They say that once you enter the title and escrow industry, you never leave. If that’s true, the next question isn’t about how we got here—it’s about where we’re going.

The past decade has reshaped this industry in ways we never could have imagined. Stacks of paper files gave way to digital workflows. Slow, manual processes evolved into automated, technology driven operations. Data became more than just numbers on a screen—it became actionable insights that drive decisions.

Yet, despite all this progress, we’re only scratching the surface.

This edition of Growth & Scale Report is dedicated to the trailblazers—the leaders who aren’t just adapting to change but creating it.

We sat down with founders, executives, escrow officers, technologists, and operators to hear their visions for the future. Some are building automation to reduce friction, others are redefining customer relationships in an increasingly digital world, and many are confronting an industry where technology is advancing faster than regulation.

What became clear is this: We are all facing a blue ocean* moment for title and escrow.

The industry is at a crossroads, where legal frameworks, technology, and consumer expectations are evolving faster than ever. The companies that embrace this momentum—those who challenge the status quo and seize opportunities for innovation—will define the next era of real estate transactions.

And yet, amid all the discussions of AI, automation, and operational efficiency, one theme stood out above the rest: People still matter.

The best innovators in this industry aren’t replacing human connection with technology—they’re enhancing it. They’re using automation not to eliminate people, but to empower them—to free title professionals from redundant tasks so they can focus on what they do best: building relationships, solving problems, and guiding transactions with expertise.

At CloseSimple, we believe the future of title and escrow will be built at the intersection of technology, efficiency, security, and human connection. And we’re committed to supporting those who are shaping that future.

The road ahead isn’t just about keeping up—it’s about leading the way. The next decade belongs to the innovators. Buckle up.

Let’s see what they have to say.

Paul Stine & Bill Svoboda

_{*The term “blue ocean” refers to a business strategy that focuses on creating new, uncontested market space rather than competing in existing, saturated markets. It emphasizes innovation, differentiation, and value creation to make the competition irrelevant.}

Andrea Fichtel doesn’t just want data to track things—she wants it to drive real change. As a leader in sales and data-driven solutions at Entrinsik, she envisions a future where AI and data empower title professionals instead of burdening them.

With a background in data analysis from the University of Alabama, Andrea quickly realized that data isn’t just about numbers—it’s about smarter decision-making. Too often, companies accept data at face value rather than questioning it.

“AI should help decision-makers ask the right questions,” Andrea explains. “Sometimes, we don’t even know what to ask—but AI can guide us to the insights that actually matter.”

The Future of Data in Title: From Reactive to Proactive

Today, title professionals primarily use data to track revenue, streamline processes, and speed up closings. That’s valuable—but Andrea believes it’s not enough.

Data shouldn’t just sit in dashboards and reports—it should actively drive decisions and improve business outcomes.

“Title software should work for the title company, not the other way around,” she says. “Right now, title professionals spend too much time making their data work instead of letting the data do the work for them.”

She envisions a future where AI-driven systems don’t just display numbers—they provide real-time, actionable insights. Instead of spending hours analyzing trends or searching for inefficiencies, AI should highlight them instantly, making operations smoother and decision-making faster.

A Personal Catalyst for Change

For many, title companies are an afterthought—until they need one. Andrea’s perspective changed when she bought her first home in 2020. What should have been an exciting milestone quickly turned stressful when unexpected challenges threatened to derail the closing.

“But then,” Andrea recalls, “the title professionals I worked with went above and beyond to make sure everything happened on time. I saw firsthand how much effort they put into the process, and I realized—they shouldn’t have to fight through inefficiencies to get their jobs done.”

That experience solidified her mission: to use data and AI to help title professionals spend less time fixing problems and more time delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Where Title is Headed: 5, 10, and 20 Years from Now

The title industry has been slow to embrace technology. While automation has improved efficiency, it hasn’t transformed how professionals work—yet. But here’s how Andrea sees it:

• In five years: AI should guide decision-making, not just track data. “Too many companies still use AI as a shiny tool instead of a strategic asset,” Andrea says.
• In ten years: AI will detect fraud, optimize workflows, and recommend actions before problems arise.
• In twenty years: Manual data entry will be nearly obsolete, allowing title professionals to focus entirely on customer relationships.

Asking Better Questions: AI’s Role in Smarter Decision-Making

Data is powerful—but it can be misleading. Andrea warns against blindly trusting reports.

“A chart only shows you what someone wants you to see,” she says. “AI should help people ask, ‘What else should I be looking at?’”

She compares this to her own experience using AI tools like ChatGPT.

“I often ask, ‘Am I missing anything?’ That’s exactly what AI should be doing for title companies—helping them see the full picture.”

Some fear AI will replace title professionals, but Andrea sees it differently.

“Technology should handle the mundane so people can focus on what really matters—building trust, guiding clients, and making homeownership more accessible.”

The Next Leap Forward

Companies today drown in data but often fail to use it effectively. AI has the power to bridge that gap—but only if professionals see it as more than just a reporting tool.

“The future of title isn’t just tracking what’s happening—it’s about using data to make smarter, faster decisions,” Andrea says. “Let software handle the back-end complexity so title professionals can do what they do best—serve their customers.”

Like so many in title, Brooke Volkert never planned on being here. She was working as a receptionist at a hair salon when a client caught her attention—always coming from a business meeting, always out in the world making things happen. That energy was contagious. She wanted in.

An internship selling title insurance led to a full-time role. Then another. Four and a half years later, she was deep in the industry, building relationships with real estate agents and loan officers, helping them navigate closings—and realizing just how much title had yet to modernize.

Now, as a Customer Success Manager at CloseSimple, she’s part of that push forward. Not just in technology, but in the way title companies operate, communicate, and evolve.

The Biggest Innovation?

A Simple Webcam.

Ask people about innovation in title, and they’ll talk about AI, automation, integrations. But Brooke points to something far simpler: the webcam.

For decades, title was built on face-to-face interactions. That meant thousands of hours—and dollars—spent driving to meetings. Coffee shop check-ins. In-office visits. Training sessions. Mileage reimbursements piling up.

And then, suddenly, everything changed.

“When title companies started using webcams for internal meetings, team building, and customer check-ins, it eliminated the need for so much wasted time and travel,” Brooke says. “You could schedule more meetings in a day and have more meaningful connections without ever leaving your office.”

It wasn’t just an improvement—it was a shift in how title professionals worked.

“Closers spend half their day driving to and from appointments,” she explains. “Beyond the cost and inefficiency, just being on the road is risky. Now, you can build strong relationships without wasting time and money.”

And for the next generation? Remote collaboration isn’t optional—it’s expected. “If title wants to stay relevant and recruit Gen Z, it needs to embrace flexibility,” she says. “Younger professionals expect modern technology. If title companies don’t adapt, they’re going to struggle to bring in new talent.”

What’s Next? A More Diverse, Purpose-Driven Industry.

The biggest shift coming to title isn’t just about technology. It’s about who’s leading it. “Right now, most leadership positions in title are held by men, even though the workforce is overwhelmingly female,” Brooke says. “And the people buying houses today aren’t just white, middle-class families. If the industry is going to thrive, it needs to reflect the people it serves.”

That means more women in leadership. More diversity at every level. And a shift in how title attracts talent—moving from an industry people stumble into to one they actively choose.

“The title industry has a reputation for overworking, underpaying, and offering little flexibility,” she says. “If we want to bring in the next generation, we have to redefine what a career in title looks like. People need to see a future here—mentorship, growth opportunities, and real purpose behind the work they do.”

Because title isn’t just paperwork. At its core, it’s about protecting homeownership.

“We need to reframe the narrative,” Brooke says. “Instead of just talking about title as ‘checking documents and closing deals,’ we need to highlight the bigger mission: helping people protect their homes, their investments, their futures.”

The Moving Target of Closing Dates.

If Brooke could fix just one thing, it would be the uncertainty around closing dates.

“There’s nothing more frustrating than having your closing date pushed back because you’re waiting on documents,” she says. “The average buyer expects instant gratification in everything else. Why should real estate closings feel like this outdated, slow-moving process?”

She envisions a system where the closing date is set at the start of the transaction—and it sticks.

No more scrambling.

No more rescheduling.

