Stewart Execs Receive Leadership Appointments; N.Y Agency Bolsters Staff

September 1, 2009

Stewart Title Guaranty Company (STG) announces the appointments of James L. Gosdin and Bruce Hawley to leadership positions in the American Bar Association section of real property, trust and estate law for the 2009-2010 bar year.

James L. Gosdin, senior vice president, chief underwriting counsel for STG, has been selected as vice-chair of the title insurance and surveys committee of the Commercial Real Estate Transactions Group. Bruce Hawley, senior vice president, senior underwriting counsel and multinational title services group manager for STG, has been selected as vice-chair of the Multi-Family Residential Committee of Residential Multi-Family and Special Use Group of the American Bar Association section of real property, trust and estate law.

"Both Jim and Bruce have been assets to Stewart's growth," said Malcolm S. Morris, co-chief executive officer of Stewart Information Services Corp. "Their years of experience will prove to be exceedingly valuable to the American Bar Association. We are proud to have two of Stewart's most seasoned executives appointed to such leadership roles."

Both appointments are a reflection of Gosdin and Hawley's significant contributions to their individual groups. Duties throughout their time in these roles include participation in various leadership meetings and continuing participation in legal education seminars and webinars throughout the year.

Gosdin handles underwriting decisions for title insurance transactions throughout the United States, reinsurance transactions and international title insurance transactions for Stewart Title Guaranty. In addition to writing the American Bar Association publication, Title Insurance: A Comprehensive Overview, Third Edition, for title insurance education, Gosdin works closely with HUD and the Mortgage Bankers Association as an integral part of the American Land Title Association (ALTA) RESPA Implementation task force. He also is chair of ALTA’s forms committee.

An accomplished veteran of more than 30 years in the real estate industry, Hawley joined Stewart in 2000. In addition to managing Stewart Title Guaranty Company's Multinational Title Services Group and providing national underwriting services, Hawley is responsible for developing business with multinational law firms and companies throughout the United States and several foreign countries.

TitleVest

Kathryn M. Colson and Carey Allaband LeRoux have been named managing directors of business development for TitleVest, a Manhattan-based provider of title insurance and related real estate services.

Colson will leverage her existing industry connections and establish relationships with prospective clients as part of TitleVest’s efforts to grow its institutional title business.

Prior to joining TitleVest, Colson worked as an associate at Greenberg Traurig LLP, where she represented institutional lenders, private equity funds, development companies and joint ventures in real estate transactions involving acquisitions and sales, mezzanine and debt financing, private equity investments and tax-deferred 1031 Exchanges.

Prior to Greenberg Traurig, Colson was an associate for four years in the project finance group of DLA Piper LLP, both in its Vienna, Austria and New York offices. While overseas, Colson worked on cross-border financings in international real estate transactions in central and Eastern Europe. During her practice, Colson facilitated the closing of more than $5 billion in commercial real estate transactions.

“I am excited to join the TitleVest team,” Colson said. “As a member of the business development team, I am eager to share my expertise with prospective clients and look forward to sustaining many of my existing professional relationships.”

Colson received her juris doctorate from New England School of Law and her Masters of Law from Boston University School of Law. She is admitted to the Bar in Massachusetts (2001); New York (2003); and to the Roll of Solicitors in England and Wales (2004). Ms. Colson is fluent in French and has working knowledge of German and Italian.

“Colson has a diverse range of experiences in commercial real estate law that will enhance TitleVest’s depth of expertise,” said Bill Baron, president of TitleVest. “We are confident that her addition will help our business development team achieve great results.”

In her new role, LeRoux will facilitate relationships with prospective clients and leverage her industry connections to help grow TitleVest’s commercial client base.

A former real estate associate at Alston & Bird LLP, Dechert LLP and Schulte, Roth & Zabel LLP, LeRoux joins TitleVest with extensive experience closing complex commercial real estate transactions, having represented financial institutions, investment banks and other lenders in the origination, securitization, modification, purchase and sale of large commercial loans.

Over the past 10 years, LeRoux coordinated the closing of more than $18 billion in commercial real estate loans.

“Joining TitleVest affords me the opportunity to leverage and further develop my network of industry contacts and relationships,” LeRoux said. “I look forward to expanding TitleVest’s client base while using my extensive legal knowledge to our clients’ benefits.

LeRoux holds a juris doctorate from the Widener University School of Law and a Bachelors of Arts in communications and political science from Marist College. She was admitted to the Bar in New York in 1999. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association and The Association of Real Estate Women.

“We are pleased to welcome Carey to the TitleVest team,” Baron said. “She brings years of industry experience and an extensive commercial real estate client base to TitleVest.”


Contact ALTA at 202-296-3671 or communications@alta.org.