First American Combines Divisions To Enhance Service and Product Offerings To Lenders

October 24, 2005

SANTA ANA, Calif., — First American Title Insurance Company has combined its Lenders Advantage and Equity Loan Services (ELS) divisions into a single unit to streamline its product and service offering to its lender customers. First American Title’s new Lenders Advantage Division will provide mortgage and home equity lenders with a single source for complete title and title-related products and services.

“Lenders Advantage and Equity Loan Services have both been highly effective, customer-oriented operations for many years,” said James J. Dufficy, executive director of First American Title’s new Lenders Advantage Division. “By combining the strengths of both divisions, we’re able to offer mortgage lenders more choice and greater service efficiency than ever before.”

First American’s objective is to build on its strength of delivering complete settlement solutions that are unique in the marketplace. By combining its Lenders Advantage and ELS Divisions, First American has increased its flexibility in designing customized programs for every type of lender and loan across the nation. First American will continue to capitalize on its unique centralization process, which employs advanced technology and expertise to connect offices nationwide, while meeting lenders needs on an individual basis.

“The Equity Loan Services team is thrilled to become part of Lenders Advantage,” said Paul Doman, the former president of ELS who will continue to oversee First American's services for equity lenders. “Now we can provide uniform technology and customer solutions to all types of lenders while retaining our equity niche focus. The combination will reduce expense and help us gain efficiency as we develop a centralized, national title production and recording group in Cleveland, Ohio. Home equity lenders will see significant benefits as we increase national title production capacity and improve title information turnaround time, while continuing to provide the hands-on customer service that we have offered our clients for more than 20 years.”

Source: First American Title Insurance Company


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