The Ameriquest Mortgage Company was one of the leading lenders in the United States lending scene. Founded in 1979 in California as a bank then called Long Beach Savings and Loan, it was converted to become a mortgage lender in 1994 and was renamed Long Beach Mortgage Co. The business had two divisions with its retail part being privately run and called Ameriquest Capital. Its wholesale part was publicly traded and was called Long Beach Mortgage.