From: "Saved by Windows Internet Explorer 8"
Subject:
Date: Wed, 18 May 2011 10:24:28 -0400
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="Windows-1252"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Location: http://www.flta.org/publications/2002nov.html
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.1.7600.16776
Serving Over =
4500 Title=20
Professionals Throughout Florida
249 East Virginia Street, =
Tallahassee, FL=20
32301 - (850) 681-6422 FAX (850) 681-6271 - WATS (800) =
552-1065
www.flta.org-=20
John T. LaJoie, President - Lee Huszagh, Executive Secretary/Treasurer; =
e-mail -=20
leeh@flta.org
November =
2002=20
President's Report
by John T. LaJoie
I consider it a great honor to be appointed as the =
President of=20
the Florida Land Title Association. I look forward to a busy a =
productive year.=20
It is my goal to advance the "Florida Land Title Association Leads the =
Way"=20
theme of the November, 2002 Convention in Coral Springs. The Florida =
Land Title=20
Association must strengthen its foundations as the leader of our =
industry. Sam=20
Waddill, our past President, has done an excellent job of addressing =
issues that=20
have been presented to our industry, such as mortgage impairment and the =
sunset=20
of our statutory rate structure. Together with the fine efforts of Lee =
Huszagh,=20
our Executive Director, I am fortunate to be able to begin my term as =
President=20
of a strong and well-guided Florida Land Title Association.
In=20
furtherance of our theme, we enjoyed a stimulating presentation at the=20
Convention by Bob Law relating to our roles as leaders. We were also =
fortunate=20
to hear from Stanley B. Friedlander, the President of the American Land =
Title=20
Association, regarding current issues affecting our industry on a =
national=20
basis.
In my acceptance speech following the swearing in =
ceremony, I=20
pointed out that as business people we tend to direct the majority of =
our=20
efforts to the daily routines that generate income for our business. We =
invest=20
little time on business strategy and the preservation of our industry. =
Under=20
this scenario, it is evident that we need the Florida Land Title =
Association to=20
accomplish those goals for us. The Florida Land Title Association should =
chart=20
the course for our industry and implement strategies to effectuate our =
goals.=20
In that regard, a committee of past and future Presidents has =
been=20
established within the Florida Land Title Association to address =
long-range=20
goals with contiguity between Presidential terms. We have also =
undertaken a=20
restructuring effort to establish more formal guidelines relating to the =
responsibilities of the Executive Director, the Committees and the Board =
of=20
Directors. These efforts will enhance the efficiency of the Florida Land =
Title=20
Association.
As a body, we have recognized that the primary goal =
of the=20
Florida Land Title Association is to monitor and influence legislation =
and=20
regulation, where possible. A close secondary goal is to communicate =
within the=20
industry in order to make sure that all members of the Florida Land =
Association,=20
whether agent or underwriter, are aware of what is going on in our =
industry. It=20
is through these efforts that we will foster increased participation by =
the=20
members.
I think we should be proud of our efforts over the past =
ten=20
years. We successfully addressed rate regulation in the early 90's when =
we all=20
rallied at the Capital to state our position. While we did not win the =
Butler=20
litigation, we did put up a great fight and we gained the respect of =
those who=20
do not understand our industry and the services we provide for the =
premium we=20
are paid. We addressed an attack on our rate structure in 1999 and we =
were able=20
to obtain a three-year freeze on rates to allow the industry to adjust =
to a=20
changing environment. We addressed an attempt by the surveyors to =
dictate the=20
underwriting standards of our industry when they sought to introduce =
legislation=20
that would require surveys on all transactions in which survey coverage =
is=20
provided. We are also addressing the mortgage impairment issues and, to =
date,=20
have been successful in working with the Department of Insurance to =
prevent the=20
unlicenced issuance of title insurance products. In summary, the Florida =
Land=20
Title Association has been the moving force behind all of these efforts =
that=20
have benefitted our industry.
As we progress, the challenges to =
our=20
existence are becoming more serious. We are currently addressing issues =
relating=20
to kickbacks and the abuses that exist in this area. We are faced with =
an=20
upcoming rate study, which will require significant effort on our part =
to work=20
with the Department of Insurance and provide our input as an industry =
through=20
the FLTA.
We are also faced with the restructuring of the =
Florida=20
Department of Insurance. At present, the Department has not decided =
where title=20
insurance fits in and how agents and underwriters will be regulated. We =
need to=20
play a proactive role in that process. We are also faced with a =
challenge=20
relative to the Administrative Surcharge that agents and underwriters =
pay for=20
appointment. It has been brought to our attention that although we paid =
in=20
approximately $750,000 as an industry in the 2001-2002 year, the =
majority of=20
these funds have not been utilized for their legislatively created =
purpose of=20
regulating title insurance. We are also working with the Florida =
Department of=20
Insurance to establish a process for getting new forms and rates =
approved so=20
that Florida can provide the coverages that are provided in other states =
and add=20
value to the title insurance products.