“The technology exists to make this happen,” she says. “If you can get instantly approved for a mortgage or credit card, why can’t we automate and streamline closings the same way?”

Self-Service, Smart Data & a Customer-First Approach

Over the next five years, Brooke sees title becoming more efficient, transparent, and customer-friendly.

• Self-service tools so buyers and sellers aren’t stuck calling their title company for basic updates.
• Real-time status updates—just like Amazon or Uber Eats—so people always know where their transaction stands.
• Smarter use of real estate data—not just for market reports, but to help title companies improve service and strategy.

“The way title companies interact with consumers, lenders, and real estate agents is changing,” she says. “The ones that succeed will be the ones that make the process easier, not harder.”

Most title companies are waiting for a software vendor to solve their problems. Chris Sauerzopf isn’t.

At World Class Title, where he’s co-owner, he sees the same inefficiencies that have plagued title and escrow for decades—redundant processes, outdated systems, and a reliance on manual labor that slows transactions down.

But he’s not waiting for someone else to fix it. He’s building the technology himself.

And not in some far-off future—his AI-driven system will be operational within weeks.

Why Wait When You Can Build?

Chris wasn’t always in title. He started in industrial design, then found his way into the industry after the 2008 financial crisis. From mobile notary to sales rep to owner, he worked his way up.

But along the way, he recognized something most title professionals don’t want to admit: Service alone isn’t a competitive advantage.

"Great service isn’t enough, it’s our job.," Chris says. "If your entire value proposition is that you answer the phone and close on time, you’re already losing. The real edge comes from technology—creating efficiency, reducing friction, and making life easier for your clients."

That mindset made World Class Title one of the first fully cloud-based operations back in 2010—long before the rest of the industry caught on.

For Chris, title isn’t just a service business. It’s a process business. And process businesses thrive on automation.

The Industry’s Fatal Flaw: The Status Quo

Chris doesn’t have patience for industry inertia.

"We love talking about innovation in title," he says. "I think the large players and software providers in title have vested interest in maintaining the status quo. If you own or have invested millions into a title production software and suddenly, AI can potentially render it obsolete, it reduces the rush to innovate.

The greatest innovation in the title industry the last 10 years isn’t technology, it’s finding legal ways to purchase business through joint ventures and ABA’s.

We can do better. We can actually innovate and create real value for all stakeholders in the transaction.”

AI Will Reshape Title

Chris is engineering a fully AI-powered workflow that will change how his company operates.

The result? Title professionals focus on strategy, relationships, and closing deals.

"Right now, a 10-person team does 100 transactions," Chris says. "With AI, one person will do the same volume. That’s not a theory—it’s happening."

A Future Without Busywork

For Chris, the future is clear:

• Technology exists to be leveraged. We’re leveraging technology to build consumer centric title experiences.
• The consumer determines who will win and lose. We believe if we can create safer, faster, less expensive experiences for consumers, it will be a good thing.

Yet most title leaders are focused on the wrong things.

"I keep hearing about the ‘aging workforce crisis,’" he says. "It’s not a workforce crisis, it’s a management crisis. Smart, young people are everywhere, as an industry, we simply don’t manage or train them well enough.

He also pushes back on the idea that title’s biggest problems—wire fraud, inefficiencies, and slow closings—are unsolvable.

"It’s all solvable," he says. “For years we hear from software companies how wire fraud is getting worse, it means their solutions aren’t working. We’re failing the consumer, we’re failing the title agent, we’re failing the real estate industry. AI will solve all of this.”

Forget 10 Years—The Future Is Now

Ask most title professionals where they see the industry in 10 or 20 years, and they’ll speculate.

Chris doesn’t speculate. He’s already building it.

"There won’t be busywork," he says. "There won’t be redundant data entry. Title will be about sales, marketing, and delivering an exceptional consumer experience. Everything else will be automated."

Unlike others who talk about AI, he’s not waiting for the industry to catch up.

World Class Title is prototyping their solution now. Their system will be live within weeks.

And when the rest of the industry finally wakes up?

Chris will already be miles ahead.

For more than two decades, Michael Trowbridge has worked across nearly every role in the title industry. From preparing settlement statements in the early days to overseeing 10 states as a regional manager for Westcor, he’s had a front-row seat to the industry's evolution. And if there’s one thing he’s certain about, it’s this: the title and escrow industry is racing toward the beginning of the transaction, and those who streamline the front-end process will win.

The End of the PDF Attachment and the Push for Automation

Ask Trowbridge what outdated practice he’d like to see disappear, and his answer is immediate: PDFs.

“The fact that we’re still emailing PDFs back and forth, hand-typing data, and manually entering orders is mind-blowing,” he says. “We have the technology to eliminate this inefficiency, yet too many companies are still doing things the way they always have.”

For him, innovation in title isn’t just about adopting flashy new tools—it’s about fundamentally changing how the industry works. That starts with automating data intake and reducing the manual labor required to process transactions. Instead of a real estate agent emailing a purchase contract as a static document that multiple people then manually enter into systems, the goal should be a seamless digital process that instantly reads and processes the contract’s data, kicking off the title order with no human intervention.

“The purchase contract is the beginning of everything,” he explains. “If we can automate that first step, we eliminate so much back-and-forth, and title companies can focus on what really matters—serving their customers.”

A Transparent, Tech-Driven Future

Beyond automation, Trowbridge sees a future where transparency is key. Consumers today expect clarity in every transaction, yet title fees remain one of the biggest unknowns in a home purchase.

“We’ve got to be upfront about pricing. Consumers should know exactly what their costs will be before they ever get to the closing table,” he says. “The more transparent we are, the more confidence we build in our industry.”

He envisions a future where real-time tracking—similar to Domino’s Pizza with their pizza tracker, or Amazon with real-time delivery updates—becomes standard. Borrowers and real estate agents shouldn’t have to chase down updates. Instead, they should be able to see where their transaction stands at any moment, just like tracking an Amazon package.

The Next 5, 10, and 20 Years

Looking ahead, Trowbridge predicts that title agencies will increasingly rely on automation to handle back-office work, allowing them to focus on building relationships and growing their businesses.

“Title companies want to reduce overhead and increase margins, and technology will allow them to do that,” he says. “The underwriters and tech vendors who make it easier for title agents to operate will be the ones who win.”

But the biggest shift, he believes, will come from changing consumer expectations.

“In 20 years, will buyers even care about sitting at a closing table? These are people like my 16-year-old daughter, who grew up with subscription services and one-click purchases,” he points out. “The way we close real estate transactions will have to adapt to them, not the other way around.”

Final Thoughts: The Power of Collaboration

Despite his strong push for innovation, Trowbridge believes success in the industry isn’t just about technology—it’s about people.

“I don’t have all the answers, and I never will,” he says. “I lean on my team. We hire great people for a reason, and I make sure they have a voice in shaping our strategy.”

That collaborative mindset was shaped early in his career, thanks to a competitor who unexpectedly gave him an opportunity.

“The late Sam Halkias, who worked at a competing underwriter, put my name forward for a leadership role on the Ohio Land Title Association board,” he recalls. “He didn’t have to do that. But he believed in paying it forward, and that stuck with me. Now, I try to do the same.”

For Trowbridge, the future of title isn’t just about better technology—it’s about smarter, more efficient, and more transparent ways of working. The companies that recognize this and embrace change today will be the ones leading the industry tomorrow.

Brett Beckett thought he had landed his dream job. With a degree in aerospace engineering, he secured a prestigious engineering position working on the F-35, envisioning a future of innovation and high-stakes problem-solving.

Instead, he found himself buried under layers of bureaucracy, where progress crawled and red tape strangled real change. Every decision required multiple approvals, and instead of solving problems, he was navigating a system that seemed designed to resist efficiency.

Frustrated and craving a faster-moving environment, Brett turned to a family member for advice—one that led him somewhere unexpected: title and escrow.

What started as a temporary escape became a passion.

Thrown into the deep end, Brett quickly realized that while title had its inefficiencies, they were fixable. Unlike aerospace, where slow-moving regulations dictated the pace of innovation, title was ripe for optimization, automation, and streamlined processes. His engineering mindset kicked in, and what was meant to be a detour became the foundation for a career reshaping how title companies operate.

