Northbrook, Ill.-based Proper Title, LLC, a full-service title insurance agency serving the residential and commercial real estate industries, has welcomed industry leaders Samuel A. Shiel, Esq., as director of title operations/underwriting counsel, and Kim O’Donnell, as senior account executive. Combined, Shiel and O’Donnell bring more than 45 years of experience in the title insurance industry to Proper Title.
Ben Niernberg, executive vice president of business development and operations at Proper Title, said, “Our mission at Proper Title is to bring an innovative and progressive approach to a storied industry, and the only way that can be achieved is through people who share that vision.” He added, “With accomplished industry veterans like Sam and Kim joining our firm, it not only demonstrates the breadth and depth of knowledge available at Proper Title, but also that we are a destination for the industry’s top talent.”
For the past 25 years, Shiel, 48, has served as an examiner and counsel for both private title insurance providers as well as public agencies, including appointments as a court-appointed receiver in a fraud case, in addition to serving as deputy general counsel for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Most recently, Shiel served as vice president and Midwest underwriting counsel for Title Resources Guaranty Company.
Shiel said, “Having been an underwriter and examiner for a quarter of a century, I’ve seen just about every situation relating to title clearance, as well as the evolution of the industry and regulatory landscape. It’s exciting for me to bring that in-depth knowledge to a firm that is focused on becoming a game-changer in the industry.” Shiel received his juris doctor degree from the University of Detroit, and a bachelor degree from Michigan State University. He is licensed to practice law in Illinois and Michigan, and is also a licensed real estate broker in Illinois.
O’Donnell, 45, has spent the past 19 years with Chicago Title Insurance, marketing title insurance and escrow services to the Chicago area’s leading developers, attorneys, investors, lenders and mortgage brokers. In that role, she developed and maintained 350 major accounts and managed a $5 million territory.
“My experience working with the largest title insurance underwriter in the nation gives me a unique perspective in this business and, most notably, where the industry can improve. So, it’s exciting to be part of the Proper Title team, which embraces change and is at the forefront of disrupting and improving the title insurance industry,” said O’Donnell. She is a certified personnel consultant, and earned her bachelor’s degree from DePaul University.
