A commercial house before it ever wrote a home loan
The founder
AAA Mortgages begins with John Macalyk, who left a state manager's role in asset finance in the early 1980s to broke deals on his own. He built one of the industry's first client databases, built from thousands of business cards and sent 100,000 personalised letters a year. In 1980 he was among the twenty people who founded the association that became the MFAA, as its fifth member. In 1988, he established AAA in Sydney.
Commercial first
For its first two decades AAA Mortgages was a commercial and asset finance house. John resisted writing home loans for twenty-one years, not out of principle but because the commercial work kept growing.
Residential lending arrived after the global financial crisis, added to a business that already thought in structures, entities and credit strategy. Along the way John trained and mentored many of the brokers who went on to become prominent names in the industry.
​The second generation
Melissa Ashcroft came to the business in 2002, originally working as the office manager and book keeper while studying. She learned the commercial craft that built the firm, and now leads it as Managing Director, with John still active in the business.
Under her, AAA advises across the full spectrum: residential and high-net-worth lending, commercial property, construction and development, commercial SMSF and mid-market business funding.
Different decades, different markets, same idea. Advice first, and the whole picture always.
Milestones
1980
John Macalyk is among the twenty founders of the association that becomes the MFAA, its fifth member. He establishes one of the industry's first client databases, built from thousands of business cards and 100,000 personalised letters a year
1988
AAA Mortgages established in Sydney as a commercial and asset finance brokerage
2002
Melissa Ashcroft joins the business
2009
Residential lending added after the GFC
2021
Melissa named in MPA's Top 10 Commercial Brokers, the only woman on the list
2022
Melissa named Commercial Broker of the Year, Women in Finance Awards
2023
John awarded MFAA Life Membership
2023
Melissa becomes Managing Director
2025
Melissa elected Non-Executive Director of the MFAA (the only finance broker on the board) and appointed to the board of ASX-listed Desane Holdings; named Commercial Finance Broker of the Year, Women in Finance Awards
​See more of our accreditations, awards and media appearances here.
What we stand for
Advisory over transactional.
The advice comes before the application, and the client's position comes before the deal.
Complexity welcomed.
The scenarios other brokers refer away are the ones we were built for.
Long-term relationships.
Clients measured in decades, partnerships that outlast any single loan.
Meet the AAA team
Every enquiry is handled by a senior team. When you work with AAA Mortgages, you deal directly with the people structuring your loan, from first conversation to settlement and beyond.
John Macalyk
Founder
​
John founded the business in 1988 and has spent his career helping clients navigate complex lending. His guiding phrase, experts in credit advice, still defines how the business works today.
Zoi Mina
Credit & Structuring Manager
Zoi works with clients across residential lending, from first purchase through to refinancing and portfolio growth, and is known for keeping clients informed at every stage of the process.
Melissa Ashcroft
Managing Director
​Credit Rep #499684
An award-winning commercial broker and MFAA Non-Executive Director, Melissa leads the business with nearly four decades of family expertise in complex lending behind her.
Kate Willoughby
Client Services + Marketing
Kate keeps client communications and AAA's content moving, from enquiries through to the marketing and podcast production that tells the AAA story, keeping the brand visible between conversations.​
Monique Henderson
Senior Mortgage Broker
Credit Rep #575129
Monique is an accredited mortgage broker who works with clients across residential and asset finance. She's known for clear communication and delivering the same level of care regardless of the size or type of loan.