Forty Under 40: Buckley Bridges

Buckley Bridges has the opportunity to help Northwest Arkansas grow through his work at Waco Title. Buckley said the company “greases the wheels of real estate” to keep transactions moving. He helps bring new life to Arkansas in the form of new entertainment and retail spaces, and also meets regional needs, like the multifamily housing shortage. Bridges enjoys the pace and variability of the job and even the challenge of deadlines.

Originally from Jonesboro, Bridges earned an English degree from Lyon College in 2005. Helping wife Emily study for her law school property exams sparked an interest, and he attended law school at the University of Arkansas, graduating in 2010. While there, Bridges clerked at Harrington Miller in Springdale and then joined Hughes & Hughes Law Firm in Arkadelphia upon graduation.

After joining Waco Title in 2015, one of Bridges’ first challenges was a multicounty commercial file involving 50,000 acres of land. That brought him a reputation as a skilled navigator of complex transactions.

Currently, Bridges manages 50 associates responsible for researching and underwriting title insurance. They produce more than 20,000 title products annually, covering Southwest Missouri and all of Arkansas. In 2018, Waco Title issued owner’s title insurance policies covering more than $2.7 billion in homeowners, investors and commercial real estate and lenders title insurance policies covering more than $3 billion in mortgage collateral.

Recognized as Arkansas’ Young Title Person of the Year in 2017, Bridges is driven by an internal desire to achieve a high level of excellence in his performance.

Passionate about raising good kids, he believes that is the most lasting and influential work he can do.

Bridges uses his spare time productively, challenging himself and learning. He enjoys woodworking, movies and museums.