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November is National Veterans and Military Families Month and also celebrates Veteran's Day. One of ways we like to honor and celebrate our veterans is by sharing the stories of what home and homeownership means to them.
Kim DeMarco, Loan Advisor & Veteran, NMLS #410006
Branch: U.S. Marine Corps (Reserves) 
Years of Service: 8 years (4 active reserve, 4 inactive reserve)
For Kim DeMarco, service runs deep. Her family’s military lineage dates back to the American Revolution, so joining the Marines felt like a natural calling. She served in motor transport with the 4th Bulk Fuel Unit as part of the Marine Corps Reserves, balancing her service with helping care for her ailing father. “The Marine Corps is built on leadership, integrity, and honor,” Kim said. “Those values weren’t new to me, but serving made them part of my DNA.”
After the Marines, Kim went on to serve her community in a different way, first as a police officer, then as a mortgage professional. “All of it connects,” she explained. “In the military, I served the citizens of the United States. In lending, I still do. I help people achieve one of the greatest American dreams: homeownership.”
Kim remains deeply involved in the veteran community through the Marine Corps League and the American Legion and dedicates much of her work to educating veterans about their VA loan benefits. “Being a Marine was the toughest thing I’ve ever done,” she said. “It’s also the thing I’m most proud of.”
Chris Hodges, Branch Manager & Veteran, NMLS #1146098
Branch: U.S. Navy 
Years of Service: 9½ years
For Chris Hodges, service has always been about purpose. He joined the Navy in 2000, driven by a desire to see the world and serve his country. Over the next nine and a half years, Chris completed multiple deployments to the Middle East, serving aboard the USS Harry S. Truman and later at a land base in Bahrain. But his most life-changing experiences came through humanitarian missions, including relief efforts after the devastating 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka and vaccine distribution in remote Tunisian villages.
After being medically separated from service, Chris used his GI Bill to earn his degree and discovered a new calling in finance and real estate. “Nine out of ten clients I met who built real wealth did it through real estate,” he shared. His curiosity, and his wife Heather’s longtime career in lending, led him naturally into the mortgage industry, where his military mindset found a perfect fit.
Today, as an APM Loan Adviser in Colorado Springs, home to five major military installations, Chris continues to serve. His business focuses on educating and empowering service members to build long-term financial stability through homeownership. “The drive to find solutions, to figure out a way to make it work, that’s straight from my military training,” he said.
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“There’s always a way to make it work. That’s what the military taught me and that’s how I help my clients every day.”
Michael Quinn, Branch Manager & Veteran, NMLS #228210
Branch: U.S. Navy 
Years of Service: 4 years
Michael Quinn’s time in the Navy shaped him into the leader he is today. As an operations specialist during the Desert Storm era, he was stationed in the Western Pacific tracking submarines and coordinating warfare operations from the Combat Information Center aboard a cruiser. “We were the eyes and ears of the ship,” he said. “It was surreal, but it taught me precision, focus, and discipline at a young age.”
After his service, Michael pursued college and a career in real estate before finding his true fit in lending. What began as a curiosity soon became a passion for helping families achieve homeownership. “I’m more of a consultant than a salesperson,” he said. “Helping clients build a life around their home is what fulfills me.”
The discipline and attention to detail learned in the military are at the heart of his work today. “Do the small things masterfully,” Michael said. “That’s how you win in life, in business, and in serving your clients.”
Nigel Farnsworth, Loan Advisor & Veteran, NMLS #270178
Branch: U.S. Marine Corps 
Years of Service: 8 years (4 active, 4 inactive)
When Nigel Farnsworth joined the Marine Corps, he wasn’t just signing up for military service; he was signing up for a lifelong transformation. Based in California at Camp Pendleton, Nigel worked in the munitions field and later as a military policeman. “The Marine Corps taught me honor, courage, and commitment,” he said. “Those core values shaped the person I am today.”
The teamwork and resilience that defined his service continue to guide his approach in the mortgage industry. “In the Marines, you never give up,” Nigel explained. “That same mindset applies when you’re serving clients. No matter what happens, you stay committed to seeing it through.”
Today Nigel carries those values forward both professionally and personally. He mentors veterans through the VA Court in Salt Lake City and stays active in the community, helping others find stability and growth. “The military changes you from the inside out,” he said. “Those lessons become part of who you are.”
