Speakers

They have built and guided the top title insurance companies...
They oversee the nation’s biggest underwriters...
They are the regulators, the mortgage experts and real estate insiders...
They are the entrepreneurs, technology providers and data specialists...
They are the legends of law and champions of compliance...
They are the best, brightest, and most seasoned veterans our industry has to offer...
They are the 2012 National Settlement Services and Compliance Summit speakers.

Day 1 Keynote

Mark Sniderman
Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

Dr. Mark Sniderman is executive vice president and chief policy officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. He is responsible for guiding the Bank’s economic research and community development efforts.

Mark joined the Federal Reserve Bank’s research department as an economist in 1976. He was appointed assistant vice president in 1983, vice president and associate director of research in 1986, and senior vice president and director of research in 1995. He assumed his current position in 2007.

Mark served as senior economist for economic policy analysis for the U.S. Senate Budget Committee in Washington, D.C., while on leave from the Federal Reserve. Before joining the Federal Reserve, he held teaching and research positions as a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He is a past president of the Cleveland Association for Business Economics.

A native of Youngstown, Ohio, Mark earned a bachelor’s degree from Case Western Reserve University and a master’s and doctoral degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

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Day 2 Keynote

Doug Smith
Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Best Brands Corporation

Doug Smith is a former business leader who wants to make a difference in the world by teaching, writing, advising and by sharing what he has learned and by learning from others. During the past 15 years he served as chief executive officer of Kraft General Foods Canada, Chairman and CEO of Borden Foods Corporation and most recently Chairman and CEO of Best Brands Corporation until its sale to CSM Corporation, the global leader in bakery supplies.

Doug’s specific areas of interest are leadership and organizational effectiveness, happiness and well-being, and the skill of dealing with setbacks in life. He works with individuals and organizations with a focus on emerging companies, CEO’s who are eager to learn and enhance their leadership skills, and not-for-profit organizations.

Doug teaches an undergraduate winter term course at DePauw University on happiness. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree and an Honorary Doctorate from DePauw University and a Master of Business Administration from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

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Justin Ailes
Vice President of Government Affairs
American Land Title Association

Justin Ailes is director of Government Affairs for the American Land Title Association (ALTA), responsible for federal and state government affairs, legislative and regulatory advocacy, ALTA's political action committee (TIPAC) and grassroots engagement. Justin also focuses on enhancing ALTA's partnership with state land title associations on behalf of the title insurance industry.

Before joining ALTA, Justin served as a liaison between the federal government and state of Indiana as deputy federal representative for Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels. Prior to that, he spent six years on the staff of U.S. Senator Richard Lugar following time as a legislative assistant in the Indiana State Senate. Justin received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political sience and international relations from the University of Indianapolis.

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Jeffrey Arouh
Partner
McLaughlin & Stern LLP

Jeffrey A. Arouh, one of the nation’s leading RESPA and settlement services attorneys, is a partner in the New York City office of McLaughlin & Stern LLP.

Jeffrey is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in economics, and the New York University School of Law, with a Juris Doctor (cum laude), where he was an editor of the Law Review and received numerous academic awards.

He has practiced in the real estate, title insurance, settlement services and executive relocation areas for several years, and represents developers, title insurance agencies, title insurance underwriters, lenders, real estate brokers and appraisers, among others. Jeffrey is a frequent lecturer at seminars and conferences, where he has addressed numerous legal issues relating to legal compliance, business operations and transactions involving real estate, title, mortgage banking and consumer finance.

Jeffrey has been published in HR, Mobility, National Relocation & Real Estate magazines, The Practical Lawyer and Corporate Relocation News and he has been interviewed and quoted in numerous industry and trade publications. Jeffrey’s complete biography is available at www.mclaughlinstern.com.

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Joseph Bieniek
Senior Regulatory Services Advisor
National Association of Insurance Commissioners

Joseph F. Bieniek is senior regulatory services advisor at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). The Regulatory Services Division is responsible for oversight of regulatory functions and staff support functions of the NAIC. The division includes regulatory services endeavors and the Research Actuarial and Market Regulation departments. Joseph’s role includes strategic and operational plans and fostering collaborative efforts within the division and insurance departments. He prepares reports and responds to information requests from NAIC members, the industry, consumers and the media.

