Michigan State University alumnus and donor Mat Ishbia is the CEO and chairman of United Wholesale Mortgage, majority owner of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, and a member of the Spartans 2000 national champion basketball team.
Ishbia talks about what attracted him to MSU coming out of high school and about how his time at MSU impacted him. He talks about his special relationship with Tom Izzo and shares his thoughts on the changing landscape of college athletics. He shares his motivation for giving back generously to MSU and talks about UWM’s history and its evolving mission of positively impacting people’s lives.
Conversation Highlights:
(1:08) – MSU “has been a huge part of my success.”
(1:36) – “Coach Izzo is just a great guy all around. Besides being an amazing basketball coach, he’s a great person and leader and a caring individual.”
(2:25) – “The national championship was a big one that everyone will talk about, but that was more of an ending to a journey. Some of my favorite memories are just sitting around the locker room with the guys.”
(3:50) – “College athletics are changing like everything in your life changes. You have to evolve with the changes.”
(4:44) – “When someone helps you, whether it’s a university or a person, and you have a way to thank them and give back, you do.”
(5:40) – “I love basketball and I love business. And the NBA and WNBA ownership is really the merging of all the things I love together in one thing.”
(6:43) – “At UWM we’re the largest mortgage company in America. We’ve built it together with great people for over 20 years…I like being able to contribute and make an impact on people’s lives in a positive way…we’ve never laid anyone off in 35 years. My father believed in doing right by people.”
(9:18) – “I think the best thing for students is to find people who will help you. You don’t have to do it alone.”
(10:05) – “My biggest goals are to continue to help the brokers succeed. We’ve done great here at UWM. And we know that if the brokers succeed, it helps consumers. If consumers are helped, we feel really great about what we do every day.”
(10:59) – “Impact is the word. How do I impact as many people in the most positive way. No one’s going to remember how much money you had. No one’s going to remember how many mortgages you closed. People will remember how you impacted them.”
(11:41) – “Spartan Nation, we’re strong. We stay together in the good times and bad times. Stay strong together and stay positive.”
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