Shelley Stewart has served as President/CEO of Southern Title since its founding in 1994. Since then, she has successfully spearheaded its growth into one of the most successful independent title insurance agencies in the state of Florida. Today, the Southern Title Family of Companies operates under the direction of Stewart, who reports to a Board of Managers. 

Ms. Stewart is a highly respected leader and agent advocate and is well regarded for her knowledge, insight, and integrity throughout the title insurance industry. She achieved the Certified Land Closer (CLC) professional designation from the Florida Land Title Association in 1984 and was the first Florida title agent to earn the National Title Professional (NTP) designation from the American Land Title Association in 2014. The CLC designation demonstrates the highest level of experience and professionalism in the industry and requires the designee to complete a lengthy two part exam. The National Title Professional (NTP) Designation is designed to recognize land title professionals who demonstrate the knowledge, experience, and dedication essential to the safe and efficient transfer of real property.

Ms. Stewart is actively involved with many industry trade associations and charitable organizations on a local, state, and national level, currently serving on the following:

ALTA (American Land Title Association)

• Best Practices Work Group
• Best Practices Pillar 4 Drafting Work Group
• NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners) Liaison Work Group
• Digital Closing Work Group

FLTA (Florida Land Title Association)

• Good Funds Rule Committee
• Data Call Committee Chair
• Seller impersonation Committee
• Agents Section Committee
• Florida Administrative Code 690 Premium Rates Rewrite Committee
• Government Affairs Committee

FHBA (Florida Home Builder Association)

• FHBPAC Committee
• Government Affairs Committee
• Past Presidents and Past Second Vice Presidents Council

VBIA (Volusia Building Industry Association)

• Capital Club Chair
• Governmental Affairs Committee
• VBIA Board of Directors – Secretary
• VBIA Executive Committee

DBAAR (Daytona Beach Area Association of Realtors)

• Government Affairs Committee

Ms. Stewart has been a game-changer in industry since she started as an errand runner back in high school. After building a network of customers and co-workers,  she brought ten of the area’s finest real estate closing professionals to Southern Title and opened three branch locations in 1995. Eleven years later, the company had established 21 offices.

Now celebrating its 28^th year serving Florida, the company manages 10 Southern Title branch locations.  In addition, the company operates a Commercial Division, a title search plant, and offices specializing in escrow accounting, policy production, compliance, cybersecurity, and technology.

Committed Leadership

Shelley has consistently served the real estate industry and contributed to its growth. Her previous leadership roles include:

• American Land Title Association (ALTA) - Government Affairs Committee, Best Practices Task Force, State Legislative Regulatory Action Committee, Digital Closing Taskforce Committee
• Florida Land Title Association (FLTA) – President, Government Affairs Committee Chair, Data Call Committee Chair, Forms Committee, Past President’s Council, Public Records Redaction Committee Task Force Chair
• Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA) – 2nd VP, Government Affairs Committee, Nominating Committee
• Volusia Building Industry Association - Trustee, and Co-Chair, Housing for Tomorrow Political Action Committee, Governmental Affairs Committee

Accolades & Awards

• Florida 500 Honoree – Florida Trend Magazine - 2022
• Volusia Building Industry Association Housing Hall of Fame - 2021
• Dick Baker Awards for Outstanding Service, FHBA – 2019
• Top “Women in Title” – 2017, 2018
• FHBA Eagle Award - 2016
• “Woman of the Year” by Volusia Flagler Association of Women Lawyers - 2016
• Raymond O. Denham Memorial Award for Outstanding Service, FLTA - 2014
• “Women in Business” Award Winner, Daytona Beach News-Journal – 2014

Leadership in Education

• Stewart is consistently providing industry education to benefit Realtors, builders, lenders, and consumers, including her latest series on Cyber Fraud called “Many Faces of Real Estate.”

Philanthropy

• Ms. Stewart is an Advisory Committee member of Homes Bring Hope and has been an active supporter of its parent organization, Food Brings Hope, since its inception. By leveraging her well established relationships in the real estate, title, and mortgage communities as well as her connections with local and state political leaders, Ms. Stewart pursued and successfully secured  grants and aid for these vital organizations that serve area families experiencing homelessness, poverty, and food scarcity.

Under the leadership and direction of Ms. Stewart, the company’s culture is driven by commitment to excellence, a total dedication to maintaining the integrity of the title insurance product and an unwavering spirit to go “above and beyond” on a daily basis to exceed customer expectations. This “culture of caring” is well known to Southern Title customers as well as associates. “Our business is all about the people,” is her philosophy.

The company’s direction in the 21^st century is to grow in concert with its vision: to be the title company of choice, providing the ultimate closing experience for generations of Florida property owners.