Nikolaos Athanasiou, Chief operating officer, Guaranteed Rate

Nikolaos Athanasiou of Guaranteed Rate is part of this year's Mortgage Professional America Hot 100

Nikolaos Athanasiou, Chief operating officer, Guaranteed Rate
Chief operating officer
Guaranteed Rate

As chief operating officer of Guaranteed Rate, Nikolaos Athanasiou provides the vision and strategic leadership necessary to ensure the company’s national growth. Athanasiou’s extensive experience and knowledge have brought improved efficiencies and optimized performance to the company’s national sales, operations and underwriting departments. The results he’s delivered are unmatched throughout the industry, and his accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. Crain’s Chicago Business included Athanasiou in its prestigious 40 Under 40 list in 2017, noting his strategic leadership and the company’s rapid growth during his tenure. 

Since joining Guaranteed Rate’s first New England branch office in 2009, Athanasiou has been a key asset in the company’s continued success, serving in several leadership roles. He moved to Chicago in 2011, where he led the growth of the direct division to nearly $2 billion nationally in 2013. He has been instrumental in continuing to grow the company over the past five years, overseeing a revenue increase from $182.6 million in 2011 to $777.7 million in 2016.

He was also invaluable in forming a partnership with Realogy Holdings Corporation to create a new joint venture, Guaranteed Rate Affinity. This joint venture originates and markets its mortgage lending services to Realogy’s real estate brokerage and relocation subsidiaries, as well as other real estate brokerage and relocation companies across the country.