To: TITLE & ABSTRACT COMPANIES

From: Pat Cotter

Subject: 2001 NYSLTA CONVENTION ROUNDUP

Where to begin? This thing is taking on a life of it’s own! Well if first things are first then I want to thank Julia Kirby (Stewart) for her kind words. She is the first person David & I met when we arrived and gave us a great welcome to Newport.

If you went to the convention this year, I think you had a good time. Some of us had a better time than others but we’ll get to some of that in a little bit. Mike McAuley detailed me to provide Secret Service type protection for Marvin Bagwell-incoming President. He was making very sure that there would be no hitch in the transfer of power. Speaking of Mike, isn’t his wife Shirley a lovely and charming woman? I really enjoyed their company on the Adirondack ll. She said of Mike, “he still makes me laugh.” That’s great. Shirley also offered to drive the boat up onto Jackie Kennedy’s farm if we visited it one more time! We somehow had gotten into a discussion of Ficus trees and Shirley thought the name was Banyan tree. Karen Karales (First Southwestern) tried to convince me it grew to 100’ or more and all of a sudden she hands me her cell phone & I’m talking to her dad about it! This is a strange industry but then he wasn’t at all surprised. Karen must do this to him often. She was also right about the tree.

The “Cottage” tours were great. My favorite was Rose Cliff which we toured before having dinner there Monday but did anyone else catch the resemblance between the portrait of a beautiful woman in the stairwell at The Breakers and Tony Maiocchi’s (Perfect Abs.) lovely wife Carol?

Let me take a minute to mention some of the people who helped make our convention special. There was Eileen Hickey in a towel traipsing out of her room for ice in the small hours and separately, of course, Rick Preziosi in less than a towel reaching for the paper outside his door-only problem is-Rick doesn’t wear pajamas if you get my drift.... My personal vote for heroine of Newport has to go to Nancy Farrell (Venture) who whispered sweet nothings in our bus driver’s ear and instead of leaving us off at the hotel after dinner at Rose Cliff, deposited us at Christie’s. where, led by the indomitable Donna Richardson, we trudged down to the open bar for a couple of cold ones and Donna then led us (in the wrong direction!) to BLUES where most of us were admitted without a problem. Most but not all! (Young) Barbara, “I got carded”, (“last call”) Prignano (Great Oak) & Lisa Panisse (AIS) were temporarily barred. Barbara got in but Lisa had no ID so my heroine Nancy - once more into the breach - Farrell commandeers 2 of Newport’s finest and convinces the cops to take Lisa back to the hotel, get her ID & return her to Blues. Ya gotta love it! And thank god they did. Lisa was my partner for a marathon game of pool. It was us against Andrew Freedman (Sharp Research) and Doreen Gordon (Valtec). We killed them. Actually it took 20 minutes for anyone to sink a ball and when the barman said “this is your last game”, I told him we’d be there till dawn if he made us finish. Lisa & I were ahead so I declared victory and we left. Now there aren’t too many cabs about at that hour so it was decided the ladies would take the one we had and Mike O’Connor (OC Systems) instructed the driver to “drive slow & we’ll walk behind you”. The cabby took one look at the stragglers and took off like a shot.

I begged Helen Powell to let me announce our engagement at the Banquet. She said yes but then disappeared. Smart and pretty too. Kudos, Helen.

I know I’m skipping around but I have to mention the opening night clambake that Sharon arranged. It was great except Mike McAuley made me eat fast so I could keep a check on Marvin Bagwell’s diet. Jackie Murphy,(UG) one of my favorites & I kept a close watch on him. Speaking of Sharon, she said she was having a ditzy blond moment when she lost her shoes at Rose Cliff. I found them and tried to play prince charming with the glass slipper but she wasn’t having any-she just tossed them over her shoulder and marched out barefoot. Game girl that. As I mentioned before, the banquet was great. The Sarah Brightman like singer was fabulous. I don’t know how Sharon finds them EVERY year! My dinner companions for the Banquet were especially good company. There was Elliot Foo (Transnation) who is a great MC for the awards, the very pretty Karen Karales, the very engaging Scott Holcombe (Crossroads) and the very persuasive Bill Welge (Realty Data) whose wife and I played catch-up- we worked at the same company in another lifetime.