Today, as VP of Business Operations and Finance at Independence Title, Brett has built a reputation as a relentless innovator. From configuring ResWare by hand to developing automation strategies that cut inefficiencies, he has one goal:

To help title companies do more with less—without losing the human touch.

The Evolution of Title Tech

The title and escrow industry has seen seismic shifts over the past decade. Before TRID regulations, the title production software (TPS) market was fragmented, with numerous providers catering to agencies of all sizes. But when TRID tightened compliance requirements, many of the smaller platforms couldn’t keep up. The result?

A wave of consolidation that left three dominant players: ResWare, RamQuest, and SoftPro.

While this shift brought stability and efficiency, Brett believes the industry is at yet another inflection point. New TPS options are emerging, offering title companies more flexibility than ever before. While consolidation laid the foundation for modernization, this new era of competition could push innovation even further.

“The next decade will be about customization,” Brett predicts. “Companies want more control, more integrations, and more intelligent automation. The solutions that deliver that will win.”

Automating the Busywork to Elevate Service

Despite his tech-forward approach, Brett is quick to emphasize that title and escrow is, at its core, a service industry.

“The product we sell is trust,” he says. “Empowering our teams to be the best service providers is where the real value is.”

The problem? Too much of a title professional’s day is consumed by administrative tasks—responding to emails, manually inputting data, and retrieving documents. Brett envisions a future where AI eliminates the busywork, allowing staff to focus on what they do best: solving complex title issues and building strong client relationships.

His vision?

An AI-powered assistant embedded into TPS platforms—a system that reads emails, pulls relevant file information, and generates draft responses. Instead of spending minutes (or hours) composing messages, title professionals could review and send replies in seconds.

“If 80% of every transaction follows the same predictable patterns, why aren’t we automating more of it?” Brett asks. “The goal isn’t to replace people—it’s to free them up to do what really matters.”

The Next Frontier: AI in Underwriting and Search

Beyond email automation, Brett sees immense potential in AI-assisted title search and underwriting. Some companies are racing toward fully automated title commitments, but he believes the smarter approach is AI-assisted examination.

“I don’t think AI should replace title searches,” he explains. “But it can absolutely help examiners move faster and more accurately.”

By working alongside human examiners, AI could flag potential issues, suggest curative measures, and generate draft commitments—allowing underwriters to focus on high-level decision-making instead of manual reviews.

Staying Sharp: The Cross-Industry Edge

Brett’s obsession with optimization and efficiency isn’t confined to his job—it extends to his reading habits. A connoisseur of books on psychology, business strategy, and behavioral economics, he credits much of his success to thought leaders like Malcolm Gladwell, Walter Isaacson, and Robert Cialdini.

“The best ideas often come from outside your own industry,” he says. “The ability to take lessons from psychology, marketing, or even aerospace engineering and apply them to title and escrow—that’s what keeps me excited about what’s next.”

The Future: More Automated, More Personalized

Looking ahead, Brett envisions an industry where AI and automation handle the repetitive clerical work, allowing title professionals to return to a more personalized, service-driven approach.

“We’re going to see a shift where title professionals spend less time on paperwork and more time being trusted advisors,” he says. “That’s where the real opportunity is.”

In his personal life, Brett has already seen how AI-driven digital marketing personalizes consumer interactions—particularly in Ameragave,* an agave spirits business that he recently launched. He believes title will undergo a similar transformation, where AI-driven communication delivers personalized client experiences instead of generic email templates.

From configuring TPS platforms to envisioning a future where AI streamlines workflows while preserving human relationships, Brett is leading the charge toward a smarter, more efficient title industry.

And with his engineering mindset and relentless drive for optimization, one thing is clear:

The workflow nerd is just getting started.

*Outside of Title

Brett Beckett set out to create the spirit of freedom—Ameragave. Ditching the tequila rulebook, he crafted an additive-free agave spirit on American soil, aged like whiskey with virgin American oak.

The result? Award-winning flavor that’s winning over both whiskey and tequila lovers. And with every bottle, Ameragave gives back to veterans.

More info at www.ameragave.com

Marissa Deml doesn’t just keep up with change—she builds it. In an industry once bogged down by manual processes and endless checklists, she has carved out a reputation as a relentless innovator, constantly searching for ways to make title smarter, faster, and more adaptable to the real world.

Her motto? "If there’s no reason to say ‘no’ to trying something new, let’s say ‘yes.’"

It’s this mindset that has propelled her from closing assistant to Chief Operating Officer at TitleSmart, leading automation efforts, workflow transformation, and a push toward an industry that actually works for the people in it.

From Assistant to Architect

Deml’s entry into the title industry wasn’t planned.

A friend suggested TitleSmart as a great place to work. She started as a closing assistant in 2016, but she wasn’t the type to just follow the existing system—she saw the gaps and started filling them. By 2018, she was in operations, playing a pivotal role in TitleSmart’s transition from AIM+ to SoftPro—a shift that fundamentally reshaped how the company approached automation and efficiency.

But the move to SoftPro wasn’t just about switching software—it was about rethinking how work gets done. "If we’re doing the same task every single time or if it’s always formulaic, why not automate it?" Deml explains.

She worked closely with her team to embed automation into workflows, reducing mental overload on employees and allowing them to focus on complex, high-value issues instead of checking boxes and sending redundant emails.

Building Systems for the 95%

One of Deml’s biggest strengths? She knows how to separate the signal from the noise.

"You’re always going to have weird situations—six sellers on a file, an odd legal matter—but that’s not the norm. So we build for the 95%, then deal with the 5% separately."

Instead of designing processes around exceptions, she takes a structured approach:

• Categorizing transactions by seller-side, buyer-side, and refinance.
• Mapping out necessary steps, documentation, and timing.
• Automating the repeatable, leaving room for adaptability.
• Always remain open to feedback from your staff, and don’t be afraid to make changes to the process down the road.

The result? Smoother transactions, reduced errors, and a team that can focus on what actually matters.

The Future Will be Built on Collaboration & Flexibility

Looking ahead, Deml envisions a title industry that’s more connected, not more fragmented. Especially in a split-closing state like Minnesota, where title companies often work on opposite sides of the same transaction, she sees too much unnecessary friction.

"Right now, we’re all trying to protect our own risk assessments, but if we could get on the same page, it would make things so much smoother for everyone. I’m trying to ‘walk the walk’ on that whenever I can."

She’s already led successful digital closing initiatives at TitleSmart, spearheading Remote Online Notarization (RON) efforts in 2019—well before the pandemic forced the industry’s hand. Her vision? A fully adaptable title experience.

"Do you want to close from your house? Sure, we’ll come to you. Are you traveling but need to sign? We can handle that remotely. Title should work for the customer, not the other way around."

Finding Breakthroughs in Unexpected Places

When she’s not optimizing workflows, Deml finds clarity in long walks with her dog, Shindig—a mix of cattle dog, beagle, and pitbull. She also cross-stitches, listens to podcasts, and lets ideas simmer in the background until, suddenly, a solution clicks.

"You let an idea sit on the back burner, and then, boom, a solution hits you when you’re doing something completely unrelated." She’s not forcing innovation—she’s making space for it.

A Relentless Drive for Progress

Deml has built her career on saying yes to what’s next.

Whether it’s automating workflows, spearheading digital closings, or pushing for industry-wide collaboration, she sees the gaps and fills them.

Looking 5, 10, or 20 years down the road, she envisions a title industry that’s more digital, more integrated, and more adaptable to the needs of consumers. And if history is any indication, she won’t just be talking about that future—she’ll be building it.

David Holthouse doesn’t just fix problems—he eliminates them before they start.

As the head of Customer Support at CloseSimple, he spends his days in the trenches with title professionals, helping them untangle issues in real time. But in his mind, the real opportunity isn’t just solving problems—it’s preventing them from ever happening.

And that all starts with one thing: clean data.

A Small Error, a Big Problem

"The amount of time I spend tracking down issues that stem from simple data entry mistakes is staggering," David says.

A missing email. A misspelled name. A wrong phone number. Tiny errors that, left unchecked, snowball into transaction delays, misrouted communications, and frustrated clients.

"We build all these great tools to make the process smoother," he says. "But they’re only as good as the data being fed into them. If the order starts with bad data, the whole system breaks down."

That’s why David is obsessed with order entry. It’s the first domino.

