Gilda’s Club Metro Detroit hosted their annual Gilda’s Big Night Out at the Max Fisher Music Center in downtown Detroit on May 16. I was able to attend with a few of my fellow Quicken Loans teammates, as our company was a proud sponsor of the event, along with our sister company Bedrock Real Estate Services.

Celebrating 15 years, the club is named in honor of the late Detroit native, comedienne and actress Gilda Radner, by providing a free, supportive community to cancer patients and their families at its clubhouse in Royal Oak.

Michigan Radio host, Cindy Canty emceed the event, which included a strolling dinner featuring local restaurants, a silent auction, live music and footage of some of Radner’s funniest moments on Saturday Night Live.

Joanna Bull, global founder of Gilda’s Club and Radner’s therapist, talked about their friendship and the spirit Radner had which fueled the creation of the Club so others facing cancer could have a place to receive social and emotional support during their journey.

An award presentation took place, honoring four supporters whose commitment to the organization helps it continue to flourish.

• Founders Award: Steve Black, Host of WRIF’s Chop Shop
• Program Support Award: Holiday Market (which also caters a lot of our amazing events at the M@dison Building in downtown Detroit)
• Volunteer Award: Evie Boss, Community Volunteer
• Media Award: Amy Lange, Reporter, Fox 2 News, for her steadfast support as emcee of the annual “Bras for a Cause” Gilda’s Club fundraiser. (Mark your calendars for this year’s event on September 28 at the Royal Oak Music Theater).

To close out the evening, Alan Zweibel, legendary comedic writer and close friend of Radner, shared some of their most interesting and personal moments during their 14-year friendship. His witty recollections had the entire audience laughing and remembering their own favorite Gilda Radner moments.

Since Gilda’s Club Metro Detroit began, thousands  of men, women and children affected by cancer have participated in support groups, lectures, music programs, social activities and workshops at no cost. More than 120 activities are offered each month to those living with cancer and their caregivers, thanks to the generous donations of community supporters, businesses and foundations around the metro Detroit area. These activities take place at the clubhouse in Royal Oak, as well as the Botsford Cancer Center in Farmington Hills. Gilda’s Club also hosts open-ended bereavement groups for children, teens, spouses and family members who have lost someone to cancer.

For more information on Gilda’s Club or to make a donation, visit www.gildasclubdetroit.org.

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Left to right: Gusty Molnar – Director of Mortgage Banking, Josh Offenberg – President’s Club Power Banker, Jason Scalese – Regional Vice President of Mortgage Banking, Rodney Sweigart – Operation Homefront Central Great Lakes

Every week it seems like the VA Unit banking team in Cleveland is up to something. If they’re not doing the Tough Mudder in support of paralyzed veterans, they’re handing out easter baskets to kids and their families at the VA hospital. They’re so involved in the veteran community that I have to be on my game 24/7 just to be able to keep up. It’s a good thing for them I welcome the challenge. Bring it on, buddies!

The team’s most recent endeavor was in support of our partnership with Operation Homefront for their Back to School Brigade. In the most basic sense, this program provides school supplies to kids with family members in the military. But it’s really much more than that. It helps the families with the financial stress and worry of having to acquire and organize supplies for their children right before school. Many times this happens right as the family is in the middle of PCSing, or a parent is being deployed. Shopping for school is a stressful time as is when you don’t have to deal with relocating, family separations and all the other worries that come with being a military family. Operation Homefront attempts to help alleviate some of this stress by providing kids a free backpack and enough school supplies to get started on their first day of school.

Last year, Operation Homefront collected nearly 5 million school supplies and filled approximately 40,000 backpacks for kids across the country. According to Operation Homefront, there are 1.2 million children who have active duty servicemembers for parents, and nearly 60% of them are school aged. This program can help these families immeasurably, not just financially but emotionally as well, and our team is so proud we could be a part of it.

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Picture courtesy Tough Mudder

Last year, some of the elite forces of our VA loan unit showed the Tough Mudder who’s boss, and this year was no different. As they walked in on that sunny morning in Mansfield, Ohio, I swear you could see the course itself recoil in fear. It was as if the whole world slowed down for a few moments. Heads turned, voices hushed, ladies swooned and men stared in awe as the thumping bass line from the song Little Green Bag announced their entrance. Wait…wasn’t that a movie?

