VLTA President's Message


During the VLTA Annual Convention in October 2023, Stephanie Armstrong was welcomed as the 2023 - 2024 VLTA President














Thank you for the honor of being your VLTA President for 2023-2024.  This year is particularly special because it culminates in our 50th Anniversary of the Association. The 2024 Convention in Virginia Beach will be spectacular and the year leading up to that will be filled with opportunities for you to explore this year’s theme “It Starts With You!”

At the 2023 Convention, we encouraged you to become more active in our various committees. Our Events Committee and Education Committee put together a great experience this year and you can help put together an amazing convention in 2024 by participating in our monthly one-hour committee conference calls. Our Legislative Affairs & Political Action Committee will be promoting the interests of our Association with the General Assembly and you can join us at our Lobby Day on the Hill on February 6th, 2024. Our Membership Committee has monthly calls to try to make YOUR VLTA even more engaging. If you are reading this newsletter, you already know how important the work of the Examiner Magazine Committee.

Your VLTA opportunities are more than just Committee meetings, however, and I encourage you to explore some of our educational opportunities. Our refreshed Virginia Certified Title Examiner course offers comprehensive “how-to” training that benefits both experienced title professionals and newcomers to the industry. And our Virginia Certified Title Settlement Agent course is the only training opportunity of its kind.  Members who have these certifications are eligible for the American Land Title Association’s Certified Title Professional designation too!

We also have in-person Regional Seminars in March and April for educational opportunities, and online webinars for professional development. 

What else can YOUR VLTA do for you?  Drop us a line and let us know. It starts with you!
 




During the VLTA Annual Convention in October 2022, Mary Long was welcomed as the 2022 - 2023 VLTA President

Having just become President of your association, I need to acknowledge how far we’ve come as an organization, and then focus on where we want to go, and how I can be a leader that helps take us there.    

My theme, “An Invitation to Engage” was not just for the VLTA Convention held October 20th through 22nd.  It’s going to be my song all year long.  I’ve already had several attendees approach me to let me know they are joining committees, and I couldn’t be happier.  All the voices together make for a better chorus.  You probably know an agent or examiner who is not a member or is not participating in VLTA.  Reach out to them; personally invite them to join.  Grassroots efforts will make all the difference.

VLTA has developed or strengthened relationships with several industry organizations this past year. The biggest success has been our working relationship with the Court Clerks Association, who invited us to speak at their convention held in August.  We have an ongoing taskforce with the Bureau of Insurance which meets several times a year to discuss industry trends and issues.  We reached out to the Virginia Association of Realtors this summer to discuss contract changes made in reaction to the BOI letter issued in February.  VLTA also has a very dedicated committee tracking legislative issues that affect our industry and in fact has had legislators reach out to us for comment on proposed bills being considered.

I guess my main message here is that there is a lot going on at your organization. Our Executive Director, Leigh Hubbard, does a great job of keeping up with all our deadlines and commitments, and the only thing we need now is you.  Your voice.  Your opinion.  Your expertise. Your energy.  I promise you will be welcomed.  
Hoping to see you at a meeting soon . . . .
 

During the VLTA Annual Convention on October 2021, Stephanie Campbell was welcomed as the 2021 - 2022 VLTA President. 


 
During the VLTA Annual Convention on October 2020, Julie Ann Rutledge was welcomed as the 2020 - 2021 VLTA President. Her message was a powerful message, building on the message from VLTA Past President Megan Meloon who highlighted workforce development within the industry. In Julie's message she highlights the next phase of this project - mentorship.



This is not a one-person job.  Such a fundamental and positive change to our industry cannot happen overnight.  It is going to take all of us doing a part, no matter how big or how small.  Perhaps some of you listening right now can serve as a mentor to a new young face to our industry.  Perhaps others of you can be a “mentor to mentors,” providing training on how to effectively train others.  And perhaps still others of you could be part of a VLTA Mentorship Taskforce Committee to generate even more ideas on how mentoring can be fostered in our industry.  I do not have all the answers, but I do know that working together we can make a difference and I can promise you that I remain committed to this idea.

As we navigate the year ahead, I want you to know that the VLTA BOD is ready and prepared to meet the challenges.  Working with this new BOD, I promise to do my very best, as I serve as your new President of the VLTA.
Thank you so much!   
Julie Ann Rutledge, VLTA President

 
During the 2019 VLTA Annual Convention, President Megan Meloon shared her vision for the future of the industry and how to ensure its stability as majority of today's workforce are closer to the end of their career than the beginning. Her mission was to develop a 'workforce development taskforce' that will lead new, younger individuals into the industry.