Before joining the NAIC in 2006, Joseph spent nine years at Wolters Kluwer Financial Services and over 20 years of his insurance career with the nation’s largest personal lines stock company. He has handled all lines of insurance in a variety of capacities.

His insurance industry experience and background combine to fashion a professional who has: established effective compliance procedures; developed successful relationships nationwide; implemented software products and introduced process changes that improved efficiencies and streamlined communication; and spoken at many industry events.

Joseph currently serves as the treasurer of the Insurance Regulatory Examiners Society (IRES) and has been elected to the Kansas City Chapter of the CPCU Society Board of Directors. He also serves as co-chair of the Regulatory and Legislative Interest Group Committee of the CPCU Society. As the IRES Treasurer, he also is a board member of the IRES Foundation. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree majoring in economics from the University of Wisconsin — Whitewater.

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Richard L. (Rick) Borges
President-Elect, Appraisal Institute
Partner, Borges & Borges Real Estate Advisores

Richard L. (Rick) Borges II, MAI, SRA, is president-elect of the Appraisal Institute for 2012. The following year he will serve as president and in 2014 will become the Appraisal Institute’s immediate past president for one year. He also will serve on AI’s Executive Committee those three years and will be a member of the Board of Directors during that time as well. Rick has been a member of the Appraisal Institute since 1978; a member of the National and Indiana Associations of Realtors and the Jackson County Board of Realtors since 1974; and a member of the Columbus (Ind.) Board of Realtors since 1997.

Rick is a partner with his wife, B. LaVonne Borges, SRA, in Borges & Borges Real Estate Advisors, a full-service real estate firm serving central and southern Indiana with counseling, brokerage, development and appraisal services since 1977. In addition, the Borgeses recently formed Cross-Continent Real Estate Mediation and Arbitration to assist parties in resolving valuation-related disputes.

Rick received the President’s Award from the Appraisal Institute in 2009, the Richard E. Nichols, MAI, SRA, Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hoosier State Chapter in 2008, the Edward L. White Achievement Award from the Hoosier State Chapter in 2000, the Dick Snyder Service Award from the Indiana Association of Realtors in 1984 and the Realtor of the Year Award from the Jackson County Board of Realtors in 1982.

He is an Indiana certified general appraiser, an Indiana real estate broker, an Indiana Level I and Level II assessor-appraiser, an Appraiser Qualifications Board-certified Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice instructor and an Indiana certified tax representative. He is currently an AI-approved instructor for more than 35 education courses or seminars, and teaches across the nation on a regular basis. In addition, he was an adjunct faculty member at Ivy Tech State College from 1994 to 1997.

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Chris Crowell
Editor
The Title Report

Chris Crowell is the editor of The Title Report, a publication of October Research. Chris brings tremendous content development and social media skill to his position as editor, and also acts as a moderator for October Research Webinars. He received a bachelor's degree in communications from Walsh University in Canton, Ohio, and a master's degree in magazine journalism from Kent State University. He has been a trade journalism editor for more than four years.

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Syndie Eardly
Editorial Director
October Research

Syndie is the editorial director for October Research, managing the day to day editorial function and content for The Title Report, The Legal Description, Valuation Review, RESPA News, and the newly launched Dodd Frank Update. She joined the company in April 2003 as editor of The Legal Description andwas promoted to editorial director in 2005. As editorial director, she is in charge of hiring and training new editors and writers, coordinating the production of nearly 600 e-mail news campaigns each year, and overseeing the annual production from concept to print of more than 100 print publications for the five newsletters and special reports.

Syndie has also served as seminars director for the company, overseeing the content for Webinars, regional training meetings and the 10 national conferences the company has produced since 2005. In addition, she is a frequent speaker on October Research Webinars, live conferences and at various industry trade shows.

Prior to joining October Research, Syndie was the communications director for the Cleveland Bar Association, managing a staff of writers and production artists to produce daily and weekly e-mail newsletters, a monthly legal journal and an annual directory, as well as overseeing the production of all press releases and promotional materials. In addition, she brings over 20 years of journalism experience to her position including five years as a writer/editor for Ohio Lawyers Weekly newspaper.

