Old Republic Taps Magness as COO, Names Wilson President of Eastern Title Group
February 4, 2014
Old Republic Title Insurance Group announced that John A. Magness has been was promoted to the new position of chief operating officer, while Richard A. Wilson has been promoted to president of the Eastern Title Group.
Magness will oversee and administer the title group’s agency and direct operations throughout the country, in order to maximize each component’s profitability. He also will be responsible for assisting in the ongoing growth of the title group, as well as developing, implementing and achieving business objectives and corporate strategies.
In addition to serving as COO, Magness will remain executive vice president and president of the Central Title Group. He will report to Mark Bilbrey, president of Old Republic Title Insurance Group.
Magness joined the company in 2009 as vice president of Southwest Regional Operations. In doing so, he brought with him many of the key business relationships and contacts he had developed during his more than 25 years in the business. Since then, he has been promoted to senior vice president and direct operations manager for Texas and New Mexico; executive vice president and chief operating officer for the Central Title Group; and in 2012, he was made president of the Central Title Group.
Magness holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Houston. He also is an active member of the American Land Title Association.
“Since joining the company, John’s superior work ethic, as well as his knowledge of our business and customers, has contributed significantly to the tremendous growth our Southwest operations have experienced these past several years,” Bilbrey said. “Moreover, he has played a critical role in increasing the entire Central Title Group’s market share and brand recognition.”
As president of the Eastern Title Group, Wilson will oversee all of its operations and manage the region’s growth and profitability. In doing so, he will work closely with field management personnel to meet market penetration and productivity goals, as well as to create new and innovative products and services for agents and customers. He also will be responsible for developing and executing a long-range business plan for the expansion of the Eastern Title Group.
Prior to coming to Old Republic Title, Wilson worked for several national title insurers in New Jersey managing their direct and agency operations. During that time, he learned the business from the ground up, holding a number of positions, from New Jersey agency representative, where he was responsible for recruiting and supporting agency talent, to senior vice president and division manager, which had him managing the company’s direct and agency operations in several East Coast states.
Wilson joined Old Republic Title in 2009 as senior vice president and division manager of New Jersey/New York. Since, he and his team have considerably increased the company’s footprint and profits in these states, according to Bilbrey.
Wilson holds a Political Science degree from Dickinson College. He is active in the New Jersey Land Title Association, holds the designation of Certified Title Professional from the NJLTA, and is the past president of the NJLTA.
“As an industry veteran who has spent 35 years working within and managing East Coast direct and agency operations, Rick is uniquely qualified to lead the Eastern Title Group,” Bilbrey said.
Contact ALTA at 202-296-3671 or [email protected].