VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Aug. 3, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group LLC (Atlantic Bay) is proud to announce that Vice President of Operations Strategy Julie Watson has been named a 2026 HousingWire Insider. Now in its 11th year, the Insiders Award recognizes operational all-stars working behind the scenes in companies across the housing industry to drive innovation and underpin business growth.
Image caption: Julie Watson of Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group LLC.
Watson was honored for building the operational foundation that helps Mortgage Bankers deliver a better borrower experience at Atlantic Bay, where she has spent 18 years in roles spanning mortgage operations and technology. Over the past 12 months, she has led or contributed to nearly every major process initiative at the company, helping reduce Atlantic Bay’s cost per loan by eliminating unnecessary steps and standardizing workflows across departments so Mortgage Bankers can spend less time navigating processes and more time serving borrowers.
Every new process that reaches Atlantic Bay’s Mortgage Bankers passes through Watson first, and she works directly with teams to identify friction points and build solutions the business can sustain at scale. Her standard for rigor carries into work outside her own department, too. She negotiates directly with vendors and partners on Atlantic Bay’s behalf, pushing back when a proposed solution would compromise process integrity, and she advises other teams on operational changes, holding each one to the same requirement: a problem must be fully diagnosed before a fix goes into production.
“Julie is one of the most valuable leaders at Atlantic Bay because she understands the entire mortgage process from both an operational and technical perspective,” said Atlantic Bay Chief Operations Officer Chrissy Brown. “Even after 18 years, nothing is beneath her. She asks the right questions, does the work herself when it matters, and has helped us turn some of our toughest operational challenges into real, lasting improvements.”
“The best strategies in mortgage and real estate don’t execute themselves — Insiders make them real,” said HousingWire Editor-in-Chief Sarah Wheeler. “These are the professionals who build the systems, run the processes and carry the weight of organizational performance every single day. This year’s class is exceptional, and HousingWire is proud to recognize the people who quietly power this industry.”
For a complete list of 2026 HousingWire Insiders, visit https://www.housingwire.com.
About Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group
Founded in 1996, Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group LLC is a privately held, full-service mortgage lender headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Atlantic Bay offers a wide range of residential mortgage products, including conventional, FHA, VA, USDA and jumbo loans, serving homebuyers and homeowners across multiple states. Known for its customer-first culture and commitment to service excellence, Atlantic Bay combines local lending expertise with innovative technology to deliver a personalized mortgage experience. The company is consistently recognized as a top workplace and is deeply committed to giving back to the communities it serves through charitable initiatives and partnerships.
Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group L.L.C. NMLS #72043 (nmlsconsumeraccess.org) provides Equal Employment Opportunities and is an Equal Opportunity Lender located at 600 Lynnhaven Parkway Suite 100 Virginia Beach, Virginia, 23452. https://www.atlanticbay.com/
Tags: @AtlanticBay @HousingWire #HWInsiders #mortgage
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Leslie W. Colley
Depth for Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group
leslie@depthpr.com
(678) 622-6229
News Source: Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group LLC
