Phil Kuhn, an Iowa native with 26 years in the mortgage industry, will play a key role in the expansion of a national online lender. One of the best parts of that, he said, is that he doesn’t have to leave Central Iowa to do it.

Earlier this month, Kuhn was appointed senior vice president and national loan production manager for MortgageIT Inc., a wholly owned mortgage lending subsidiary of MortgageIT Holdings Inc., a publicly-traded real estate investment trust with headquarters in New York City. Kuhn, who most recently served in similar roles locally for CitiMortgage and Principal Residential Mortgage Inc., will work out of a one-person office at 6600 West Regency in West Des Moines.

In his new position, Kuhn will be responsible for all of MortgageIT’s correspondent loan origination and sales activities. The correspondent loan division was formed last year to specialize in purchasing closed loans originated by mortgage bankers, banks and savings and loans. Kuhn’s job will be to direct regional sales managers and to oversee a growing national sales force. Kuhn said he will likely remain the company’s sole Des Moines employee, however.

“Currently we have seven regional sales managers,” Kuhn said. “My job is to support them and recruit top talent in the industry, and to grow correspondent relationships on a nationwide basis.”

Kuhn, who grew up on a farm north of Cedar Rapids, said it’s not unusual for MortgageIT to allow its employees to work from remote locations, because its focus has been on attracting top talent. He said his biggest challenge will be building the brand identity of his company, which is much better known for its REIT business than for correspondent lending.

Founded in 1988, MortgageIT last year generated more than $13 billion in wholesale, retail and correspondent loans.