ALTA ONE is next week, October 22-25th at the
Fairmont Hotel in Austin, Texas. It’s an important event bringing together
leaders in the title industry to swap new ideas and business practices in
educational sessions that really work.
As always, there’s a lot of content! ALTA ONE will cover a range
of hot topics, so which sessions are a must-attend?
We enlisted the help of Nathan Marinchick, Director of Research
and Educational Programming at Alliant National, to help identify the top 10
education sessions you may want to place on your ALTA ONE dance card next week.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
9:00 am – 10:00 am OMNI SESSION: THE POWER OF PURPOSE
ALTA’s
CEO, Diane Tomb, will share her vision for the coming year and what she sees as
the industry’s greatness opportunities and weaknesses. And Entrepreneur, author
and “ad man” Roy Spence will help ignite your “epiphany of purpose” during this
keynote — Have you found your purpose? What motivates you? What truly drives
your company? Discover and fulfill your purpose.
10:30 am – 11:30 am NOTABLE:
TEXAS TITLE AGENTS ARE ROCKING WITH RON
In 2018, Texas became the 3rd
state to permit remote online notarization. This session will provide a
first-hand perspective on implementing RON in your operation. As RON becomes
legal in your state you won’t want to miss this opportunity to learn from early
adopters.
1:00 pm – 1:30 pm ENGAGEMENT LAB: COMMERCIAL BUSINESS:
GETTING YOUR FEET WET WITHOUT SINKING THE BOAT
This lab is designed to demonstrate how your title and closing
skills and experience have given you a solid foundation to explore the world of
commercial real estate transactions with confidence.
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm NOTABLE: RESPA 411
This session will review the latest cases and enforcement
actions on RESPA, affiliated businesses, and marketing services agreements.
Come with your questions and discuss the latest trends in RESPA compliance. Experts
will address the future of the CFPB and enforcement actions.
3:30 pm – 4:00 pm ENGAGEMENT LAB: BUILDING A FLEXIBLE
WORKFORCE
Our industry is facing significant changes from a staffing standpoint. How do you face the challenges of finding new people when you have a retirement or just the everyday turnover? What does flexibility in your workforce look like and how can you successfully adapt your business to recruit and retain new staff through these changes? Join this lab to discuss these challenges and brainstorm solutions.
3:30 pm – 4:00 pm ENGAGEMENT LAB: CULTURE AUDIT WITH ALLIANT NATIONAL’S BOB GRUBB
Culture is central to the health of an organization. However,
it is often invisible to those in it, making it difficult to understand what
our culture is, and more importantly, what areas require improvement. This is
why a culture audit is a good idea. Join this lab to learn how this process
works and what to do with the results.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
8:45 am – 10:00 am OMNI SESSION: FROM THE DARK WEB TO WALLSTREET (SPONSORED BY INCENTER TECHNOLOGY)
Wire
Fraud keeps us up at night. Listen to two local law enforcement detectives
involved in a headline-making case in which money was stolen, then recovered,
through a wire fraud incident. Additionally, an Austin based Realtor will
discuss how unsuspecting clients can fall victim to wire fraud schemes. And Cybersecurity
is top-of-mind for all of us, whether we’re thinking about our professional or
personal lives. The director of cybersecurity for Morgan Stanley Wealth
Management and Investment Technology, Rachel Wilson, knows exactly the dangers
you face. Wilson will share her expertise on how best to protect your business
and avoid falling prey to scams and attacks.
10:30 am – 11:30 am NOTABLE: PROPOSED ALTA POLICY FORMS – WHAT’S COVERED, WHAT’S NOT?Title insurance is what we sell, so it’s imperative to know when coverages change. Hear from two ALTA Forms Committee experts about the proposed updates to the 2006 policies. You will be introduced to the new versions, know why changes were made, and what they mean for your business.
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm NOTABLE: THE
UNEXPECTED BENEFITS OF DIGITAL CLOSINGS
Often when we talk about digital closings,
we talk about what’s in it for the consumer or lender. But you should also
focus on the benefits that digital closing can bring to your operation. In this
session, learn how digital closing technology can change your workflow and
improve efficiency – while also providing the more convenient and prompt
closing your consumers and lenders want.
