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Sherry Boudoin

Sherry Boudoin - Community Home Lending Officer

Sherry Boudoin-Community Home Lending Officer photo

 

 

Sherry Boudoin’s favorite story to tell is one about a couple in their 70s who assumed it was too late for them to own a home – which would be a critical step in building generational wealth for their family. With Sherry’s coaching, the couple realized they could have bought the house they lived in several times over with the amount they’d paid in rent over more than 30 years. Sherry helped them get approved for First Merchants’ Next Horizon Mortgage, and tapped into her network to connect them with a realtor. They were able to find a home that was not only within their budget, but also in their current neighborhood. Sherry has stayed in touch with the couple, and said that, today, she almost feels like part of their family.

The Next Horizon Mortgage program, which supports the use of non-traditional methods of credit history documentation (rent and utility payments, for example) for qualification, is one way that First Merchants is working toward a future where affordable living and home ownership are possible for everyone. Across the communities the bank serves, experts like Sherry help clients in low- and moderate-income (LMI) geographies navigate the complexities of homebuying. The program is a big part of the reason Sherry joined First Merchants in 2018.

“After 25 years at different banks, I came to First Merchants because I was sold on the Next Horizon Mortgage—I believe it is the best product on the market, and it enables me to achieve my goal of helping as many people as possible become homeowners,” she said. “I am proud to play a part in serving all populations. We are a community bank, and helping people prosper is more a purpose than it is a job.”

A big part of Sherry’s role is getting to know and counseling clients like the couple in her story. As First Merchants intentionally places new banking centers in under-resourced neighborhoods, team members like Sherry have the opportunity to provide a lot of education – including financial wellness classes, credit counseling, homebuyers' education counseling, and more to help the community thrive. As Sherry likes to say, “There is always lots of work to be done and relationships to build.”

Relationships are key to her work, both here at First Merchants and in the community. She is a member of several organizations that are dedicated to making homeownership and financial planning more accessible to minority populations, including the Central Indiana Realtist Association, which recently honored Sherry with its 2021 Above & Beyond Award. Several of these organizations are working to help those in the Black community get a head start on building savings and strategies to help close the wealth gap. A lot of that starts with being able to purchase a home.

“Something I tell clients is that it’s never too late to start, and that our team is here to help,” Sherry said. “This role fits so well with my passion and my mission in life. Corporate social responsibility is not just something we do. It’s the heart of the bank and it’s good business.”

 


First Merchants Bank’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility compels us to invest in our communities by finding ways to reduce inequalities, improve the quality of our neighborhoods, and promote positive economic mobility though our five community pillars: Employee Empowerment; Community Investments and Charitable Giving; Financial Wellness; Community Home Lending; and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. This series features First Merchants teammates who embody the spirit and impact of the company’s Vision: “to enhance the financial wellness of the diverse communities we serve.”