Wholesale Exec to Run for Las Vegas School Board

Ryan Devins

Tired of watching the educational and financial responsibilities of the local school board get overlooked and misused, a wholesale mortgage marketing director has decided to take action and help straighten out the nation’s fifth largest school district in the process. “I don’t like the fact that we are at the bottom of the list for test results,” Ryan Devins said about the Clark County school district located in Las Vegas. The district reportedly ranks 49 out of 50 nationwide based on the educational standards test. Devins said his active involvement with the school began soon after his son told him that he was threatened with a knife at school and the district failed to inform the parents. “I spoke with the district and they didn’t do anything about it,” Devins explained. “They are not enforcing a zero tolerance policy so I started attending the board meetings and realized that nothing was getting done.“We had kids who received their credits to graduate but couldn’t pass the basic skills test to receive their diploma and that number is going up every year,” Devins continued. “Our administrator, who is the head of our instructional unit is making more money than the teachers and he has completely failed to this point.”

Devins said instead of complaining at the board meetings, he decided to run for board trustee last year. He lost to the current incumbent Denise Brodsky; however, Brodsky recently resigned from her position. Devins is now one of three candidates being considered by the board to fill the seat until the next election in 2008.Devins, 30, and father of three said he didn’t realize the contacts he has made within the school district or while teaching little league sports with his children would lead to such great networking opportunities.

He began in the mortgage industry four years ago at Nationwide Lending as a loan officer and said he had received an award from Lending Tree for being the top producer, which led to him being promoted to team leader.

Just two months ago, he accepted a position with RBC Mortgage as a marketing director in the wholesale division. Devins said he prefers the wholesale side of the mortgage industry and would have made the transition sooner had he known more about it. “This company treats everyone exceptionally,” Devins told MortgageDaily.com, “and my boss is always there to help.”