Anyway, the point I’m trying to make is that this team is incredible. Not only are they ridiculously dedicated to helping veterans and servicemembers understand and use their VA loan benefits, they’re also committed to showing their support outside the office as well. This year’s Tough Mudder was conquered in support of, and in honor of, our partners at Paralyzed Veterans of America. The course was also conquered with the overall goals of Tough Mudder in mind which support and encourage participants to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project – a cause that’s also close to our hearts at Quicken Loans.

But make no mistake, Tough Mudder isn’t just running and jumping over some obstacles here and there. It’s a hardcore, 10-12 mile course developed by British Special Forces. It’s designed to test your physical stamina, your mental fortitude and was created so that you cannot finish it alone. Tough Mudders are expected to compete as a team, to work together and to make sure that no man (or woman) is left behind.

You’re going to want a team that you can count on when you’re facing obstacles like the Cliffhanger – a 40+ foot cliff of mud that’s set at a 45 degree angle. If you want to get up this hill, you’ll need a helping hand, otherwise you’ll just slide back down into the boggy mud pit over and over again. And when you make it to Everest, a quarter-pipe ramp that’s coated in mud and grease, you’re all but guaranteed to fail if you try to go at it alone. You’ll need a good team that helps lift your spirits when you feel like giving up on the waist-deep mud on “Mud Mile” or to give you words of encouragement when you’re too afraid to jump from the 15+ foot obstacle “Walk The Plank.”

Tough Mudder Team 2013

If there’s anything that showcases how well this team works and cares for each other, it’s the fact that these guys – and gals – kicked Tough Mudder’s butt together. And I all but guarantee that this type of dedication doesn’t start and stop off hours – it’s evident in everything they do for our veterans, too. So when I tell you that our VA loan unit is awesome, you know I really mean it. Because those bankers are some tough mother….mudders.

Check out the team at this year’s Tough Mudder:

(click on the thumbnail to view a larger image)

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Bill Emerson appeared a few days back on CNBC discussing any impact an improving Jobs Report may have on mortgage rates.

Emerson also talked about Quicken Loans’ tremendous growth in the past year. Hint: we just about doubled our overall lending volume from $35 billion in mortgages in 2011 to more than $70 billion in mortgages in 2012. If you want to read a few of the reasons why we’ve had such success, check the About Quicken Loans page. It pretty much explains it. That plus interest rates that keep staying down at historic lows for a lot longer than many of us thought they would.

That’s great news for our clients. We couldn’t be happier to offer mortgage refinance and home buying rates that astonish my mother. “Clayton, do you know how high rates were when your dad and I bought the house? We thought 11% was a great rate! Holy cow.” “Yes, mom, you’ve told me many times.” And then I remind her I have a 2.75% 15-year fixed VA loan, which makes her very happy.

I digress. Here’s the video. If you can’t see it, check it out here. And, as always, give us some feedback if you’ve got it.

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By now you probably know that at Quicken Loans, we provide expert advice and amazing client services. And you should know how we also support organizations for veterans like Paralyzed Veterans of America because we really care about the men and women who serve in our country’s armed forces.

But, you know, it’s one thing to say you’re a supporter of causes that benefit veterans, but it’s entirely different when you actually bypass the lip service and go above and beyond the call of duty. That’s what the elite team of Home Loan Experts in our VA Unit does every single day. Not only do they help veterans and service members with their VA loan benefits, but they actually also work with veterans charities and organizations outside of the office on their own time.

We have partnered with Paralyzed Veterans of America in support of their Mission:  ABLE project. Recently, Bill Lawson, national president of Paralyzed Veterans of America, stopped by our Cleveland office to take a tour and learn about what we do on a day-to-day basis. Bill got to see our awesome “Wall of Honor” that features all of the veterans our bankers have worked with, and are displayed – in honor –  as a way to celebrate their service and commitment to our country.

