Diana Ennis is the Downtown Branch Manager of Stewart Title Company, Midwest Division, leading an escrow closing and underwriting staff in the procurement, processing and closing of approximately 500 commercial real estate transactions per year throughout Kansas and Missouri. The Branch also offers full residential title origination and escrow closing services. Ennis also is the 2010 President of the Kansas City Chapter of CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women).
Tell us how and why you’ve made a career at Stewart Title?
In 2002, Stewart approached me about coming on board to lead their Commercial Division. Marsha Laner, Senior Underwriting Counsel for Stewart Title Guaranty Company, and I had worked together before in a private law practice followed by a stint at one of our competitors. She encouraged me to step into a leadership role with Stewart. I agreed to do it for a number of reasons but I admired Stewart’s core mission of providing “magnificent” customer service. Having been a customer of title insurance companies for over 20 years, I felt I could bring value and transactional experience to Stewart.
What will you and your staff be focusing on in 2010? What’s new with your business?
In 2010, Stewart’s main focus is on obtaining new customers and helping our existing customers grow their business. For example, my individual office has exclusively been a Commercial Escrow operation. We are now a full service branch offering residential closing services to better assist those realtors, developers and lenders servicing the Metropolitan Kansas City Area. Stewart has always been on the cutting edge of technology. We have been spending the last six months intensely training our staff, lender and residential realtor customers on implementation of the new HUD/RESPA regulations. Time and money (and trees) are saved with our “linked” commitments. The documents shown as affecting the property in our Title Commitments and Policies are hyperlinked to an image of the actual instrument.
What is your niche? What makes Stewart Title stand out in Kansas City?
Our niche as an industry is to be the facilitator insuring the orderly transfer and establishment of interests in real estate. A number of title companies have come and gone recently. Stewart has been around for over 110 years and unique to the industry, is the only major underwriter still managed by members of its founding family. Stewart is consistently given an “A” Financial Stability rating by Demotech, an independent financial analysis firm that rates title companies. We stand out for many reasons, but I believe our associates are simply the best at what they do.
You are president of the Kansas City Chapter of CREW this year. What has that experience been like?
I’ve worked my way through the Committee and Board ranks for the last 8 years and serving as President in 2010, so far, is rewarding and fun. Our core mission is to promote the role of women in all disciplines related to Commercial Real Estate. We do that by providing meaningful networking opportunities and targeted programming that includes leadership and professional development training. We’ve had a couple of great programs already this year on The Downtown Area Plan including the I-670 Corridor and the efficacy of projects that are “green by design.” We socialize at regular Happy Hour events like our recent exclusive screening of The Next American Dream documentary at the new AMC Theater downtown. It’s very exciting to have direct access to over 8,000 members in 72 cities representing over 20 disciplines.
I heard that your voice also can be heard on the radio. What’s that pasttime all about?
I’ve been a “guest DJ” on 90.1 FM KKFI Kansas City Community Radio since 2002. Right now, on a volunteer basis, I am engineering and helping co-host a couple of weekly rock music shows with the goal of having my own weekly two hour Americana/Roots Music program. It’s all about the music – satisfying the listening desires of those who love it and hopefully broadening the base of those who listen to the station to help insure its sustainability.