Ben Newman is the Senior Commercial Real Estate Loan Officer at Orange County’s Credit Union. Having started his banking and finance career while still attending university and quickly becoming a licensed loan officer in 2004, Ben soon learned that he had the aptitude and passion to navigate the unique Southern California commercial real estate market. Fast forward two decades and Ben has completed over $1 billion in loan transactions, refined his keen insight into the nuances of commercial loan timing and structure, and become a trusted professional known to maximize client savings, convenience, and, ultimately, client satisfaction.

His clientele ranges from high-net-worth individuals and influential property owners/developers, to family teams and first-time investors. Arranging multifamily, industrial, retail, office, and self-storage loans, among others, has given Ben the perspective and experience to bring those he serves significant savings and investment profitability. Having experienced Ben’s signature service and personal touch, his clients return time and time again, with many having expanded their portfolios to include additional revenue sources such as construction financing, bridge loans, and permanent loans.

Ben is proud to be an Anteater, having attended his hometown University of California Irvine on an academic scholarship and graduating in 2007 with his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology, Law, and Society. When he is not delivering excellent service and value to his Credit Union clients, you can find Ben fishing with his son, watching an action film with his wife, or regularly volunteering at any number of financial literacy events for at-risk youth.

With over 20 years in the financial services sector, Armas has held a number of both commercial and consumer lending positions. Having been a Member of Orange County’s Credit Union since the age of 16, Armas had experienced firsthand the values and customer loyalty the Credit Union prides itself on delivering to its Members. When it came time to make a pivotal, career-defining move, Orange County’s Credit Union was a natural progression combining both his financial expertise and visionary spirit with the Credit Union’s Putting People Before Profits mission.

Armas holds both a graduate-level Certificate in Business Banking and a Leadership Certificate from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington.

Jon W. Hosea joins the Credit Union with an extensive background in real estate finance, having key experience in credit analysis, originations, loan workouts, mortgage loan participation/syndications, bulk loan sales, and management of geographically centralized and non-centralized groups. Throughout his lending career spanning over 40 years, Jon has demonstrated his unwavering ability to manage and resolve complex problems to bring clients to successful outcomes.

Hosea holds a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in Economics from California State University, Fullerton, where he also became a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, a national economics honor society. When he’s not at work, Hosea enjoys spending time with his wife of 49 years, his children, grandchildren, and extended family. He also has a strong affinity for playing USTA tennis and restoring “Modern Classic Cars” as an active member of local car clubs.