Age 39 | Home mortgage consultant, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Inc.

At a time when it was pretty difficult to originate new mortgage loans, Steve SchraderBachar made it look easy. He generated more than $19 million in loan volume during his first 12 months as a home mortgage consultant for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Inc., where he started in June 2008. After three years with the company, he has developed a $45 million book of business.

SchraderBachar also takes the concept of community involvement to new heights. When he moved to Greater Des Moines in 1997, for instance, he began volunteering for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa, served on his neighborhood association’s board and was elected to the Republican Central Committee for Polk County. He has served on the Ankeny Chamber of Commerce board and chaired its marketing committee for two years, and now serves on the Bondurant chamber’s board. He’s also a Master Mason with Gnemeth Lodge and a Za-Ga-Zig Shriner, active in Ankeny Little League and serves as an ordained elder at Ankeny Presbyterian Church.

“For me, it’s really just a passion about giving back,” said SchraderBachar, a Chicago native who moved to Greater Des Moines after he got married. “I’ve had a lot of opportunities to help people in my job as a mortgage person. It’s the biggest financial decision they’ll ever make. I just saw the chance to be involved in the community as a steppingstone to that.”

An advocate of social marketing, SchraderBachar blogs about the home-buying process for potential homeowners as well as business-building tips for real estate professionals. He has authored two books, “The Complete Guide to Buying a Home in Des Moines” and “Get Ready, Get Set, SOLD! Online and Offline Strategies to Help You Sell More Homes.”

He and his wife, Lori (a past Forty Under 40 honoree), have two children: JJ, 11, and Naomi, 7.

Five reasons he’s a 40:

• Led United Way of Central Iowa workplace campaigns; part of the Emerging Leaders initiative for past three years.

• Serves on the board of the Rotary Club of Ankeny and is the current community service chair.

• Served on the Jump$tart Financial Literacy Coalition as a board member.

• Volunteer coach for children’s flag football, basketball and baseball.

• Author of two real estate books.

Fun Fact:

He and his wife, Lori, combined their last names to create a new family name when they got married.