"Get clean, structured data into the title production system from the start, and suddenly… everything works. Communication improves. Automation actually does its job. And instead of spending half your time fixing problems, you get to focus on what really matters."

The Future of Title: Fewer Steps, More Strategy

David’s vision for title isn’t about replacing people—it’s about removing the repetitive stuff that wastes their time.

"The title industry is filled with redundancies," he explains. "So much of what happens in a transaction—chasing down documents, confirming details, scheduling appointments—could be handled by AI assistants."

Instead of four or five people touching a file just to move it along, imagine a world where an intelligent system does 90% of the work, and human experts step in only for high-value decisions.

"Title isn’t going to wake up one day and suddenly hand everything over to AI," he says. "But step by step, as technology improves and companies start seeing the advantages, that shift is going to happen."

And it all comes back to clean data.

"If the foundation isn’t right, none of these innovations will work the way they should. That’s why getting order entry right is such a big deal. It’s the first domino."

Rethinking Support: From Problem-Solving to Prevention

David isn’t just applying this mindset to technology—he’s applying it to how customer support itself works.

"Early on, support was just about putting out fires," he explains. "Someone calls with a problem, we fix it, repeat."

But at CloseSimple, he’s flipping that script. What if we stop the fires before they start? What can we do now so this never happens again?

Those are the types of questions driving his team. And those are the type of questions he thinks the entire title industry should be asking.

"A lot of title companies are so busy fixing what’s broken that they don’t have time to ask, ‘How do we stop this from happening in the first place?’ But that’s the mindset shift that leads to real innovation."

Asking ‘How Can We…?’ More Often

David isn’t just reacting to problems—he’s constantly hunting for ways to do things better.

"I read about AI, quantum computing, customer experience trends—whatever’s out there," he says. "And I’m always thinking, ‘How does this apply here?’"

That curiosity, he believes, is what separates the best companies in title from the ones that just get by.

"The companies leading this industry aren’t just reacting to problems—they’re asking, ‘How can we make this better?’ ‘How can we remove friction?’ ‘How can we create a better customer experience?’ The more we ask ‘How can we…?’ instead of just accepting things the way they are, the faster this industry moves forward."

For David, that’s the real key to the future of title and escrow.

Not just adopting new technology.

Not just making incremental improvements.

But adopting a mindset of constant innovation.

Because once the first domino falls, everything else starts to move.

Aaron Lloyd reads. A lot. Five books a week, thousands of pages, countless ideas filtering through his mind.

Some see books as entertainment or education—Aaron sees them as fuel. Analytical frameworks, cutting-edge fiction, human psychology—every page shapes how he sees the world, technology, and the future of the title industry.

And that future? It’s not just about having data—it’s about using it. Not just refining processes, but reinventing them. The title industry is old—centuries old. There’s no magic reset button, but there are ways to make it faster, smarter, and more efficient. With over 20 years in title and tech, Aaron knows one thing for certain: the industry will either evolve, or it will be replaced.

From Closing Deals to Building Solutions

Aaron’s career isn’t just about title—it’s about transformation. As a senior national commercial closer, he handled transactions across 26 states, working with REITs, defense contractors, and Fortune 500 companies. But living and dying by a monthly balance sheet left him wanting more. He saw technology as the force multiplier the industry needed. So, he pivoted.

He joined ResWare, diving deep into enterprise software, implementation, and engineering. Then came Qualia. Then Shaddock. In under four years, he built an entire application support and engineering team—bringing third-party tools in-house, developing services that had never existed before, and unlocking the power of data analytics. His team isn’t just integrating systems—they’re redefining how title and escrow operate at scale.

The Industry’s Biggest Missed Opportunity? Data.

For all the talk of innovation, title has lagged behind. The biggest technological advancements haven’t come from within—they’ve come from adjacent industries. Lenders have pushed further than title companies. Real estate agents have seen more tech investment. Meanwhile, title has focused on tools that serve realtors rather than transforming its own workflows.

That’s where Aaron is focused—on how data can actually change the game.

“Title is a data-driven industry, but we haven’t treated it that way,” he says. “Silicon Valley and fintech have built entire business models around data, while title is just waking up. If we don’t figure this out now, someone else will.”

And that’s the real risk. Technology providers aren’t just building tools for title companies—they’re positioning themselves to replace them. Lenders, hungry for control, see title as an obstacle, not a necessity. If title professionals don’t take ownership of their data, the industry as we know it may not survive.

Where Title Innovation Is Actually Happening

Aaron doesn’t believe in innovation for its own sake. He believes in targeted, measurable improvements that make businesses run better. Right now, he’s focused on four key areas:

• Containerization – Deploying applications in self-contained environments, making them more secure and scalable. If something goes wrong, you don’t patch—you destroy and rebuild in minutes.
• Infrastructure as Code – Automating infrastructure configurations to make systems faster, more secure, and adaptable.
• Data Laking – Aggregating and normalizing data across companies to unlock real insights.
• Machine Learning and AI – Using technology to free up humans for high-value work—not replacing people, but elevating them.

Yet his biggest frustration? The industry still isn’t leveraging its own data. Title companies sit on years of transaction history, market trends, and risk analysis. But most don’t even know how to access it. If they don’t start using it, someone else will.

The Shift to Shared Data and Industry-Wide Evolution

The last few decades were about digitizing title. The next will be about what we do with that data. As consolidation accelerates and national players expand, independent title companies must embrace collaboration—or risk obsolescence. Over the next 5 to 10 years, Aaron predicts:

• Standardization will dominate – Proprietary processes will give way to streamlined, integrated systems.
• Shared data models will be essential – Companies that resist collaborative, data-driven solutions will struggle to compete. Technology will drive decisions – Title must evolve from one-off transactions to a continuous, data-powered system.

But resistance to change persists. Legacy processes and the “this is how we’ve always done it” mindset are making the industry vulnerable.

“Tech providers are moving in. Lenders want more control. If we don’t step up and own our processes and data, someone else will,” Aaron warns.

Looking Ahead: What Comes Next

Aaron’s role at Shaddock isn’t just about improving one company—it’s about shaping the future of title at scale. His focus? Integrating 21+ acquired companies into a unified enterprise and educating the industry on strategic growth.

Too many title owners don’t fully understand how they make money, where they lose money, or what drives profitability. Without that knowledge, growth is accidental—not strategic.

For Aaron, the future of title isn’t just about better software—it’s about a mindset shift. Title companies must think like tech companies—because if they don’t, tech companies will think like title companies and take over.

The industry is at a turning point. Data is the key. The only question is: Who will use it first?

And with all that disruption ahead, the real mystery might be this: How will Aaron still find time to devour five books a week?

Lauren Beyersdorf didn’t grow up dreaming of a career in title and escrow. In fact, when she walked into her first job interview at Black Hills Title in 2012, she had no idea what title insurance even was.

“I remember Googling ‘What does a title insurance company do?’ and looking up the definition of an easement so I’d have something intelligent to say,” she laughs. “I just wanted to sound prepared.”

That quick search led to a career she never expected—but one she can’t imagine leaving.

She started at Black Hills Title as a title assistant, learning the ropes by pulling records, examining ownership history, and assembling reports. She loved the research side of it—piecing together property puzzles and uncovering the stories buried in decades-old documents. But as much as she enjoyed the details, she kept gravitating toward the people side of the business.

“Most title folks prefer to stay behind the scenes, but I was always the one who wanted to answer the phone, explain things to customers, or go upstairs to talk through a file with a real estate agent.”

That natural pull toward relationships eventually led her to closings and client services, a shift that came just in time for the chaos of 2020. While some might have been overwhelmed by the sudden surge in transactions, Lauren thrived. Instead of getting burnt out, she felt energized—solving problems, guiding agents and lenders through hurdles, and helping buyers and sellers navigate an industry most of them didn’t understand.

The Growing Threat of Fraud

Of all the challenges facing the title industry, the one that keeps Lauren up at night is vacant land fraud and seller impersonation fraud. The scams are getting more sophisticated, and the consequences are devastating.

“We’re talking about people losing everything—down payments gone, properties transferred to buyers by fake sellers, entire deals crumbling,” she says. “And by the time they realize what’s happened, it’s too late.”

