Northbrook, Ill.-based Proper Title, LLC, a full-service title insurance agency serving the residential and commercial real estate industries, announced it has welcomed industry leaders Shirley Wrightsell as senior escrow officer and manager, Patrick H. Kennedy as commercial closing manager, and Brenda Krasuski as senior escrow officer. Proper Title has grown its staff by a total of 15 percent and its business by 50 percent over the past year.
“The amount of industry talent joining Proper Title has led to the tremendous growth of our firm’s business,” Ben Niernberg, Proper Title’s executive vice-president of business development and operations said in a news release. “At just two years old, Proper Title has proven itself as a destination for industry professionals who are seeking an opportunity to elevate the industry, and thrive professionally.”
Shirley Wrightsell, 58, has joined the firm as a senior escrow officer and manager, where she will lead the administration of construction escrows for commercial, residential and retail development. Wrightsell has been in the title insurance industry for more than 30 years, most recently working with Chicago Title Insurance Company. Niernberg said, “Having more than three decades of experience in the title insurance industry, Shirley not only knows how things need to be done, but where things can improve. Add to that her hands-on approach and unwavering attention to detail, and she’s an invaluable asset who can help us grow our commercial division.”
Patrick H. Kennedy, 40, brings nearly 20 years of experience in oversight of commercial real estate closings to the role of commercial closing manager at Proper Title. “Patrick is proficient in virtually every type of property, and works with all sizes of lenders, law firms, and local governments, as well as federal agencies,” said Niernberg. “There isn’t a situation he hasn’t seen, or cannot efficiently handle for a client.” Kennedy was also the recipient of Fidelity Investments’ “President’s Club Award” 2004 through 2010.
Proper Title has also welcomed Brenda Krasuski, 48, to the commercial escrow team as a senior escrow officer. She has spent the past 13 years providing commercial escrow services throughout the Chicago area, including Chicago Title Insurance Company, and will focus primarily on residential transactions.
“Proper Title was assessed by a national underwriter, which found we were over-staffed by 30 percent according to industry norms. That fact has contributed to our closing times being more than 30 minutes shorter, on average, than the norm,” said Niernberg. “But it’s not just the number of people at Proper Title, it’s the experience and drive of each of these individuals that allows our firm to elevate people’s expectations of how things are done at the closing table. And that’s good for everyone.”
Established in 2013 with just 27 employees, Proper Title has grown to become a major player in the title insurance industry with 50 current employees and eight closing locations in Cook, Lake and DuPage counties, as well as one in New Buffalo, Mich. The firm is on course to be among the top-five-largest title insurance agencies in Illinois, and recently earned the “2014 Rising Star/Excellence in Action” award by Fidelity Investments.