In the legislative arena, =
we are=20
monitoring possible legislation related to public access to public =
records,=20
especially the Official Records. We are involved with the legislatively =
created=20
public access study committee that will recommend privacy legislation =
for=20
adoption in the 2003 legislative session. We must make sure that this=20
legislation does not restrict our ability to perform as an industry.=20
Additionally, from a national perspective, we need to support the =
American Land=20
Title Association in its efforts to address concerns relating to the =
recently=20
proposed RESPA regulations. We also need to be educated with respect to =
the=20
effects of the USA PATRIOT Act.
As if this were not enough, we =
are=20
forced with challenges based upon emerging technology. The Florida Land =
Title=20
Association needs to educate our membership with respect to new =
opportunities=20
that will arise through electronic commerce.
In order to meet =
these=20
objectives relating to technology, regulation and legislation, we need =
to build=20
strength as an Association. The strength should come from a unified =
voice within=20
the association amplified through our outside alliances. In that regard, =
we need=20
to build on our relationship with the Florida Home Builders Association, =
the=20
Florida Association of Realtors and the mortgage banking and mortgage =
brokerage=20
industries. We should also seek to strengthen our already fine =
relationship with=20
the Real Property Section of The Florida Bar. During the course of the =
coming=20
year, I will be calling upon many of you for assistance in these =
efforts.=20
With the challenges and goals as set forth above, it is apparent =
that=20
the Florida Land Title Association will need your participation. We =
should not=20
consider ourselves to be on the decline, but instead should see the =
Association=20
as a strong and growing Association that will take an active role in =
shaping=20
legislation and regulation in an effort to create a favorable =
environment for=20
our business. With these goals in place, we look forward to a busy and=20
successful year.
Convention Report
Our annual meeting =
this=20
year got off to a rousing start with highly energetic and entertaining =
speaker=20
Bob Law. The theme of Bob's message was, "wherever you are, be there", =
and he=20
made us all aware of being with him at that moment in time was =
important, timely=20
and exciting. The message was well received and the energy carried over =
to our=20
many meetings and events. This was one of the most focused annual =
conferences=20
our Association has had. Committee meeting attendance and participation =
was very=20
good.
The officers elected at this year's meeting are as =
follows:=20
President, John LaJoie, First American Title Insurance Company,=20
Tallahassee.
Zone II Vice President, Skipper Henderson, Levy Abstract =
and=20
Title Company, Bronson.
Zone IV Vice President, Mike Davis, Old =
Republic=20
National Title Insurance Company, Tampa.
Zone VI Vice President, =
Rhonda=20
Utecht, TICOR/Chicago Title Insurance Company, Deerfield Beach.
Zone =
VII Vice=20
President, Chris Wohlbrandt, Midwest Title Guarantee Company of Florida, =
Naples.
Chair of the Insurers' Section, Louis Guttmann, Attorneys' =
Title=20
Insurance Fund, Orlando.
Chair Past Presidents' Council Clay =
VanLandingham,=20
First American Title Insurance Company, Tallahassee.
These new =
officers=20
join our existing officers,
Zone I Vice President, Karen =
McClammy,=20
Citizens Title Group, Pensacola, Florida.
Zone III Vice President, =
Dana Ward,=20
Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation, (LandAmerica), Orlando.
Zone V =
Vice=20
President, Barry Scholnik, Stewart Title Guaranty Company, Boca =
Raton.
Chair=20
of the Agents' Section, Trish Matarazzo, Alliance Title of Brevard, =
LLC.,=20
Melbourne.
Chair CLT Institute Council, Carol Karlecke , First =
American Title=20
Insurance Company, Sunrise.
Immediate Past President, Sam Waddill, =
First=20
Title Services of Tallahassee, Tallahassee.
Scholarship=20
Recipient
Our Sam D. Mansfield Scholarship was awarded to Cynthia =
Bradford, an employee of First American Title Insurance Company in =
Winter Park.=20
Cynthia was able to attend our banquet and had her two children Brittany =
and=20
Bryan to accompany her.
Our Marjorie S. Schwartz recipient was =
Erica=20
Sapp who is Granddaughter of Vonzie Jenkins the Owner and Manager of =
Bonifay=20
Abstract and Title Company, a long time FLTA member, and daughter of =
Janice J.=20
Sapp also of Bonifay Abstract and Title.
