UHEAA Loan Servicing Operations Being Expanded to Include In-Repayment Loans

    The Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority (UHEAA) is pleased to announce the expansion of its loan servicing operations to include in-repayment servicing.  This expansion, which will be implemented gradually, will allow UHEAA to service in-repayment loans and to offer true one-stop services for loans within the portfolio, making it easier for borrowers, schools, and lenders to obtain local support and assistance during the entire life of a loan.

    The new in-repayment servicing capability will be implemented in the first quarter of 2003, starting with new borrowers entering repayment, who have no prior outstanding loans.  In order to avoid disruption or confusion, current in-repayment borrowers will continue to have their loans serviced by Nelnet.

    To provide leadership for the expanded loan servicing operations, UHEAA has appointed Michael Nemelka as Associate Executive Director for Loan Program Operations and Jon Hazelgren as Manager of Portfolio Servicing.  A graduate of the University of Utah, Michael spent more than 20 years in loan servicing and collections.  Michael co-founded a loan servicing business, which was later sold to FINOVA Capital Corporation.  Michael remained with FINOVA and served as the senior executive of the Salt Lake-based Loan Administration Division, which had $2 billion in assets and 160 employees.  Michael brings directly applicable loan servicing experience and leadership to this new position at UHEAA.

    Jon comes to UHEAA from Westminster College in Salt Lake City where he was the Associate Director of Financial Aid.  He has also worked in financial aid at Salt Lake Community College, Brigham Young University and San Juan College in Farmington, New Mexico.  Jon earned an undergraduate degree in communications and advertising from Brigham Young University and a Masters in Business Administration from Westminster College with an emphasis in Information Resource Management.  Jon brings more than ten years of financial aid experience to his new position along with a unique blend of technical and customer service skills.

    Intensive planning and implementation efforts for the portfolio servicing operation are currently underway.  Additional information will be provided in a subsequent Bulletin.  If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the UHEAA Policy and Training Department at 801.321.7166 or by e-mail to mjohnson@utahsbr.edu.