North American Title Insurance Co. (NATIC) named two new underwriting counsels. Michael Bates will serve as the new Southeast Region underwriting counsel, handling Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina. Mark Heacock will replace Ronald Maas, who announced his retirement, as underwriter for the Mid-Atlantic region.
Bates spent 18 years as an underwriting counsel, most recently for the southern region of a regional title insurer. He previously worked for another title insurance company for 10 years, holding several positions, including general counsel. In 1984, Bates founded a full-service, multi-underwriter title agency and settlement operation in Nashville, Tenn. and served as its president and chief operating officer until 2002.
“Mike brings a great deal of underwriting experience to NATIC,” said John Fries, NATIC executive vice president and chief underwriting counsel. “He has the commitment to service upon which NATIC prides itself and he understands the business and needs of the agents.”
Bates is a graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and has his Juris Doctorate from the University of Tennessee College of Law.
NATIC says goodbye
Ronald Mass announced he is retiring as North American Title Insurance Co.’s Mid Atlantic underwriting counsel. Mark Heacock will be taking his place.
North American Title adds executives
Mass has 36 years of legal experience, having previously served as state underwriting counsel with another major title insurance underwriter, as president of his own title agency, and formerly as an underwriter for a major mortgage corporation.
“Ron has been an integral member of our team and was a critical hire when we were first breaking into the independent agency market,” said Emilio Fernandez, NATIC president. “His well-grounded reputation and sound, yet practical, approach to underwriting resonated among our agents and became a key differentiator NATIC and others in the marketplace.”