MELISSA GRANT

6171 Sherwood Lane, Denver, NC 28037

(828) 291-5491

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

01/2009-Present WESTERN PIEDMONT COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS - Hickory NC

Foreclosure Mitigation Paralegal/MPP Program Liaison between lenders and clients in order to negotiate new payments, reduce annual percentage rates in order to save clients from losing their homes to foreclosure. Advises clients to seek bankruptcy attorneys or Legal Aid assistance if applicable. Other duties include pulling credit bureau reports, assisting in budget management, preparing financials, performing title searches. Works with outside agencies including the Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, North Carolina Commissioner of Banks, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). *Accomplishments:

Identified several cases of potential mortgage fraud and reported these cases to the NC Commissioner of Banks (NCCOB) office, The Department of Housing and Urban Development and the NC Attorney General’s Office. Subsequently, the Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit against the mortgage company. A consent judgment was signed and homeowners received $26,000 each in mortgage fraud restitution. This was the largest settlement in the history of North Carolina. Assisted over 2000 homeowners in the four county areas of Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba County in resolving mortgage delinquency and foreclosure issues. 10/2006 – 10/2008 PENDLETON, PENDLETON & DEATON, P.A. - Lincolnton,

NC Corporate Paralegal Managed satellite office. Position required high organizational skills, resourcefulness, handling several tasks simultaneously with a take-charge attitude, along with excellent communication skills and maintaining strict confidentiality. Other responsibilities include the preparation of all documents pertaining to real estate closings, foreclosures, pleadings, wills, estates, corporations and limited liability companies. As office manager, responsibilities included answering phones, directing calls, greeting clients, setting appointments, maintaining calendars, arranging depositions, set up conference rooms, maintaining and ordering supplies. *Accomplishments:

Collected $300,000 in billable hours first year. Recognized and discovered fraud through internal records audit. 10/2005 - 08/2006 VISION TITLE - Hickory, NC

Manager Managed satellite office. My position required high organizational skills, resourcefulness, handling several tasks simultaneously with a take-charge attitude, along with excellent communication skills and maintaining strict confidentiality. Other responsibilities included performing real estate closings from conception until completion. Order title examinations, reviewed exceptions and took steps to clear all title issues prior to closing. Met with clients, performed notary closings; return packages to lenders and record all documents as needed. (Business Closed)

7/2004 – 10/2005 SHAPIRO AND INGLE, LLP - Charlotte, NC

Real Estate Paralegal - Foreclosures and REO’s Drafted closing documents, including loan agreements, notes, security deeds and mortgages, estoppel certificates, buy-sell agreements, bills of sale, leases, guarantees, financing statements, affidavits, closing statements, lien waivers; order and/or perform title examinations, reviewed exceptions to titles, prepared necessary documents to correct or clear title, prepared legal description; draft Notice of Sale Under Power and 10-day attorneys' fee demand letters; ordered/analyzed title work, reviewed foreclosure notice as published; drafted any necessary notification letters to the IRS; coordinated post-closing follow-up including recording documents, wiring funds, obtaining necessary cancellation documents, organizing and indexing files and overseeing preparation of closing documents binders. 10/2003 – 7/2004 BURKE AND ASSOCIATES, PA – Charlotte, NC

Paralegal/Intern Worked through CPCC to gain credits toward my degree. Performed all duties associated with REO properties, handled exceptions and took steps to clear all title issues prior to closing. Coordinate post-closing follow-up including recording documents, wiring funds, obtaining necessary cancellation documents, organizing and indexing files and overseeing preparation of closing documents binders. 10/1999 - 10/2003 AMERICREDIT FINANCIAL SERVICES - Huntersville, NC

Account Manager Began as an Account Representative and advanced to Team Lead/Assistant Trainer and then Account Manager within 13 months. Responsibilities include managing of "Front-end" "Mid-range" and Collection Support departments with 18 employees, through which the Account representatives receive support and the customer receives quality customer service, perform audits on Accounts Representatives to ensure quality customer service is being met at all times; maintain reports and monitor Account Representatives, assessing their skill levels in order to properly place them within the center; teach remedial courses to the Account Representatives to refresh them on specific policies and procedures; have a thorough knowledge of skip tracing techniques, can utilize devices such as Metronet Services, DCSI, CBR's, LexisNexis, and Post Locators; process all paperwork, reports and documentation as required. Conduct interviews in correlation with the Human Resources Department. Accomplishments:

Selected and served as the interim HR for the new start-up in Jacksonville, FL Acted as a Member of the SWAT Team for the start-up operations in Canada Selected and served as the interim HR for the new start-up in Jacksonville, FL Acted as a Member of the SWAT Team for the start-up operations in Canada

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS

CENTRAL PIEDMONT COMMUNITY COLLEGE - Charlotte, NC

2015 National Certification for HECM Reverse Mortgage Counseling 2009 Certified Housing Counselor 2004 Real Estate Broker License

2004 Loan Officer's License 2002 - 2004 Paralegal Technology (part-time 3.89 GPA)

2000 Notary Public

REFERENCES

Sherry Long – Assistant Executive Directive/C. D. Administrator

Western Piedmont Council of Governments

Phone: 828-485-4251

sherry.long@wpcog.org

Jimmy Chapman – Owner

Vision Title

Phone: 704-824-8065

George Leggett – Researcher for WRAL 5 on Your Side

(Former Attorney General’s Office)

Phone: 919-607-1789

Allen Wood/Terri Booth – Bankruptcy Attorney

Phone: 828-465-2100

Paulette Rudisill – Pendleton, Pendleton & Deaton

Office Manager -704-735-0483

Kim Duncan – WPCOG (Co-worker)

C.D. Administrator

Phone: 828-485-4220

Rudy and Carol Streng – Client

828-754-0600

Beverly Bumgarner – Client

Phone: 828-469-6049 (Assisted her with a title issue)