Family Owned and Operated

Seattle Financial Group’s history dates back to 1944 when Ben Smith Sr. started Seattle Mortgage Company to help veterans returning from World War II purchase their homes.

He built a strong local business and in 1955, he handed the thriving mortgage company over to his son, Ben Smith, Jr. and his son-in-law, Robert Story, Sr.

These two leaders established Seattle Mortgage Company as the city’s strongest mortgage company, and the company soon earned a reputation as the leading lender for first-time homebuyers.

Over the years, the company expanded into other areas of financial services, launching a savings bank, an escrow company, a reverse mortgage company and a capital investment firm. (The reverse mortgage business was sold to Bank of America in June 2007.)

The next generation of the Smith and Story families took over leadership of the much larger and more diversified company, now known as Seattle Financial Group, in 2006. Robert Story, Jr. is currently president, and David Smith is an executive vice president.

In October 2007, Seattle Financial Group redeemed all of the outstanding shares of stock that were previously owned by the Smith Family. At the time of the redemption, the Story Family interests became sole owners of Seattle Financial Group.

Seattle Financial Group executives are recognized for their national industry leadership. Robert Story, Jr. is vice chairman-elect of the Mortgage Bankers Association and has been an active member of the organization for more than 20 years.

The company has received numerous awards for civic involvement and industry leadership. In 2003, Seattle Financial Group received the Washington Family Business Award from the Puget Sound Business Journal and the Family Enterprise Institute at Pacific Luthern University.