About Our Firm

Buying your home is one of the biggest financial deals you’ll ever make. Our clients trust us to help them through this process – they not only consider us a highly-respected lender, but a trusted mortgage planner as well. As experts in every aspect of home financing, we are proud to have been rated the No. 1 mortgage lender in the Best of Yelp survey in 2009 and 2010.

About the Principal

Andrew Soss
As founder and Branch Director of Stewart & Soss Mortgage, Andrew provides operational direction and a market expertise to the company. Andrew has a varied background in real estate finance with extensive experience in both retail and wholesale residential mortgage origination.

After graduating from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2002 with a degree in Statistical Economics, Andrew accepted a position as AVP in charge of the wholesale lending division at United Labor Bank in Oakland. Andrew was responsible for managing workflow, product offerings, underwriting, secondary market transactions as well as reporting departmental revenue to Senior Management / Board of Directors.

In 2006, Andrew founded Stewart & Soss Mortgage, one of the premier locally owned mortgage companies in the Bay Area. In 2009, Stewart & Soss Mortgage was recognized as the highest rated financial services companies by reviewers at Yelp.com (Best of Yelp, Summer '09 and again in Spring '10). In 2010, Stewart & Soss Mortgage became a division of Pinnacle Capital Mortgage, a full service direct lender mortgage banking operation specializing in providing residential financing solutions to clients.

In 2009, Andrew was elected to Board of Directors of the Silicon Valley Chapter of the California Association of Mortgage Professionals (CAMP). In 2011/2012, Andrew will serve as its President. He also serves on the statewide Government Affairs committee with the organization and is actively involved with the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB). He has travelled to Washington DC on behalf of NAMB to discuss housing finance related issues with members of HUD, the Federal Reserve as well as members of Congress.In November of 2010, Andrew was selected as one of the 40 most influential mortgage professionals under the age of 40 by National Mortgage Professional Magazine.

Meet Our Team

Chad Geyer
Chad heads the Marin branch of Stewart & Soss Mortgage. With nearly a decade working in commercial and residential real estate finance, Chad possesses an extensive knowledge of retail and wholesale lending, secondary market transactions and underwriting guidelines. After graduating from University of California San Diego with a degree in Economics, Chad served as residential account executive for Greenpoint Mortgage. Following several successful years he was promoted to Area Manager responsible for Bay Area commercial loan production. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Acquisitions for a real estate investment bank purchasing portfolios of commercial and residential loans for both investment and resale. His knowledge combined with a commitment to providing exceptional service and dedication to the "Client First-Company Second" culture at Stewart & Soss Mortgage allows Chad to address his clients' most complex needs and ensures their complete satisfaction.

Karla Kastell
Karla Kastell serves as Client Relations Manager for Stewart & Soss Mortgage. In her role, she is responsible for analyzing client purchase and refinance scenarios, maintaining contact with potential clients from first contact to loan closing, and developing and maintaining client relations systems via database utilization and reporting.

Prior to joining Stewart & Soss Mortgage, Karla was a top performer in the hospitality industry servicing the Sports and Entertainment clientele for a high end boutique hotel in Santana Row. Her experience provides her a unique perspective on customer service, follow up, and communication with S&S Clients.Karla holds a degree in Psychology from University of the Pacific is a licensed mortgage loan originator MLO#328051.

Nick Niemeyer
Nick is a Sr. Mortgage Advisor and one of the most experienced agents at Stewart & Soss Mortgage. He has been in the mortgage industry since 2001 and has worked in portfolio retention at World Savings, as a Loan Officer for Countrywide Financial, and most recently as a Sr. Mortgage Planner for CTX Mortgage Company, a division of Centex in the greater Sacramento area.

At CTX, Nick helped finance new home purchases for nearly 600 clients over a 5 year span. He is very familiar with the ins and outs of a purchase transaction including cost estimates, timing, communication and the importance of accuracy. With a degree in Finance from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Nick keeps his finger on the pulse of the mortgage backed security market and has the uncanny ability to know when to lock vs. float a loan. He can easily explain and break down complex mortgage terms so that the client knows exactly what is happening and why at all times.

In his free time, Nick loves to play golf, visit with family, and enjoy all the outdoor activities that Northern CA has to offer.

Nikki Duong
Nikki Duong leads the transaction processing department for the company. In her role, Nikki is responsible for coordinating with all parties to the transaction including clients, vendors, mortgage advisors, underwriters, funders as well as appraisers, title/escrow staff and insurance agents to make sure that the file is properly moving through the system. She is in charge of implementing systems to expedite and improve upon the process all in the name of creating a seamless and easy experience for clients. She has been in the mortgage industry since 2005 and has processed thousands of transactions.

Natalie Fairman
Natalie Fairman serves as Office Manager for our company. She is a seasoned administrative professional recognized for her dynamic communication skills and her keen ability to provide support on a diverse range of projects and organizational initiatives.

Prior to joining Stewart & Soss, Natalie worked in both administrative and marketing roles for organizations dedicated to military families and veterans, including the Wounded Warrior Project and Operation Homefront. In her free time, she enjoys day trips to new places, reading, trying new restaurants, and most importantly, spending time with her family. Natalie has a Bachelors of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from California State University, San Marcos.

Baxter T. Soss
Do you have a Bone to Pick?? Then contact Baxter, the head of our Customer Complaint Department. Baxter joined Stewart & Soss Mortgage in 2006 with 56 dog years of experince in such positions as pack leader, ball chaser, Chief Barking Officer (CBO), and Sr. Snuggle Consultant. Originally from Walnut Creek, Baxter holds an undergraduate degree in Human Relations from UC Barkley. He works from 8-10am, then naps from 10am-6pm M-F.

In his free time, Baxter enjoys chasing cats, taking long walks on the beach, and table tennis.