North American Title Co. is launching a new national commercial division and appointed industry veteran John Shafer to run it. He has more than 35 years of experience working for several major, national title underwriters in operations management and business development on a national and regional scope.
“With the opening of our Manhattan National Commercial office and the addition of a well-regarded industry veteran like John Shafter to our National Commercial team, we continue to achieve our goal of expanding our presence into the national commercial space,” said Tom Fischer, president, North American Title Group. “John will help coordinate and execute our national commercial strategy and leverage the services of our many commercial title teams across the country for the benefit of our local, regional and national commercial title customers.”
While serving as vice president, regional manager for Chicago Title Insurance Co. in its Northeast region, Shafer reengineered the New York commercial operation covering New York and Connecticut. Most recently, he handled business development in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania for a title agency, and worked as senior vice president of East Coast business development for Commerce Title of America. He holds an MBA from the Rollins College Crummer Graduate School of Business in Winter Park, Fla., and a bachelor’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, New Jersey.
“I look forward to working with all of our commercial title teams and expanding North American Title’s national footprint to serve all our local, regional and national customers,” Shafer said.
North American Title opens new offices, focuses on commercial
In other North American news Valerie Grandin was named executive vice president, chief underwriting counsel for North American Title Insurance Co. (NATIC). She brings more than 20 years of commercial real estate experience to her position, including commercial acquisition, conveyance, financing and development, as well as title insurance underwriting.
NATIC President Emilio Fernandez said, “Valerie’s broad-based expertise in commercial title and real estate, in addition to her experience in helping to grow a commercial unit, makes her a valuable addition to our staff. Her strength in commercial transactions will allow us to take on even more complex and challenging transactions, as we seek to grow that segment of our business.”
Grandin was senior underwriting counsel at Attorney’s Title Fund Services LLC’s home office in Orlando, Fla., where she provided underwriting assistance to commercial law firms, foreclosure practices and residential title agents. From 1999 to 2007, she handled all phases of commercial and residential real estate for Graham, Builder, Jones, Pratt & Marks LLP in its Winter Park, Fla. office.
“I am honored to be part of the highly respected team at NATIC,” Grandin said. “NATIC’s expansion across the country as well as the strength of their organic growth over the past few years is impressive. I am inspired and energized by their plans to strengthen and grow their commercial offerings and look forward to being an integral part of the process.”
In the Miami office will be Rich Griffin serving as the new Southwest region agency manager. He is responsible for the states of Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. He has experience in lending, title agency and title underwriting and owned his own title company in Phoenix for 10 years prior to its sale in March.
“Rich has an impressive background in the real estate industry, ranging from the retail/consumer starting point through to the issuance of the title policy,” said Geoffrey Ginn, senior vice president, NATIC independent agency division manager. “He is also widely known for his substantive educational offerings. Rich later parlayed that expertise into a full suite of educational offerings, targeted to title agencies and their customers. I believe the agents we seek in the Southwest region will value Rich as industry expert with a lot of offer, and I believe the agents will enjoy working with Rich and his dynamic personality.”
He has served as a featured panelist for the National Settlement Service Summit (NS3), as well as speaking at several local expos, including serving as keynote. He is also a certified instructor for the Arizona Department of Real Estate, Arizona Multiple Listing Service and Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS).
“The Southwest is an incredible market that provides both challenges and opportunities for independent agents,” Griffin said. “The talent we have with NATIC’s underwriting counsel – and their ability to find a ‘yes’ in an ocean of ‘no’s’ – combined with my experience as an independent agency owner, points to our ability to provide a business-enhancing environment for our NATIC agents.”
The company’s title agency, North American Title Co., elevated Tony Behrens to senior vice president and regional sales manager for the company’s Southern California operation.
NATIC to expand to all 50 states by 2017
“I am excited to inject new energy into the Southern California region through the promotion of Tony Behrens,” said Dia Demmon, regional president for California and Northern Nevada. “Tony is an exceptionally dynamic, highly accomplished sales leader with a unique approach to coaching and developing talent. I have every confidence he will deliver solid results and look forward to growth in our key markets under his direction.”
Behrens has been with North American Title for 18 years and is a member of its Lifetime Achievement Club. He previously served as sales manager for the Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara divisions and will now oversee all Southern California sales, including taking over as acting sales manager for Orange and San Diego Counties.
In Texas, North American Title announced new managers for the Houston and Austin divisions. The Austin division manager, Kristy Santelia, has returned to Houston to manage the Houston division. The North Austin branch manager, Margaret Liebes, was promoted to manage the Austin division.
“After serving as our Austin division manager for three years, Kristy and her family have decided to move back to Houston, where she previously had a term as manager for our highly successful Greenspoint branch, “said Bill Moize, Texas regional president of North American Title Co. “We are pleased to place the active and growing Houston division in her capable hands.
“Margaret has been with North American Title for 30 years and has managed one of the most successful and profitable offices in the Texas region,” Moize continued. “She will continue to work out of the North Austin branch as she assumes the role of Austin division manager.”
Chad Nichols will lead a new national sales operation as director and continue in his role as regional sales manager for Northern California.
“I am extremely pleased that Chad has agreed to take on this new national sales role with North American Title,” said Tom Fischer, president of North American Title Group, the NAT parent company. “Chad is an experienced and extremely competent sales leader, and has distinguished himself over the last few years through his leadership of our Northern California sales team.
“As national sales director, Chad will work with our senior team to share best practices across our platform, develop our national sales strategy and provide the sales perspective directly to our leadership team,” Fischer continued. “Our goal is to assure we are always attuned to the needs of our customers —not only their needs today, but to anticipate their requirements as the market evolves in the future. Having a direct conduit to our sales team who are out connecting with our customers hundreds of times a day, every day, will help us achieve that goal.”