American Escrow Association

          Conference 2008

Making A Difference
Take what you learn here and make a difference tomorrow

The American Escrow Association held its 28^th Annual Conference June 12 – 14, 2008 in Washington, D.C.

Thursday, June 12^th started with a Meet the Candidates Brunch.  The candidates for each office had a chance to let the attendees know their commitment to AEA and give us a reason to vote for them.

Then it was down to business.

The meeting was called to order by President Fran Butler, CSEO, CEI from the state of California.

The Credential Committee reported a total of 138 delegates in attendance.  California had 55 credentialed delegates.

We adopted the Standing Rules – Dee McComb, Past President of AEA from the State of Washington read the Standing Rules.  They were adopted as printed.

The following reports were presented:

• Report of the Minutes Approving Committee (June 14, 2007), Jyl Meier, Secretary, Oregon
• Report of the Treasurer, Charlotte Knoll, Treasurer, Arizona
• Report of the Board of Directors, Fran Butler, President, California
• Government Affairs, Ann Dunham, Nebraska
• Legislative Ad Hoc, Jyl Meier, Oregon
• Meet & Greet Ad Hoc, Julie A Best, Oregon
• PREP Ad Hoc, presented by Fran Butler for Phyllis Yanigahara, California
• Technology, Beth Cary, Nevada
• Conference 2008, Carolyn Marcial, California
• Membership, Jodie King, Colorado
• Education, Julie A Best, Oregon
• Closing Practices Sub-Committee, David Shean, California
• By-Laws/Policies & Procedures, Ann Dunham, Nebraska
• Contract Review, Ann Dunham, Nebraska
• Publications/Electronic Newsletter, Phil Dryden, Washington
• Website, Beth Cary, Nevada
• State Liaison/Public Relations, presented by Fran Butler for Alma Rushing, California
• Finance, Charlotte Knoll, Arizona
• Future Sites, Lois Mayabb, Nebraska
• Long Range Planning, Fran Butler for Kathy Alexander, Nevada

Ann Dunham, Chair of the By-Laws/Policies & Procedures Committee presented proposed By-Law changes - grammatical changes for consistency.  The motion carried.  She also presented a motion that would allow the current Treasurer, Charlotte Knoll, Arizona, to stand for election to the office of Treasurer for a third year, as no one had declared for the Office with the Nominating Committee.  The motion made it clear this was a one time exception.  There was discussion.  The motion carried.

Fran Butler, President gave the report of the Nominating Committee as the Chair, Nora Crouch, Arizona was not able to attend the meeting.

President Butler announced Ann Dunham, Nebraska, AEA President for 2008/2009.

The following officers were elected with a unanimous ballot:

Julie A Best, CSEO, Oregon, President-Elect
Jodie King, SCREC, CTIS, Colorado, 1^st Vice President
Carolyn Marcia, CSEO, CEI, California, 2^nd Vice President
Jayne Paulsen, SCREC, Colorado, Secretary

The following officers were elected after a couple of caucus' and even a second vote for the office of Treasurer as the first balloting resulted in a tie:

Jyl Meier, CSEO, Oregon, 3^rd Vice President
Beth Cary, Nevada, Treasurer

The 2009 Annual Business Meeting and Conference will be June 4 – 6, 2009 in Reno, Nevada.

The 2010 Annual Business Meeting and Conference will be held in the State of Washington.

There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned.

Immediately after the business meeting an Exhibitors Welcome Party was held – good networking.

That evening AEA hosted a reception, “AEA, working together for a more secure tomorrow”, at the National Association of Realtors® offices.

Friday started with the traditional opening ceremonies.  The state presidents march in carrying their state flag.  It is always a very moving ceremony.

Please visit the AEA website – www.a-e-a.org – for copies of the educational materials presented at the conference.

Session 1:  Federal Updates

            Ivy Jackson, Director, Office of RESPA and Interstate Land Sales, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
            Edward C Miller, Esq., Chief Counsel/VP of Public Policy, American Land Title Association
            Arthur E Davis III, Esq., General Counsel/Executive Administrator, American Escrow Association

Session 2:  Mid-Year Economic Review 2008:  Can this Economy be saved?

            Keitaro Mutsuda, Senior Economist, Union Bank of California

Session 3:  RESPA Update

            Phillip L Shulman, Esq., Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis LLP, Washington, DC

Session 4:  Legislative Issues Across the Country

            Peter A Kolbe, Esq., SVP, Government Affairs Counsel, LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc., Virginia
            Alan K Brickley, Esq., Counsel, First American Title Insurance Company, Oregon

Session 5:  Let Me See Your Body Talk

            Jan Latiolais Hargrave, CEO, Jan Hargrave & Associates

Session 6:  Residential & Commercial Closing Practices & Trends

            Dee McComb, AEA Past President, Panel Moderator
            Lisa A Tyler, AEA Past President, SVP, National Escrow Administrator, Fidelity National Financial, Inc., California
            Angela Fossi, MW/NE Regional Support Manager, LandAmerica Financial Group, Michigan
            Nancy A Barnett, Industry Relations Manager, Attorneys Title Insurance Fund, Florida

Session 7:  Uniform Closing Instructions Update

            David A Shean, CSEO, CEI, SNSA, AEA Closing Practices Committee, California
            Kenneth A Markison, Esq., Senior Director & Regulatory Counsel, Office of Government Affairs, Mortgage Bankers Association, Washington, DC
            Nancy A Barnett, Industry Relations Manager, Attorneys Title Insurance Fund, Florida

Session 8:  Campaign Promises:  The Reality for your Desk (Luncheon – Keynote Speaker)

            John Seymour, U.S. Senator (retired), California

Session 9:  National Fraud Issues

            Carl R Ernst, CEO, Ernst Publishing Co. LLC, Arizona, Panel Moderator
            Lisa A Tyler, AEA Past President, SVP, National Escrow Administrator, Fidelity National Financial, Inc., California
            Lexi Howard, CSEO, CEO, CEI, County Escrow Administrator, Chicago Title Company, California
            Robert J Strupp, Esq., Director of Research & Policy, Community Law Center, Maryland
            Jim Ronan, VP Industry Relations & Investigations, Interthinx, a division of ISO, California

Please visit the AEA website – www.a-e-a.org – for copies of the educational materials presented at the conference.

A big thank you to all our Exhibitors:

            Bank of the West
            Central Signing Services
            First American SMS
            Lincoln Data, Inc
            Softpro

Please thank our educational partners:

            Fidelity National Title Group

Mark your calendar and plan to attend next year’s conference

June 4 – 6, 2009
John Ascuaga’s Nugget
Sparks, Nevada

Change
Creativity
Communication
Commitment

Respectfully submitted by:

Donna J Inman, CSEO, CEI (EASGV and SBEA)
David A Shean, CSEO, CEI (EASGV, SCVEA and VCEA)
Mary Gomula-Sawa (EASGV)

Archived AEA Delegate Reports: