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Grant Clinton with his son posing in front of ANW sign

Benchmark Loan Officer Competes on American Ninja Warrior

by I Am Benchmark

Meet Grant Clinton.

overcomerGrant Clinton is a Loan Originator and Branch Manager in our awesome branch in Houston, TX!

We are proud to announce that Grant will be competing as an American Ninja Warrior in the Oklahoma City Qualifier on June 20th!

 

 

THE OVERCOMER

Grant on the rings - gymnastics
With an outstanding history as a gymnast, Grant Clinton was a nominee for the Nissen Emery Award in 2002! Hindered by injuries in a gymnastics career, it is no surprise that he identifies with the title “Overcomer“. To add yet another layer to the name, watch his Submission Video below:

Grant Clinton’s Submission Video

Yikes!

It’s no surprise to us that American Ninja Warrior judges saw this and determined that he was good enough to have a chance in the Oklahoma City Qualifier.

You’ve earned it, Grant!

Cheer Him On With Us!

greater-is-he-that-is-in-you
Grant surveys the course with his son.

 

grants-son-and-wife
Grant’s wife, and son hold signs, cheering him on. T-shirt: “Grant’s the B.O.M.B. (Bearded Obstacle Mortgage Banker)”

 

grant-with-daughter
American Ninja Warrior Grant Clinton with OVERCOMER shirt watches his daughter walk.

 

grant-watching-course
Grant Clinton watches from the sideline.

 

grant-gets-interviewed
Grant Clinton is filmed before his run as an American Ninja Warrior contestant.

 

grant-arm-over-son
American Ninja Warrior and Benchmark Mortgage Loan Originator Grant clinton poses with his son in Oklahoma City.

Watch American Ninja Warrior on NBC on June 20th.
Make sure you set your DVR and continue to watch.
If he makes it past the qualifier on the 20th, then the Oklahoma City Regional Finals will air on August 1

Buy a replica OVERCOMER t-shirt  here! (must order by June 5th)
http://store.theapparelshack.com/OVERCOMER

Cheer on Grant, Benchmark’s own Ninja!

gingerbread house building image

10 Great Christmas Traditions for Your Family

by I Am Benchmark

Merry Christmas!

The trees, the lights, the music, and of course, the meaning behind it all: It really is the most wonderful time of the year!

I’m one of those people who starts listening to Christmas music on November 1, and don’t be surprised if I put decorations out before Thanksgiving. I love Christmas and everything about it!

This particular Christmas was extra special for my family, as we had just welcomed our first baby into the world four months ago. Having our sweet new addition around had me feeling more of the Christmas spirit than usual (if that’s even possible), and made me want to make the most of the season. All of these warm fuzzy feelings had me thinking: what kind of new tradition could we start with our new little family?

Here are 10 Fun Christmas Tradition Ideas for Your Family

  1. Individually wrap 25 Christmas themed books and put them under the tree. Starting December 1, have your child open one each night before bed, and read it together as a family.
  2. Invite the family over for a day of making gingerbread houses! If your family is like mine, this will quickly turn into a competition!
  3. Make or get some hot chocolate and hit the road for a night of looking at Christmas lights.
  4. Volunteer at a soup kitchen together.
  5. Have a cookie baking and decorating day. Then deliver them to your local fire or police station.
  6. Give your child a gift to be opened on Christmas Eve—include Christmas pajamas, a Christmas book, movie, hot chocolate, and candy canes.
  7. All year long, empty spare change from your pockets into a jar. When Christmas comes, decide as a family who to anonymously give the jar to.
  8. Give each child $5 to spend at the dollar store to buy gifts for family members.
  9. Hide candy canes around the house and have your kids go on a Candy Cane Hunt.
  10. Have every family member write down their favorite memory from that year on a small piece of paper. Put them all into a clear ornament and label it with the year.

We would love to hear YOUR Christmas traditions! What do you look forward to most about Christmas each year? Whatever it is…we hope you had the best one yet.

Merry Christmas
(and Happy New Year)


C-Gomez
C. Gomez
C. Gomez works at our corporate office as an administrative assistant. She recently welcomed a new addition into her family as she became a new mom! As an avid fan of Christmas, she was excited to share this article. Thank you!

tech gadgets to make your home modern

5 High Tech Gadgets to Take Your Home into the Future

by Benchmark

Are you buying a new home or updating your current one? Adding a few modern, high-tech gadgets can rocket your home into a positive direction. New home gadgets can help to modernize your home, and also make your home safer and more secure. Below are a few must-have, tech-savvy devices.

