Chicago Title: 162 Years and Beyond- A History of Chicago Title Insurance Company part 4 of 5

This is a repost of Theresa Bolin-Alberico blog- She is an escrow officer at the Gilbert branch of Chicago Title

162 YEARS AND BEYOND!
This is part 4 of a 5 part series on the History of Chicago Title Insurance Company

Chicago Title and Trust Company dates back more than 162 years through the succession of several firms and corporations that were engaged in the abstract and title business in Cook County, Illinois.

Chicago Title
On June 17th, 1998, Chicago Title Corporation became an independent publicly traded company with the ticker symbol "CTZ". For the full year 1998, we achieved record financial performance, with all market sectors contributing to these results.

Being a public company, we continued to grow through our many acquisitions. We announced 10 acquisitions in 1998 and early 1999. This included a number of companies that broaden our presence with national originators and servicers. In 1998 we acquired Universal Mortgage Services Inc., now known as Chicago Title Field Services, which provides property inspection, preservation and maintenance services nationwide. Shortly thereafter, we entered the business of providing foreclosure and reconveyance services with the acquisition of California-based Consolidated Reconveyance Co.

The acquisition of Westfall & Company, a mortgage servicing company, further enhanced the servicing sector of the residential mortgage business. We also acquired two of the largest and most experienced escrow providers in California, Escondido Escrow and Ranch & Coast Escrow. The former was also one of the leading timeshare escrow organizations in the nation.

Our title agency acquisitions were deliberately focused on higher-than-average housing turnover rates, including United Title of Nevada, which had operations throughout the state, and Yuma Title and Trust Co., one of the leading title agencies in Yuma County, Arizona. In early 1999, we completed three other significant acquisitions when we purchased Phoenix-based Security Title Agency, the largest independent agency in Arizona, as well as Blue Ridge Title of Charlottesville, Virgina and Island Title of Oak harbor, Washington.


Part Five Coming Soon!!!

Theresa Bolin-Alberico
Senior Escrow Officer
Chicago Title Insurance Company- Gilbert, AZ
480.539.6854