Share with VLTA what you’re doing in your community, your new jobs, promotions, retirements, milestones, professional accomplishments, good deeds, events, awards, or even a member advocacy story or testimonial while you’re at it! News can include a relevant link to an article, blog post, press release, video, landing page, or website.
Join us in celebrating Sonia Kuppert as the new Chair of the Virginia Insurance Continuing Education Board (VICEB)!
Sonia, a past president of the Virginia Land Title Association (VLTA), makes history as the first-ever title insurance professional to serve as Chair of VICEB!
Her leadership, expertise, and dedication to education will have a lasting impact on the insurance industry in Virginia. Congratulations, Sonia—we’re excited for what’s ahead!
On February 13, 2025, Joe Shepherd with FNF Family of Companies announced the retirement of Alaine Donovan and the promotion of Amy Klein:
It is with mixed emotions that I announce that Alaine Donovan, DC State Counsel for the FNF Family of Companies, will be retiring at the end of this month. Alaine first entered the title insurance business in 1976 when she started doing real estate closings for a private practice attorney in Fairfax, VA. She entered the underwriter world in 1986 when she first joined Ticor Title as underwriting counsel for Virginia and West Virginia, later moving on to underwriting positions with Commonwealth Land Title, a large northern Virginia agency, and for the past 24 years with Chicago Title and the other FNF brands, most recently serving as our District of Columbia chief counsel. Her dedication to the title industry is unsurpassed in the mid-Atlantic, serving as liaison to several regulatory bodies, working on legislative initiatives and serving as the president of the DC Land Title Association. Over the years Alaine has been both a mentor and example to many in our Company as well as to our title agents. She is a colleague and more importantly a friend who will be sorely missed. Please join me in wishing Alaine all the best life can offer as she and her husband Mark embark on the next chapter of their lives. Knowing them both well, I doubt they will be slowing down any time soon.
While we are sad at the prospect of Alaine moving on, we are equally as happy and proud to announce that Amy Klein will be assuming the role of DC State Counsel for the Company while continuing in her role as Maryland underwriting counsel. Amy first became a settlement attorney in the District of Columbia in 2012, working with several DC agencies/attorneys before becoming an associate attorney at the Potomac, MD law firm of Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker in Jume of 2015. In 2017 Amy joined Stewart Title as underwriting counsel for MD and DC before transitioning to the FNF Family of Companies in February 2021 as underwriting counsel and Assistant State Counsel for both MD and DC. Amy is also the immediate past president of the DC Land Title Association and has served on the board of directors for the Maryland Land Title Association. Amy’s experience with the intricacies of DC titles and her balanced approach to title underwriting make her perfect for this new role. She understands both the legal/title issues involved in a transaction as well as the business considerations to getting the deal done. I am completely confident that our DC and MD agents will find Amy to be an invaluable asset to their operations. Amy can continue to be reached at amy.klein@fnf.com; (410)381-4029 (office), or (240)653-6804 (cell). Please join me congratulating Amy on her new role and well-deserved promotion within the FNF organization.
Celebrating 40 Years of Excellence at VSTITLE
Provided by Dale Shoop, President OF VSTITLE
At VSTITLE, we begin every meeting with a simple but powerful statement: We are a company where excellent people find amazing opportunities. That’s because our story began when the opportunity to start a title agency met a paralegal who had excelled in real estate law. He was the son of a teacher, and with the heart of a teacher, he built a company where education, expertise, and opportunity go hand in hand.
For 40 years, we’ve facilitated real estate closings and protected property rights with speed, skill, and care. But more than that, we’ve cultivated a culture of learning, teamwork, and trust—both within our team and with our customers. We continue to embrace new challenges, adapt to an evolving industry, and stay committed to educating and empowering those we serve. As we celebrate this milestone, we’re grateful for the journey and excited for the future. Here’s to 40 years of excellence—and many more to come!
Retirement of Jim Pierce with West View Title Agency
James (Jim) Pierce is retiring from his position at West View Title Agency in Harrisonburg, Virginia, as of March 27, 2025. Jim has served in examining and underwriting positions for Lender’s Service, Brokers Title, and finally at West View Title. While beginning with Lenders Title (LSI) in 1997 as a title entry clerk in their Pittsburgh office, he quickly worked thru their training programs and was added to their underwriting team in 1998. A family move to Elkton, Virginia in early 2000 led to working with them in a remote capacity until he joined Brokers Title as their “In the Clerk’s Office” Examiner, a roll he held until moving over to work with Chris Jones and West View Title in 2007. He began there as a Title Examiner and later became a licensed Title Agent, taking on the full time Agent/Underwriter roll in 2016, a position he has maintained thru today. Jim was pleased to have experienced the Title agency transformation from physical examining in Clerk’s Offices 5 days a week in 15 counties as needed, to the usage of today’s online and electronic search, recording and examining platforms, and feels truly blessed to have worked with some of the most amazing title professionals and exceptional people one could ever hope to be involved with, both in the field and at the First American and the Fidelity National /Chicago companies.
Jim and his wife Joyce are consummate music fans and travelers, and plan to continue their travels around the world.
Fun fact: Jim was among the first to qualify and complete the initial Virginia Certified Title Examiner (VCTE) course on 02/11/2013!
Warrenton Town Council meeting and approval of the Hero’s Bridge Affordable Housing for Veterans Project
On the evening of December 10th, Colleen Taylor (Agency Rep at Old Republic Title) attended the Town of Warrenton’s Town Council hearing on rezoning land owned by the Warrenton United Methodist Church to build affordable housing for senior veterans. The meeting lasted for over 4 hours, with lots of public comments. Only 3-4 people spoke against the development, which will include 22 single story duplex units, and a community building.
This project spoke to so much of what we have a need for – affordable housing, senior and veteran housing. It was great to be there to witness the vote!
I encourage everyone to get involved with housing issues in their community!
Town Council approves Hero’s Bridge Village project | News | fauquier.com