Check out the video of Bill at our office, featuring some of the coolest and nicest fellows on the planet – Regional Vice President Jason Scalese, Power Banker Josh Offenberg and Senior Director of Mortgage Banking Scott Holden. These guys represent just a small cross section of this dedicated and hard-working team. I honestly couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this team – even if it is by proxy.

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The city of Detroit, and the momentum building behind its revival, is starting to get international attention. The Guardian, founded in 1821, is the second most popular newspaper in England and recently featured Dan Gilbert in an interview regarding the current status and progress of Detroit. “Dan Gilbert has a vision for this city’s future – and the money to fund it” writes Dominic Rushe of The Guardian in his fair and well-written article. Rushe uses an interview with Gilbert as the focus of his article, while interviewing associates of Gilbert and other Detroit natives.

Rushe focuses on much of Gilbert’s progress with downtown Detroit in a very positive light, which is a refreshing turn from the common cynicism usually heard concerning the city. Startups in the M@dison building, employee incentives for city living, national interest from franchise businesses and Gilbert’s new vision of downtown are all mentioned with enthusiasm in the article which overshadows the “precarious” nature of the city’s recovery stated in the article’s title. Mention is made at the top of the article of a generational shift in viewpoint that has recently happened in Detroit: Gilbert is quoted as saying “You’d hear from your parents and grandparents how incredible Detroit was.” Rushe then emphasizes that Gilbert is attempting to reclaim the Detroit that belonged to his parents and grandparents; a place that was once referred to as “the Paris of the Midwest.”

He can’t do it alone, though.  As Gilbert states towards the end of the article, “I don’t care who you are, how big you are or how much money you have, you could never do this alone. Someone could give you all the money in the world and you still couldn’t get it done. You need people, in business, education, in government.” This is a vital statement considering that The Guardian is a prominent British publication. This international exposure is great for the city and the movement going towards revitalizing it. I encourage you to read the whole article here.

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Very cool article this past weekend in the NY Times that I wanted to share with our readers who share my love/concern/interest for all things Detroit.

If you’ve read the Zing blog, you probably know that one of the things we write about is Detroit and the revival currently underway downtown. We do that for a simple reason. Quicken Loans is dedicated to rebuilding Detroit. It’s that simple.

So when I see an article like this, that does such a good job of pointing out the many positives that are taking shape down here in Detroit, I share it.

A few highlights about the article:

• Gilbert discussing how, as a young man, he discovered just how much Detroit had been neglected
• How focusing on downtown Detroit will eventually pay off for outer neighborhoods
• Gilbert’s story (it all began selling candy and pizza as a kid)
• Background on how Quicken Loans became the incredible place where I now work and consider myself part of a close family
• Background on Opportunity Detroit
• Lots more good reading

And here, to wet your beak, is a little bit from the article:

THE best way to experience all that is strange and a little otherworldly about downtown Detroit is to walk the streets around 5 p.m. on a weekday. At that hour, you’ll notice not just the peculiarity of what is around you — notably, the gorgeous, Art Deco skyscrapers alongside empty, decrepit buildings — but also what is missing. There is no traffic here. As the workday ends, cars trickle out of underground parking lots and speed off to nearby highways, but in a volume that doesn’t cause delays.

It is just one small sign of how far Detroit’s fortunes have fallen: the birthplace of the mass-produced automobile, the city that gave us the infuriating, bumper-to-bumper commute, is now so sparsely populated that it doesn’t have a rush hour.

So there you have it. Please read the full article and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you.

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Each Monday in March, we encouraged you to watch HGTV’s Love It or List It for a chance to win $50,000 in HGTV’s Mortgage Madness Watch & Win Sweepstakes presented by Quicken Loans.

We also promised to let you know the winners of the weekly cash prize – and we don’t want to keep you waiting another minute!

These four lucky winners will be using their newfound $50,000 to pay off their mortgage, make home improvements or find a new place to call home:

• Brian M. from Arizona
• Connie D. from Maine
• Maria P. from New York
• Roberta M. from California

Congratulations to the winners and a big thanks to everyone who participated in Mortgage Madness, we hope you enjoyed playing along!

We’ll be sure to let you know about other great opportunities to win cash and prizes throughout 2013, so visit the Quicken Loans Zing! Blog daily for tips about home, money and life!

