AmTrust Expands Operations in Texas
April 13, 2017
AmTrust Title Insurance Company announced that Randy Elkins and E. D. Lester have joined the company to spearhead corporate growth in Texas.
“We are very excited to welcome Randy and Ed aboard to expand AmTrust’s footprint in the great state of Texas, a crucial region for us in the Southwest,” said Steven Napolitano, senior executive vice president of AmTrust Title’s operations. “Both are extremely talented, creative, well-known and respected leaders in the industry with many years of experience. We are confident, given their respective track records, connections and achievements, that Randy and Ed will heighten awareness of our brand locally throughout the region.”
As managing director and counsel of Texas operations, Elkins’ primary responsibilities are to establish offices in Houston, Dallas and Austin and to oversee AmTrust’s organic growth across the state. In his four-decade career filled with banking, legal, real estate and entrepreneurial experience, Elkins has focused on commercial real estate transactions, complex creditor-debtor relationships, start-up ventures and business planning/strategy.
Prior to joining AmTrust, Elkins served as senior vice president, counsel and division manager at Stewart Title Company and vice president at Stewart Title Guaranty Company. Before that, he practiced law as special counsel at HughesWattersAskanase and as partner at the national law firm of Baker & Hostetler.
Elkins is a member of both the Texas and Houston Bar Associations. He holds board positions on the Houston West Chamber of Commerce, Commerce Funding Group, the Houston Small Business Advisory Group and the University of Houston C.T. Bauer College of Business Real Estate Program.
As vice president of Texas operations, Lester’s focus is to establish AmTrust’s agency network and to support client relations and business development efforts for the company’s direct operations.
Before joining AmTrust, Lester retired after a 34-year career with Stewart Title Company serving as group senior vice president overseeing their title operations in South Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. During his tenure with Stewart Title, Lester was instrumental in the development of their property tax service company and in expanding the title insurance operations into Mexico. Having served as Chairman/CEO of Stewart Title of Houston during the late 1980s and early 1990s, Lester is adept at expanding markets and growing revenues.
A decorated Vietnam War veteran awarded the Purple Heart, Lester has served on multiple boards, committees and foundations. He currently serves as Trustee Emeritus of the Houston Realty Business Coalition, Board of Directors of Former Texas Ranger Foundation and Lifetime Vice President of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
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