Guaranteed Rate Promotes Nikolaos Athanasiou to Ch

CHICAGO, Jan. 6, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Guaranteed Rate, the eighth largest retail mortgage lender in the nation and an industry technology leader, announced it promoted Nikolaos Athanasiou to chief operating officer from executive vice president.

"With Nikolaos leading our management team, I'm excited about our organizational enhancements as we continue to grow and transform our business," said Victor Ciardelli, president and CEO of Guaranteed Rate. "As we head into 2016, we're ready to solidify our position as America's premier mortgage lender and a leader in technology with our Digital Mortgage."

Athanasiou joined Guaranteed Rate's first New England branch office in 2009 and moved to Chicago in 2011, where he led the growth of Direct Division to nearly $2 Billion nationally in 2013. He has served in several leadership roles as a key asset in the company's continued success. As Chief Operating Officer, Athanasiou will work with the sales, underwriting and operations teams to enhance efficiency, optimize performance and deliver results.

More About Guaranteed Rate

Guaranteed Rate is the eighth largest retail mortgage lender in the United States. The company has become The Home Purchase Experts® by introducing the world's first Digital Mortgage and offering low rate, low fee mortgages through an easy-to-understand process and unparalleled customer service. Headquartered in Chicago with approximately 175 offices across the U.S. and licensed in all 50 states, Guaranteed Rate has helped hundreds of thousands of homeowners with approximately $80 billion in home purchase loans and refinances since 2000 and $10 billion in 2015 alone. Guaranteed Rate was ranked No. 1 in Scotsman Guide's Top Mortgage Lenders 2014 honors and was named one of Chicago's Top Workplaces by the Chicago Tribune in four of the past five years. In 2015, Guaranteed Rate won the Chicago's Coolest Company award by ChicagoInno and was recognized as one of Inc. 5000's Fastest Growing Companies in America. Visit guaranteedrate.com for more information.

A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=38349

Lynette Rowlands Grinter 773.435.7526