Forty Under 40: Blake P. Hanby

Busily juggling meetings with property realtors, buyers, sellers, insurers, lenders and inspectors, Blake Hanby’s contact list stretches longer than a typical person’s drive home. As executive vice president and operations supervisor for Washington County Abstract and Title Co. and Metro Title Services, Hanby works with lots of different people to get his job done.

Managing more than 60 people in five offices, Hanby, 33, coordinates closings of residential and commercial properties. Realtors and lenders most often seek the help of a title company for a closing.

Before joining the title company, Hanby worked on collection cases for National Home Centers. Adjusting from managing only himself at National Home Centers to managing a large staff took some time, but Hanby persevered.

One of Hanby’s most valuable tools for management has been his law degree from the University of Arkansas, he said. Sharpening his reasoning skills and broadening his knowledge of realty, law school helped Hanby develop his thought processes.

“I learned to think like a lawyer,” Hanby said.

Hanby’s focus for the company includes expansion into a larger region by increasing production to reach beyond Washington and Benton counties.