Chicago Title National Commercial Services (NCS) California, a member of the Fidelity National Financial family of companies, launched its Chicago Title Hospitality Group. It will be led by hotel industry veteran Steven Senft as vice president, national sales.
“Chicago Title’s commitment to the hospitality sector is a game-changer,” Senft said in a release. “No other title company has a committed national platform that solely serves hospitality, and clients have a single point of contact, whether it is one property or a complex multi-state transaction.”
Senft’s hospitality experience spans over 24 years and includes hotel ownership, management and operations, financial analysis, sourcing equity, strategic planning and hotel acquisitions and dispositions. He has been involved in the sale, development, management, advisory and financing of more than $15 billion in hotel assets representing over 1,000 hotels.
“We are excited that Steven Senft will be heading Chicago Title’s new national hospitality group,” Chicago Title NCS California Vice President, National Sales Ryan Huntsman said. “Although Chicago Title has been very active in the hotel sector for two decades, we now have an experienced leader that thoroughly understands all the complexities of a hotel transaction from every perspective – a buyer and seller, operations, asset manager, lender, broker and more. He has sat in the client’s seat and speaks their language. We look forward to growing our national footprint in the hotel sector under Steven’s leadership.”
“I have known Ryan Huntsman for more than 15 years and, throughout my career, I have worked with Ryan and his Chicago Title team on over 100 transactions valued at more than $750 million,” Senft said. “I admire his work ethic and how he and his team are exceptionally client-focused. They really take care of their customers, which is why I knew this opportunity was a good fit for both of us.”
Senft began his career in the hospitality industry as a sales manager for Hyatt Hotels and then Hilton Hotels. Before joining Chicago Title, Senft served as vice president at Dividend Finance and as a vice president, senior sales executive with Ten-X Commercial, a technology platform for buying and selling commercial assets. Before joining Ten-X, Senft was a principal of CRU Real Estate Group, a real estate company with an emphasis on hotel ownership, commercial brokerage and investments.
“Hospitality is a very specialized asset class, and to have someone who has been there at the closing table as a past hotel owner and broker of transactions nationwide and knows the importance of title and escrow and what is needed to not only provide a successful transaction across the board, but for clients to be secure with the title insurance down the road, is unprecedented,” he said. “I am thrilled to be able to put my experience and relationships to work to help Chicago Title clients and grow its national hospitality group platform.”