She’s made it a personal mission to educate real estate agents, lenders, and county officials on how to recognize and prevent fraud. She’s conducted countless training sessions, spoken at brokerage meetings, and even called her local county offices to ask how easy it would be to change a mailing address on a property.

“The answer was terrifying. They told me, ‘Just let us know where you want it sent.’ No verification. No safeguards. That’s the kind of thing that needs to change.”

Where the Industry Must Go

After more than a decade in title, Lauren has seen firsthand how the industry has evolved—and where it still struggles to keep up. Technology has changed how transactions are processed, how customers communicate, and how data is managed, but there are still massive inefficiencies.

The biggest challenge, she believes, is training the next generation of title professionals. The industry is aging, and without strong mentorship, decades of institutional knowledge could be lost.

“I was lucky. I came up through the title side before moving into closings, so I understand why things work the way they do. But if we don’t invest in training, we’re going to end up with a workforce that knows how to check boxes but doesn’t know why those boxes exist.”

Beyond training, the industry also needs to adapt to modern communication styles. The days of agents walking into an office with a paper purchase agreement are over. Today, everything is digital, and title companies need to meet their customers where they are—whether that’s through seamless email systems, integrated dashboards, or tools that allow real-time updates without endless back-and-forth phone calls.

The homebuying experience itself remains a relic of the past. While technology has transformed many industries, purchasing a home is still a slow, paper-heavy process riddled with delays and uncertainty. You can buy a car online in minutes, yet real estate transactions remain clunky and opaque, leaving buyers and sellers frustrated by the lack of transparency.

Lauren sees this as a challenge the industry must take on. She believes closing on a home should be seamless, efficient, and easy to understand—and that it’s time for real estate to catch up.

One Conversation

For Lauren, one of the most defining moments in her career came at a ALTA One in Colorado when Diana Hoffman, a rep for Fidelity out of Arizona, pulled her aside.

“She told me, ‘You have a way of explaining title that actually makes sense to people. You should lean into that.’” That conversation flipped a switch. Since then, Lauren has made it her mission to be the person agents and lenders turn to for guidance. She travels to real estate offices, speaks at training events, and ensures that Black Hills Title isn’t just processing transactions—it’s educating and empowering its customers.

The Future of Title and Escrow

Ask anyone in the industry, and they’ll tell you the same thing: once you get into title, you never leave. Lauren has come to believe that’s true—not because people are stuck, but because the work matters.

“The role of title is to provide certainty in an uncertain world,” she says. “No matter how much technology changes, people will always need someone to protect their investment, verify their transaction, and guide them through the process.”

She hopes that by the time her 16- and 14-year-old daughters buy their first homes, the experience will be simpler, faster, and more transparent. But no matter how the industry evolves, one thing will stay the same: the need for trust.

“People want to know their home is theirs, free and clear. They want to know their money is safe. And they want to know that if something goes wrong, someone has their back,” she says. “That’s what title is really about.”

And as for that joke about never leaving the industry?

Well, she Googled her way into this industry, and she’s still here. So yeah, I’d say that’s probably true.

The title and escrow industry is built on tradition—deeply entrenched processes, paper-heavy workflows, and meticulous transactions that make it one of the most detail-driven corners of real estate. But as technology reshapes the landscape, title professionals face a choice: evolve or risk falling behind.

At the forefront of this transformation are Andrea Castelli and Erica Waldron, business partners at First Class Signing – a national signing service. Together, they are proving that innovation in title isn’t just about automation. It’s about smarter workflows, strategic partnerships, and rethinking how business gets done.

From a Happy Accident to a Lifelong Career

Like many in the title industry, neither Andrea nor Erica planned on building a career in it.

In 2018, Andrea was bartending and teaching yoga when a good friend and regular customer invited her to join a newly launched title company. The industry was completely foreign to her, but she jumped in.

“I remember Googling ‘What does a title insurance company do?’ before my first day,” she laughs. “I even looked up the definition of an easement so I could sound prepared.”

What she found was a world that was complex, fast-moving, and surprisingly compelling. She worked her way up from managing closings to overseeing operations, developing a deep understanding of the industry’s moving parts.

Meanwhile, Erica came from commercial real estate and had always dreamed of running a business with Andrea. When the pandemic hit, they saw an opportunity to launch a mobile notary company, Sunny Signings, to meet the surge in demand for remote closings. The business took off, and soon they merged with First Class Signing, gaining the infrastructure to scale nationwide.

Today, they work with lenders, real estate agents, and title professionals across the country—streamlining the closing process and proving that innovation isn’t just about technology—it’s about building a better way of doing business.

The Industry is Changing—But Not Fast Enough

Andrea and Erica have watched the industry shift toward automation, integrations, and remote online notarization (RON), but they know there’s still a long way to go.

One of the biggest inefficiencies? Paper-based processes.

“I wish I could snap my fingers and make it so we never had to print another set of closing documents again,” Andrea says. “iPen technology already exists, where buyers and sellers can sign digitally on an iPad, but widespread adoption just isn’t there yet.”

Beyond the paperwork, quality control remains a major challenge. Title transactions involve hundreds of pages, each requiring meticulous review. A single missed initial or incorrect signature can cause delays that ripple through the process.

“Right now, it’s all human review,” Andrea explains. “That means errors get caught late and fixing them takes time. But that’s about to change. A new AI-driven solution is already in the works—one that will scan and verify documents instantly, catching errors before they cause delays. When it’s ready, it’ll be a complete game changer.”

But beyond technology, awareness is a major roadblock.

“If I could change one thing, it would be for every title professional to know the resources available to them,” Erica adds. “There are so many forward-thinking vendors in this industry—solutions that could reduce stress and eliminate tedious tasks. But too many agents don’t realize what’s out there.”

Making Title a Career People Actually Choose

For Andrea and Erica, innovation isn’t just about technology—it’s about people.

Most professionals “fall into title” rather than choosing it as a career. But they believe that needs to change.

“We need to make this industry appealing to younger professionals,” Erica says. “Right now, most people don’t even know what title is until they stumble into it. What if we shifted the narrative to: ‘I want a career in title’?”

That shift starts with better access to industry education and networking. Conferences, for example, are invaluable—but often feel out of reach for newcomers.

“The opportunities are endless if you invest in yourself,” Erica says. “When you believe in yourself, others believe in

you too. We need to make conferences, mentorships, and events more accessible to the next generation.”

Standardization and Efficiency: A Smarter Future

Looking ahead, Andrea and Erica advocate for standardization, sustainability, and efficiency.

• Standardization – “Every lender has different closing requirements—it’s unnecessarily complex,” Andrea explains. “A more uniform process would make everything smoother.”
• Sustainability – The industry is moving toward greener, digital-first practices—but those should be the standard, not just an option.
• Efficiency – “The sooner we make digital the norm, the better,” Erica says. “It keeps us competitive, modern, and more appealing to new talent.”

The Industry You Never Leave

Despite challenges, they’re optimistic about the future—one driven by efficiency, better technology, and stronger relationships.

“We need young professionals to step up and be part of the change,” Andrea says.

And as for the idea that title is an industry you never leave?

“Jen Giles, a WFG rep, once told me, ‘Welcome to title—the industry you’ll never leave,’” Andrea laughs. “She was right. Once you see the potential and relationships, you realize this is where you’re meant to be.”

Tyler Lee never set out for a career in title and escrow. Like many in the industry, she stumbled into it—first entering business cards into a CRM, then delivering donuts to brokers, and eventually learning the ins and outs of title work. What started as a side gig turned into a career built on problem-solving, innovation, and a relentless drive to modernize an industry often resistant to change.

But despite all the progress, something didn’t add up. Title companies were sitting on mountains of data, yet the industry remained bogged down by manual data entry, outdated systems, and inefficiencies that drained productivity. The information was there—the problem was knowing how to use it.

The Unlock: Title’s Biggest Untapped Asset

Lee sees data as the industry’s biggest opportunity, but the challenge isn’t just access—it’s usability. “We’ve always had the data needed to close a file, but we haven’t always been able to access it easily or even know what to do with it,” she explains. Too often, critical data is trapped in outdated systems, forcing teams to enter the same information multiple times and rely on too much manual oversight.

Blockchain, once often heralded as a game-changer, has a 50/50 chance of making a real impact in the next decade, Lee predicts. But not in the way most expect. Instead of an industry-wide overhaul, she envisions blockchain first taking hold in test markets where clean data structures allow it to thrive.

