WFG National Title Expands Compliance Resources

 Fenske to be SVP, Compliance and National Training Officer

Portland, OR  April 22, 2013    WFG National Title Insurance Company (“WFG National Title”) has added Lee Ann Fenske to serve as Senior Vice President, Compliance and National Training Officer. WFG National Title is a full service provider of title insurance and real estate settlement services for lender, commercial and residential transactions nationwide.

With WFG National Title, Fenske will be responsible for compliance audits as well as employee and WFG agent training. She will be involved with internal and agent communications regarding compliance, including the management of an online repository for all WFG National Title policies, procedures and training materials.

Fenske has 30 years of experience in the title insurance industry. Prior to joining WFG National Title, she was Group Vice-President for one of the industry’s largest title underwriters, where she managed the owned operations in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Alaska and Eastern Oregon and Eastern Washington.  She had also served as District Manager for the same underwriter.  In that role, she managed the owned operations and also the agency network in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.  During Fenske’s 24 years with that company, she was involved in both the title and escrow side of the operation; assisted with underwriting and claims and took part in training associates and agents in her territories.

Fenske was also appointed by the Montana State Auditor to serve as the only title ambassador on the Montana Insurance Continuing Education Advisory Council for 12 years for the Montana Department of Insurance.  She also has served on the Legislative and Continuing Education Committees for the Montana Land Title Association.

“WFG believes that the changing compliance environment presents a real opportunity for settlement services firms to demonstrate their relevance to clients as educational resources,” said Donald O’Neill, Chief Compliance Officer for WFG National Title. “Lee Ann is the ideal person for this role. Her broad experience with all aspects of the transaction and her penchant for clear, effective communication will make her a key part of sharing this viewpoint with our agents and customers.”

Fenske will be based in Portland, Oregon.  She may be contacted at 509.688.7759 or lafenske@wfgnationaltitle.com.

About WFG National Title Insurance Company

WFG National Title Insurance Company, a Williston Financial Group Company, is a national provider of premium title insurance and settlement services to the real estate and mortgage industry.  The fastest growing national title underwriter, the WFG family was the nation’s eighth largest provider of title insurance at the end of the third quarter in 2012, less than three years after its entry to the market.  (Based upon market share.  Source:  American Land Title Association http://www.alta.org/industry/financial.cfm).  WFG National Title also delivers a wide variety of residential and commercial mortgage lender services, including default and real estate owned transactions.  The company enjoys a Financial Stability Rating of A’ (A prime) as assigned by Demotech, Inc.  Built around the directive to “communicate, collaborate, coexist,” WFG National Title Insurance Company is committed to applying a new philosophy to the traditional mortgage and real estate industry, working to meet the changing needs of its clients, agents and associates.  For more information, please go to www.WFGNationalTitle.com.

Portland, OR  January 29, 2013

Williston Financial Group (“WFG”), the parent company of WFG Lender Services and WFG National Title Insurance Company, has named Donald O’Neill as its Chief Compliance Officer. O’Neill will continue to serve as Executive Vice President of Institutional Services.  The Williston Financial Group family is a full service provider of title insurance and real estate settlement services for lender, commercial and residential transactions, nationwide.

As WFG’s Chief Compliance Officer, O’Neill will oversee WFG’s compliance programs.  He is charged with expanding WFG’s current compliance programs to meet the stricter demands of today’s compliance environment. Included in his duties will be implementation of improved employee and title agent training, licensing, audit and programs designed to update and track adherence to the Company’s policies and procedures.   The position will include an emphasis on actively collaborating and communicating with customers, lenders and agents faced with new compliance requirements of the Dodd Frank Act and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

O’Neill came to WFG in June, 2012 with 30 years of experience in mortgage and real estate services most recently as Chief Operating Officer and Associate General Counsel for Altisource’s Premium Title.   Prior to that O’Neill held senior management positions with national settlement services companies and for over ten years he  served as Group President and CEO for the Real Estate Information Group at one of the industry’s largest title insurance underwriters.  O’Neill is licensed to practice law in Washington State and Utah and is a member of the United State Supreme Court Bar – Washington D.C.  He received his Juris Doctorate and MBA from Gonzaga University.

