.
Rana serves as Executive Director at NEXA Mortgage, working closely with CEO Mike Kortas to drive the company’s strategic vision and support all departments. She founded “Women of NEXA” (WON) to empower women within the organization and the industry. Known for her integrity and drive, Rana is committed to fostering excellence and long-term success for NEXA and its partners.
With over 30 years in Real Estate and Finance, she began her career at NBT Bank and held roles at Navy Federal and Bank of America. Her passion for real estate led her to NEXA in 2020, where she now serves as Business Development Director for Corporate NEXA. In this role, she combines her coaching strengths and analytical skills to support growth across both industries.
Joining NEXA in March 2022 as an Accounting Specialist, she quickly rose through the ranks to become Director of the Ledger Department by January 2023. By July 2024, she expanded her leadership to include the Payroll Department, managing two critical functions of the business. Her rapid growth reflects her accounting expertise, leadership strength, and dedication to driving results and team collaboration.
100% Client Satisfaction
First-time home purchase and refinance with fast closing
Great customer service! We were living in California for 20+ years, and every year our rent went up, so we decided to move to Virginia and get our own house. Jim helped us with our very first home mortgage and constantly updated us with the lowering rates. After we were presented with different options, we decided to do a refi, and his team made it possible for us to grab the opportunity to shorten our term from 30 to 15 years at a much lower rate. In just around three weeks we were able to close. Me and my family will definitely recommend them!
Guidance through the purchase process with clear explanations
They worked with me on the purchase process. Their knowledge helped me to choose the option that was most convenient. From the beginning they explained the process. Thanks Jim!
Investor-friendly lender who goes the extra mile
I'm an RE investor. Had multiple loan officers but one really stands out – JIM BLACKBURN. Now, he is working on a third deal with me. He does go the extra mile. A few examples from the past: I have tons of properties and live in China with unique income (he made it work!). He called me in China at 1 AM to get information to close the deal. He is super efficient with collecting the right documents upfront to avoid a lot of back and forth later with processors. You can't go wrong with Jim.
