Waco Title COO joins Curry at Allegiance Title

In the span of a few months, one of the state’s leading title companies has lost its CEO and COO.

As we’ve reported previously, Patrick Curry, former CEO of Springdale-based Waco Title Co., recently established title agency Allegiance Title Co. of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

Curry is owner and president of the company doing business as Allegiance Title Co. It’s part of a larger organization of 550 employees with operations in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Before leaving in August to establish the new business, Curry had worked for Waco Title, a company of Bentonville-based Arvest Bank Group, for more than 15 years. Waco Title hired Sara Heck, who worked the previous eight years for Arvest, as Curry’s successor.

In early October, Allegiance announced Brian Blackman as the company’s vice president and general counsel. Blackman was previously COO at Waco Title, where he worked since 2013.

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Waco Title/Arvest and the people there,” Blackman said. “I loved my time there and am proud of everything we achieved. Ultimately, though, I just felt the timing was right for me to seek out a change of scenery and a new challenge.”

Blackman said after leaving Waco he considered several options for his next job. What drew him to Allegiance was the chance to help build something new in the region, to have ownership in a local business and to partner again with a “talented leader” like Curry.

“I am very energized by the opportunity, and I feel like we have the chance to do some unique and remarkable things here,” Blackman said.

Allegiance officially opened Wednesday (Dec. 1) and is taking new orders.