Kensington National Land Services and Vanguard Title Agency merge, create powerhouse

In a move that brings two of the title insurance industry's leading, privately-held companies together, Kensington National Land Services and Vanguard Title Agency have merged to create Kensington Vanguard National Land Services, LLC, one of the largest and most prominent title insurance agencies in the country. The 70-person firm is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan. The merger was unveiled by Brian Cooper and Jarett Fein, co-CEOs and principals of Kensington Vanguard National Land Services (KV National Land). "At a time when many in our industry are cutting back, we feel now is the time to combine resources and invest in the creation and growth of KV National Land, a superior platform to support an ever-expanding roster of the most prestigious local and national clients," Fein said. "Brian and I recognized right at the onset that our different, yet complementary companies share common perspectives, values and business philosophies centered on professionalism, service and efficiency. We also share a vision of how together we can create the perfectly balanced company, capable of handling all client and transaction types on a local and national basis." KV National Land offers a full suite of national title, settlement, escrow and 1031 Exchange services for transactions across all real estate asset categories, from office buildings, hotels and development projects, to individual homes, condominiums and new construction. Prior to the merger, Vanguard specialized in New York commercial and high-end residential transactions. Vanguard underwrites several billion dollars worth of insured transactions annually, written on the largest and most respected title insurance companies in the world. The firm was involved in such transactions as the sales of 5 Times Sq. and 650 Madison Ave. among many others. Kensington was recognized as a leader in servicing high volume national lenders handling over 10,000 new orders annually in addition to its involvement in large commercial transactions such as the acquisitions of The Helmsley Building and 1440 Broadway. "With this merger we have created an exciting and dynamic vehicle providing unparalleled service to an extremely diverse client base. While we are both proud of the respective companies we built, together we have an even more powerful organization with which to attract industry leading legal, underwriting and operational talent," Cooper said. "KV National Land's legal expertise, best-in-class technology, national platform and foremost commitment to personal service makes our clients the real winners here." Fein and Cooper emphasized that their greatest strength comes from the renowned team of experienced professionals that make up KV National Land's legal and underwriting departments. "We employ some of the best and brightest talent in the industry today," Fein said, pointing to Joseph Friedman, Esq., who over his 50-plus year career has come to be known as the "dean of title insurance." Friedman will serve as senior executive vice president and chief underwriting counsel for the new firm. Rounding out the strong leadership are executive vice presidents Bob Audette and Marc Israel, who are recognized for their extensive business knowledge, key relationships and excellent reputations in the industry. "Our clients have come to expect more from us," Cooper said. "Because our legal and underwriting departments have such an intricate and in-depth understanding of the more complex and technical aspects of the business, we bring a consultative approach to every transaction in order to avoid the possibility of pitfalls and legal issues that may not be apparent from the initial evaluation of the title work." Cooper added that KV National Land will also continue to be known for the efficiency, service and attention to detail with which it produces its work product and responds to client needs no matter the size or scope of the transaction. In addition to its large, dedicated and highly-trained service professionals, KV National Land has invested in the development of the most advanced and comprehensive software systems. This proprietary system includes an online customer platform that allows clients real time access to their pipeline account with industry-leading use and functionality. KV National Land is a privately-held title insurance agency with national underwriting agreements with Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Co., Fidelity National Title Insurance Co., First American Title Insurance Co., Old Republic National Title Insurance Co. and Stewart Title Insurance Co.