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm NOTABLE: 8 LEGIT WAYS TO MARKET YOUR CULTURE TO HUMANS UNDER 40
If you’re job searching and under the age of 40, you’re probably not going to get excited about a job that offers “competitive benefits” and a “standard work week” with “two weeks of paid vacation.” Sorry, title pros! The new wave of employees has different expectations and you do have to adapt and market your values differently. Take home 8 great ideas to attract talented employees for your business.
It is created through a language and customs, arts and practices that are shared by a particular work group. Culture is an identity, and it can attract or repel engagement with your organization.
All companies have a culture, whether it is one that develops
on its own or is deliberately nurtured. The questions is do you have the
culture you want?
Does your culture revolve around how your people respect
each other and your customers? Does your culture foster the experience you want
your customers to have? Is it time to be more deliberate or even make a bold
change?
In a recent Gallup poll, 53% of workers reported they are
“not engaged.” From Gallup’s employee
engagement report: “They may be generally satisfied but are not cognitively
and emotionally connected to their work and workplace; they will usually show
up to work and do the minimum required but will quickly leave their company for
a slightly better offer.” That same poll reported that 34% of workers are
“engaged,” and it’s the highest number since this Gallup poll was created in
2000. Only about one-third of our workforce feels engaged, and that’s an
improvement.
Imagine the change possible if we could reverse these
numbers? Gains in productivity, increases in job satisfaction – wins for
everyone! And that’s just a start.
To improve employee engagement, it may be time to reexamine
your company’s culture. Do you know what your people really want and what is
important to them? Have you asked them or are you making assumptions?
Each employee brings his or her own unique personality, life
experiences, skills, talents, work history and world view. We act, behave and
influence others based on who we are – and what we have gone through in life.
How people work together
can either happen by chance or by deliberate action. Culture allows us to find
commonalities among our differences, to align the group’s focus on a single
objective to achieve success.
I look forward to exploring company culture with you during
the Engagement
Lab: Culture Audit at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 23 during the ALTA
One conference in Austin, Texas.
Grubb helped grow the company into the
nation’s largest independent underwriter that does not compete with agents and
will remain on the company’s Board of Directors
LONGMONT, Colo. (Sept. 25, 2019) –
Alliant National Title Insurance Co. announced today that Bob Grubb has been
named the Vice-Chairman of Presidio ATC Holdco, LLC, and has passed on
operational duties as President and CEO of Alliant National. Grubb will
continue to be an integral part of the company as a member of the Alliant
National Board of Directors and a shareholder.
Grubb is a co-founder of the company, which launched in 2005 as a
regional underwriter operating in Colorado with a few key agents and
first year revenues of $131,000. Today the company underwrites for 537
agents in 24 states, with 86 employees and revenues of $126 million. For
nearly 15 years, Grubb has led the company that is now the largest
independent underwriter in the nation with no direct operations to
compete against its agents.
“Bob’s passion
for helping people, and his challenge to employees to really see each other as
people, and be genuinely curious about the needs of agents, has created the
culture that drives Alliant National’s success,” said Phyllis Mulder, Chief
Legal Officer of Alliant National. “The culture Bob created will very much
remain at the forefront of who we are and how we do business.”
Alliant
National’s board has selected David Sinclair as President. Sinclair came to
Alliant National in 2011 and has served as Alliant National’s Chief Operating
Officer and Chief Technology Officer where he has been integral to the
company’s operational and technological development.
“David and I have worked together for several years to reach this day, and as the company transitions, we will continue to work together, in service to independent agents and our people,” Grubb said. “David is strategic, incredibly smart, and uniquely capable of leading Alliant National into the future.”
Scott Hendrickson, CFO and company co-founder added, “David is the natural choice to lead Alliant National. He understands the needs of our agents and has an eye on technology and the future. He is committed to upholding Bob’s legacy, and we are excited to support David as he helps position Alliant National – and our agents – for even greater success.”
Cathie Beck
Capital City Public Relation
e : cathie@capitalcitypr.com
p : 303-241-0805
About Alliant National Title Insurance Company
The Independent Underwriter for The Independent Agent® – Alliant National believes in empowering people to thrive.
