The Texas Land Title Association (TLTA) recently installed Old Republic National Title Insurance Co. Senior Vice President and Central Title Division General Counsel John Updegraff Jr. as president of TLTA for the coming year. He will be TLTA’s 107th president.
“I'm honored to welcome John into this important position at our organization,” TLTA Executive Vice President and CEO Leslie Midgley said in a release. “John has been an active member and dedicated volunteer leader of TLTA for many years, playing key roles on critical committees and most recently serving with distinction on our board. He brings valuable expertise to the role of president, and he will be an outstanding leader for our organization over the next year.”
Updegraff has 37 years of experience in the title industry, starting as a fee attorney in private practice before joining Lawyer’s Title in 1986 as a claims attorney. He earned his J.D. at Baylor University Law School and his MBA at the University of North Texas.
TLTA recently had its annual conference and business meeting in Round Rock, where it presented Old Republic National Title Insurance Co. Vice President and Texas State Counsel Steve Streiff with the Title Person of the Year Award. The award is TLTA’s highest honor, recognizing significant and longtime contributions to the title insurance industry and the association.
“Steve is an unsung industry hero,” Midgley said. “When our association needs volunteers to guide crucial industry initiatives, Steve is always among the first to volunteer. Never seeking the limelight, he quietly applies his brilliant legal mind and deep industry expertise to develop positive, collaborative outcomes for key association priorities, earning our industry’s deepest respect and gratitude.”
TLTA also recognized National Investors Title Insurance Co. Vice President, Escrow Education and Texas Agency Manager Brandi Abercrombie with the James H. Garst President’s Award, which recognizes the contributions of individuals who provide outstanding service during a TLTA president’s year in office.
Outgoing TLTA President John Bruce presented the award to Abercrombie for her critical role as chair of TLTA’s School Committee, a challenging role in which she had to completely reimagine and retool TLTA’s Land Title School to make it a virtual program. Abercrombie also was instrumental in the design of TLTA’s new educational tool, Abstracting & Examination Fundamentals.
“Educating our industry is an integral part of our association’s mission, and the pandemic generated innumerable challenges for our industry’s educational programs this year,” Bruce said. “But Brandi was able to employ her ingenuity and passion to lead the school committee, our educational instructors and other industry volunteers to produce popular, effective educational tools that met our industry’s education needs and supported professionalism industry-wide. I am proud to honor her, her leadership and her strong commitment to our industry’s future.”