Greater Illinois Title Company was recently recognized by the Fidelity National Title Group (FNTG) with the awarding of the 2013 Leading Title  Agency in Excellence Award. GIT was named the Top Agent in Illinois and recognized as being in the Top Ten for FNTG in the country. This award recognizes the company’s excellence in service, claims avoidance, remittance levels and the establishment of successful risk management standards. This is the second year in a row that GIT was honored with this award.

As the largest title agency in Illinois and one of the largest in the country, GIT has firmly established itself as a market leader and has positioned itself for continued growth. The company has built its success on its  reputation for integrity, professionalism and exceptional customer service. Over the past two years, GIT has embraced new technology to strengthen its core business, to ensure that compliance standards are met and to expand sources of revenue.

The company continues to move forward in a planned and strategic manner. Growth opportunities in other states will occur this month in Indiana and Wisconsin, with others new markets to follow in the coming months. The company provides services for transactions anywhere in the US as it provides for a more efficient way for customers to meet the needs of clients. This ‘single point of contact’ solution can be customized for each individual client within any transaction.

GIT is only as good as its people. And GIT has great people who inspire each other to be hardworking, successful, and achieve exceptional work.  The Award is for all to share in as everyone has made outstanding contributions to the company and have provided an exceptional standard of work that is being recognized by this Leading Title Agency in Excellence Award.

Erin Tracey-Jenner, Director of Training for GIT, will appear on the Chicago Association of Realtors ‘Successful Women in Real Estate’ Commercial Forum panel to be held on April 30th at Gibson’s Bar and Steakhouse in Chicago.   The event is being hosted by the Women’s Council of Realtors Chicago Chapter in conjunction with the Goldie B. Wolfe Miller Women Leaders in Real Estate Initiative. Erin has been involved in the title industry for nearly thirty years. She joined GIT in May, 1989 and worked in many roles including as a title examiner, department manager, branch manager, senior closing officer, and commercial escrow officer.

Greater Illinois Title Company is an Annual GOLD Sponsor of WCR and is a sponsor of the event. The panel will discuss opportunities in the market, how to be invaluable to your clients and how to stay ahead of the game in this critical market segment. For more info click here.

GIT celebrates its 29th Anniversary. It was on April 1, 1985 that Greater Illinois Title Company opened its doors for business. The company began operations with nine people making a commitment to outstanding service with the hopes and dreams of becoming a viable company in a highly competitive market.  What began as a little start-up company for a few young people twenty nine years ago has evolved in to a strong, trustworthy and well-respected title insurance and settlement services organization.

GIT is now the largest title agency in Illinois and one of the largest in the country. We have firmly established ourselves as a market leader and have transitioned through good markets and some of the toughest markets ever.   Our accomplishments are many and the company has positioned itself very well for continued growth. Our reputation for integrity, professionalism and exceptional customer service have been the building blocks that make GIT a successful company.  Over the past two years, we have embraced new technology to strengthen our core business, to ensure that compliance standards are met and to expand sources of revenue. We have undertaken more change initiatives in two years than most companies do in ten.

And we are constantly moving forward. We have built an IT network capable of supporting future growth, which will begin this month in Indiana and Wisconsin.

Greater Illinois Title Company is a lead sponsor for the 11th Annual CIP Industrial Summit to be held on April 24th at the Crown Plaza O’Hare, 5440 North River Road, Rosemont.  The Chicago area has 1.4 billion square feet of industrial space and experts in the field will provide insights on the state of the market, financing and investing in industrial properties and the resurgence of spec and build-to-suit development. Tim Beaudin, CEO of IndCor Properties and Chris Gray VP at NAI Hiffman will open the conference with a one-on-one conversation providing their take on the current market. For more info click here

Phil Schulman from K&L Gates LLP in Washington D. C. addressed the recent Greater Illinois Title Company CLE Seminar held with an in-depth analysis of the new RESPA-TILA Mortgage Disclosure Forms. Phil told the attendees that the new combined disclosure forms ‘will require substantial technology changes’ on the shoulders of the title industry and along with the three day rule, “will increase the time for closings as additional time will be needed to explain the form to consumers”. He said the new rule is seeking to improve consumer understanding and to avoid costly surprises at the closing table.

