Meet Our Team

Jason Peifer

NMLS #655431
Mortgage Branch Manager | Loan Officer

Colorado native Jason Peifer has fine-tuned his mathematic talents to a financing career focused on mortgage. He enhanced these skills at Colorado State University then transferred them to sales in the real estate industry. After selling real estate, Jason moved to home lending. He enjoys the challenge of assisting with complex loans, and feels rewarded when he helps a buyer close on the purchase of a home.

When he is not working on a loan, Jason is with his wife and two daughters. He loves the snow as well as the water; with skiing, fly-fishing, rafting, and mountain biking being some of his favorite hobbies. Jason brings drive, passion, and extensive knowledge of the lending guidelines to his customers on every transaction.

Jeff Berthiaume

NMLS #680356
Loan Officer

Jeff Berthiaume brings more than 20 years of passion, knowledge, and dedication to the closing table when he helps his clients meet their long-term financial goals. The Austin, Minnesota native came to Fort Collins in 2004, two years after deciding to work in the home financing industry. His ethics, hard work and ability to structure loans led to early recognitions at previous companies, such as Rookie of the Year in 2002.

After five years in consumer finance positions at major institutions, Jeff decided to focus on helping borrowers with their home financing. Jeff explores options for his clients' loan approvals, and makes scenarios possible where other lenders turned them down.

When he is out of the office, Jeff enjoys spend time with his kids, as well as playing golf, racquetball, snowboarding, and traveling. Jeff loves helping his clients make their homeownership dreams possible.

Tara Doak

NMLS #680348
Loan Officer

Loan Officer Tara Doak has called Colorado home her entire life, and enjoys helping clients finance homes of their very own. Born in Denver, and raised in Fort Collins, Tara attended Colorado State University, where she earned her Bachelors of Science with a concentration in finance. She used these finance skills at major national banks where she worked with first-time homebuyers as well as property investors.

Tara takes the time to form personal connections with her clients and works closely with them through each step of the home financing process. As a proud team player, Tara is honored to earn the trust she has built through superior customer service since 2002.

Outside of work, Tara and her husband stay active by snowboarding, wakeboarding, hiking, biking, and running. Tara's other interests include reading, gardening and rooting for the Denver Broncos.

Scott Ellis

NMLS #680236
Loan Officer

Wisconsin-born and Colorado-raised, Loan Officer Scott Ellis has enjoyed helping people finance their homes since 2003. After earning his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Colorado State University, Scott discovered home lending, and embarked on a career of customer service and building relationships. Scott works hard to ensure his customers' transactions are handled correctly the first time, calling upon his talents in mathematics and problem solving.

Outside of the office, Scott enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. He also enjoys working on home improvement and landscaping projects, as well as weight training and movie watching.

Joey Hansen

NMLS #96996
Loan Officer

Joanna "Joey" Hansen takes great care of her clients. Her service delivery is governed by what she calls the three C's: Courtesy, Competence, and Communication.

A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Joey worked in the human resources/recruiting field for seven years, honing her excellent communication and people skills. In 2003, she took a friend's recommendation to heart and joined the mortgage industry.

From the beginning of her career in the mortgage business, Joey knew she had found her calling. She loves seeing the pride and enthusiasm homeownership brings to her clients, and she finds true purpose in what she does every day.

Originally from Texas, Joey now lives with her husband and two sons in Colorado Springs.

Outside of the office, you'll find her outdoors, enjoying all that Colorado has to offer. You might also find her trying a new recipe, or playing board games with her family. Ask her about the two years she spent at a Colorado dude ranch — it's a fun story and how she met her husband!

Josh Kagan

NMLS #279724
Loan Officer

Check back soon to learn more about Josh!

With a passion for working with people, Senior Mortgage Lender and Branch Manager Josh Kagan joined the mortgage industry in 2000. He most enjoys working with his clients to find the right home loan program for their individual needs, taking into account both short and long-term goals. Prior to working in the home-financing business, Josh worked in real estate development and as a professional ski instructor. He wanted a career change, and his desire to work closely with each customer made the home lending industry – and Group Mortgage – an ideal fit for him. He is dedicated to his clients, and he’s a thorough and knowledgeable professional.

