May 2, 2003

TDI ISSUES STAT CALL

The Texas Department of Insurance published their call for 2002 statistical data on April 1, 2003 . Manually completed reports are due by May 15 and reports completed using the Title Agent Call System (TACS program) are due May 29, 2003 . Contact Michael L. Davis, TX Dept. of Insurance, Statistician/Data Services at 512.322.5029 or email michael.davis@tdi.state.tx.us with questions.

REEL 'EM IN MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN

  What do you get when you combine staff creativity with lots of volunteer effort? New TLTA members! Thanks to the TLTA Member Services Committee for all their hard work and dedication on the recent "Reel 'Em In" membership campaign drive, and to Paula Thomas , TLTA Membership Manager, for her creativity in making it a "fun and fishy" contest. TLTA gained 3 new active members and 1 associate member as a result of the campaign. Committee members Charles Reid, Commonwealth Land Title Company of Fort Worth, Sally Vetters, United General Title Insurance Company and Kay Carlson, Texas American Title Company were contest winners as a result of their efforts in the campaign.

NEW CERTIFICATION COMMITTEE FOR 2003-2004

The TLTA Board has approved the creation of a Certification Task Force, to be comprised of both underwriters and agents, to plan, create, and initially implement two professional certification programs, one for escrow officers and one for title abstractors and examiners.

The Education Task Force believes these programs and the educational process required by them will enhance the integrity of the title insurance industry in the State of Texas and create a career path within the industry for employees as well as a guide post for employers as to the proficiency of the job candidate.  Graduated levels of certification for both title abstractors and examiners and escrow officers are recommended, with defined experience and educational criteria required.  Subcommittees of this task force will be charged with curriculum development for each level of certification.

TLTA ANNUAL CONFERENCE JUNE 6-8, 2003

Make Your Reservation Now for the Fun-Zone!  
Early Registration Deadline is May 9.
Enjoy swimming, golf, tennis, and over 120 miles of hike and bike trails, or splash into the incredible new Forest Oasis Waterscape. There's fun for everyone at TLTA's Annual Conference June 6-8 at The Woodlands Conference Center and Resort, plus a top-notch line-up of educational sessions.
Click here for complete program and registration information.

Flexible pricing lets you choose the options best for you. (See registration form for details.) Room reservations can be made by calling The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center at 281.367.1100. Reference ID# 467510 to get the TLTA special rate. 

GREENSHEET ADVERTISEMENTS

Looking for the best method to reach other title industry professionals? Whether you are looking for a job, selling your business, equipment or service, the TLTA GREENSHEET is the solution.  Click here for the latest GREENSHEET, your link to title industry related employment and business opportunities in Texas .

TLTA BYLAWS AMENDMENTS APPROVED

In accordance with Article Sixteen, Section 4 of the TLTA Bylaws, this is your official notice that the TLTA Board of Directors voted to amend the Bylaws on April 17, 2003.

Click here, for the complete redline version of the approved Bylaws amendments. Please call or email Kristen Nelson at kristen@tlta.com, if you have any questions regarding the Bylaws amendments.

TLTA ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

At the TLTA Board of Directors meeting on April 2, 2003 , the Board passed a resolution authorizing amendments to the TLTA Articles of Incorporation.

Currently, the TLTA Articles of Incorporation do not contain a provision, as required by law, to authorize Board, membership or committee action by mail/fax vote by less than a unanimous vote, although the TLTA Bylaws contemplate such votes. To eliminate this inconsistency, the Articles of Incorporation need to be amended to authorize non-unanimous votes by mail/fax. The proposed amendments to the Articles of Incorporation would correct this inconsistency in accordance with Texas Law.

In order for the amendments to the Articles of Incorporation to be finalized, they must be voted on by the TLTA membership. This vote will take place during the General Session & Business Meeting from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 7, 2003 , at the 93rd Annual Conference. The Annual Conference will be held at The Woodlands Resort, June 6-8, 2003 .  Regardless of whether or not you register for the Conference, all TLTA active members are invited to vote on the amendments by attending this annual meeting of the association. For a complete text of the proposed amendments, click here.
 

