National Commercial Title Services

Mike joined Old Republic National Title Insurance Company in August 2013 as Executive Vice President, ORNTIC; and Director, National Commercial Underwriting and Business Development. In this role, he provides commercial underwriting services to the Company on a national basis, and will grow and develop ORNTIC’s national footprint.

Mike got his start in the title and real estate industries over 35 years ago. During those years, he would go on to hold a number of significant legal and management roles within the title industry, including: General Counsel, Chief Legal Officer and President of one of the major national underwriters; as well as playing a prominent role in their international expansion in Canada, the United Kingdom, Eastern Europe and Latin America. Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Legislative Officer for a national electronic registry of mortgage loan servicing rights and ownership for the lending industry.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from C.W. Post College—Long Island University in Brookville, NY; Mike went on to earn his Juris Doctor from Chicago-Kent College of Law in Chicago, IL. Active in a number of industry organizations, he is a member of the: Illinois Bar Association, New York Bar Association, Virginia Bar Association, American Bar Association, Texas General Counsel Forum, American Corporate Counsel Association and American Land Title Association, where he served on its Board of Governors from 2010 - 2012. Mike also served as President of the New York State Land Title Association from 1992 – 1993, and was a member of its Legal, Legislative and Underwriting Committees.

David was hired by Old Republic National Title Insurance Company in 2013 to help lead the effort to grow national commercial business. He has over 25 years of experience in various title insurance and other industry roles. Most recently he was Senior Vice President and Associate National Commercial Division Director for another major title insurance underwriter which grew fourfold during his tenure. Prior to that he held CFO positions at two companies as well as other title insurance industry positions. David is a CPA, and has an undergraduate business degree from Southwest Texas State University and an MBA from the Jack Welch Management Institute.

Kathy brings more than 25 years of strategy-to-execution success across a diverse business spectrum to Old Republic National Title Insurance Company (ORNTIC). In her role as Vice President, ORNTIC and National Commercial Title Services (NCTS) Administrative Manager, Kathy is responsible for the implementation of strategic directives and operational initiatives supporting the administrative, technical and marketing/business development services of NCTS.

Prior to joining NCTS, Kathy served for 16 years as Vice President, Administrative Operations Director for the national division of a global title insurance and real estate services company. During her tenure the division realized extensive growth in operations and financial performance. In addition, Kathy has previously led the Contracts and Sales Administration departments of a software development firm, and most recently held the position of Human Resources Manager-North America for a global oil and gas offshore services company.

Susan R. Seaford is a Senior Vice President of Old Republic National Title Insurance Company (ORNTIC) and Senior Underwriting Counsel for Old Republic National Commercial Title Services (NCTS). Susan provides underwriting counsel to NCTS personnel and customers throughout the nation. An attorney with more than 25 years of experience, Susan has a broad commercial real estate and title underwriting background. Prior to her role with NCTS she served as Florida Commercial Services Counsel and supervised the Tampa Commercial Services Department. Before joining Old Republic Title, Susan was a commercial real estate attorney with a multi-national law firm and a prominent Tampa-based law firm, both which are known for handling complex commercial real estate transactions. Prior to that, Susan was Commercial Services Representative and Underwriting Counsel for an international title insurance underwriter, and worked for a multi-national Fortune 100 technology company where she negotiated commercial contracts. She is a member of the Florida Bar and is actively involved in its Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section, where she serves as a member of the Executive Council and participates in Commercial Real Estate and Title Insurance Committees.

Wilhelmina Kightlinger is a Senior Vice President of ORNTIC and General Counsel for NCTS, providing legal counsel for NCTS and its commercial transactions. She brings over 20 years of experience as a commercial real estate attorney and underwriter to the NCTS team. Wilhelmina joined Old Republic Title as Florida Commercial Underwriting Counsel in 2009, and was a Senior National Underwriting Counsel in the Corporate Legal Department before joining the NCTS division. Prior to joining the Company, she was a partner for one of the largest international law firms in the world, concentrating her practice in real estate acquisitions, sales and development, and commercial lending. Wilhelmina is a graduate of the University of South Florida and earned her juris doctor degree, summa cum laude, from the Florida State University College of Law. She is a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL), Vice-Chair of the Special Investors and Investments Structure Group of the Real Property Trust and Estate Law Section of the American Bar Association, and an Executive Council member of the Florida Bar Section of Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law.

Trish is Vice President and Senior Underwriting Counsel of ORNTIC with national underwriting authority. In addition to her underwriting responsibilities, Trish is also a National Title Business Coordinator. Trish began her legal career over 20 years ago, handling title and real estate transactions for several law firms in Boston, as well as in Atlanta.

Prior to joining Old Republic, Trish was Senior Underwriting Counsel with two large national title insurance companies, both having operations in Boston. She coordinated multi-state and multi-site commercial real estate transactions, analyzed title insurance coverages for purchasers and lenders, in addition to negotiating ultra-hazardous risk coverages.

Trish is a graduate of New England Law in Boston and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration/Accounting from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. Trish held the position of Adjunct Professor of Legal Research and Writing at New England Law from 2010 – 2011. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the Boston Bar Association and the Real Estate Bar Association.