Vivint Home Automation

The Vivint Home Automation system is an all-in-one system that allows you to control your home security from anywhere. You can lock and unlock your home door from your smartphone. Have your kids ever left their house keys at school? With the Vivint system you can easily let the kids inside by using your smartphone or other web enabled device. A video surveillance system helps you know exactly what is happening inside your home. This system allows you some control of your home while you are gone.

Canary Home Security Device

Ensuring that your new home is safe is a top priority. The Canary Home Security Device alerts you to emergencies happening inside your home. Even if you are away from home, you can choose how to respond to an emergency easily from your smartphone. You can choose to call the police or text a neighbor. This security device takes high-quality video with a night vision HD camera.

August Smart Lock

The August Smart Lock allows you to choose who enters a room. The door automatically locks after the door shuts. This locking device allows you to feel more secure at home or when you are away. If you have guests coming, they can be invited, and the door will unlock for them.

Nest Thermostat

The Nest Thermostat helps you stay comfortable while you are in your home. It learns your comfort level and adjusts the temperature automatically. It also has an automatic away mode which detects when you leave your house and sets the temperature accordingly. This feature can help you save money on your electricity bill.

Spotter Sensor

The Spotter Sensor is a wonderful tool that can help keep your home in working order. It will automatically alert you of certain types of changes. For example, it can automatically adjust the humidity in a wine cellar or alert you if someone comes into a certain area. It can also automatically turn on a light when you open a door. The Spotter Sensor can be controlled conveniently with your smartphone.

tech gadgets to make your home modern

unique holidays in november

Discover These Unique Holidays During November

by Benchmark

November is considered a big holiday month because of Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving. Many people also look forward to Black Friday sales that signal the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. What you may not realize is that November is chock full of unique celebratory days.

These amusing, thoughtful and wacky days deserve special attention too:

Book Lovers Day – 11/2Celebrate your bookish ways on this day.

Deviled Egg Day – 11/2

Got a hankering for deviled eggs? This is the day to enjoy as many as you can eat.

Look for Circles Day – 11/2

Anyone looking for circles on this day is sure to find plenty!

Housewife Day – 11/3

Celebrate the housewife, or househusband, that makes coming home worthwhile.

Sandwich Day – 11/3

This is the day to enjoy your most favorite sandwiches.

Saxophone Day – 11/6

Listen to music performed by great jazz saxophone players such as John Coltrane, Stan Getz and Charlie Parker.

Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day – 11/7

As if anyone needs an excuse to indulge in chocolate.

USMC Day – 11/10

This is the day the United States Marine Corps was created back in 1775. Thank a Marine for their service.

Young Readers Day – Second Tuesday

Encourage a child to read a book.

World Kindness Day – 11/13

Take a moment to show kindness to someone.

Operating Room Nurse Day – 11/14

This day recognizes the dedication and contributions of hard working nurses.

Clean Your Refrigerator Day – 11/15

Roll up your sleeves and clear out old food, spills and mold.

America Recycles Day – 11/15

Go green and recycle.

Button Day – 11/16

Proudly wear your message button.

Have a Party with Your Bear Day – 11/16

It’s a great day for a Teddy bear party.

Homemade Bread Day – 11/17

Bake or eat fresh homemade bread.

Take a Hike Day – 11/17

Go for a relaxing hike.

World Peace Day – 11/17

Make the world a better place by promoting peace and harmony.

Beautiful Day – 11/20

Find something beautiful to appreciate.

National Parfait Day – 11/25

Spoil yourself with a delicious ice cream treat.

Make Your Own Head Day – 11/28

Draw, paint or sculpt your head.

Buy Nothing Day – 11/29

Blissfully enjoy not spending money.

unique holidays in november
operation home giveaway honors joey jones

Operation Home Giveaway Honors Sgt Joey Jones as 1st Recipient

by bmadmin

Our wounded soldiers have paid the ultimate price. They have survived catastrophic events in combat protecting America’s freedoms. It is an amazing act of patriotism to participate in changing a wounded warrior’s life, and we can by providing them the American Dream of home ownership.

The mission of Operation Home Giveaway is to turn heroes into homeowners.

