Visitors to Quicken Loans' home offices are greeted warmly and offered coffee from a free Starbucks machine, one of the many perks Gilbert provides for his high-energy staff.

The atmosphere in the lobby and reception area is laid-back and comfortable, a vibe that puts potential business partners, job applicants and prospective clients at ease.

Like his employees, Gilbert is dressed casually in an untucked shirt before he begins a three-hour tour of the company he founded in 1985 and closed $16 billion in residential mortgage loans in 2005.

"I feel a little like Willy Wonka giving these tours," said Gilbert, who has opened a Quicken Loans branch in Cleveland and is expanding to Phoenix. "Go ahead and lick the walls and your mortgage rate will drop."

Before showing off the facility, Gilbert gives a crash course on his business philosophies. He hands out a multicolored, 66-page booklet containing the company's 15 "ISMs," principles that serve as Quicken's foundation.

The first one: "Always raising our level of awareness."

With 5,000 employees (3,500 at Quicken, 1,500 with the Cavs), Gilbert has 10,000 eyes to help him see the big picture. Endless attention to detail has powered his business and led to Quicken being ranked in the Top 15 "Best Places to Work" by Fortune magazine for the past three years.

"We want things crystal clear," Gilbert explains. "Why blow it on the big thing?"

Gilbert disdains corporate America's elitism. He likes to keep things simple, open and welcoming, "a Silicone Valley plan with a Midwestern work ethic."

Unlike some CEOs whose offices might be on the top floor, Gilbert's is just inside the front door of Quicken Loans' main building, never to be called it's headquarters.

"We want to eliminate the typical corporate lingo," Gilbert said. "We don't have departments. We have teams and team leaders. Supervisor? To me, that almost sounds like slavery."

____

Gilbert proudly points out several workplace improvements. One of his favorites are the shredder bins that were virtually ignored until they were painted bright orange with teeth and topped with "Feed Me" signs.

"Great idea," Gilbert says.

Quicken Loans is paperless as every transaction is processed electronically in an office where a vast computer network handles 175,000 phone calls and 2.4 million internal e-mails each day.

Mazes of work cubicles are bordered by brightly painted walls and catchy signs hang from the ceilings. It all gives the place more the feel of a hip high school than some 9-to-5 corporate dungeon.

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Sales people, marketers and technicians hustle down hallways lined with inspirational quotes and letters from satisfied and disgruntled customers. There's even a framed poster of James.

Gilbert has a friendly word for all his employees, most who call him "Dan." Only once during the visit does anyone refer to him as "Mr. Gilbert."

Later, Gilbert jokes with members of "The Scoundrels," a team of young bankers, who celebrate closing deals by banging on a drum cymbal. This group is loaded with Pistons fans, and a few tease Gilbert about Detroit's 27-point win in Game 1.

"That was a practice game," says Gilbert, looking around for Detroit bobbleheads or pennants. "No one banned Pistons stuff in here did they?"

Gilbert's question is greeted by shaking heads, and a reply from one of his earnest employees.

"We could do that, Dan," he said.

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