It is nice to have a =
third=20
generation title person as the recipient of this scholarship. Marge =
would be=20
proud.
Scott Pierce, Senior Vice President and Southeast =
Regional=20
Manager for Old Republic National Title Insurance Company, announced =
that his=20
company is going to underwrite the establishment of a scholarship in the =
name of=20
John S. Thornton for a period of five years. This will allow the FLTA to =
award=20
three $1,000.00 scholarships next year.
Golf Tournament=20
Familiar faces graced the leader board at this years FLTA Golf =
Tournament.=20
Our version of Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson and Justin Leonard =
are Jim=20
Smith, Skipper Henderson, Dana Ward and Scott Jones. Second Place with a =
score=20
of 64 are David Zied, Howard Gaines, Don Benedetto and Scott Hayworth. =
Third=20
Place winners are Peter Bramm, Mike Davis, Rick Felberbaum and Scott =
Large.=20
Peter Bramm took home the trophey for the Longest Drive and Closest to =
Pin went=20
to Skipper Henderson.
Charles J. Birmingham Awarded Denham =
Trophy=20
The Raymond O. Denham award signifying outstanding service to the =
FLTA was=20
awarded to Charles J. "Chuck" Birmingham. Chuck has been a consistent =
supporter=20
and participant in the Florida Land Title Association through the years. =
His=20
innovative Claims Roundtable meeting is one of the most successful =
programs=20
hosted by the FLTA and has been responsible for many new memberships by =
firms=20
who want to participate in the Claims Roundtable Meeting. Chuck is Vice=20
President and State Counsel for Stewart Title Guaranty Company and works =
out of=20
the Tampa office.
Last year's award winner Norwood Gay kept the =
crowd in=20
suspense as he told the traditional humorous stories gleaned from =
Chuck's lovely=20
wife Claudia. We all join in congratulating our friend and tireless =
worker for=20
the betterment of our industry, Chuck Birmingham.
Top =
Membership=20
Recruiter Barry Scholnik
Barry Scholnik was responsible for =
attracting=20
the most new members for our Association this year. His Chairmanship of =
the=20
Claims Prevention, Avoidance and Education Committee was instrumental in =
attracting new firms to our membership. In addition to all his good work =
on the=20
Claims Roundtable he also lead the first Claims Seminar for our =
convention this=20
year. This was a fast paced two hour presentation of interesting claims =
handled=20
by FLTA claims attorneys. The speakers were, Alexis Rotkowitz, First =
American=20
Title Insurance Company, Floyd Krause, North American Title Insurance=20
Corporation, Barry Scholnik, Stewart Title Guaranty Company, Peggy =
Williams,=20
Attorneys' Title Insurance Fund, and Jim Parton, LandAmerica. It is =
anticipated=20
that a similar program will be presented at our annual convention in=20
Jacksonville.
Wally Senter Honored
Wally Senter was =
honored=20
at our Installation and Awards banquet for his many years of service to =
the=20
people of the State of Florida in his role as Title Insurance =
Coordinator with=20
the Florida Department of Insurance. Wally and his wife Caroline were in =
attendance at the entire convention and had an opportunity to visit with =
their=20
many friends in the FLTA.
2002 New Members =
Barbara=20
Sanders, P.A.
Apalachicola, FL
Camner, Lipsitz & Poller,=20
P.A.
Coral Gables
Sutton Land Title Agency of Florida
Palm =
Beach=20
Gardens
Roetzel & Andress
Naples, FL
T.A. =
Borowski, Jr.=20
P.A.
Pensacola, FL
Divine & Estes, P.A.
Orlando, FL=20
Williams, Smith & Summers, P.A.
Tavares, =
FL
Williams,=20
Gautier, Gwynn & DeLoach, P.A.
Tallahassee, FL
Potter, =
Clement,=20
Lowry & Duncan
Mt. Dora, FL
Winderweedle, Haines, Ward =
&=20
Woodman, P.A.
Orlando, FL
Alpha Title Company
Delray =
Beach,=20
FL
Mobile Home Title Service
Orange Park, FL
Scruggs =
&=20
Carmichael, P.A.
Gainesville, FL
Burke and Koogler, =
LLC
Largo, FL=20
Fidelity First Title Corp
Clearwater, FL
Title =
Clearing=20
House
Jacksonville, FL
Title Service Depot, Inc.
Miami, FL =
Able Title Company
Venice, FL
East Coast Title =
Company of=20
Florida
Hollywood, FL
Palm Beach Land Title =
Corporation
Palm Beach,=20
FL
Integrity First Title, LLC
Riverview, FL
First =
Title of=20
Southwest Florida, Inc.
Bonita Springs, FL
Karla S. Gray,=20
P.A.