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

UNDERWRITER MEMBER
Southern Title Insurance Corporation
Robert L. Bradshaw, Jr., Vice President
1051 E. Cary Street
Three James Center, 7th Floor (23219)
P. O. Box 399, Richmond, VA 23218
Phone: 804.648.6000 Fax: 804.788.4956
email: rbradshaw@southerntitle.com
website: www.southerntitle.com

AGENT MEMBERS
BridgeSpan Title Company
Mark. S. Walker, Vice President
2591 Dallas Parkway, Suite 600, Frisco, TX 75034
County: Collin, Harris
Phone: 469.633.7270 Fax: 877.586.8586
email: mherrera@bridgespan.com
website: www.bridgespan.com

Clear Titles of Mason
David A. Young, Owner
124 Ft. McKavitt Street, P. O. Box 1550
Mason, TX 76856
County: Mason
Phone: 325.347.1040 Fax: 325.347.0036

Lenders First Choice Agency, Inc.
Cynthia Martin, Compliance Vice President
3803 Parkwood Blvd., Suite 100, Frisco, TX 75034
County: Collin, Harris
Phone: 214.618.5100 Fax: 214.618.4998
email: cmartin@lendersfc.com
website: www.lendersfirstchoice.com

Longview Title Company L.L.C.
dba Longview Title Company
Celia C. Flowers, Owner
1125 Judson Rd. Suite 100
Longview, TX 75601
County: Gregg
Phone: 903.757.8811 Toll Free 888.889.8889
FAX: 903.757.8821
email: Julia@flowerstitlecompanies.com

Marshall Title Company L.L.C.
dba Marshall Title Company
Celia C. Flowers, Owner
213 Wellington
Marshall, TX 75670
County: Harrison
Phone: 903.935.6060 Toll Free 888.889.8889
Fax: 903.935.6071
email: Pam@flowerstitlecompanies.com

Menard Title and Abstract Co., Inc.
Odie D. Wright, President
306 S. Ellis, P. O. Box 655
Menard, TX 76859
County: Menard
Phone: 915.396.2781 Fax: 915.396.3053
email: menardtitle@wcc.net

New Land National Title, Inc.
Darron Banks, President
2223 F West Park Row, Pantego, TX 76013
County: Tarrant
Phone: 817.469.8469 Fax: 817.469.9932website: www.titleexperts.biz/newland.html

South Texas Abstract and Title Corp. dba
South Texas Title and Abstract Corp.
James Joseph Gutierrez, President
201 W. Del Mar Blvd., Suite 16, Laredo, TX 78041
County: Webb
Phone: 956.723.9992 Fax: 956.724.3303
email: jjamesg@hotmail.com
website: www.southtexastitle.com

Texas First Title Company II, Inc.
dba Jacksonville Title Company
1710 S. Jackson St. Suite B
Jacksonville, TX 75766
County: Cherokee
Phone: 903.589.0667
FAX: 903.589.9008 Toll Free: 888.889.8889
email: Cindy@flowerstitlecompanies.com

Texas OneStop Inc.
Deborah Holloway
6504 International Parkway #1200
Plano, TX 75093
County: Collin
Phone: 972.543.2661 Fax: 972.543.2666
email: dholloway@landam.com

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Anthony Randall Camacho, Attorney at Law
8515 Grapevine Hwy, Suite 2112,
North Richland Hills, TX 76180
County: Tarrant
Phone: 817.846.1075
email: arcamacho@aol.com

Beadles Newman & Lawler
Anita Prestidge, General Manager
3500 Hulen St., Fort Worth, TX 76107
County: Tarrant
Phone: 817.731.6469 Fax: 817.732.1897
email: aprestidge@bnllaw.com
website: www.bnllaw.com

Brown, Kerr & King
Ben J. Kerr, III, Attorney
304 N. Main St., P. O. Box 1029
Quitman, TX 75783
County: Wood
Phone: 903.763.5425 Fax: 903.763.5427
email: bkk@bjk.candr.net