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Mitchel Kider
Chairman and Managing Partner
Weiner Brodsky Sidman Kider PC

Mitchel H. Kider is the chairman and managing partner of Weiner Brodsky Sidman Kider PC, a national law firm specializing in the representation of financial institutions, residential homebuilders and real estate settlement service providers. In his nearly 30 years as a practicing attorney, Mitch has represented banks, mortgage companies, homebuilders, credit card issuers and other financial service companies in a broad range of litigation and regulatory and compliance matters. He represents clients in investigative and enforcement actions before the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and various state and local regulatory authorities and Attorneys General offices.

Mitch is a frequent speaker on regulatory and litigation matters before trade associations and other industry groups and is a Faculty Fellow of the Mortgage Bankers Association of America. Mitch is the author of six books pertaining to residential mortgage finance and has also written a number of law review and real estate journal articles on the subject. He is the author of two books on the mortgage industry that were recently published by West/Thomson Reuters, Consumer Protection and Mortgage Regulation Under Dodd-Frank (April 2011) and Real Estate and Mortgage Banking: A New Era of Regulatory Reform (December 2011).

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Brian Levy
Of Counsel
Katten & Temple, LLP

Brian S. Levy is Of Counsel to Katten & Temple, LLP, providing a wide range of business transactional services and regulatory guidance and bringing significant experience in banking, mortgage lending ventures, mortgage banking contract, negotiation and loan sale issues, commercial and residential real estate and finance, loan restructuring and workouts, and regulatory compliance. Brian maintains his primary office in Mequon, Wis.

For more than 15 years, Brian served as senior vice-president, secretary and general counsel to Guaranty Bank in Milwaukee, Wis., a federal thrift having roughly $1.5 billion in assets and 175 retail bank branches. In 1996, Brian developed the unique series LLC structure used by Guaranty Bank for its retail mortgage origination joint ventures with Realtors, builders and other financial institutions. Throughout his tenure with Guaranty, he was responsible for Guaranty’s industry and government relations. He also managed Guaranty’s construction lending, compliance and risk management areas.

After graduating from Harvard Law School, Brian joined the law firm of Rudnick & Wolfe (now known as DLA Piper) in Chicago. He is a member of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys and is a frequent speaker on various legal, banking, joint venture, mortgage banking and real property issues, such as affiliated business arrangements and secondary markets, repurchase defenses, consumer class action litigation, RESPA, title insurance, construction lending and mortgage loan documentation. He was the 2006 chairman of RESPRO (Real Estate Services Providers Council) and has also served on the American Banker’s Association’s Government Relations Administrative Committee and its Mortgage Markets Committee.

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Donna Martin
Executive Coach
Change Engine

Donna Martin began her career as co-owner and manager of a Toledo-based real estate service business. Over 17 years, she grew that business from a handful of people to a staff of more than 60 with five offices, managing an annual budget of $6.5 million in her final year. After successfully running her business, she sold it to a Fortune 500 firm in 2000. They hired her to continue running the operation for them, and she stayed on as CEO for five years. In 2000, she was elected president of the Ohio Land Title Association, representing 300 title businesses in the state. In that role, she helped develop state laws to govern her industry. Besides leading, motivating and marketing her business, Donna also created and delivered continuing education training to realtors and attorneys. A Competent Toastmaster, she has spoken to both small and large groups.

Recently, Donna diverged from this career path. She wanted a new vocation where her work would impact people’s lives. As a result, she created Change Engine, LLC after attaining a Certificate of Coaching Skills through the international coach training school, Results Coaching Systems of New York. She chose Results Coaching Systems because it differs from other coaching processes — it’s based upon recognized psychological principals and neuroscience. This scientific foundation helps Donna better understand her clients and gives her tools to more effectively help her clients change behaviors that hold them back from success. Donna will soon be certified through the International Coaching Federation while also continuing her training through Results Coaching Systems.

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Richard M. Reass
President and Founder
Reliant Title and Segin Software LLC

Richard (Dick) Reass is the president and founder of Reliant Title as well as Segin Software, LLC. His passion for process improvement, and innovative problem solving was the catalyst for developing RynohLive, once Reliant Title was well established. Dick describes himself as a re-engineered Naval Officer whose banker wife thought that starting a title agency would be a great way to keep him out of trouble once he had retired from the Navy. Little did she realize what would evolve!