The real transformation, however, won’t come from blockchain alone—it will come when title software evolves from a passive tool into an active decision-maker, anticipating needs rather than waiting for inputs.

Learning by Doing

Lee was embracing digitization before it was standard. Early in her career, she was scanning files before anyone else in her office, long before paperless workflows became the norm. Later, at Blend, she helped craft a digital-first title experience with a simple but radical goal: “We just want to do one end-to-end digital closing … then another … then another.”

But technology alone isn’t the answer—process is. “Original Title Production systems were designed to be dumb. They take smart people and make them do unnecessary work,” she says. The real opportunity isn’t just digitizing existing workflows—it’s designing systems that think, act, and remove unnecessary steps altogether.

The 45-Day Reset:

After years of pushing the limits of innovation in title and proptech, Lee hit a wall. She had built, optimized, and streamlined, but something still felt off. Burned out and running on autopilot, she struggled to see what was next.

So, she did something bold—she walked away.

She and her wife packed up their converted Sprinter van and spent 45 days traveling up and down the California coast. No spreadsheets. No meetings. Just the open road, fresh air, and the space to think beyond the day-to-day grind. It wasn’t just a break—it was a reset.

And that’s when the idea for Beyond Title was born.

The problem wasn’t just inefficiency—it was mindset. Too many title professionals were stuck managing data instead of letting systems do it for them. What if title professionals could shift from being data entry clerks to

actual transaction strategists? What if software could anticipate the next steps instead of waiting for someone to trigger them manually?

The Marketplace of the Future

Lee believes title companies can create a marketplace experience for consumers—one that prioritizes transparency, choice, and a seamless closing process. By harnessing real-time data, title companies won’t need to track every step manually. Instead, technology will surface key decisions exactly when they’re needed.

The problem?

Most companies aren’t leveraging the data they already have.

Lee points to tools like Agent Brief, which provide real-time updates on agents’ listings and contracts, as an example of how smart data usage can drive business forward. Instead of looking backward and guessing what’s the next trend, companies can use real time updates to predict and drive what's next. “Nobody’s looking backward to use the data they already have,” she says.

The title companies that embrace automation will be the ones leading the next wave of transformation.

The Future: Smarter Software, Smarter Title Professionals

Lee envisions a future where data isn’t just an afterthought—it’s the backbone of efficiency, consumer empowerment, and industry evolution. But the biggest shift? Title professionals won’t need to tell the software what to do. Software will already know.

Her journey is a reminder that sometimes, the best way to move forward is to step back.

To unplug.

To reset.

Because the future of title isn’t about working harder—it’s about working smarter.

For Lili Farhandi, true innovation was never about breaking the mold—it was about sharpening it. In an industry bogged down by outdated processes and inefficiency, she saw a clear path forward: not a revolution, but a precise and powerful refinement.

With a background in fintech, engineering, and process optimization, she built a career solving complex problems with precision. After graduating from Purdue, her journey began at Accenture, where she spent years working with financial giants like JP Morgan and Fannie Mae, leading initiatives to streamline operations, cut costs, and introduce greater efficiencies into financial services. But it was during her time at Fannie Mae, exploring the role of blockchain in mortgage processing, that she found herself drawn into the broader real estate industry and the inefficiencies deeply embedded into title and escrow.

That experience led her to SafeChain, one of the earliest companies experimenting with blockchain in real estate transactions. The goal was ambitious—using decentralized technology to make title transfers peer to peer and instant. But while the vision was bold, the reality of the industry was starkly different. Title and escrow were still highly manual, reliant on esoteric processes, and expensive to modernize.

Farhandi quickly saw that the industry’s biggest challenge wasn’t just a lack of technology—it was knowing where to apply it effectively.

The Power of Focused Innovation

Farhandi’s career has been a study in targeted problem-solving, and nowhere was that clearer than in her next role. After her time at SafeChain, she returned to fintech, serving as Head of Product at ClickSwitch, a company helping banks streamline customer onboarding.

Unlike many startups trying to revolutionize an industry overnight, ClickSwitch succeeded by doing one thing exceptionally well—solving a highly specific problem that banks urgently needed fixed. The company was eventually acquired (NYSE: QTWO), and the experience gave Farhandi a fundamental insight that would shape her future in title and escrow.

“ClickSwitch was laser-focused, and that’s what made it successful,” she explains. “Too many companies try to fix everything at once and end up solving nothing. The key to true innovation isn’t disruption for the sake of it—it’s understanding what actually moves the needle and going all in on that.”

That realization became the foundation of Razi, the company she co-founded to bring smarter, data-driven solutions to title agencies. Instead of trying to transform the entire industry in one sweeping motion, Razi focused on solving one of the industry’s biggest inefficiencies: title search.

Making Data Work for Title Agencies

Farhandi believes that data is the most underutilized asset in title and escrow. Unlike other financial sectors where analytics drive decision-making, title agencies have historically lacked visibility into their own performance. Many companies still struggle with fragmented systems, manual processes, and a lack of real-time insight into their business metrics.

“Back in 2017, most title companies weren’t tracking basic performance indicators,” she says. “Many had no way to see month-over-month trends, identify bottlenecks, or make data-driven decisions. Everything was reactive. That’s starting to change, but not fast enough.”

At Razi, the mission is to help title agencies unlock the power of their own data, streamlining operations and making transactions faster and more efficient. By focusing on title search automation and prior policy retrieval, Razi enables title agents to spend less time digging through records and more time delivering value to their clients.

Razi’s customers are the industry’s highest-performing companies, quietly leveraging their own data to gain market share to drive measurable results. The goal isn’t just to digitize what already exists—it’s to fundamentally rethink how title professionals interact with data, using it to improve decision-making, reduce costs, and create more seamless workflows.

But Farhandi is clear that technology alone isn’t the solution. “Data is just a tool. It can guide decisions, but it doesn’t replace expertise. The key is knowing which data points matter and using them to take meaningful action.”

The Future of Title & Escrow: Smarter, Not Harder

Looking ahead, Farhandi sees a smarter, leaner, more transparent industry—not through revolutions, but focused improvements. While AI, automation, and blockchain will shape the future, no single technology is a silver bullet. Success will come to companies that apply tech strategically, where it matters most.

Her advice for title agencies? Focus. “Find your biggest inefficiency and fix it. Not five things—just one. Solve it completely, then move on.” Trying to be everything to everyone, she warns, spreads companies too thin. Instead, they should refine their strengths and let everything else follow.

“The future of title isn’t about chasing trends—it’s about applying technology where it actually makes a difference.”

For Farhandi, the takeaway is clear: those who focus will lead the next era of title and escrow.

If you had told Kathy Kwak after law school that she’d one day be the COO of a major title insurance company, she probably wouldn’t have believed you.

Like many in the industry, her path wasn’t a straight line—it was a winding road of opportunities, pivots, and unexpected lessons that eventually led her to Proper Title in Chicago.

She started in real estate law, then moved to Chicago Public Schools where she reviewed leases and property agreements. But the traditional legal path wasn’t enough. She wanted more—more impact, more opportunity, more challenge.

So, she took a leap.

"I saw a job posting on LinkedIn for a National Commercial Underwriting Counsel at First American, and I thought, ‘That sounds important. I like the title. I’ll apply.’”

She got the job. And just like that, she was in title insurance.

Over the next decade, she mastered commercial underwriting, agency management, and operations, gaining a deep understanding of how title companies work at every level. Now, as COO of Proper Title, she’s focused on scaling the business by increasing its market share of residential closings, expanding its national commercial services division and growing its construction escrow business.

Knowledge That’s Walking Out the Door

Kathy has big plans to help improve the title insurance industry, but she also sees a major problem: a knowledge gap that’s growing every day.

"If I could snap my fingers and change one thing, it would be to capture the knowledge of the retiring generation before it disappears.”

Title insurance is an industry built on deep, specialized knowledge—but too much of it is locked away in the minds of professionals who have spent 30, 40, even 50 years solving complex property issues, deciphering handwritten records, and making nuanced underwriting decisions.

And now?

"They’re retiring. Some are being forced out. And when they leave, all of that knowledge leaves with them."