Colegrove Henry Jacobsen, P.C.
Milton W. Colegrove, Jr., Shareholder
5700 Granite Parkway, Suite 470, Plano, TX 75024
P. O. Box 1986, Frisco, TX 75034
County: Collin
Phone: 972.334.0091 Fax: 972.334.0094
email: mcolegrove@chjlawfirm.com

Gilman & Wirth, P.C.
Jeff Gilman, President
710 N. Post Oak Rd., Suite 400
Houston, TX 77024
County: Harris
Phone: 713.613.2930 Fax: 713.613.2929
email: jgilman@wilgil.com
website: www.wilgil.com

Jones, Galligan, Key & Lozano, L.L.P.
2300 W. Pike Blvd., Suite 300,
P. O. Drawer 1247, Weslaco, TX 78596
County: Hidalgo
Phone: 956.968.5402 Fax: 956.968.6089
email: firm@jgkl.com
website: www.jgkl.com

Law Office of Ron F. Boyle, III
4802 Hwy 377 South, Suite 17
Fort Worth, TX 76116
County: Tarrant
Phone: 817.244.6600 Fax: 817.244.6700
email: rboyle@boylelaw.org
website: www.boylelaw.org

Michael J. Shelly, P.C.
5102 Holly Rd., Suite A, Corpus Christi, TX 78411
County: Nueces
Phone: 361.985.6464 Fax: 361.985.9556
email: mshelly@stewart.com

Momentum Appraisal Group
John M. Roper, President
12000 Starcrest, Suite 109, San Antonio, TX 78247
County: Bexar
Phone: 210.490.9804 Fax: 210.490.9817
email: john.roper@momentumweb.com
website: www.momentumweb.com

National Exchange Services QI, Ltd.
William D. Bennett, President
16500 San Pedro, Suite 175
San Antonio, TX 78232
County: Bexar
Phone: 210.545.6762 Fax: 210.545.2713
email: wbennett@nes1031.com
website: www.nes1031.com

Shetter, McNeil & Barlow, L.L.P.
Kenneth D. Shetter, Attorney/Partner
104 S. Main Street, Burleson, TX 76028
County: Johnson
Phone: 817.447.0222 Fax: 817.447.0288
email: kenshetter@hotmail.com

Stephan D. Hwang, P.C.
Stephan D. Hwang, President
3939 Belt Line Rd., Suite 355, Addison, TX 75001
County: Dallas
Phone: 469.522.4178 Fax: 469.522.4171
email: steve.hwang@sdhpc.com

Stephen C. Coen, P.C.
Stephen Coen, President
1615 W. Abram, Suite 110, Arlington, TX 76013
County: Tarrant
Phone: 817.461.4988 Fax: 817.461.4902
email: taxplan@swbell.net
website: www.coenlaw.com

Stokes Law Office, PLLC
Kellie F. Stokes, Attorney/Owner
165A West Main Street, Lewisville, TX 75057
County: Denton
Phone: 972.436.8141 Fax: 972.436.8712
email: kstokes@kstokeslaw.com
website: www.kstokeslaw.com

  

 

M0VERS AND SHAKERS


Celia Goode-Haddock Named Real Estate Center President
College Station – New officers are taking over the reins of the advisory committee for the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University . Appointed by the governor, the nine-member committee provides guidance to the nation’s largest publicly funded real estate research organization. Celia Goode-Haddock of College Station moves from vice chairman to chairman, replacing Jerry Schaffner of Dallas . Goode-Haddock is no stranger to leadership roles. She is the president and chief executive officer of University Title Company in College Station, a company that has been in business 30 years.

Celia has been a leader in numerous professional and community organizations. She is a past chairman of the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce and is a past president of the Texas Association of Abstractors and Title Agents. She has served on the board of directors of the Bryan-College Station Home Builders Association, the Fidelity National Title Company and The Texas Land Title Association.

 

Goode-Haddock has worked with more than 40 community organizations, often in positions of leadership. Among them are the Arts Council of Brazos Valley, Habitat for Humanity, Humana Hospital of the Brazos Valley and the United Way of the Brazos Valley . 