After founding Reliant Title in 1998, Dick quickly realized that he “didn’t know what he didn’t know” and immersed himself in learning the title industry. A quick study, Dick’s success in the title business allowed him to follow his passion for process improvement, using Reliant Title as his “Science Lab.” Reliant and Dick were quickly recognized in 2000 and again in 2003 as the Realtors Association Affiliate of the Year. In 2007, he moved from Reliant Title into Segin Software full time. His vision of process improvement and systems integration led to the step by step development of RynohLive and other title system enhancements.

He is a graduate of the University of Texas and his Navy career was bookended by combat in Vietnam and Desert Storm. Commands at sea included serving as Commodore of the 16 ship multinational force during Desert Storm. Dick’s final assignment was as director of Management Information Systems in Washington, D.C.

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Phil Schulman
Partner
K&L Gates

One of the nation’s most widely respected and most recognized RESPA attorneys, Phil Schulman’s national practice focuses on real estate finance and mortgage banking, with specialties in RESPA, TILA and administrative and regulatory compliance matters.

He represents companies in the mortgage lending, title insurance and real estate industries in connection with administrative and regulatory compliance matters; defends companies in connection with governmental audits, investigations and enforcement proceedings; develops and analyzes proposed business plans, and drafts the related agreements and disclosures, based upon applicable federal and state laws, regulations and rules; and assists in litigation involving consumer class action lawsuits and commercial claims.

Phil is the former general counsel to the Home Improvement Lenders Association and was the former assistant general counsel of the Inspector General and Administrative Proceedings Division, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

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Marx David Sterbcow
Managing Attorney
Sterbcow Law Group

Marx Sterbcow is recognized nationally as a legal authority in the real estate settlement services industry. Marx’s practice focuses on RESPA, TILA, Regulation Z, RICO, federal and state mortgage lending, title insurance, real estate brokerage, home warranty and consumer credit compliance issues, affiliated business arrangements guidance, and marketing and promotional program guidance. He also litigates matters involving mortgage fraud and RESPA.

Marx graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science, Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington, with a J.D., and the John Marshall School of Law’s Center for Real Estate Law in Chicago, Illinois, with an LLM. 

Most recently, Marx represented the National Association of Mortgage Brokers in its efforts to challenge the Federal Reserve Board on its Regulation Z loan officer compensation rule. He serves on the Regulatory & Policy Committee for the Real Estate Services Providers Council (RESPRO) and is active in the Louisiana Land Title Association, New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Title Attorneys and the National Association of Mortgage Brokers. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences.

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Curt Szymanski
President
Windward Consulting | Software, LLC

Curt Szymanski is a successful entrepreneur and owner of many businesses in Wisconsin. He is president of Windward Consulting | Software, LLC, of Waunakee, Wisconsin, a consulting and software firm LEADING THE EFFICIENCY REVOLUTION™ — specializing in workflow consulting and software; process re-engineering; project management; implementation; and product and process strategy and design for clients in the real estate, vendor management, title and escrow, title plant, banking, land records and GIS industries. Curt has utilized his extensive experience to significantly improve speed, throughput, accuracy and customer satisfaction. Windward markets ResWare™, a workflow/Action List, vendor management, title production, and document management software product that combines an unprecedented combination of features in one integrated solution (XML, transaction management, self-administration, etc).

Curt is the former chief executive officer, president and founder of UCLID Software, LLC (now Extract Systems, LLC). He has authored and holds numerous patents and patents pending. He has served on the National Cadastral Special Interest Group Committee and has attended international conferences and events to assist developing nations in developing land records management systems and processes. He is an active real estate investor in the Bahamas and Caribbean and has seen first-hand the state of land records systems in this region, and is passionate about land records modernization in these areas. He is an active member of the American Land Title Association’s (ALTA) Technology Committee, ALTA’s Title Abstract Standard Initiative Sub-Committee, and the MISMO Title Workgroup.

Curt holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He also has an MBA from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

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