When the opportunity arose for JP Kelly to launch OpenClose with his long-time friend, Jason Regalbuto, it was a no-brainer. JP had spent the previous 12 years working for a mortgage lender, and before that he sold homes for some of the country’s biggest homebuilders. His career was rooted in mortgages and relationship building – two key elements he knew would be crucial for a successful mortgage technology provider. And he knew first-hand what lenders were missing, the technology, customer service and relationships that would help them open smarter and close faster.
Now, 22-plus years later,
it seems his instinct was right. As President of OpenClose, JP is helping the company pioneer solutions that are propelling mortgage lenders forward. Jason focuses on the tech aspect of the business, while JP heads operations and manages customer relationships – a natural fit for the charming man from Kentucky.
JP grew up in Louisville (“lew-UH-vul” – say it right or no mint juleps for you at Derby!) in a community he recalls as family-oriented and deeply rooted in Southern hospitality. He left home for Rollins College, where he took Political Science courses when he wasn’t active in the Florida sunshine or riding around in his Mustang 5.0 with the ragtop down so his hair could blow. At Rollins, JP made life-long friends, some of whom work with him at OpenClose today.
When he’s not at his desk or on the phone or on work trips –
which is a significant portion of his waking hours – JP can be found outside. An avid tennis player, boater, hiker, fisherman and skier, JP is most in his element when he’s in the elements, preferably in his beloved Telluride, Colorado, where he has been visiting since he was a kid, enjoying the great outdoors with his wife of 20-plus years, Stephanie.
Now, he takes his own kids to Telluride, enjoying the outdoors with his two daughters, one about to graduate from high school, the other, who just graduated from grad school. Raising them, he says, is his biggest accomplishment. (No offense to the team at OpenClose!) When they’re too busy to hang with the parental units, you’ll find JP with his German Shepherd, Maverick – who even has his own Insta page – by his side. Ollie, JP’s ancient, beloved puggle, tends to pass on the adventuring these days.
Whenever he can, JP employs his Southern hospitality and shares his passion for hiking and fishing with his team. He has organized groups to fish in Telluride’s cool-water streams, to take on the slopes or to head out on the open ocean for large-game fishing. For JP, downtime is important and he recharges when he is outdoors – something he also encourages his team to do.
When he is not enjoying the outdoors,
JP loves rooting for the Dallas Cowboys (they have the largest fan base of any football team in the league, didn’t you know? JP knows they have haters…including this weatherman’s recent forecast). and the Louisville Cardinals, a holdover from his Kentucky childhood. Maybe this is where his puggle Ollie gets to cuddle with JP, during Sunday football games or Saturday basketball games on the couch because JP made it clear that Maverick leads the outdoor adventures and Ollie handles the couch assignments!