In 1996, she received the Leadership Brazos Alumni Association Award for service to the association, and in 2001 she won the association’s award for service to the community. Among other awards and recognitions are “Women Who Make a Difference,” the Brazos County Prenatal Clinic; “Woman of Distinction,” the Bluebonnet Girl Scout Council; and “Citizen of the Year,” Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce. 

 

Currently, she is on the board of the Texas A&M University Private Enterprise Research Center and is president of the Brazos Valley Development Council Revolving Loan Fund. She has served on the Real Estate Center’s advisory committee since her appointment by Gov. Bush in 1997.

 
According to Goode-Haddock, the Real Estate Center is “one of the best kept secrets in Texas . Although its main purpose is to do research for real estate agents, its information is valuable to anyone wanting to make decisions about doing business in Texas based on economics, demographics, Texas laws, trends or other issues."        

TLTA MEMBER'S SON MAKES HEADLINES

The following story was published in the April 10 issue of the Austin American Statesman. We felt it was still timely to report on one of our member's sons, Ryan Coker, who was on a ship in the Persian Gulf just a few weeks ago.

Scouts Saving Marine Ryan from Boredom - Ryan Coker probably didn’t realized what would come of his simple request for DVDs. The 22-year-old from Austin is stationed with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit on a ship in the Persian Gulf , awaiting possible ground deployment in the war with Iraq . Once he arrived, he realized that he’d packed a little light for what might be a long wait. So he e-mailed his mom, Taresa Hale, to check in and ask for a care package. 

Some care package. When Hale e-mailed around to see if any of her friends and colleagues at Alamo Title might have some old DVDs to lend to her son to help him pass some time, one of the people she contacted happened to be a Girl Scout mom.  More story

PUBLICATIONS

Complete your reference library! The Texas Land Title Institute course manual is a valuable reference tool for anyone involved in the transfer of real estate. Extra copies of the 2002 Land Title Institute manual are available, in addition to comprehensive manuals from all previous Institutes (1991-2001). Click here to download an order form.

IN MEMORIUM

Haywood Moseley III of Marshall died Thursday, April 24, 2003. Haywood was a long-time respected member of the Texas title industry and served on the TLTA Board of Directors for 16 years. He began working for Moseley Abstract Company in 1960 and purchased the business in 1974. He was recently honored by the Marshall Board of Realtors as Associate of the Year for his support. He co-authored the Texas Title Insurance Act and served as president of the Texas Association of Abstractors and Title Agents. He is survived by his beloved wife, Laurie, of Marshall; son Haywood "Woody" Moseley and his wife Marilynn, daughter, Kristin "Kiki" Moseley and her husband Frank van Scherpenseel, of Austin, and son Robert "Brad" Moseley and his wife Lisa of Bellville, and four grandchildren. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd.,Tyler, TX 75701, or a charity of choice. 

Eugene Adams of Sealy, Texas died in an automobile accident on April 17, 2003. Gene was a long-time active member of TLTA, and most recently served on the Convention and School committees. He was named TLTA Outstanding Young Title Person in 1998. Gene worked for First American Title Company for 16 years as a District Agency Manager. He was a loving father and husband, a devoted son and brother and a good friend. His wife Jean, 15-year old son Andy, his mother, father and sister survive him. Services were held at Trinity Lutheran Church on Monday, April 21, 2003. Donations may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church Youth Group, 402 Atchison St., Sealy , Texas 77474 .

THE TITLEMAN'S PRAYER

A special "Titleman's Prayer" was composed by the Reverend T. J. Wilbanks, Texarkana for a meeting of Region 3 of the Texas Land Title Association held on September 25, 1965. We recently learned Reverend Wilbanks was the grandfather of current member Erwin Wilbanks, of Wilbanks & Wilbanks, Houston. Click here to view the "Titleman's Prayer."

Editor's Note – A framable version of "The Titleman's  Prayer" is available through TLTA, or we can e-mail a copy to you at your request.

SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK – AND YOUR IDEAS


Do you have comments or an article to submit for DOWNDATE? Please send your feedback or article for reprint to Kathy@tlta.com