[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 120 (Monday, October 2, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1645-E1646]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


   IN HONOR OF CARA L. DETRING, RESIDENT OF MISSOURI AND FIRST WOMAN 
            PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN LAND TITLE ASSOCIATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JO ANN EMERSON

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 2, 2000

  Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Representative Blunt, 
Representative Clay, Representative Danner, Representative Gephardt, 
Representative Hulshof, Representative McCarthy, Representative 
Skelton, Representative Talent and me, I submit the following in the 
Congressional Record in honor of a Missourian whose career deserve 
recognition. Cara L. Detring is about to become the first woman 
president of the American Land Title Association, and this distinction 
merits notice in the Record for the 106th Congress. The American Land 
Title Association membership is composed of 2,000 title insurance 
companies, their agents, independent abstracters and attorneys who 
search, examine, and insure land titles to protect owners and mortgage 
lenders against losses from defects in titles. Many of these companies 
also provide additional real estate information services, such as tax 
search, flood certification, tax filing, and credit reporting services. 
These firms and individuals employ nearly 100,000 individuals and 
operate in every county in he country.
  Cara's rise does not surprise me or others who know her. A former 
municipal judge for the city of Farmington for eight years, Mrs. 
Detring has never shrunk from leadership. As a second-generation title 
person and a third generation attorney from both sides of her family, 
Cara currently is President of Preferred Land Title Company, one of the 
premier title insurance agencies in Missouri with six offices in 
Farmington, Cape Girardeau, Potosi, Fredericktown, Desloge, and 
Perryville. Cara is also chairman of the Board of Directors for Metro 
Title, Inc., President of Preferred Escrow Company, and she still 
maintains her private law practice focusing on estate planning and real 
estate law. Cara Detring is a member of the Legal Education Committee 
of the Missouri Bar Association and was a director on the Board of 
Meramec Legal Aid Corporation for eight years. And as an example to 
women, she was named Woman of the Year, 1990, by Women of Today. In 
1991, Cara received the ``Title Person of the Year'' award from the 
Missouri Land Title Association.
  As a title agent, Cara's responsibilities include assurance through 
diligent searches of the public record that properties consumers buy 
come with all ownership rights intact; in other words, come with 
``clean'' title. When purchasing a home or other real estate, one 
actually doesn't receive the land itself. What is acquired is ``title'' 
to the property--which may be limited by rights and claims asserted by 
others.
  Problems with title can limit one's use and enjoyment of real estate, 
as well as bring financial loss. Title trouble also can threaten the 
security interest your mortgage lender holds in the property. 
Protection against hazards of title is available through a unique 
coverage known as title insurance. Unlike other kinds of insurance that 
focus on possible future events and charge an annual premium, the 
insurance is purchased for a one-time payment and is a safeguard 
against loss arising from hazards and defects already existing in the 
title. Some examples of instruments that can present concerns include: 
deeds, wills and trusts that contain improper vesting and incorrect 
names; outstanding mortgages, judgments and tax liens; and easements or 
incorrect notary acknowledgments.
  In spite of all the expertise and dedication that go into a search 
and examination, hidden hazards can emerge after completion of a real 
estate purchase, causing an unpleasant and costly surprise. Some 
examples include a forged deed that transfers no title to real estate; 
previously undisclosed heirs with claims against the property; and 
mistakes in the public records. Title insurance offers financial 
protection against these and other hidden hazards through negotiation 
by the title insurer with third parties, payment for defending against 
an attack on title as insured, and payment of claims.
  As President-elect of ALTA, Cara wants to continue to build the 
educational, legislative and networking success already achieved by the 
association. In education, Mrs. Detring wants to make more education 
and information available at their website, www.alta.org. Legislatively, Cara wants to build on the relationships between title 
professionals and members of Congress and the agencies. And with 
respect to networking, Cara wants to make sure that the association has 
relevant meetings, where vendors and customers can interact and find 
out the latest way to provide high quality, low cost goods and services 
in the title insurance and settlement services industries. Cara will 
rely in part on her experience as president of the Missouri Land Title 
Association from 1987 until 1988.
  Not only is Cara president-elect of ALTA, but she also is a member of 
its Government Affairs Committee, the Finance and Nomination 
Committees. Cara chairs the Committee on Committees and the Planning 
Committee. For eight years Cara chaired ALTA's Education Committee.
  Ms. Detring is a regular speaker and panelist at national and state 
trade associations, and for 21 years she has served as an instructor at 
Missouri Land Title Institute (for which she contributed as author of 
Course I and Course II correspondence courses). Cara is a trustee and 
member of the Executive Committee for Mineral Area College Foundation, 
and she instructed Mineral Area College in short courses. Cara's own 
education included a B.A. in 1972 from the University of Missouri and a 
J.D. in 1976 from that same school's law school.
  Apart from ALTA, Cara is involved in the medical field. She is a 
trustee on the Board of Trustees of Mineral Area Regional Medical 
Center. Cara received the Excellence in Governance Award in 1999 from 
the Missouri Hospital Association. She is a Director of Mineral Area 
Regional Medical Center Foundation Board, member of the MARMC Home 
Health Board of Directors, and Chairman of the Board and President of 
HospiceCare, Inc. She served as chairman of the Board of Presbyterian 
Children's Services. Cara's deep involvement in a wide variety of 
endeavors testifies to her spirit of charity. In fact, in 1992, Cara 
received the Good Neighbor Award given by the Farmington Chamber of 
Commerce.
  Ms. Detring is married to Terry Detring, an accountant, and they have 
two children ages 23 and 15. They live on a 320 acre farm in 
Farmington.
  I am pleased to submit this statement for the Congressional Record, 
and I wish Ms. Detring good luck during her term as ALTA President and 
beyond.

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