Jay Bray on how Rocket plans to win brokers in a tough market

Rocket Mortgage president and CEO Jay Bray has spent his first year leading the company’s direct-to-consumer segment after taking the position in October 2025. Speaking on stage Tuesday at the Rocket Pro Experience (RPX) event in Detroit, Bray reflected on his more than 25 years leading Mr. Cooper Group and said he continues to define his career around “partner quality.” That focus helped drive Mr. Cooper’s decision to join Rocket, he said, citing the company’s brand, financial strength, technology, product investment and culture. Bray told brokers that financial resources and deeper partnerships will be key differentiators as the mortgage market navigates a downturn. He described the decision to combine Mr. Cooper’s servicing platform with Rocket’s technology and origination capabilities as “the biggest” call of his career. In a conversation with HousingWire, Bray discussed how he is leading Rocket Mortgage with a competitive edge and is betting big on Rocket Pro to connect with local markets. Editor’s note: This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. Sarah Wolak: A lot of what you and Austin Niemiec talked about on stage was the move to Rocket — and the move th...