First American Title Promotes Pablo Wong to Vice President-Emerging Markets
April 15, 2005
SANTA ANA, Calif., /PRNewswire/ -- First American Title Insurance Company has promoted Pablo Wong to vice president-emerging markets. Wong, who had served as director of diversity marketing for First American Title's Bay Area Region since 2003, will expand his role to oversee the implementation of emerging markets strategies for the title insurance company in the seven target areas of Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Nevada and Texas. Maria Valentin, formerly diversity marketing manager for First American Title's Bay Area Region, will replace Wong as diversity marketing director in the greater San Francisco area.
Wong's appointment recognizes his success in launching First American Title's Bay Area Diversity Marketing Program, which is comprised of consumer-focused outreach and educational events, specialized programs for real estate professionals and the hiring and training of key First American staff to better service ethnically diverse communities. The program has taken root in numerous Northern California communities, including San Francisco and San Jose, establishing First American's emerging markets leadership position in this important region.
In his new position, Wong will work with First American Title's seven regional emerging market directors to integrate and execute upon regional and corporate emerging market strategies designed to increase the company's market share within the rapidly growing Asian American, Hispanic, African American and new immigrant markets. Recent studies have projected that these communities -- with a current homeownership rate of approximately 50 percent nationally -- are expected to account for more than 60 percent of all new home purchases over the next decade.
"We are very pleased to have Pablo in this new role for our title subsidiary," said Landon V. Taylor, vice president of Market Development for The First American Corporation. "Pablo's proven abilities in strategic planning, leadership and execution are of significant benefit to our company and to the customers and communities with whom we are partnered. This continued development of our internal emerging markets team signifies First American's commitment to leadership in this area and maximizes our efforts to bring homeownership into reach for all Americans."
First American's corporate Emerging Markets initiative, launched in October 2003, was developed to increase market share across all First American business segments through comprehensive outreach to traditionally under-served markets. It includes the development of innovative products to combat common barriers to home buying, strategic industry alliances, philanthropic giving and investment, and an increased commitment to workforce and vendor diversity at First American.
Prior to joining First American, Wong was the manager of community affairs for the California State Automobile Association. His background also includes 11 years of real estate consulting in San Francisco, a deputy director position with the California Governor's Office of Community Relations and work as an industry and consumer liaison for the California Department of Real Estate. An active member of several community and professional organizations, Wong was recently appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to the California Economic Strategy Panel. This follows a presidential appointment to the Community Development Advisory Board in Washington, D.C., in 2002. He also is a member of the board of directors for Episcopal Community Services of San Francisco, past president of Family Services Agency of San Francisco and a former board member of the San Francisco Association of REALTORS®.
Wong holds a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from the University of Hawaii and is a licensed real estate broker. Born in Managua, Nicaragua, he currently resides in San Francisco with his wife, Khena, and their son, Paul-Jose.
Source: First American Title Insurance Company
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