“WFG is extremely fortunate to have Don O’Neill, who has extensive industry and legal experience, assume the role of Chief Compliance Officer,” said WFG President and CEO Patrick Stone.  “We are acutely aware that our clients and their customers look to us for assurances that the settlement services business is conducted in a manner fully in accord with consumer finance law.   Don will provide direction, oversight, education and auditing of our operations, while extending access to those programs to agents writing WFG policies.”

“My emphasis during 2013 will be to develop programs and implement controls which enable WFG to proactively identify and mitigate risk,” said O’Neill.  “The regulatory environment our industry faces today demands an aggressive approach to compliance, and we are in a unique position to assist our customers, agents and partners in this regard as well.”

Donald O’Neill can be reached at (916) 300 – 1817 or doneill@wfgnationaltitle.com

About Williston Financial Group

Williston Financial Group is the Portland, Oregon-based parent company of several national title insurance and settlement services providers, including WFG Lender Services and WFG National Title Insurance Company.  It is one of the fastest growing national title insurance and settlement services providers in the mortgage and real estate services industry.

WFG National Title Insurance Company is a national provider of premium title insurance and settlement services to the real estate and mortgage industry.  The company also delivers a wide variety of residential and commercial mortgage lender services, including default and real estate owned transactions.  The company enjoys a Financial Stability Rating of A’ (A prime) as assigned by Demotech, Inc.  WFG Lender Services is a provider of premium title, closing and settlement services in all 50 states for mortgage lenders of all sizes.    The company fields national processing offices in Texas and California, and delivers a wide variety of residential and commercial mortgage lender services, including title insurance, closing, escrow and more.

Built around the directive to “communicate, collaborate, coexist,” Williston Financial Group is committed to applying a new philosophy to the traditional mortgage and real estate industry, working to meet the changing needs of its clients, agents and associates.  For more information, please go to www.WFGNationalTitle.com  or www.WFGLS.com.

Diamond Will Head Agency IT Services

WFG National Title Insurance Company (“WFG National Title”) has added Rick Diamond to serve as its Vice President of Information Technology, Agency Operations.  WFG National Title is a full service provider of title insurance and real estate settlement services for commercial and residential transactions nationwide.

Diamond will oversee all IT initiatives in the company’s agency operations nationwide, and he will be based in the Massachusetts office.   As part of his position, Diamond will maintain dialogue with agents throughout the country about technology, I.T. trends and ways to use technology to assist in title processing.  Diamond will also assist with agency sales as well.  He comes to WFG National Title with 24 years of experience in the industry, all of them with one of the nation’s largest underwriters.  Most recently, he was VP, Division IT Director for 22 years.  Before that, he served as VP and State Manager.  He has been a former board member and remains actively involved with the Room to Dream Foundation, a children’s charity which donates renovation and home improvement services to chronically ill children in the greater Boston area.

“Rick is well-known throughout the title industry for his dedication, knowledge and creativity,” said WFG National Title’s Executive Vice President, Joseph Drum, Esq.  “He has been a staunch advocate for a great number of agents across the country, and has a well-deserved reputation for putting his clients ahead of all else.  He will be an outstanding addition to our agency team.”

Diamond may be contacted at (781) 587-0172 or Rdiamond@WFGNationalTitle.com.

About WFG National Title Insurance Company

WFG National Title Insurance Company, a Williston Financial Group Company, is a national provider of premium title insurance and settlement services to the real estate and mortgage industry.  The company also delivers a wide variety of residential and commercial mortgage lender services, including default and real estate owned transactions.  The company enjoys a Financial Stability Rating of A’ (A prime) as assigned by Demotech, Inc.  Built around the directive to “communicate, collaborate, coexist,” WFG National Title Insurance Company is committed to applying a new philosophy to the traditional mortgage and real estate industry, working to meet the changing needs of its clients, agents and associates.  For more information, please go to www.WFGNationalTitle.com.