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Those familiar with the Quicken Loans Family of Companies are sure to be familiar with Fathead, creator of officially licensed sports and entertainment graphics. If you’re not familiar with the company, they create high definition wall decals that stick to your walls without scuffing or ruining them. They specialize in sports graphics, but you can get everything from your favorite football player to an anatomically-correct skeleton gracing your wall. Kids love it because it’s far cooler than your average poster, and it’s about to get much more convenient for kids across the world pining to get a Fathead.

Fathead recently announced the launch of Virtual Piggy, a payment service that allows kids to make their own online purchases without their parents having to stress about it. The Virtual Piggy site is convenient and easy to use; it’s a little puzzling how someone hasn’t executed a concept like this before because it’s so useful. If you’re a parent, just take a few minutes to sign up for an account, and then set the controls for however many kids you have on the account. You decide how much money goes into the account, and your kids can only buy things from sites you approve that Virtual Piggy is working with. The adults always have a final say on what’s purchased, and if your children blow all the money you’ve allocated for them in the first day or two, then this will be their controlled lesson in fiscal responsibility. It’s a truly safe way for your little ones to shop online, because you’re always holding the reins and no personal information is collected from them.

Both companies are pleased with this announcement, and both had great things to say about it in the press release. Michael Layne, director of internet marketing at Fathead said, “Our products are made for fans of all ages and many times it’s the younger fans who get the most excited when they see their favorite player, team or character…With Virtual Piggy, we’re empowering those under 18 to make purchases on their own in a safe, parent approved manner.” Founder and CEO of Virtual Piggy, Dr. Jo Webber, added “Virtual Piggy members have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of Fathead…From Derek Jeter to Kobe Bryant, Fathead has the ‘must have’ products for teens and tweens from coast to coast.”

To celebrate and promote the Virtual Piggy/Fathead announcement, anyone who signs up for Virtual Piggy between April 2013 and November 1, 2013, will get a 30% off discount code for Fathead.com. Check out Virtual Piggy here, and get started today.

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Downtown Detroit has changed over the last couple of years to include more living space, retail, entertainment and more. Now, imagine what it will look like in just two more years…that’s what more than 400 business, community and civic leaders did when they gathered on March 28.

Rock Ventures, the Downtown Detroit Partnership and Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, revealed a visionary placemaking and retail plan for Detroit’s urban core. What’s placemaking? It’s a multi-faceted approach to the planning, design and management of public spaces to create an exciting environment.

The plan is part of the Opportunity Detroit initiative powered by Rock Ventures, which encourages people to live, work, play and invest in the city of Detroit. The plan was created based on several months of research and engagement with key Detroit public and private stakeholders as well as urban consulting firms Project for Public Spaces, Shook Kelly, Gibbs Planning Group and Terremark Partners.

“Downtown Detroit’s geographic location and particularly the half mile from the Detroit River to Grand Circus Park is the most concentrated diversity of urban assets and placemaking opportunities anywhere in the world,” said Fred Kent, Founder of Project for Public Spaces. “From the riverfront, gaming, gourmet dining, sports, culture and entertainment to new retail, Detroit has a winning combination of attractions to reclaim its rightful place as a great American city on the international stage.”

The plan is centered on creating six distinct and unique destinations that draw people to the region, give them an experience that will make them want to return frequently and where they will want to spend more time.

Much of the groundwork for this effort was laid in the past few years by the corporate, foundation, education and health care organizations that continue to reinvest in the city. It also ties together the threads created by Rock Ventures’ purchase of 22 buildings, 3 million square feet of commercial real estate, and nearly $1 billion invested in the Central Business District since 2010.

“Detroit stakeholders need to know this vision is real,” said Dan Gilbert, Chairman and Founder of Rock Ventures and Quicken Loans. “It is a wildly-exciting, incredibly well-thought out plan that will be activated immediately. Residents, office workers and visitors will experience a dramatically different Detroit in two years. We are committed to impacting the outcome and we are relentless in getting every Detroiter to join us in this campaign.”

It’s an exciting time for the city and just another reason why all of us at Quicken Loans believe opportunity is made in Detroit!

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