Pioneer Title Agency Celebrates 25th Anniversary in Flagstaff with Purchase of Historic Riordan Building, its Newest Branch Office
Pioneer Title Agency is the newest occupant of the historic Riordan office building located at 821 W. Riordan Road, just off Route 66. This marks the family-owned business’ fourth branch location in Flagstaff ever since expanding to the area in 1993.
The newest location operates out of the same 4,400-square-foot building once occupied by the Arizona Lumber and Timber Company, built by Timothy and Michael Riordan in 1900.
Branch manager and senior escrow officer Bobbie Acklin works out of the same office once occupied by Timothy Riordan. Acklin, a long-time resident of Flagstaff, brings over 40 years of experience to Pioneer and will be responsible for managing escrow associates, completing real estate escrow transactions, clearing titles, disbursing funds and preparing, reviewing and closing documents.
Occupying the office once belonging to Michael Riordan, is Rhett Rucker, senior escrow officer. Rucker and Acklin worked together at a previous title company before coming to Pioneer, along with escrow assistant David Schatz and senior account executive Rick Johnston. Most recent hire, Lori Pilcher, will also serve as an escrow assistant.
The building has three offices on the main level along with a conference room in the Diebold Safe and Lock Co. original vault. The second floor has two small private offices and a large common area that Acklin plans to turn into a classroom.
Placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior, the original custom wood floors, cabinetry, leaded glass, and paneling have remained throughout the entire building.
“It’s just so neat,” said Acklin. “There is so much character and history within these walls and we, Pioneer Title Agency, simply feel humbled to be a part of the story. We look forward to serving our community while honoring the building, the heritage and what it all stands for.”
Pioneer Title Agency is proud to be the number-one title agency in the area, handling all types of real estate transactions, ranging from the small, secondary loans to the transfer of large, sophisticated commercial properties.
The company, which was founded in Sierra Vista in 1985, expanded into Flagstaff for a very special reason.
“After graduating NAU in 1979, my first real job was for the Kuban family at Minnesota Title,” said Keith Newlon, founder and president of Pioneer Title Agency. “We were like a family – and Bob Kuban was a mentor to me.”
So much so, in fact, that after Newlon moved south to start his own business with his parents Bob and Betty and wife Cindy, he stayed in touch with his Minnesota Title friends – eventually learning in the early 1990s that the elder Kubans wanted to retire.
“I respected the kind of company Bob and Neldeanne created at Minnesota Title and was proud to be able to purchase it from them in 1993 to create Pioneer Title Agency in Flagstaff. Our goal then and our goal now, is to never have to answer to outside stockholders or investors,” said Newlon, who was inducted into the Northern Arizona University W.A. Franke College of Business’ National Advisory Board Alumni & Faculty Hall of Fame in 2010.