Wounded soldiers and their families deal with so many issues. They have spent years in a hospital, undergoing countless surgeries, and having their families displaced.

A home provides a new chapter in all their lives. It helps in their recovery and allows them a better quality of life. We take for granted the many tasks of family life. Homes altered to accommodate wounded soldiers’ disabilities allow them to contribute to their household, helping their spouses’ and families with tasks like washing the dishes and doing the laundry.

Operation Home Giveaway Honors Military Veteran

operation home giveaway honors joey jonesOperation Home Giveaway was kicked off in Dallas, TX on April 12, 2013 at the 2nd annual Boot’n & Shoot’n event. Sgt Joey Jones was the first wounded warrior honored with this new Boot Campaign initiative.

Joey Jones is a retired Marine because of an incident on August 6, 2010 that resulted in both legs being amputated above the knee and both wrists were severely wounded as well as severe bone and tissue damage to his right forearm. Sgt Jones has been awarded the Purple Heart, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device and Combat Action Ribbon.

Help us turn heroes into homeowners at http://OperationHomeGiveaway.com.

joey jones operation home giveaway first recipient

Operation Home Giveaway: Mortgage Free Homes for Wounded Warriors

by bmadmin

Benchmark is proud to support “Operation Home Giveaway” and our philanthropy partner The Boot Campaign.

This is a letter written from Stewart Hunter, Benchmark CVO and Founding Partner:

Our Mission is to give mortgage free homes away to our wounded warriors. What an amazing act of patriotism it is for you to participate in changing a wounded warriors life. Our wounded soldiers have paid the ultimate price already. 

joey jones operation home giveaway first recipient
Ret. SSgt Joey Jones, 1st recipient of Operation Home Giveaway on April 12, 2013

I wanted to share this letter from Benchmark Founding Partner, Stewart Hunter:

The fact that they have survived such a catastrophic event in combat protecting Americas freedoms and now we can provide them the American Dream of home ownership! A wounded solider and their family are dealing with some many issues already like spending years in a hospital, countless surgeries and having their family displaced. 

A home provides a new chapter in all their lives. 

It helps in there recovery, allows them to have a better quality of life.  Having a home altered to accommodate ones disability’s affords a wounded warrior ability to help in the home on things like cleaning dishes and doing laundry.  These are big deals in their lives allowing them to feel like they are contributing to help their spouse and family.  

Every dollar you give to this cause will go to providing homes to wounded warriors. 

The first home will be given April 12th 2013 in Dallas Texas at Boot’n & Shoot’n. 

Give generously or start a team today.                                                                                                                  

All the best  Stewart Hunter, proud American

What an honor to be able to give MORTGAGE FREE HOMES to our military men and women.

Please join with us and make this a reality at http://OperationHomeGiveaway.com.

best superbowl commercials of 2013

5 Super Bowl 2013 Commercials Everyone is Talking About

by bmadmin

The “Big Game” was last night and these are the 5 Super Bowl commercials all your friends will be talking about today.

There were some clear winners (and some losers) during the four hour broadcast. Can you believe 30 second ads cost almost $4million?

If you skipped the game you can catch up right here!

What was your favorite commercial? Leave us a comment below.

Dodge Ram Truck “Farmer” Ad

Tide “Miracle Stain” Ad

Budweiser “Baby Clydesdale” Ad

Doritos “Goat 4 Sale” Ad

Samsung “Next Big Thing” Ad

Picking Up Pennies Pays Off His Mortgage

by bmadmin

A Massachusetts man delivered 62,000 pennies as his final mortgage payment.

Thomas Daigle told The Milford Daily News he wanted to ensure his last payment was “memorable.”

“It was something I wanted to do,” he said. “I always follow through.”

“I was just praying I didn’t die first.”

Thomas moved into his Milford, Massachusetts home in 1977 after receiving a mortgage from Milford Federal Savings and Loan Association.

Shortly after, he began collecting pennies in an old milk crate and eventually had to move his collection into two military grade metal boxes.

When he delivered the two boxes of pennies to Milford Federal on April 24th they weighed nearly 800 pounds.

Luckily he gave the bank a month to prepare for his “memorable” delivery and they were 100% supportive of his idea.

The life-long optician says his wife Sandra laughed whenever he picked up a penny and said it was going to the mortgage.

On average, Thomas collected 2.5 pennies every day.

That’s pretty impressive!