There’s nothing like the sun and sand and beach to entice Editorial Director Chris Freeman to attend the Florida Land Title Association’s (FLTA) annual convention in Delray Beach, Fla., on behalf of The Title Report and the October Research, LLC family of publications. Nearly 300 attendees from throughout the state were in attendance for the three-day conference, which saw the installation of new president Arnold (Skip) Straus, as well as the approval of the 2015-16 board of directors.
The FLTA presented the Raymond O. Denham to Beverly McReynolds, the president of North American Title Co. The award is presented annually to an FLTA member who has rendered the highest degree of service and support to the organization. McReynolds most recently served as the past presidents’ council chairwoman for the FLTA and was on the board of directors.
Attendees had plenty of chances to learn from speakers throughout the event, including First American Title Executive Vice President John Hollenbeck, who is now the American Land Title Association president, presenters from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, JPMorgan Chase Bank, state Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, and regulators from the Office of Insurance Regulation and the Department of Financial Services.
The event also included an underwriters panel, a presentation on the FR-BAR Contract, discussions of how same-sex marriage can affect title, as well as real property, probate and trust law. Attendees also got an update on lobbying efforts at the state level from FLTA Agent Section Lobbyist David Daniel, and a view on the pros and cons of deciding to sell a business from attorney James Cassel.
Broad topics in the discussion over the three days included the first impressions of mortgage lending under the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rule, third-party vendor management, and compliance concerns today and in the future. Of special concern to Florida agents were discussions on estoppel concerns and the status of an FLTA-sponsored state bill that passed the state Senate last year but did not come to a vote in the state House. The recent data call and its status, along with the state of a proposed rule on unlawful inducements, also was of high interest.
The Title Report will look into topics such as these in the coming weeks. For the most updated information from our conference coverage year round, be sure to follow us on Twitter @TheTitleReport. There you’ll find daily updates from sessions and the exhibitor floor, as well as social and networking events.