AmTrust Title Insurance Company has added two executives to its team, naming James Bozzomo as chief underwriting counsel for direct operations and Jefferson Howeth as senior corporate counsel.
Bozzomo previously served as chief underwriter counsel for First Nationwide Title Agency, a subsidiary of AmTrust. Howeth served as general counsel for a title underwriter for six years prior to joining AmTrust.
Jason Gordon, AmTrust Title president, said Bozzomo is “ideal” for the role based on his experience with complex commercial transactions — including retail, office and multifamily.
“[Bozzomo] has underwritten and closed some of the largest commercial transactions in the country and is a consummate professional,” Gordon said. “He is a trusted advisor and is particularly deserving of this promotion.”
Before joining AmTrust, Bozzomo was senior vice president and managing counsel at Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company. He also served as counsel at Quick Title Agency LLC.
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Steven Napolitano, First Nationwide Title Agency president, said Bozzomo is a natural fit for the position due to his wealth of experience in the industry.
“[Bozzomo] is adept at anticipating the needs of sophisticated institutional investors, lenders and attorneys, leveraging his wealth of knowledge that he’s built over his 17 years of experience,” Napolitano said. “He is a natural fit for the chief underwriting counsel position. Simply put, he is a vital asset to our title insurance business.”
Howeth is a current member of the State Bar of Texas and the Oklahoma Bar Association with over 15 years of experience representing title insurance agents and underwriters. He was also a legal team member at Centex Corporation, a homebuilding company, and was general counsel for Centex Title & Insurance.
“[Howeth] brings his deep legal background in the title insurance industry to AmTrust, as well as his excellent knowledge of the Texas market where we are expanding our business,” Gordon said.
Like most in the title and closing industry, underwriters have had to adapt to a post-pandemic housing industry. Mary Shelley, who was hired by AmTrust in December as midwest region agency underwriter, said a lack of access to information and “official processes at all levels of government” have been the biggest challenges.
“Patience and perseverance were the challenges and the solutions,” Shelley said. “Technology has certainly increased the pace of transactions, but the underwriting is still the same.”