Originally from Farmington, Connecticut, he graduated from Colgate University in 1989 with a degree in political science and has lived in Steamboat Springs since 1990. He and his wife, Karin, have raised two sons in Steamboat and are committed to doing their part to ensure Steamboat remains a welcoming and vibrant community. In addition to enjoying time with his family, Josh enjoys skiing, playing hockey and mountain biking.

Josh Kagan looks forward to becoming your trusted mortgage professional and focusing on your individual homeownership needs and goals. Contact him today at 970.879.0996 or [email protected].

John Polansky

NMLS #684916
Senior Loan Officer

Born in England and raised in Spain, John Polansky has lived in Loveland since the late 1990s, where he has made homeownership and real estate investing a reality for many people. Before settling in Colorado, John went to Brown University where he earned his Bachelor of Arts and began his lending career. That career has included awards such as Circle of Excellence, which he earned with attention to detail and focused customer service.

John spends his spare time taking advantage of the Colorado outdoors with activities such as swimming, hiking, and rowing. He enjoys being with his family and helping other families finance their homes.

Christine Ransier

NMLS #1057590
Loan Officer

Christine is a Loan Officer for Group Mortgage and has been in the mortgage industry since 2000. She is proud to have lived in Colorado her entire life and loves that she can help serve her customers throughout the whole state of Colorado. Her mission is to carefully guide you through the entire home loan process, so that you feel confident about your financing strategy.

Christine is truly passionate about her profession and the results are service, satisfaction, and speed. She strives to make her clients feel at ease from start to finish. Her objective as a loan professional is to exceed expectations and develop a long-term relationship with each client. Whether you are purchasing your dream home, refinancing your current loan, or consolidating debt, Christine and her highly experienced team can help you find the right loan program for your needs.

Mark Townsend

NMLS #208551
Loan Officer

Excellent service, thorough knowledge of the mortgage industry, and compassion make up only part of the world-class services provided by Mark Townsend, Senior Loan Officer with the Mark Townsend Team at Group Mortgage, LLC. Ensuring he fully understands your entire financial picture, Mark helps you customize a mortgage solution to meet your individual needs and goals. You can be confident that your loan will be handled professionally and that The Townsend Team is 100% committed to closing on time – every time – with no surprises.

Mark first entered the industry in Secondary Marketing, which allowed him to directly apply his finance degree by buying and selling mortgage-backed securities with Wall Street firms. He made the switch to origination in 1998 and has achieved more than 3,600 successful mortgage closings as well as continuous recognition as a Top Producer.

Mark’s enthusiastic, positive attitude and his steadfast devotion to excellence are the perfect match for Group Mortgage, LLC and its “Clients for Life” philosophy of being a trusted resource beyond the loan closing. Together, they provide clients with in-house underwriting, fast prequalification, online accessibility, and unsurpassed customer service. State-of-the-art technology and a wide array of investors to choose from ensure transactions are completed with the utmost quality.

While his greatest passion is assisting clients become homeowners, there is no doubt what comes first in Mark’s life: his commitment to his family. Mark absolutely loves spending time with his wife and their two children. This University of Texas-Austin alum also enjoys watching movies, spending time on Lake LBJ, and cheering on his beloved Longhorns.

At Group Mortgage, you will discover an atmosphere of enthusiasm, a spirit of dedication, and a great desire to build quality relationships. Experience the Group Mortgage difference. Contact Mark Townsend and his team today at 512.336.2121.

Leslie French

NMLS #1505792
Jr. Loan Officer

Leslie is located in our Loveland and Fort Collins Offices and works with Loan Officer Tara Doak and John Polansky. She started in the real estate industry in 2012 and has been in the mortgage industry since 2016. Leslie most enjoys building relationships with people and helping them with one of the biggest investments of their lives. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her dog Boogie, running, interior design, reading, and watching true crime documentaries.