SPRING HOME & GARDEN: Whatcom Land Title celebrates 40 years | News

Perhaps Baldwin’s first steps in the business are key to the Whatcom Land Title mission.

“When I think of what is dearest to WLT and our team, there are many points that come to mind,” Baldwin said recently as she reflected on the company’s 40-year celebration. “Our most important mission is to provide our best client care working together as a team to deliver. Teamwork is the foundation of our company culture.”

Any successful business knows that it has two customer bases, and that one is its employees. 

“This is a great place for me to work personally because of the great people I work with,” said Ken Bugbee, chief financial officer with WLT and employed by the company since 1990. “Everyone here strikes me as being motivated, capable, and super nice. We do laugh a bit as well, so that is an added bonus.”

Although Bugbee’s duties don’t involve much by the way of customer interaction, he said that the WLT staff is “super motivated and interested in making sure that the real estate transactions that we are a part are handled as smoothly as possible.”

“My desk is placed such in our main office that I am able to see and hear how our many of our staff interact with clients on a daily basis,” Bugbee said. “I am constantly impressed with how polite and helpful our staff strive to be.”

With three locations – Lynden, Bellingham and Burch Bay – and another in Ferndale to open later this year, Whatcom Land Title has close to 90 employees who are led by a 13-person management team. Baldwin explained that the average tenure of the company’s management team is approximately 22 years, with the average tenure of its team members approximately 10 years.

“Our team members and managers are the greatest asset of our company,” Baldwin said. “We learn something new each day whether we have been in the business two years, or 20. I think it is very special that many of our employees choose the title and escrow business as their long-term profession without much knowledge afforded in college or other educational source. As a result, we formed and have licensed our own WLT School of Education for our team members. This education supplements other professional licenses and experience.”

‘Most valuable services’

Part of the company culture at WLT is having a “strong presence in our community and to contribute to our community,” Baldwin said.

“We appreciate the purchase of a home or other real estate investment is often the largest and most personal commitment one can make,” she said. “The purchase or sale process can be daunting and very stressful. We take great pride that our work is performed in our offices. WLT does not outsource its work or services as other companies do.”

Further, it’s true that prompt service is crucial when your customer is buying a home. But Whatcom Land Title prioritizes “performing an accurate title search and providing a smooth escrow settlement closing process,” which Baldwin said are the “most valuable services we can provide.”

‘I know we made him proud’

In 1994, Colleen and her husband Michael purchased one-half interest in WLT. Together, she and David Goddard managed the company with the help of their management team until 2016 when Goddard retired. It was then that the Baldwins bought Goddard’s remaining interest.

Employed at WLT for the past 14 years, Beverly Ott said recently that she remembers Goddard, who she described as “quite the character.”

“Every year on our anniversary he would say ‘I started WLT on April Fool’s Day, so just in case things didn’t work out I could say April Fools,’ which of course would leave us all chuckling, even though we had heard it so many times before,” said Ott, director of client services at WLT. “He really taught us to take the important stuff seriously but always remember to have fun whenever possible. And here stands his little start-up, 40 years later, a business in the top 100 of Whatcom County. I know we made him proud.”

Knowledgeable, ethical, professional

Whatcom County born and raised, Bill Ronhaar graduated from Lynden High School in 1970 and attended Western Washington University when it was a state college.

President since 2017, CEO as of this year, Ronhaar has been with Whatcom Land Title since 2014 when he was hired as operations manager. He explained recently that the key to WLT’s success is to provide knowledgeable, ethical, and professional service.

“It’s about helping people through the quagmire of what to them is unknown territory and making it an enjoyable experience in what for many is the largest investment they may make in their lifetime,” Ronhaar said. “It’s about knowing how to explain a very technical, detailed situation in layman’s terms. Title insurance is a risk elimination business, so it’s about doing our job right so that you and your family can enjoy your home – your sanctuary from the troubles of the world – without having to worry about claims that others might have against your property.”

“It’s about peace of mind, not only in the process that makes you an owner but also of ensuring that no one else can take that away from you,” Ronhaar also said. “WLT differs from other companies in many ways. We believe in family first and try to accommodate the demands that family life has on your employment life. We believe in a proper work/life balance and try to staff accordingly. We believe in doing things as a company that is over and above what other companies for their employees. We try to create a family-oriented atmosphere among our employees – helping each other where we can in order to ensure the entire operation runs as smoothly as possible.”

Lynden Tribune: What makes WLT a great place for your clients to do business?

Jensen Salisbury, chief underwriter and senior title officer: We have the distinction of being the only locally owned and locally operated title agency based in Whatcom County.

As an agent we have the capability of shopping the underwriters we issue policies for to ensure the insured obtains the best fit for their transaction.

This allows us greater flexibility in options for the community that we serve.

It shouldn’t be overlooked that the people that work for WLT are a part of that same community and have a vested interest in its well-being.

A large number of our employees have worked for WLT for over 10, 15, 20 or more years, meaning that not only will you get expertise from a tenured professional, but it will also be from a local resident.

Lynden Tribune: What does it take to stay in business these days for 40 years?

Colleen Baldwin, owner: As a local title and escrow company we are uniquely positioned to be able to pivot quickly to accommodate industry and client needs. We can make decisions faster and adapt our business model to the needs of our clients and community. Sometimes it can be challenging to vision the future bricklaying of our company foundation. However, each change and challenge are opportunities for driving our growth, technology, innovation, and learning. Collaboration with our industry partners and clients further drives our vision.

Beverly Ott, director of client services: Dedication, hard work, showing appreciation, willingness to learn new things, care and concern for others, and building a team and leadership that share these values. Our leaders have become really good, in the last few years, at learning how to be flexible, learning how to change plans with a moment’s notice, and learning how to strive together toward a common goal. We have learned that we are a lot stronger and more resilient than we imagined.

Lynden Tribune: How does WLT stay relevant and fresh when the business started years before the Internet and cellular phones?

Bill Ronhaar, CEO: We stay ahead of the game by participating in state and national organizations that keep us informed on new software and equipment available, current marketing trends and educational and legislative matters that help us compete with national companies.

Lynden Tribune: What is dearest to Whatcom Land Trust?

Bill Ronhaar, CEO: We believe in family first and try to accommodate the demands that family life has on your employment life. We believe in a proper work/life balance and try to staff accordingly. We believe in doing things as a company that is over and above what other companies for their employees.

We try to create a family-oriented atmosphere among our employees – helping each other where we can in order to ensure the entire operation runs as smoothly as possible.

We are local and coordinate our charitable giving to those who are less fortunate in the communities we serve.

We contribute dollars as well as volunteer time to those causes we hold most dear, both individually and collectively.

Beverly Ott, director of client services: It’s hard to put one’s finger on the number one most dear, so I’ll break it into three. We are obsessed with making sure we have great relationships with our clients. We are 100% dedicated to our community and making it a wonderful place to live and work.

We know we have an amazing team and we work hard to let them know how much we value them.

Lynden Tribune: Does WLT have plans to be even more innovative, more reliable, even more customer-friendly moving forward?

Jensen Salisbury, chief underwriter and senior title officer: I think any big business will answer this question with a resounding and enthusiastic yes. 

While plans are great, and necessary, plans without action are just wishes. WLT is constantly in action to upgrade, improve and innovate for our clients and community. You can certainly see this by the growth of the company (nearing 100 employees). In fact, we’re very excited about the opening of yet another branch office, this one in the heart of Ferndale, giving our clients even more options for offices closer to them. Actions will always speak louder than words, so instead of listening to the plans, be on the watch for our actions.