Kathy believes the industry needs a structured way to document and transfer this expertise—not just for the sake of history, but to ensure the next generation has the tools to succeed.

“I’d love to have a dedicated person whose job is just to sit with these experts, document everything they know, and turn it into a real resource for future professionals,” she says. "Because if we don’t do it, we’re going to find ourselves scrambling to fill the gaps in 10, 20, 30 years."

Technology is Moving Fast—But People Still Matter

Kathy has seen major progress in automation, e-recording, and digital workflow management.

Software tools like SoftPro have transformed how her team operates, making workflows smoother and reducing manual errors. But while technology should make title work more efficient, she’s not convinced it can replace the human element entirely.

"A lot of people were hyped about blockchain replacing title a few years ago," she says. "But the reality is, title

insurance isn’t just about recording transactions. It’s about solving problems when things go wrong." Even the most advanced systems still rely on people to input, interpret, and verify data.

"What happens when there’s a break in the chain of title? When a deed is handwritten and hard to read? When a document needs to be recorded in a specific order? Tech alone can’t fix those things. We still need experts who understand the details.”

That’s why, even as AI-driven tools continue to evolve, Kathy believes the real future of title lies in a mix of technology and human expertise.

More Collaboration, Less Competition

Looking ahead 20 to 30 years, Kathy hopes to see a cultural shift in how title companies, underwriters, and industry players work together.

"When I first started, everything was about competition. Underwriters were competing with each other. Title companies were competing with each other. No one was really collaborating.”

But during the pandemic, something changed.

"There was a moment when we were all in it together. Everyone was facing the same challenges, and for the first time, it felt like we were truly working as a unified industry."

She wants that cooperation to continue—not just in times of crisis, but as a long-term strategy for industry growth.

Instead of keeping solutions siloed, she envisions a future where:

• Title insurance professionals openly share best practices.
• Underwriters and agents collaborate on training and knowledge transfer.
• New talent is intentionally recruited and mentored—rather than ‘falling into’ the industry by accident.

We Have to Be More Intentional About Who We Hire

One of Kathy’s biggest priorities as a leader is ensuring that title insurance remains a career worth pursuing—not just a job people stumble into.

"I make a point to meet every single person we hire, no matter the role," she says.

For entry-level positions, she looks beyond traditional resumes.

"I’ve started hiring from the service industry, such as bartenders and restaurant workers, because they have something I can’t teach—hustle. I can train someone on title insurance. I can’t train someone on work ethic.”

For leadership positions, she’s just as intentional.

“These roles aren’t just about experience. They’re about alignment, culture, and long-term vision.”

She sees succession planning as a critical part of her job—not just filling positions today but building a leadership pipeline that ensures the company thrives decades from now.

"I’m already thinking 10 years ahead,” she says. "Because if we don’t plan for the future now, we’re going to wake up one day with no one ready to lead."

The Power of Relationships

For Kathy, the future of title isn’t just about technology, processes, or hiring strategies—it’s about relationships.

Whether it’s mentoring young professionals, collaborating with underwriters, or building strategic vendor partnerships, she believes the industry will thrive only if people commit to working together.

"I’ve never worked with a team as collaborative and dedicated as the one at Proper Title," she says. "And that’s what I hope to see more of across the industry—people putting aside competition and focusing on what’s best for the future of title as a whole."

Because in the end, the success of the industry won’t be measured by how many deals get closed—but by how well it adapts, innovates, and supports the people who make it all happen.

If there’s one thing Mies von Seebach wants title professionals to understand, it’s this: The industry’s competitive landscape is changing—fast. Companies that adapt will thrive. Those that don’t will be left behind.

As an Area Manager for Stewart’s Agency Services, overseeing independent agency partnerships in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Washington, Mies has a unique vantage point. He spends his days visiting title agencies, seeing firsthand where businesses excel, where they struggle, and what’s holding them back. From outdated processes to resistance to technology, he believes title is at a turning point. The question is whether the industry will embrace change—or wait until it’s forced upon them.

The Industry’s Biggest Blind Spot: Resistance to Change

In general, the title industry plays defense. In many ways, that’s fundamentally what the industry is about. A strong defense is the best offense when it comes to protecting consumers and ensuring the sanctity of the transaction. But when it comes to ensuring the viability of a title company’s future, it requires a different mentality.

“Innovation has always been invited to the party,” Mies says. “But only a relative few actually want to dance with it. It’s usually only when the music stops that most scramble to find a date.”

One of Mies’ first experiences with this was Remote Online Notarization (RON).

“My first week with Stewart in 2018, I attended a webinar about RON,” he explains. “I thought to myself, ‘This is great! Who wouldn’t want this?’ Yet adoption was virtually nonexistent.”

To be fair, Mies acknowledges that the industry faced significant barriers to scaling RON—and still does. But title companies weren’t exactly tripping over themselves to overcome those barriers and take advantage of what he saw as obvious benefits.

Then COVID happened. And suddenly, RON made sense.

“That experience taught me a valuable lesson about how change occurs in this industry,” he says.

What Needs to Change—Right Now

Ask Mies what he’d fix first, and his answer is simple: Title companies need to stop treating innovation as optional.

It’s not about chasing the latest trends—it’s about understanding and leveraging tools to solve real problems. Fraud is rising, regulatory scrutiny is increasing, and customer expectations are more demanding than ever. Yet, processes remain painfully manual, job roles loosely defined, and frustration and anxiety are common themes in most title companies.

“These inefficiencies aren’t just frustrating—they’re dangerous to your business on multiple levels,” Mies says. “This is often why good team members leave, why customers choose a different title company, and why fraudsters see a title company as an easy target.”

Innovation looks different for every title company. For some, it’s implementing a standardized process instead of leaving operations up to individual team members. For others, it’s leveraging AI to search underwriting guidelines and bulletins more efficiently. But deciding to look at your business differently - that is how title companies can start to innovate.

“Title insurance is what we do—it’s the product of the business,” Mies says. “But it’s not the only business you’re in. The title companies that understand the bigger picture and innovate accordingly are the ones that will continue to win. You have to actively be seeking for meaningful ways to differentiate the business to both your team and your customers.”

The Next Five Years: The Consolidation Wave Is Here

While AI dominates the headlines, the real shift happening in title is consolidation. Large, well-resourced, traditionally non-title entities see opportunity in the industry and are making heavy investments to enter or expand within it. Often involved in other areas of real estate, these companies are vertically integrating title into their operations—setting themselves up as formidable competitors to the traditional, standalone title and escrow company.

“These aren’t necessarily new trends,” Mies says. “But in an uncertain market, companies like these can afford to be aggressive while others are tightening their belts. So I expect to see an acceleration of that trend in the coming years.”

“Title companies need to be preparing for stronger competitors moving forward.” Mies warns. “Being ‘local’ will always matter in real estate but it isn’t going to be enough on its own to keep market share.”

What’s Coming in 10–20 Years?

Mies envisions a future in title & escrow where technology will facilitate a more human experience, not less of one. Today, the industry spends much of its human capital on the urgent rather than the important. Title professionals are exceptional at solving other people’s problems—often at the expense of solving their own. That’s not sustainable.

The only logical solution is to integrate technology to handle the technical issues so that people can focus on the human ones.

But his biggest concern? Title’s failure to tell its own story.

“I don’t think you have to look much further than President Biden’s State of the Union address to gauge how well we’re doing at communicating our value,” Mies says. “We have to recognize that what we’ve done so far to tell our story isn’t getting the job done.”

Title professionals have spent decades defending the status quo. Now, they need to define the future—before someone else does it for them.

Mies is optimistic about where title is headed, but he knows the future is getting less patient.

“You’ve got to learn to fall in love with the process of improving your business,” he says. “Everyone wants to have a great business, but very few are willing to do what it takes to build one. The future isn’t waiting for title companies to catch up. The question is: are you ready for it?”

Nobody enters the title and escrow industry dreaming of mastering complex operational systems just to close a house. But for title agents and attorneys, that’s the reality—caught between high-tech efficiency and high-touch service.

Lean too heavily on tech, and they risk losing the personal relationships that keep clients loyal. Resist innovation, and they’ll be left behind. Tim and Andrew Hooper understand this battle better than most.

