It was on April 1, 1985 that Greater Illinois Title Company (GIT), a new full service title agency, opened its doors for business with offices in downtown Chicago and Wheaton. Founded fifteen years ago, Greater Illinois Title began operations with nine people making a commitment to outstanding service and started doing business with the hopes and dreams of becoming a viable competitor in the Chicagoland real estate market. . Today, as the company marks its 15th anniversary, it has established itself as a market leader and one of the largest, most successful and respected title agencies in Illinois and across the country.

In setting the competitive strategy for the company, Gregory M. Kosin, president and Charles K. Papp, senior executive vice president, concluded that speed, reliability, competitive pricing and exceptional customer service would be the foundation upon which the company would make its mark in the Chicago metro area.

And GIT has surely made its mark in Chicago.

"Hard work and long hours have paid off," noted Chuck Papp, one of GIT's founders. "Our hands-on management style has enabled us to develop very loyal, dedicated and hard working employees. Our staff has always met every challenge and exceeded our expectations. We are very proud of their accomplishments."

GIT's operating philosophy has stressed responding quickly to changes in the market. It has aggressively invested in capital improvements, particularly in the IS area, and built a strong cash and asset base with virtually no debt. It has firmly established itself with a sizable share of the title insurance market and has been honored by Chicago Title Insurance Company for outstanding performance by being named to its prestigious President's Agents Council for thirteen consecutive years.

"Our approach to the market has always been to provide high levels of customer service and to make it easy for customers to do business with us," stated Kosin, the firm's president since its inception. "A great deal of our resources through the years has been devoted to reach the overriding goal of every real estate transaction: a successful and efficient closing."Since 1985, GIT has been providing the Chicago area with an innovative range of title insurance, escrow closing and real estate information services. This includes land surveys through Greater Illinois Survey Company, 1031 exchanges facilitated through Greater Illinois Tax Deferred Exchange Corporation, real estate information services through REALINFO and title and closing services for title agents through the Gateway Services Program. What's more, the company has experienced explosive growth in its Commercial and Construction Division handling a variety of new construction, condo development and new subdivision projects in addition to an expanding portfolio of commercial and industrial transactions.

Greater Illinois Title has worked hard to position itself to be a major competitor in the title insurance industry through its commitment to integrity, quality, and exceptional customer service. During its history, the company has achieved impressive growth in a highly competitive market and today employs over 100 people in nine offices located strategically throughout metropolitan Chicago.

What started out as a dream for a few young people fifteen years ago has evolved in to a strong, distinguished and well-respected title insurance organization.

"We will continue to look to the basic principles that the company founders envisioned over 15 years ago," stated Kosin. " Teamwork, a clear vision, and maintaining a family atmosphere for our staff, have been driving forces behind our success. We are very grateful to all of our customers, past and present, but especially to those customers who took a chance on a little start-up title company many years ago. With their unending support back then and in many cases, still to this day, we have built a company that we are all very proud of."

About Greater Illinois Title
Greater Illinois Title, celebrating its 22nd Anniversary in 2007, is Chicago Title's largest title agent in Illinois and one of its largest title agents in the country. The company provides title insurance, construction and commercial escrow services, sale and refinance closing services, 1031 tax deferred exchanges, land surveys and real estate information in the Chicago metro region. It currently operates through a network of nineteen offices located in Arlington Heights, Crystal Lake, Downers Grove, Geneva, Homewood, Joliet, Libertyville, Lindenhurst, Naperville, Oak Lawn, Oak Park, Shorewood, Tinley Park, Waukegan, Westchester, Wheaton, Yorkville, in Chicago on North Milwaukee Avenue and in the Loop at 120 N. La Salle Street. Greater Illinois Title is authorized to write Title Insurance and issue policies in the Counties of Cook, DeKalb, Du Page, Grundy, Lake, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, McHenry and Will. The company coordinates title insurance and escrows in all Illinois Counties and across the United States.