At Peoples Mortgage Company, we believe that a strong workplace culture extends far beyond the office walls. One of the many reasons we are proud to be recognized by Best Companies AZ is their commitment to highlighting organizations that prioritize employee engagement, community involvement, and purpose-driven leadership.
Recently, Best Companies AZ published an article titled "15 Approaches to Employee Volunteerism and How They Impact Employee Engagement," featuring insights from leaders across various industries on how volunteerism strengthens workplace culture and employee satisfaction.
Ron Duranti, EVP of Peoples Mortgage Company and Executive Chairman of Lenders Lending a Hand Foundation, was invited to contribute his perspective. Ron's commitment to serving others has been a defining part of both his professional and personal journey.
Throughout his career, Ron has remained deeply involved in the mortgage industry, serving as a Future Leader, an active member of the Arizona Mortgage Lenders Association (AMLA), and a mortgage resource for azcentral.com. Beyond the industry, his passion for giving back has led him to serve on the Board of Directors for the Mesa Association of Sports for the Disabled (MASD) and the Hohokams, support fundraising efforts for Phoenix Children's Hospital Camp Rainbow, and volunteer with Special Olympics, where he was recognized as the 2010 Volunteer of the Year.
That lifelong commitment to community service is what made Ron's contribution to this Best Companies AZ article especially meaningful.
Ron Duranti's Spotlight
“At Peoples Mortgage Company, we’ve seen that employee volunteerism becomes far more meaningful when it extends beyond one company and turns into a collective industry effort. Mortgage professionals often work in highly competitive environments, but community service creates an opportunity to come together around a shared purpose that is bigger than business goals. Through our initiatives, lenders, real estate professionals, and industry partners volunteer side by side to support local families, housing programs, food drives, and community improvement projects.
What makes this approach different is the sense of unity it creates. Employees are not just representing their company, they are contributing to something larger across the entire lending community. That shift builds stronger engagement because people feel connected to a mission that has visible impact in the neighborhoods where they live and work.
We’ve also found that volunteerism strengthens workplace culture in unexpected ways. Teams return from events with stronger relationships, better communication, and renewed motivation because they’ve experienced firsthand how collaboration can create real change. Employees want to feel proud of where they work, and community involvement gives them tangible proof that their company values people as much as production.
The biggest lesson for us is simple, when organizations come together to serve others, engagement grows naturally because employees feel part of a purpose-driven culture that genuinely makes a difference. We take great pride in having this mindset in everything we do here at Peoples! “
We are grateful to Best Companies AZ for providing a platform to share stories like these and for continually recognizing organizations that invest in their people and communities. Community service has always been an important part of who we are at Peoples Mortgage, and Ron's spotlight reflects the values that guide our company every day.
Whether through Lenders Lending a Hand initiatives, local volunteer projects, charitable giving, or community partnerships, we remain committed to living out our philosophy of being All About The People.