Meanwhile Christopher  Gulotta, CEO of Real Estate Data Shield, Inc. speaking on the importance of data security in real estate transactions reminded attendees that the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct states that the lawyer “must act competently to safeguard information relating to the representation of a client against inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure….”

 He also  summarized the responsibility of an attorney to take “reasonable precautions  to prevent the information from coming into the hands of unintended recipients.” He told the group that there are many practical steps that can be taken today to begin the compliance process and assessing your firm’s risk profile. These include staff training, implementing a shred-all policy, background checks and instituting a ” clean desk” policy.

Penny Reed, Vice President at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage also addressed the close to 200 attendees at the GIT CLE Seminar and said that the CFPB means business. She pointed to the CFPB Bulletin in which the Bureau points out that since the parties to a transaction are service providers under the rule, they must take steps and have internal controls in place to protect the non-public personal information (NPPI) of the bank’s customers or risk termination of any relationship or dealing with the financial institution. She said lenders will be ‘skeptical’ of receiving non-encrypted email from any party involved in a real estate transaction.

Greater Illinois Title Company will be sponsoring the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) Leadership Enhancement Program Breakfast on March 6 at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. This program is designed to assist the next generation of leaders in the Asian and Pacific Islander community. The Asian Real Estate Association of America is a professional organization dedicated to promoting sustainable home ownership in Asian American Communities and increasing business opportunities for real estate professionals.

The 2014 Metro-Chicago Apartment Summit is being held on Thursday,  March 6th from 7:30 AM to 11:30 AM at the historical landmark building, Germania Place. A panel of experts will discuss the current state of the market and financing options.  A managing assets panel will identify standards and amenities expected by today’s tenants. The Metro-Chicago Apartment Summit will be held at Germania Place, 108 West Germania Place in Chicago which is located one half block south of North Avenue off of North Clark Street.

Over one hundred commercial real estate professionals participated in round table discussions ranging from financing options, regulatory matters and zoning issues at the CAR Commercial Forum. A networking reception followed the meeting. Greeting the CAR Commercial Forum guests were GIT’ s Bob Dickinson, Sara Hulsebus and Alyssa Schmiege.

GIT Congratulates Steve Peca!

The SouthWest Suburban Home Builders Association (SSHBA) has elected Stephen G. Peca of Greater Illinois Title Co. to be an Honorary Life Time Director. Steve has been a member of the SSHBA since 1973. He is currently an Executive Officer on the Southwest Suburban Home Builders Association Board of Directors as Secretary and has been for at least the past 25 years. Steve has also chaired several committees throughout his years as an SSHBA member.

The Southwest Suburban Home Builders Association is a professional organization representing and promoting the interest and advancement of the home building industry. The association promotes high standards, professionalism and service within the building industry and also supports the American dream of home ownership by being the unified voice for building industry issues, promoting political involvement and awareness. The SSHBA also provides educational programs, services, activities and networking to all of its members.

The success of the Southwest Suburban Home Builders Association is largely due to the dedication and hard work of its board of directors. The growth of the association is due to involved and caring members.

The SSHBA began in 1946. It currently represents around 200 industry members in the south and southwest suburbs of Chicago.

SSHB.

10767 W. 163rd. Place

Orland Park, IL 60467

P) 708-349-4242

Email:info@sshba.com

Rae Torbik, Regional Account Manager with Greater Illinois Title Company was appointed to a three-year term to serve on the Board of Directors of the Affordable Housing Corporation of Lake County (IL). AHCLC is a non-profit agency that increases and preserves affordable housing opportunities throughout Lake County. Its programs help residents buy, improve and save their homes from foreclosure. The Board designs programs, policies, and strategies to promote affordable housing across the county. Last year, over 450 households were prepared for successful homeownership and over 400 households were prevented from going into foreclosure.

 Congratulations Rae Torbik !!!