Former Labor Secretary Deputy Chief of Staff Michelle Korsmo Named Senior Vice President of the American Land Title Association

Business Wire, April 7, 2008

WASHINGTON -- The American Land Title Association (ALTA), the national trade association for the title insurance industry, today announced the appointment of Michelle Korsmo as senior vice president, marketing and member programs. In her new role, Korsmo will be responsible for corporate communications, member services and education, and membership development.

Korsmo was the executive vice president of the Americans for Prosperity (AFP) Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization dedicated to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing citizen participation in the public policy process. Korsmo managed a team of 52 people and a $10 million budget, and grew the organization from one state chapter to 21 in four years. She helped build the foundation's grassroots capability to promote solution-oriented policy to local, state and federal government.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Korsmo served three years as deputy chief of staff to U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. Korsmo was one of nine political appointees "parachuted" into the Labor Department on the first day of the George W. Bush Administration to manage the Department pending the Secretary's Senate confirmation. As the deputy chief of staff, Korsmo managed non-political agency heads, served as a member of the budget committee, exercised approval authority on all Departmental action to be published in the Federal Register, and developed an outreach program to the non-profit community.

"Michelle's strategic vision and management skills will help us identify and implement programs and services that meet the needs of our members in a rapidly changing economy and real estate market," said Kurt Pfotenhauer, chief executive officer of ALTA. "I am very pleased to have Michelle in this important role and we expect that her oversight will immediately benefit our members, demonstrate our value to prospective members, and help strengthen ALTA's grassroots advocacy efforts nationally."

About ALTA

The American Land Title Association, founded in 1907, is a national trade association representing more than 3,200 title insurance companies, title agents, independent abstracters, title searchers, and attorneys. With more than 8,000 offices throughout the United States, ALTA members conduct title searches, examinations, closings, and issue title insurance that protects real property owners and mortgage lenders against losses from defects in titles. ALTA member companies employ well over 100,000 individuals and operate in every county in the U.S., and several countries around the world.