Bartow, FL
All Real Estate Title Services, =
Inc.
Tampa,=20
FL
Comerica
Boca Raton, FL
Okee-Tantie Title =
Co
Okeechobee,=20
FL
Title Solutions, Inc.
Manatee, FL
Island Title=20
Agency
Vero Beach, FL
Tranco Title, Inc.
Orlando, =
FL
Gulf=20
Coast Title Closings & Escrow Services, Inc.
Palm Harbor,=20
FL
Bonnie A. Chene, Esq.
Macomb, MI
New CLS/CLC=20
Designees
CLS Designees:
Cindy M. Gala, Southern =
Title=20
Information Services
Diane R. Keller, First American Title Insurance=20
Company
Chester V. Polk, Jr., First American Title Insurance=20
Company
CLC Designees:
Christina E. Brown, First =
American=20
Title Insurance Company
Stefanie Lollis, First American Title =
Insurance=20
Company
Betty M. Dobbie, North American Title Insurance =
Company
Lawana M.=20
Brown, Community Land Title Corp.
Check out the Web Page =
Our=20
Web Page, http://www.flta.org/. Is =
getting a=20
great deal of attention according to the statistics on number of hits =
and length=20
of stay. Won't you give it a view? For those of you who would like to =
have a=20
link to your web site, contact our web master Steve Shafer at http://www.jssinc.com/.=20
Governmental Affairs Well Attended
The Governmental =
Affairs=20
and Judiciary Committee meeting was filled to capacity as members were =
eager to=20
hear all about the proposed RESPA revisions. Chairman Norwood Gay led =
the=20
discussion on how the proposals are currently configured and the =
problems=20
created thereby. ALTA President Stanley Friedlander gave the ALTA =
response to=20
the proposals which can be viewed on the ALTA website at http://www.alta.org/. Also in =
attendance was our=20
new title insurance contact person with the Florida Department of =
Insurance=20
Barbara Owens. Barbara was able to attend several differenct committee =
meetings=20
and aquaint herself with many of the FLTA members.
In Memory =
of=20
Robert L. Niehoff
Robert L. Niehoff, 71 died at Community =
Hospice of=20
Northeast Florida in Jacksonville, FL. On August 21, 2002. He previously =
resided=20
in Oldsmar, FL.
He was born in Caryle, Ill. and attended St. =
Mary's high=20
school and the University of Notre Dame. He served in the United States =
Army=20
during the Korean War. He retired in 1993 from Chicago Title Insurance =
Company=20
as it's Vice President and Western Agency Manager, Pasadena, =
CA.
He is a=20
Past Grand Knight, Barney Gonyea Council 7109 of the Knights of Columbus =
and=20
also a charter member of Espiritu Santo Assembly, Safety Harbor, FL. He =
is a=20
Past Secretary of the Oldsmar/East Lake Rotary Club and Past President =
of the=20
Florida Land Title Association.
He is survived by his wife Louise =
of=20
Jacksonville, FL., son Curt Niehoff of Oldsmar, FL., daughter Marcia =
Messer and=20
son-in-law Leonard of Modesto, CA. Daughter Lori Lathrop of Orlando, =
FL., and=20
son John Lathrop and daughter-in-law Kathy. Seven Grand Children and two =
Great=20
Grand Children. Sisters Jean Brenner of Alburguerque, NM., Jacquline =
Bruemmer of=20
Richland, WA., and Jan Carle of St. Louis, MO.
Future =
Newletters will=20
be received via E-mail:
This will be the last newsletter =
received in=20
this format. All future newsletters will be e-mailed and be posted =
directly to=20
the website. If you would like a hard copy of the newsletters you can =
down load=20
them off of the website. We are doing this in hopes of reducing costs =
and=20
postage. If you have any concerns whether or not you are on our email =
list,=20
please contact Jenni at 800-552-1065 or email jennig@att.net. All Headline news =
will be=20
posted under the news portion of our website.=20
******************************
Florida Land Title =
Association=20
Basic Title Insurance Handbook
ORDER FORM
A =
desk=20
reference covering all aspects of Title Insurance
Includes =
revisions of=20
Rule 4-186 and 4-228
| FLTA Members |
$50.00 |
| Tax |
3.50 |
| Shipping |
4.00 |
| TOTAL |
$57.50 |
| |
|
| Non-members |
$75.00 |
| Tax |
5.25 |
| Shipping |
4.00 |
| TOTAL |
$84.25 |
__________Copies=20
@___________each
Total Enclosed____________________________=20
Name___________________________________=20
Company________________________________=20
Address_________________________________=20
City/State/Zip_____________________________=20
******************************