As Marketing, Sales, and Technology Trainers for FNF in the Mid-Atlantic, they don’t just sell title insurance—they help title and escrow agents thrive in a fast-changing industry.

• Tim is the visionary—a marketing powerhouse driving sales and brand awareness.
• Andrew is the strategist—an operations expert ensuring big ideas are executed with precision.

Together, they’ve built a playbook for success: Master the balance between automation and human connection. That’s the key to winning in title—today and in the future.

Two Brothers, Two Paths, One Mission

Andrew never planned on working in title. After years at Wells Fargo and JP Morgan, always on the road and away from his family, he wanted a change. Then Tim called. "I have an opportunity for you to help me run Maryland," Tim said. It was the perfect fit—Andrew could leverage his expertise in finance and operations while building something lasting, close to home.

Tim’s journey was just as unconventional. Coming from sales and coaching in the automotive industry, he understood the power of communication and customer service. When he entered title, he saw an industry stuck in outdated habits.

"You can’t shut the production line down when building cars, just like you can’t miss a closing in title," Tim realized. The stakes were just as high, but the industry wasn’t evolving fast enough.

Together, they saw their opportunity: Tim drives growth. Andrew optimizes execution.

Their mission? Help agents innovate—without losing the personal touch that builds trust.

High-Tech vs. High-Touch: The Battle for Client Loyalty

Title agents are stuck in a never-ending dilemma:

• Embrace technology to stay relevant?
• Or prioritize personal relationships to keep clients engaged?

Real estate agents have figured it out—using video, CRMs, and automation to enhance relationships. But in title? Many are lagging behind.

"Notifications aren’t enough," Tim says. "It’s not just about sending updates—it’s about making sure the consumer actually understands what’s happening." Technology should improve communication, not replace it.

Meanwhile, Andrew sees a different challenge—operational bottlenecks that slow agents down.

"People get stuck chasing perfection," he says. "They overcomplicate processes instead of streamlining them." In a world of rising fraud risks and increased client expectations, execution matters more than ever—but systems need to work smarter, not harder.

The Hoopers see the big picture: High-tech solutions promise efficiency, but they can’t replace human connection. The challenge? Using automation to enhance service, not bury it in complexity.

Innovation vs. Tradition: The Battle for Market Share

Today’s consumers expect real-time updates, seamless communication and transparency. But the title industry? It wasn’t built for that. "There’s always a shiny, techy title company offering a faster experience," Tim says. "Established agents lose business because they aren’t adapting."

But adopting technology alone isn’t the solution. "Did the consumer understand the video? Do they feel confident in the process?" Time is the real enemy. Title agents aren’t opposed to modernization—they’re just overwhelmed.

"They’re buried in backend processes," Tim explains. "It’s not that they don’t want to change, it’s that they don’t have time to figure out how." Andrew sees the deeper issue—siloed technology that doesn’t talk to each other.

"If I could snap my fingers, I’d un-silo all the tech," he says. Faster identity and payment verification would speed up transactions, but disconnected systems create inefficiencies that slow everyone down.

The risk? Agents who ignore these challenges will lose clients to competitors who figure it out first. The solution? Balance. Leverage automation where it adds value while maintaining the personal relationships that matter.

Stay Curious

Tim and Andrew know that staying competitive means staying curious. "You don’t have to implement everything today," Andrew says, "but you better be watching where it’s going."

Tim believes AI will improve efficiency, but it won’t replace personal service. "Imagine a world where AI handles verification and streamlines processes, but we still make that follow-up call: ‘Did that make sense? Do you have any questions?’"Curiosity isn’t just a habit—it’s a strategy.

• Andrew listens to the Everyday AI podcast, keeping tabs on what’s next.
• Tim taps into an elite network of industry leaders, always learning from those ahead of the curve.

They don’t claim to have all the answers—but they ask the right questions. "The ones who are bold enough to explore now will be positioned to thrive in 10, 20, even 30 years," Tim predicts.

Innovate or Be Left Behind

The industry is shifting.

• Consolidation is happening.
• AI is rewriting workflows.
• Title agents must evolve—or risk being left behind.

But local expertise still matters. "As long as dirt is local, title will have a local component," Andrew says. That doesn’t mean agents can afford to ignore innovation.

Tim sees the way forward: "We have to own the conversation. We need to go direct-to-consumer and build brands that resonate." Because if title agents don’t take control, tech giants will step in—and they won’t care about personal service.

Mastering the Tension: Are You Ready?

The Hooper brothers aren’t just adapting to change—they’re leading it. They prove that the future belongs to those who master the balance between innovation and tradition. By staying proactive, communicating clearly, and leveraging the right technology, title agents can turn industry challenges into opportunities.

The question is—will you evolve with the industry, or will you be left behind?

Most title reps chase deals—Cory Thompson builds relationships.

He’s seen what happens when a seasoned agent steps away. Some reps struggle. Some clients drift. Some companies lose decades of trust overnight.

Not Cory.

From the start, he made it his mission to ensure relationships didn’t just continue but grew stronger.

"Too many younger reps lean on tech to establish relationships," Cory says. "But that just doesn’t work. Past generations got it right—real relationships require real time together."

That belief shapes everything he does—how he connects, how he hires, how he plans for the industry’s future. "You can train someone on the technical side," he says. "But personality—the ability to connect with people—that’s something you can’t teach."

Mentors, Mergers & the Next Big Shift

Cory’s approach wasn’t built overnight. He learned from the best. John Monacelli taught him resilience and adaptability, and John Voso drilled in the power of persistence and long-term vision. Their lessons are more relevant than ever, because the industry is quickly changing.

One of the biggest shifts is how retirement is driving the next major transition. For decades, small-town agents have run independent title offices. Now, they’re stepping away.

That’s creating a wave of acquisitions and transitions—and Cory is right in the middle of it.

"That opens up a huge opportunity for younger professionals," he says. "They need to step in, modernize the industry, and take it forward."

But there’s a problem. Title searches—the backbone of the industry—are a dying skill.

"Unless the younger generation steps in to understand this process, we’re going to have a real problem," Cory warns.

Relationships Still Win in a Digital World

Technology has reshaped title. But it hasn’t replaced trust. "Some reps are getting away from real relationships," Cory says. "They rely on automation, emails, and tech-driven touchpoints.

But at the end of the day, people want to do business with people they trust."

For Cory, trust isn’t built through emails and automation. It’s built through:

• Time – Showing up when it matters.
• Consistency – Doing what you say, every time.
• Genuine Connection – Helping others without expecting something in return.

"That’s what my mentors instilled in me," Cory says. "Help people. Build real relationships. Everything else will follow."

The Future of Title & Escrow: 5, 10, 20 Years Ahead

Cory sees four big shifts coming:

• Mass Consolidation – Smaller agencies will continue to be acquired, streamlining the industry.
• Underwriters Will Lead Acquisitions – Helping title agents navigate retirement and transition planning.
• Technology Will Enhance, Not Replace – The best companies will find balance between efficiency and human connection.
• The Talent Gap Will Grow – If new professionals don’t learn title searches, the industry loses a crucial skill.

For Cory, adapting to change isn’t enough.

Carrying forward the principles that built this industry?

That’s what really matters.

"I’m proud of the relationships I’ve been able to pick up and grow," he says. "A lot of those were passed down to me, and it’s my responsibility to make sure they continue."

As for the next generation?

His advice is simple: Be genuine, get to know people, and invest in relationships—not just transactions. In the end, your legacy isn’t just about what you do; it’s about the people you impact along the way.

After reading these stories, one thing is clear: the future of title and escrow isn’t being handed to us—it’s being created by those willing to think bigger.

The innovators in these pages aren’t waiting for change to happen. They’re reimagining processes, challenging outdated systems, and shaping an industry that too often resists transformation.

Some are redefining the closing experience. Others are tackling fraud, automation, or consumer expectations in ways no one else has dared. They’re not just adapting to the future—they’re creating it.

So, what will you create?

Will you rethink how your business operates?

Will you embrace technology not just to keep up, but to push forward? Will you design a customer experience that isn’t just functional, but exceptional?

Because here’s the reality: innovation isn’t optional.

Some will drive it.

Others will be forced to follow.

And a few will be left behind.

The last decade was about digitizing title. The next decade is about reimagining it.

The question is: Will you be the one creating what’s next?