#wetheprotectors
April 27, 2017
There have been plenty of results over the past year that reinforce never giving up. Look no further than President Donald Trump’s election. Pundits didn’t even him a chance to win the Republican nomination.
The world of sports, meanwhile, authored a litany of dramatic endings the past 12 months. Villanova made a three-point shot at the buzzer to crush the hearts of North Carolina to win the men’s NCAA National Basketball Tournament in April. In basketball, LeBron James delivered Cleveland’s first professional sports championship in 52 years as the Cavaliers won three games in a row to defeat Golden State in seven games in the NBA Finals. Following that, the Chicago Cubs overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Cleveland Indians in the best-of-seven series and end 108 years of waiting until next season. In February, Tom Brady led the Patriots to overcome the largest deficit in Super Bowl history, defeating the Atlanta Falcons and winning New England its fifth NFL title.
What do all of the exhilarating sports finishes have in common with the presidential election? Not much in terms of the health of the country and economy. But all are a testament to persevering and taking advantage of opportunity.
Next week, we have another opportunity to participate in the title industry’s Super Bowl! For 20 years, ALTA has brought members to Washington, D.C., to amplify our voice and to advance the industry’s interests. We’ve rebranded our Federal Conference and Lobby Day as the ALTA Advocacy Summit. The change elevates our position as an industry and confirms that we are coming together at a high place, designated for those with influence, strength and a voice that resonates.
The ALTA Advocacy Summit (May 1-3) is our moment to exercise our political rights and use a collective voice to strengthen the industry and focus on its purpose—protecting property rights. Advocacy is in ALTA’s mission as an association and we are prepared to lead the way, but our members are the heart and soul of our advocacy efforts. Whether you’re a state leader, first-time attendee or you’ve attended 20 events in the past, the Summit is the cornerstone of the title industry’s advocacy efforts where we leave a legacy of contributions for future generations. From meeting with members of Congress to taking a night tour of many iconic monuments, this will be a memorable experience the more than 225 title professionals that will be attending.
We’ve also received great support for TIPAC, which for the first time raised more than $1 million during the election cycle. Our profile in D.C. has never been higher. There’s a myriad of policies being debated on Capitol Hill—everything from tax reform and the future of Dodd-Frank to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Our focus will be telling Congress that consumers deserve accurate information about their title insurance costs and this can be helped making the CFPB work better and provide clearer compliance guidance. We will also share that any tax reform should make it easier to comply with the U.S. tax code and incentivize growth and investment. Finally, when Congress reforms the GSEs, it should recognize that without lien priority to secure debt, mortgage lenders and investors have no recourse to the collateral. Title insurance is the only type of risk transfer that protects the priority of lienholders.
Amid all the noise, we’ll stay focused on our mission: We are the investigators, analysts and counselors. The protectors of property rights.
— Daniel D. Mennenoh ITP, NTP, ALTA president
Contact ALTA at 202-296-3671 or [email protected].