Daniel Chookaszian is Vice President of Veteran Lending at American Street Mortgage Company. He received a Master of Divinity from Moody Graduate School in 2006 and is a nine-year volunteer chaplain to retired and disabled veterans in Skokie, IL. Many of the veterans for whom he volunteers will never have the opportunity to own a home because their service-related disabilities make that dream impossible. Their lives, however, provide the inspiration for the work he does with other veterans, those who can afford to buy but do not know how. In August of 2008, Daniel was featured in a Chicago Sun-Times article entitled Vets Have Great Mortgage Deal, written by financial advisor Terry Savage. This article cites Daniel as an expert and trusted resource in the Veterans Affairs (VA) loan market. Daniel also teaches other mortgage industry professionals about VA loans, and is a published author in Scotsman Guide, a nationwide lending publication. In the summer of 2008, Daniel was featured in Northeastern Illinois University’s Common Ground magazine publication as the Alumni in the Spotlight. He was also interviewed and filmed in a DVD designed to highlight the lives of alumni for a Moody Bible Institute fundraising event in January of 2009, which focused on the integration of his ministry and vocational work with veterans. “I know that thousands of U.S. veterans and their families have sacrificed much more than most of us will ever recognize. Because of this, I believe that many our country’s veterans live with an unfulfilled longing to be appreciated. I think the loan programs offered by the VA help erase those feelings. As more veterans return from our most-recent conflicts, this lending segment is sure to grow and to present increased opportunity.” “I look forward to continuing to serve this admirable slice of our population in my professional and personal life. In the Bible, the apostle Paul supported himself in ministry by making tents for a living. I guess I support my ministry, too — only instead of making tents, I help deserving borrowers afford homes.” Daniel is a member of the Glenview Evangelical Free Church where he serves on the worship team playing guitar and piano. He also volunteers as a mentor and leader in the high school youth group. |