Compliance is the new normal and the Florida Agency Network is leading the way.
With a SOC 1 Type 1 Examination under our belts, FAN is being recognized for its commitment to creating the highest quality security of services for our customers.
Check out our feature in The Title Report, by clicking here.
When it comes to the upcoming CFPB changes, Aaron M. Davis, Florida Agency Network's founder and CEO, is the man to speak with. Davis gave Jeremy Yohe, of American Land Title Association, his insight into the upcoming market changes in ALTA's January edition of TitleNews. In the cover story, Davis goes into detail on the new RESPA-TILA disclosures and how to excel in these changing times.
To read the full cover story, click here.
Tampa, Fla.-based Florida Agency Network introduced Mike LaRosa as its new chief operating officer.
“There have certainly been some milestones in our company and network that have been game changing,” said Aaron Davis, chief executive officer of the Florida Agency Network and its multiple brands, which include Hillsborough Title, Trident Title, Paramount Title, Tampa Bay Title, Cornerstone Title, HomePlus Title, Uptown Title, Bella Title, Performance Title & Escrow and Progressive Title Solutions. “Having the caliber of person and operator like Mike LaRosa join us was never something we could have imagined years ago. Mike brings 16 years of industry experience and the operational expertise of running one of the largest title insurance underwriters to the Florida Agency Network,”
In 1999, LaRosa began his title insurance career as associate counsel at First American Title’s divisional headquarters in Tallahassee. By 2000, he moved to Tampa to work with the partnership division, where he was promoted to vice president and counsel. He spent six years in the that role establishing affiliated business arrangement title agencies with mortgage, builder/developer and real estate professionals throughout the Southeast.
LaRosa was named Tampa Bay agency manager in 2007. His territory eventually expanded to include the southwest region of Florida. Ultimately, he was promoted to Florida state agency manager where he has spent the past three and a half years.
For the original feature, click here.
It's not easy to secure certification in all seven pillars of ALTA's Best Practices. However, after a long process FAN's Tampa Bay Division was able to pull it off.
Read more by clicking HERE.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015, 2:13pm EST
Margie Manning | Tampa Bay Business Journal
Florida Agency Network has acquired Bella Title, a Land O' Lakes-based real estate title company.
Financial terms were not disclosed. Mica Butterwood, owner and operator of Bella Title, will serve as Florida Agency Network's relationship manager for northern Hillsborough County, a statement said.
Florida Agency Network is an umbrella organization of title companies that have been consolidated amid industry changes. Launched by Aaron Davis, president and CEO, and with its roots in Hillsborough Title in Plant City, Florida Agency Network has grown to be the largest title organization in Florida, Davis said.
"Just five years ago, we had one office and five employees," Davis said. "Today we have 27 offices and more than 200 staffers."
The Dodd-Frank financial reform measure is driving consolidation, Davis said. Title companies are now considered part of the financial services sector, and face increasing costs of regulatory compliance, including higher E&O [errors and omissions] insurance, banking-type audits and cybersecurity mandates.
"A lot of agencies are going out of business, selling or being rolled into a larger agency like mine," Davis said.
In addition to Hillsborough Title and Bella Title, other agencies in the network are: Tampa Bay Title, Paramount Title, Homeplus Title, Cornerstone Title, Uptown Title, Trident Title, Progressive Title Solutions, Performance Title & Escrow and CU Title.
Published: February 19, 2015
PLANT CITY – About 18 months ago, the Rotary Club promised to raise enough money to equip each Plant City police officer with a portable device that can restore the heart’s rhythm during sudden cardiac arrest.
Last week, the Rotary Club of Plant City made good on its pledge, delivering the last 20 automated external defibrillators for the police department’s fleet. In all the Rotary donated 47 of the units, valued at a total of $50,000.
Police Chief Ed Duncan said his officers often arrive at medical emergencies before paramedics so it was a good idea to equip them with the defibrillators.
“One of the most frustrating things for an officer is to get to the scene and not have what is needed to help,” Duncan said.
Duncan said the department has used the defibrillators in at least four instances since the Rotary delivered the first units in 2013.
Rotary Club President Brian Griffin and former club president Aaron M. Davis presented the last of the defibrillators to the police at the Rotary’s Feb. 16 meeting. Davis was president when the Rotary started its drive to purchase the defibrillators.
Among other fundraisers, the club used the proceeds from its popular annual Dancing with the Locals to raise money for the devices. The club originally thought it would need to raise $100,000 but the units cost less than originally expected, club public relations representative Jim Scott said.
The department has enough of the devices so every patrol officer and supervisor has one in his or her police vehicle, Duncan said.
To read the original article feature story, click HERE.
January 26, 2015
www.thetitlereport.com
Volume 16, No. 6
Bella Title is the first acquisition by the Florida Agency Network (FAN) of 2015, as part of its statewide expansion. The network has a staff of more than 200, 3 real estate attorneys on staff and 27 locations throughout central Florida. Last fall, two of the top title insurance companies in Florida, the Hillsborough Title (HT) family of companies and Trident Title, joined forces to create the Florida Agency Network. With the coming changes in the industry Hillsborough Title CEO and President Aaron Davis said he saw a need to become a statewide player.
Bella Title is the 11th member to join the network, among the ranks of: Hillsborough Title, Tampa Bay Title, Paramount Title, Homeplus Title, Cornerstone Title, Uptown Title, Trident Title, Progressive Title Solutions, Performance Title & Escrow and CU Title. HT also recently opened a new REO division. FAN welcomed Mica Butterwood to the team with the Bella Title acquisition. Butterwood will serve as relationship manager of the northern Hillsborough County territory. Butterwood is the owner and operator of Bella Title.
Is there such a thing as “self-certification?”
I chat one-on-one with Aaron Davis, fast-moving CEO who grew Hillborough Title into the FloridaAgency Network--the state's 4th largest privately owned agency. On tap is the ongoing conversation about certification–will ALTA Best Practices be enough? Can agents afford to pursue SOC II certification? Can they afford not to? Aaron also shares his thoughts on protecting NPI, “self-certification” and the future success of the small agent.
Follow Robert Reich on his Twitter account (@RobertLReich) or the NextDeal on their Twitter account (@NextDealDigDocs).
Hillsborough Title/Tampa Bay Title recognizes October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 1 in every 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their life; for us at HT/TBT, this statistic sits way too close to home. Among us, we have 2 breast cancer survivors (1 being a two-time survivor). We recently surprised our employees with these pink shirts. They represent all that is important in life- our core company values:
1. Faith
2. Family
3. Friends
4. TITles
This Saturday (Oct. 20) marks the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. Hillsborough Title/Tampa Bay Title will be there walking alongside our Tampa Ta-Ta’s team leader, Marie Combs. There’s still time to register to walk, or to donate to the cause. All funds raised up to the limit of $2,500.00 will be matched by HT/TBT. Because at Hillsborough Title/Tampa Bay Title, “We do good deeds”.
Please fill out form below