Williston Financial Group (WFG) is entering 2026 with two data points few companies in real estate can claim: a 94 Net Promoter ScoreSM (NPS®) across WFG National Title’s Direct Operations and a 42.4 companywide Employee Experience Score, nearly double the financial services industry benchmark.
Taken together, WFG leaders say the results tell a single story: that a high-performance culture built on trust, empowerment, and access to leadership translates directly into better service for customers.
But beyond the numbers, WFG’s 2025 results also reflect something more personal: how employees actually experience working at the company.
“From day one, we believed that building a great company starts with trust, respect, and shared purpose,” said Patrick F. Stone, Chairman and Founder of Williston Financial Group. “These results show that as we grow, that foundation continues to strengthen, and that strength shows up both in how our people feel and how our customers experience WFG.”
Engagement gains that outpace the industry
WFG’s 2025 Employee Engagement Survey, conducted in fall 2025, achieved a 72% participation rate; a sign, leadership says, that employees trust the process and believe feedback leads to action.
More than 80% of employees were classified as engaged, compared to an industry benchmark of 66.4%, while disengagement continued to decline year over year. Standout engagement drivers included:
- Inclusion: 90% favorable
- Working environment: 88% favorable
- Employee empowerment: 84% favorable
- Culture: 82% favorable
The survey also revealed exceptionally high levels of pride and discretionary effort:
- 95% of employees reported pride in their work
- 93% actively help colleagues succeed
- 90% expressed strong commitment to WFG
- 89% said they regularly exceed expectations
“These indicators reflect ownership, not just engagement,” said Heather Krablin, Chief Human Resources Officer at Williston Financial Group. “When employees feel heard and valued, it directly strengthens performance, retention, and customer experience.”
Cristiana Thillman, Division President, Washington, WFG National Title Insurance Co., added a regional operations perspective.
“Processes matter, but people matter more. When our Washington teams feel supported, clear on expectations, and empowered to solve problems, our customers experience that as seamless, confident, and compassionate service.”
For Houston-based leader Gayle Brand, President of Texas Operations, those results mirror what she sees every day.
“Our Houston team is made up of incredibly dedicated professionals who care deeply about one another and about the customers we serve,” Brand said. “When employees feel supported, empowered, and valued, it shows up in how they serve clients every single day.”
Brand added that WFG’s discipline around measuring both employee experience and customer experience keeps the organization honest and focused.
“We measure how our people feel about working here, and we measure how our customers feel about working with us. That accountability keeps us continuously improving.”
A world-class 94 NPS, eight years in the making
On the customer side, WFG National Title closed 2025 with a collective NPS of 94 across all Direct Operations and an overall 4.9-star rating on a five-point scale. WFG has formally tracked NPS since 2017.
In a business environment where scores above 70 are considered “world-class,” WFG’s sustained 94 is unusually strong for any industry, let alone title and escrow.
“Customer experience is not a differentiator, it’s the foundation,” said Steve Ozonian, President and CEO of Williston Financial Group. “A 94 NPS reflects trust earned, relationships strengthened, and teams delivering at the highest level.”
Marta Drobyn, SVP, Director of Customer Experience, WFG National Title Insurance Co., framed what the score actually represents.
“Net Promoter Score is first and foremost a listening tool. The real value isn’t the number, it’s what we learn from it, how quickly we act, and how we use that feedback to make every interaction better for our customers and our teams.”
WFG leaders say that consistency across Direct Operations comes from alignment between people, process, and platforms, not isolated wins in individual offices.
Shaun Gonzales, EVP, Managing Director of Operations & National Builder President, WFG National Title Insurance Co., connected strategy to execution across markets.
“Our job is to create the conditions where great people can do their best work. When you pair strong operational discipline with genuine trust in your teams, you don’t just get good outcomes, you get consistently excellent outcomes for both our real estate professional clients and the consumers we jointly serve.”
What ‘engagement’ looks like on the ground
Several employees describe WFG as fundamentally different from other large title companies, especially in terms of access to leadership and freedom to innovate.
Crystle Mulzet, WFG’s 2025 WOW Award recipient and a top-producing Arizona title professional, said the company changed how she thinks about growth.
“WFG told me that down markets are the best time to grow,” Mulzet said. “They asked how I was achieving, not why. Instead of trying to change what I was doing, they worked with me to understand and scale it.”
Noah Blanton, Division President, Oregon, WFG National Title Insurance C., broadened that view from the perspective of a Direct Operations market leader serving real estate professionals.
“In Oregon, we don’t treat our real estate professional clients as transactions, we treat them as long-term partners. When we invest in their success, equip them with the right tools, and back them with a responsive local team, it elevates the entire experience for everyone at the closing table.”
Mulzet’s business increased 40% year-over-year in 2025, a trajectory she credits to WFG’s support and flexibility.
“WFG saw, appreciated, and immediately empowered me to do what I do the way that I do it,” she said. “They celebrate my wins, listen to my concerns, and ask what I need to get to the next level.”
She is equally clear that her success is a team effort.
“None of this is possible without the most amazing team,” Mulzet said, singling out her escrow staff and longtime collaborator Morgan Kyra. “I can’t keep building this business if you guys aren’t keeping it in the door.”
In Texas, Brand echoed that sentiment, emphasizing WFG’s “flat” leadership structure as a differentiator.
“One of the biggest differences here is direct access to Pat and Steve,” Brand said. “There aren’t layers and layers of management. They’re in touch with the field, and that makes a real difference in how culture shows up day-to-day.”
The GOAT effect
WFG’s GOAT — Greatest of All Teams — initiative also played a role in reinforcing collaboration and shared purpose in 2025.
“GOAT is about building teams where people feel connected and proud of what they accomplish together,” Ozonian said. “The consistency of these results tells us that approach is working.”
Stone added that employee engagement and customer experience are inseparable.
“When our people are aligned and supported, customers feel it. That connection is measurable and central to how we think about CX at WFG.”
Looking ahead
As WFG enters 2026, leadership says the focus will remain on advancing its customer experience strategy, investing in its people, and using data from both employees and customers to guide decision-making.
For Mulzet, the path forward is clear.
“WFG wants me to be the best, not the biggest. And they tell me we are the best because of people like me, not because of the brand.”
About WFG National Title Insurance Co.
WFG National Title Insurance Co. (WFG), a Williston Financial Group company, is a national underwriter and leading provider of title insurance and real estate settlement services for commercial and residential transactions nationwide. Founded in 2010, WFG achieved its national footprint faster than any underwriter.
Built around the directive to “communicate, collaborate, coexist,” WFG strives to improve the real estate process through the creation and delivery of comprehensive, innovative services and technology solutions that empower and increase transaction transparency for the title agents, real estate professionals, lenders, and consumers it serves. The company enjoys a Financial Stability Rating of A’ (A prime), as assigned by Demotech, Inc. For more information, visit www.wfgtitle.com.