California Escrow Association - President's Message 38-2

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

You could describe the beginning of this year by saying, “We hit the ground running!” but I’m afraid that would be an understatement when describing our first quarter. It started with California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi’s “study” in which he went after the California Escrow and Title industries. Mike Belote and Lexi Howard did a great job representing us in our responses to Commissioner Garamendi. You will be glad to hear that, to date, we have not seen any new bills in connection with the “study” his out-of-state consultant completed.

I just returned from the American Escrow Association (AEA) directors meeting in Washington, D.C. We talked with representatives from the American Land Title Association (ALTA), Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR). AEA is making some great contacts. This was my first trip to the D.C. area, so I took some vacation days to see the sights and had a wonderful, memorable experience there. I would recommend this trip to all.

CEA has some very exciting news regarding education related projects that are coming to fruition. We have hired a publisher for our Escrow books. Our new Escrow I book is in production right now and is scheduled for distribution in a few months, with the new Escrow II book to follow later this year.Our online education project is up and running. Escrow education and professional designation credits are now just a click away! Our online courses were part of a live Internet newscast on DNN.TV, Real Estate News Network. You can access online learning through the CEA website at www.ceaescrow.org.We are now offering the six-hour notary class to our members and associates. Anyone, not just members, can go to the CEA Web site for class registration through our affiliated provider, Duane Gomer, Inc. CEA members receive a discount towards the class fees. More great news: you can now obtain three professional designation credits when you submit a copy of your new notary commission!

So many things are happening now and it is largely in part to the work our past and current state directors have completed. Thank you for all of your hard work!

I would also like to thank the regions and all our members for their support of my charity “City of Hope.” The work this wonderful organization does will hopefully decrease the suffering many have had to go through. Many thanks to the Desert Escrow Association who made the first 2006 donation!

Conference, conference, conference! Make plans now to attend our 2006 “Mardi Gras” Conference in Ontario, CA, which will be held Oct. 19th through Oct. 22nd. The Conference Committee is planning some great classes for all, and of course, it should be a lot of fun. So mark your calendars for those dates.

Thank you to my Board, Directors and Headquarters for all of your hard work and support. Thank you members, for the many and varied ways you are involved in our association. You are wonderful!

Sincerely,

Irene L. Genders, CEO, CSEO, CEO
2006 President

From the President
by Irene Genders, CEO, CSEO, CEI

Our online education project is up and runnning . . . We are now offering the
six-hour notary class. . . .

(Watch for details to be E-mailed to you.)