Greg was hired by Old Republic National Title Insurance Company in August 2016 as Senior Vice President, ORNTIC and Manager of Chicago NCTS. He has more than 20 years of commercial experience in the title industry. Prior to joining Old Republic Title, he held positions as senior national counsel and area manager of commercial divisions in Chicago and Indianapolis with another major national underwriter. Greg earned his JD from Hasting College of the Law in San Francisco, CA after earning a BA from the University of Redlands in Redlands, CA.

With 28+ years combined title/escrow experience, including an extensive background closing multi-site/multi-state portfolios, high-liability transactions and defeasances, Josette joined Old Republic in October 2014 and focuses on commercial closings throughout the United States. Josette came to Old Republic after nearly a decade of overseeing all escrow transactions for a National Commercial Office of another major title insurer. She prides herself in providing excellent customer service and is an industry-leader for unique and complex transactions. In 2018, she will serve as the 61st President of the Escrow Associates of San Gabriel Valley and is actively involved in the California Escrow Association and American Escrow Association working towards continual advocacy for all escrow professionals.

Susan Icklan was President of Lex Terrae National Title Services LLC in New Jersey prior to the 2002 merger with Old Republic National Title Insurance Company. She is currently a Senior Vice President of the Company and Director and Manager in the National Commercial Title Services division. With over 25 years managing and coordinating national commercial transactions in both New Jersey and the rest of the country, as well as shepherding complex underwriting matters and large multi-site, multi-state transactions, Susan brings a wealth of transactional, legal and practical experience to the Division. Susan is a graduate of the George Washington University School of Law.

As Manager and Commercial Counsel for the National Energy Title Services Division, Lauren provides energy companies and financial institutions with underwriting and closing services nationwide. Lauren was recruited from the same developer-customer base that Old Republic and Lauren service. Having previously served as Associate General Counsel and Real Estate Project Counsel for national companies that invest in and develop utility scale solar farms, wind farms and gas-fired power plants, Lauren is in a position to understand the unique title insurance requirements of this industry. Lauren is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University, the Dickinson School of Law and has practiced law for 17 years, including in several law firms in New York and Texas where she represented developers and commercial clients.

Paul has over 30 years experience in the title insurance business. He began his career in northern California as a title operations manager and underwriter, and later relocated to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area as an underwriter and commercial closer. He moved to southern Nevada in late 2006 and continues to close commercial transactions across the United States.

Ray joined Old Republic Title in January of 2016 as Vice President of Los Angeles National Commercial Title Services. With more than 28 years of experience in commercial title and escrow at another large, national underwriter, Ray has made strong inroads in establishing Old Republic as a premium provider of national title services in Los Angeles. Ray’s unique talents in marketing and his vast experience in understanding the needs of the national, commercial client have helped create a strong, new identity for the company in the important Los Angeles market. Ray is a born and bred resident of Los Angeles where he resides with his family.

Richard Icklan has for the past 30 plus years been an active participant in the title insurance market. Prior to 2002 and to the present he has been the President of Lex Terrae Ltd. Since the January 14, 2002 merger with Old Republic Title he has also been a Senior Vice President of Old Republic Title and a Director with Old Republic’s National Commercial Title Services Unit. Richard has always been involved with the national commercial title insurance market however since joining Old Republic Title that involvement has significantly increased. Richard now heads a unit that was created to provide the client with a competent, experienced and professional staff that operates under a mandate to provide the superior services necessary for a successful transaction. This unit which has successfully processed a continuing number of substantial high value transactions including multi state and multi-site transactions. This highly motivated unit’s success is enhanced by its authority to evaluate all risks and if warranted to insure substantial amounts. The goal of the unit is to provide the client with the best service available. Richard is a member of many professional groups and associations including ALTA and NYSLTA.

With approximately 36 years of title insurance experience (including Underwriting, Claims, UCC, County Manager, Title Operations, CTO/ATO and Title Officer) Mike's experience centered on the San Diego, CA. area before he moved to Los Angeles in 1998 to take the position of Manager and Senior Underwriter in the National Division of another major title insurance company His responsibilities include underwriting and coordinating transactions for Old Republic’s Commercial Services Division. He was previously a member of the CLTA Education, Claims Awareness and Legislative Committees.

Stephen joined Old Republic Title in February 2019 as Senior Vice President of ORNTIC, and Manager of the San Francisco NCTS office. In this role, Stephen leads the San Francisco national office in facilitating commercial title and escrow transactions for apartment, retail, industrial, office and other industry sectors across the nation. Prior to joining Old Republic Title, he was Senior Vice President and National Account Manager for a national commercial division at another large title insurance underwriter. Stephen has more than 30 years of combined experience in sales, marketing and management, and is the recipient of the prestigious DPK Circle of Excellence Award, the Platinum Circle Sales Award and numerous honors in sales leadership.

With over 30 years of diverse experience in the real estate and title industries, Vanessa brings an extensive background in commercial transactions involving single-site and multi-state/multi-site improved and unimproved properties, new development and refinances. She has expertise in specialty transactions including timber land and religious institution projects, site purchases and leases for a global energy company, and the transfer of development rights for multi-industry and county government ventures. Working with Vanessa, Old Republic Title national customers enjoy the benefit of her broad knowledge and consistently outstanding service. Prior to joining Old Republic, Vanessa most recently served in the title industry as an AVP, Escrow Operations Manager and Limited Practice Officer. In her free time, Vanessa enjoys high performance driving, reading, hiking, skiing, and other outdoor activities.