Page 1 - NRMLA RMM May/June Issue_Tab Article

Talking

Heads

Tabatha Addison, Vice President,

Wholesale Lending, American

Advisors Group

By Darryl Hicks

FOR TWO DECADES, Tabatha Addison traveled the globe Reverse Mortgage: Tell us about yourself.
teaching business and sales executives how to achieve Tabatha Addison: I was born in Orange, CA, coinci-
personal success. In 2013, she received a call from Kimberly dentally about ten minutes away from where AAG’s corpo-
Smith, who had recently been hired by American Advisors rate office is now located. I grew up in Southern California
Group, Orange, CA, to start up a wholesale division. before moving to Edinburgh, Scotland, after high school
Neither person knew the other, but Smith had heard about in 1986. From as long as I can remember, I always wanted
Addison’s successes at other mortgage companies in the to go into law. Even in second grade, at parent’s night, that
southern California region, and she wanted Addison to be is what my presentation
part of the team. was on. Everybody else
Addison was working, then consulting, in the biotech wanted to be a nurse or a
industry but agreed to help out Smith for six months. fireman, but I wanted to
Seven years later, she is still with AAG. be a lawyer.
While she has embraced her current role, Addison’s
ambition as a child was to be a lawyer. She had a knack for RM: How did your move
arguing her way out of the worst predicaments. Addison to Scotland come about?
says her father once told her, “Half the time I knew you TA: My mother and
were lying, but your defenses were so bloody good, I just sisters were born there.
gave in.” My father was in the Tabatha Addison
Addison studied law for a time in Scotland, but her U.S. Navy stationed at Holy Loch, where he met my
life trajectory changed. She ended up becoming a pro- mother. After I finished high school, everybody moved
fessional trainer and today is one of the top educators in back to Scotland. Except me. I planned to enlist in the Air
the reverse mortgage industry. Reverse Mortgage magazine Force and apply for Officer Candidate School. I had no
sat down with Addison to learn more about what makes means to pay for law school, so I felt the military was the
someone successful. best option. The deal was the Air Force would pay my way

14 REVERSE MORTGAGE / MAY-JUNE 2020