ASEA Annual Business Meeting & Education Conference, through my eyes!
Published on July 13, 2026
I was lucky to attend my second escrow conference in as many months. If you’ve been sleeping on these events, now is the time to wake up! Last week, I attended the Arizona State Escrow Association Conference in Scottsdale, AZ. The conference took place from Friday to Saturday, with sessions focused on escrow industry trends and best practices. The temperatures were high, but the vibes were higher. I've said it before: the members of these organizations are welcoming, energetic, and fun!
After arriving in Phoenix following a short flight delay, I made my way to the hotel. With only 15 minutes to freshen up, I quickly got ready and headed to the opening happy hour, which was immediately followed by the annual business meeting and dinner. The crowd was smaller that night, which allowed for many meaningful conversations.
The next day, Saturday started bright and early for breakfast at 7. These folks are very committed; they showed up on a Saturday morning in their free time. I learned many were there on their own dime, too. We started the learning off strong with a legislative update from Chadwick Campbell from Kensington Vanguard. Most notable from his talk was the recent SB 1479, intended to combat deed fraud, which goes into effect in September.
Continuing the morning's momentum, we moved into ID fraud, where Sam Harris walked us through real-life scenarios and techniques to verify the IDs we receive are valid. I personally learned a ton and had no idea about the tools available on the market to aid in this effort. They were all very affordable, too! We all love Bill Savoda and his take on the customer experience. The highlight of Bill’s talk had to be “My Heart is in Escrow” the song, no, the ballad, Bill created with AI.
Following that insightful session, Attorney Patricia Premeau shared all about what happens if your escrow ends up in court. All eyes were on Patricia for this one; no phones were out.
After a morning packed with information, we enjoyed lunch and the installation of the new board. A few more raffles and a fascinating presentation on the history of Scottsdale from a local historian followed. Then, we had some real fun.
Not long after, Leslie then surprised us all, and I mean us all, with her session Escrow Gone Wild. Leslie asked a select few of us to participate, but gave us very little information to go on. This made for a truly wild session! I was assigned the role of Kim Possible, the escrow assistant who usually has her ducks in a row, but, on this day, was a hot mess. We all came together on stage to improvise a very messy closing scenario, with only Leslie's prompts and our wit to get us through. The entire room was rolling with laughter and what a great way to discuss and teach common escrow pitfalls and red flags. Definitely a highlight of the entire event!
Building on that energy, following Escrow Gone Wild, Jeanine Wells and I took the stage to discuss the emotional toll of escrow on ourselves and our teams. I really appreciate the audience participation and feedback. We really need to continue to focus on this important topic, or we will lose good talent and continue to struggle to attract new talent. Many of us, me included until recently, have never taken a step back to evaluate our processes and the emotional roller coaster our teams go through. There is a lot of stress and pressure put on our escrow friends, and we can all do better to encourage balance and peace.
After the thoughtful discussion, we then had a short snack break, which would normally not be worth including here, but we had soda floats, warm pretzels, and popcorn. Possibly the best afternoon snack I've ever had at an industry event!
Refreshed and reenergized, after we were sufficiently fueled up, we ended the day with The School of Hard Claims. From the outside, you may think a presentation would be boring and flat, but it's quite the contrary. We heard real-life claims scenarios and their outcomes. We laughed, gasped, and walked away with new information to strengthen the work we do every day.
And with that, I think the above sums up my entire experience. I went home with real takeaways to help me do my job better, protect consumers better, and be a better teammate to those around me. A big THANK YOU to the association and to all those involved for a stellar event. I can’t wait to see what you come up with next year!
If you're an escrow professional in Arizona, I highly encourage you to become a member of the Arizona State Escrow Association (ASEA).
ASEA is committed to advancing the escrow profession through high-quality education, professional development, networking, and advocacy. The association works to strengthen our industry by keeping members informed, supporting legislative and regulatory initiatives, promoting best practices, and fostering a community of escrow professionals who are dedicated to excellence.
Whether you're new to the industry or a seasoned professional, ASEA is an incredible resource for learning, growing, and building meaningful connections with others who share your passion for escrow.
Written by Kim Whitlock