The company protects the dreams of property owners with secure title insurance and partners with 500+ trusted independent title agents as a licensed underwriter in 24 states and the District of Columbia, with annual revenues exceeding $126 million.
Successful SSAE 18 Type II examination validates Alliant National’s processes for approving, monitoring and reviewing its agents
LONGMONT, Colo. – Alliant National Title Insurance Company, a unique title insurance underwriter that partners with Independent Agents to improve their competitive position in the marketplace, announces the successful completion of the Service Organization Control (SOC 1) SSAE 18 Type II examination for the fifth consecutive year.
The examination results in an AICPA endorsed report stating that Alliant National Title Insurance Company has maintained effective controls over its Agent Quality Management System. A-Lign Certified Public Accountants of Tampa, Fla., performed the engagement and certification.
The successful SSAE 18 Type II examination validates Alliant National’s processes for approving, monitoring, and reviewing its agents, which results in its agents being designated as Authorized Service Providers or Certified Service Providers of Alliant National. Under this framework, Alliant National’s Independent Agents are reviewed annually against rigorous quality standards.
Lenders relying upon Alliant National’s oversight of its agents and Authorized and Certified Service Provider programs receive additional assurance that processes and controls are designed and function properly and accurately.
Alliant National was certified to the SSAE 16 Type I standard on Dec. 1, 2013 and received compliant status to the more rigorous SSAE 16 Type II standard effective Aug. 31, 2014 and each year through December 31, 2018. That makes 2018 the fifth consecutive year of continued compliance to SSAE Type II standards. The unqualified report was issued without exceptions.
“Alliant National was the first title insurance underwriter in the nation to obtain an SSAE16 Type II compliant status and is the only title insurance underwriter to achieve compliant status for five consecutive years. This certification provides strong independent assurance of our agent oversight systems to lenders and all stakeholders,” Alliant National President and CEO, Bob Grubb said. “Our goal is to provide unequivocal evidence of the quality of our agents through an independently audited system.”
LONGMONT, Colo. – Alliant National Title Insurance Company is encouraging its title agents impacted by hurricanes Harvey and Irma to apply for financial relief through the Alliant National Title Helping Hands Fund.
“We are praying for everyone impacted by these recent catastrophes and want to help in any way we can,” Bob Grubb, Alliant National Title Insurance Company president and CEO said. “Our people have been in touch with many title agents who’ve been directly impacted by the storm, asking how we can be helpful to them, their employees and their communities at this time – whether that’s sending support staff to their offices, delivering water or even a simple sandwich platter – we are trying to help with anything they might need.”
The fund is a charity vehicle created through a partnership with the Greater Houston Community Foundation. Through GHCF, a full 95 percent of donations will go directly to those who meet the criteria for assistance.
Assistance will help cover costs and expenses not already covered by insurance or other means of damage recoupment, Grubb said.
Alliant National’s title agents and their employees – as well as its own employees – are eligible to apply for relief if living in or operating their business in a county declared a federal disaster area due to Harvey or Irma.
The Helping Hands Fund was set up in the wake of Hurricane Harvey by a team of Alliant National employees led by Rodney Anderson, Senior Vice President and Southwestern Regional Agency Manager.
The scope of relief efforts were extended to include Florida as Hurricane Irma churned in the Atlantic Ocean, with its eye set on the panhandle.
“It is an honor to be a part of an organization that operates with such heart and compassion,” Anderson said. “We hope that these efforts as well as the donations collected through our Alliant National Title Helping Hands Fund are able to provide some relief during this difficult time.”
In addition, Alliant National donated to Samaritan’s Purse’s Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund and Global Giving Foundation’s Hurricane Irma Relief Fund.
Samaritan’s Purse helps to meet the “needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine,” according to its website, while the Global Giving Foundation’s Irma Fund, will provide relief to survivors, “in the form of emergency supplies like food, water, and medicine in addition to longer-term recovery assistance to help residents recover and rebuild,” according to its website.
“When agents are in need of assistance from such deadly, natural disasters it is a privilege to create a formal giving platform that can truly make an impact for those responsible for our success,” Anderson said.
