Astor Title Services LLC appoints Garelli president

New York, NY Astor Title Services LLC has appointed Theresa Garelli as president. 

A veteran of 35 years in the title insurance industry, Garelli will head a growing team of experienced title insurance executives who specialize in providing meticulous practice and customer service to lenders, builders, developers, attorneys and other real estate professionals. 

Garelli previously served as Astor Title’s executive vice president and general counsel and has closed all aspects of major commercial and residential transactions in New York, throughout the U.S. and internationally. 

“Astor Title Services is poised to undergo tremendous growth,” said Garelli. “I am honored by the company’s trust in my experience and leadership to be at its helm during this exciting time in our growth.”

In addition to her work at Astor, Garelli is an adjunct professor at Baruch College, City University of New York, where she teaches real estate law; and formerly at the New York Law School Center for Real Estate Studies, where she taught LLM candidates and law students a unique course on title insurance. 

Her experience with other national underwriters includes 14 years with the Fidelity National Title Companies and 10 years at First American Title Insurance Company, New York Division. At First American, as senior vice president and counsel, she worked directly with the president and chief operating officer in all aspects of the New York operation. She served as chief claims counsel of First American Title Insurance Company of New York. 

Prior to joining First American, she was a senior claims counsel & vice president at Fidelity National Title Insurance Company, and its subsidiary, Chicago Title Insurance Company in New York; was a member of the Attorneys' Title Insurance Fund; ran a general practice specializing in real estate transactions and civil litigation; and served as executive vice president & general counsel for TDR Equities, Inc.

Garelli holds a B.A. in Foreign Languages and International Business from Florida State University and attended Law School at Nova Southeastern University where she received her Juris Doctor with honors. 

She is active in supporting women in all aspects of commercial real estate, including serving as 2016 president of CREW New York, one of the largest chapters of CREW Network, an international organization consisting of over 10,000 women working in commercial real estate. She is also currently serving on CREWNY's 40th Anniversary Gala Committee; is a member of CREW Network's Finance Committee; and is active on numerous boards of directors in Forest Hills, Queens.