I really had fun with that ship S.J. Carroll offered as our prize at the banquet. I was concerned that it was too big but as I arrived with it, one of the hotel staff asked, “is that the Grand Prize?” That made it for me! After Jose (BRS) won it someone asked what he would do with it. My reply was that I didn’t care, I just enjoyed presenting it. You had to be there just outside the banquet room where John Piccirillo, Tom Tafuri, Larry Litwack, Elliot Foo & Scott Pizzirusso were enjoying cigars when a hotel employee came over to remind them about no smoking. Their reply -almost in unison- was, “we’re not smoking!!!” (believe me, you can’t make this stuff up.) Well this person had no reply so they sent someone from security (the same guy who was parking cars earlier). Fortunately “our quinella” took pity on him and acceded to his request to take their “not smoking” outside.

OK fun is fun and it was but there was plenty of business too. We had, as usual, a great business agenda. The Agents meeting Monday morning featured a report from Shawn Abrams (Trinity). He is looking to start a newsletter for agents with one objective being to bring in new agents to the association. Shawn is a great writer so I hope you catch his stuff. Mike McAuley said we have been assured the Governor will sign the Lopez Bill (he did) insuring that consumers will have the right to order title from whatever agent they choose. He stressed the need for all agents, for their own good, to become more involved politically through the agents section. Sal Turano (Abstracts) drummed the same tune. Sal is our President Elect and is asking for support for Agents Day in Albany. He said the agents have a great advocate in ex-Senator Davidoff but nobody can promote our industry & the benefits of membership in the NYSLTA as well as current agent members. Marvin Simms (Guardian Land) suggested the Underwriters be asked to send a letter to their agents regarding membership in the association. Russ Coyne (Class Abs.) and Amy Kelly (Seaport) talked about fraud, Federal action, investigations etc. related to predatory lending including the targeting of immigrants & the poor in general. Shawn Abrams and Tommy Tafuri were elected Chair & vice Chair respectively of the Agents Section.

Cara Detring, President of ALTA, also spoke on the need to get involved politically. I think the quote was, “Fanny & Freddie like our product FOR NOW” So better get involved! She stressed visiting the ALTA & NYSLTA websites. Cara also spoke about predatory lending, controlled business and the need to hold banking regulations at the state level plus RESPA reform and privacy & consumer issues.I’m sure Sharon would want me to mention that we had a very successful Seminar season put together by Bob Martyn (Sutton Land) and there will be 3 full day CLE Seminars scheduled for the fall as well as an all day seminar for closers of all levels of experience.

Bo Edwards (UG) gave the CLE presentation with graphic examples of why ethics are important to us all. His talk was interesting & informative and was subtitled, “Kicking and Gouging in the Mud, the Blood and the Beer.” You get the idea and I have a copy for you if you want it.

Sharon McGann Horstkamp, VP & Corp. Counsel of MERS made an extensive presentation of the MERS process and then took questions. Actually she seemed to be having a problem with what was being asked. MERS was forewarned that we were not happy & had questions about MERS but they do not seem as concerned over the process as the agents are.

A recurring theme seemed to be the need for all of us to get involved politically for the good of our business. Kevin Gottlieb made a presentation on “HOW TO WIN AT THE GRASSROOTS” The statistics he gave are staggering. He also gave us his “10 Keys to Grassroots Success”

Please see Jon Richards article in The Bulletin explaining the Rosenbaum decision. It was a slam dunk for our side. Also in The Bulletin is Mike Berey’s article explaining the revised UCC Code Article 9.

I have copies of any & all of the above presentations & articles. If you have an interest-ask me & you shall receive!

I cannot conclude this without mentioning Marvin Bagwell’s acceptance speech. It was sincere & gracious and from his heart. Like Marvin it was the best. As an aside to Marvin Simms, “you don’t look at all like your brother, the other Marvin. President Bagwell is much taller”.

As always, my compliments to all the agents & underwriters who come together here in friendship but I would also like to salute all the service companies, many of whom I compete with for helping make this a great convention. I enjoyed the time we had together especially Mike O’Connor (OC Systems), Lisa Panisse (AIS), Bruce Sharp & Andrew Freedman (Sharp Research), Nick Valastro (Valtec) who promised to teach me to waltz!! & my friend Peter M. (BRS). I think we all did great.

Sharon, this was a terrific convention. Dennis & Regina are both great. Now it’s on to Montreal next year!

Please keep Dick Marcus in your prayers.

This has been a difficult week. I hope that you and your loved ones are safe and that we may all be mindful of the loss we have suffered.