Michael Tafoya, chief executive officer for Advantage Title, is the driving energy behind the company’s emergence as a new regional title insurance company and technology innovator in the settlement services industry. He has more than 22 years of expertise in the title insurance industry and has witnessed industry growth and change firsthand. His extensive experience is weighted in award-winning title industry sales, marketing, and operational leadership, coupled with considerable knowledge of the technical aspects of title insurance and escrow settlement services. Additionally, he possesses a unique understanding of technology applications, and their potential integration into the title insurance and escrow settlement services industry. Prior to becoming the CEO of Advantage Title, Mr. Tafoya served as Executive Vice President, County Manager, for LandAmerica United Title in Orange County, where he was responsible for leading a team of administrative, management and sales professionals skilled in the delivery of title insurance and escrow services. Previously, he held executive-level positions at American Title, now Ticor Title a division of Fidelity National, Southland Title and Stewart Title.

Peter Derbonne, president and chief operating officer for Advantage Title, is the executive responsible for establishing, operating, and leading internal operations. Boasting more than 22 years of industry experience, Mr. Derbonne began his career as a Stewart Title Company vice president of sales and cemented his aptitude for first-rate service while at United Title Company, where he succeeded in being named the top title insurance salesman in the company almost every year he was employed there. Prior to his current role at Advantage Title, Mr. Derbonne held senior-level sales management positions at LandAmerica Financial Group, United Title Company, and Stewart Title Guaranty Company. The execution-focused, results-oriented sales management approach of Mr. Derbonne has given him unique insight into the importance and value of a strong and capable customer service environment. As well, his core understanding of the title industry has enabled him to strategically utilize technology to significantly improve the strategic processes of title insurance and escrow settlement service delivery from open to close. Mr. Derbonne is a graduate of California State University, Long Beach with a degree in Economics.

Peter Bowman, co-chief information officer and senior vice president, Strategy & Innovation at Advantage Title, spearheads support, standards, maintenance and deployment of all production-critical systems for the organization. He boasts extensive industry acumen in information systems, management and title industry operations. He began his career 15 years ago at United Title Company, where his unparalleled knowledge of both technology and title operations eventually led to his being named CIO for Nations Holding Group. Mr. Bowman was instrumental in formulating overall IT strategy and providing the combined technology and strategic leadership necessary to integrate and transition traditional systems with cutting-edge technology, ensuring alignment with competitive business objectives and expansive growth. Playing a crucial role in leading the title and escrow industry’s shift to technology integration and e-business adoption, Mr. Bowman understands the importance of centralized systems, customer relationships and technological expansion. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus in Management Information Systems from California State University, Northridge.

With more than three decades of experience in the areas of escrow, title, mortgage lending and private loan servicing, Ms. Vickie Crestani is an expert in her field. As Senior Vice President/Escrow Administrator for Advantage Title, Ms. Crestani brings extensive working knowledge of commercial and residential escrow transactions and executive-level management experience. Recognized as a savvy veteran able to formulate plausible solutions to all matters faced during a transaction, Ms. Crestani was licensed as a Certified Senior Escrow Officer in 1988 and has held senior-level positions with American Coast Title, United Title Company, Southland Title, Westland Title and First American Title Company. Most recently, she was a Senior Vice President/Escrow Administrator with LandAmerica/United Title where she was a strategic advocate for technological innovation within the title and escrow industries and played an integral part in the improved flow of information between title and escrow service components and other real estate transactional participants. Ms. Crestani boasts second-to-none knowledge of title and escrow policies and procedures, in accordance with national, state and local regulations and has acted as a Qualified Intermediary. In addition, she boasts experience in mergers and acquisitions, auditing, trust accounting, tract home, resale, FSBO's, foreclosure, refinancing and relocation transactions.

Peter Richter, co-chief information officer and senior vice president, software engineering for Advantage Title, is responsible for systems strategy, e-business architecture and design for the entire corporation. Mr. Richter has more than 13 years of extensive experience in strategic business processes, coupled with web-based application conception, systems development, and design for large public and private organizations in the real estate, online and consumer sectors. Mr. Richter has held executive positions with LandAmerica Financial Group and Nations Holding Group (United Title) and began his career in the real estate sector at 9keys.com and Homestore.com (now Move.com). Prior to joining Advantage Title, he was responsible for the original conception, creation, implementation and competitive evolution of the industry’s first completely integrated transaction management platform, ClosingPoint(sm), which set the industry standard for advancement of title insurance and escrow processing via the use of technology. Mr. Richter holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus in Management Information Systems from California State University, Northridge.

David "Dave" boasts more than 29 years in the title insurance industry. The last 23 years, Mr. Smith was with Fidelity Title, the majority of which he acted as an Advisory Title Manager and Title Operations Manager. At Advantage Title, Mr. Smtih expertly oversees the issuance of title policies and answers questions in accordance with internal and external policies and regulations. He implements and interprets underwriting guidelines and delivers answers to questions of a technical nature in support of escrow officers and clients. In addition, Mr. Smith provides expertise with respect to searching, examining and liability/insurability. He also strategically consults and problem-solves with escrow staff and customers regarding issues affecting title insurability. On a daily basis, Mr. Smith previews title claims, may settle smaller claims, and works closely with the claims department. Above all, Mr. Smith provides expertise, prompt response and superior service to the clients of Advantage Title.