This is Us…
Having worked as an executive for over 25 years with stellar organizations including Principal Residential Mortgage, CitiMortgage, AmTrust (NYCB) and Pacific Union, I opened Topwater Strategy, LLC (Topwater) in 2018 to fulfill a broad range of needs for organizations in transition. In each organization I led the development of the non-delegated correspondent platforms in both sales and operations and I am now ready to serve in a different and more tangible way. I am inspired by individuals who are not only thinkers but also doers. Topwater seeks the ability to serve with humility and inspire collaboration and curiosity with organizations throughout the US.
I grew up in a family of four girls in a small (very small) South Carolina town. My husband Todd and I met in Atlanta where we both worked as commercial photographers, but in time my career path took me into the mortgage industry and to the place we have called home for 23 years. We love Colorado and have loved raising our two sons in this beautiful place. Todd, Sage and Sterling (pictured below) are a big part of the “why” in my life. Living an example of serving and representing love in all you do is core to our family values. Topwater has given me an opportunity to work with people in a more authentic and intimate way. I am grateful for that gift.
As we build with customers across the country, I am able to pull in very talented colleagues, leaders and creatives that bolster the outcome of each unique project. Whether it’s a talented videographer or a fast-keying template-building expert, Topwater taps top talent to put effective, efficient assets to work for you. We recognize the high demands placed on leaders and staff in intensely competitive markets. Topwater acts as an outlet and extension that can speed transition. We utilize experts across the industry to satisfy the needs of our clients.
My “why?”
This is what they say about us…
“It would be hard to find anyone else with Katherine’s combination of honed skills, which include leadership, coaching, strategic planning, collaboration, execution, financial analytics and compliant operational analytics” - Jackson Nafziger, President Integrity One, LLC
“I worked with Katherine for over 10 years in various sales and management capacities. She is by far the best sales manager I have worked with in the industry. There was never a time where I could not count on her support and industry knowledge to help serve my customers and she was instrumental in the advancement of my mortgage banking career.” - Tom Malloy, Manager ARCH MI
“Over the 20 years I have been in financial services, I have worked with few production leaders as strong as Katherine Gardner. She has a unique ability to build and execute sales strategies that yield remarkable results.” - Adam DeYoung, SVP Finance Pacific Union Financial