Article 1

Preamble

This Association shall be known by the name, style and title of “ASSOCIATION OF TITLE EXAMINERS”. Its objective shall be the providing of educational and industrial advantages and the promotion of sociability and good fellowship and a cooperative spirit among its members and their employers for the good of the membership.

Article 2

Definitions

Section 1. Active Members:  Any person who is actively engaged in the business of title insurance including the examination, processing or closing of titles to real property.

Section 2. Associate Members:  Any other person engaged in a field related to title insurance or real estate.

Section 3. Honorary Members:  Any retired members in good standing.

Section 4. Members in Good Standing:  Any member who abides by all of the Articles contained herein.

Article 3

Officers

The officers of this Association shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The term of office and duties shall be as hereinafter provided. They shall continue in office until their successors are duly elected and their duties assumed by their successors. In the event of a vacancy in any office by death, resignation or otherwise, an election by ballot for the unexpired terms shall be held at the next regular meeting subsequent to the meeting at which notice of such vacancy is received.

Article 4

Nomination and Election of Officers

Section 1: Nominations of candidates for all elective offices shall be made at the regular monthly meeting in September of each year.

Section 2: Election of officers shall be held at the regular monthly meeting in October of each year.

Section 3: To qualify for election into all elective offices, each candidate shall have been an active member in good standing for three years.

Section 4: The election of officers shall be by written ballot for each office, as follows: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The officers then elected shall hold office for a term of one year from November l following such election.

Section 5: The President of the Association shall not hold that office for more than two consecutive terms.

Article 5

Duties of Officers

Section 1: The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association, and shall have the power to appointing additional committees not otherwise herein provided for and shall have all the rights and powers appertaining to the office as herein provided.

Section 2: The Vice President shall, in the absence of the President, or the vacancy of the office, assume and discharge the duties of that office.

Section 3: The Secretary shall keep the Minutes of the proceedings of all meetings and record the same and shall notify the members of the time and place of all meetings and shall perform all the usual duties of the office.

Section 4: The Treasurer shall receive all funds belonging to the Association and shall pay all of the expenses of the Association; keeping a record of all receipts and expenditures and shall make a report of same at the monthly meetings of the Association or whenever called upon by the officers to do so.

Article 6

Committees

Section 1: The President shall appoint the following standing committees: (1) Education-Program, (2) Seminar, (3) Membership, (4) Finance, (5) Nominating, (6) Public Relations and (7) Entertainment.

Section 2: The Chairmen of the aforesaid committees shall serve as the Executive Board of the Association. It shall meet with he elected officers during the months of November, February and April to assess the progress of the Association and aid them in furthering the aims of the Association.

Section 3: The President shall appoint the following special committee: (1) Audit.

Article 7

Application for Membership

Section 1: All applicants for membership must make written application giving in detail his or her experience. Said application shall be signed by the applicant and two sponsoring members in good standing. A $10.00 application fee must accompany said application, which sum is to be refunded if the applicant does not qualify for membership.

Section 2: All applicants for membership must have been engaged in a field related to title insurance or real estate or have had an interest in title examinations or closings for the three years prior to said application.

Section 3: At any regular meeting, the application shall be read to the members present. The application and fee shall be submitted to the Secretary, who shall, after noting same in the records, submit it to the Membership Committee for investigation. It shall be the duty of the Membership Committee to determine if the applicant is to be an active or an associate member, and to so state in their report. The Membership Committee must then notify the Secretary, who in turn will notify the membership in the next meeting notice that a proposed new member will be voted upon. The name of the proposed new member must appear in a letter to the entire membership before said applicant may be voted upon.

Section 4: A simple majority of the members voting to approve at said regular meeting is all that will be required to accept said proposed member.

Section 5: The Secretary shall notify all applicants of the result of the ballot. Approved applicants shall be invited to appear at a subsequent meeting, and upon payment of dues such applicant shall become a member entitled to all the rights and privileges thereof and all benefits incident thereto.

Article 8

Dues, Duties and Privileges

Section 1: The annual dues of this Association shall be set by the officers, announced at the regular meeting in November and payable on or before the time of the regular meeting in January. Any new member will be responsible for dues prorated from the month of approval to the end of the calendar year.

Section 2: All active members shall be required to attend a minimum of three meetings per year, beginning with the September meeting and continuing through and including the month of June.

Section 3: Only active members in good standing may vote on matters affecting the Association.

Section 4: Upon retirement members in good standing automatically become Honorary Members, with all the rights and privileges held at the time of retirement without the obligation of paying dues.

Article 9

Meetings

Section 1: This Association shall meet on the third Thursday of each month at such time and place as the Association shall provide, during the months of September, October, November, December, January, February, March, April, May and June. Any regular meeting may be postponed or dispensed with by a majority vote of the members present at a regular monthly meeting or at a special meeting called for that purpose.

Section 2: Special meetings shall be called by written notice to the membership at least five days prior thereto. Said notice must fully state the purpose, date, time and place of the meeting and be signed by the President or at least five active members in good standing. The business to be conducted at a special meeting shall be limited to the purpose as stated in the written notice.

Section 3: Any member who signs a call for a special meeting must be present at such meeting and a minimum of five members must attend for said meeting to commence.

Article 10

Suspension, Removal or Resignation

Section 1: Any active member who does not attend three meetings per year shall be subject to suspension upon a vote of two-thirds of those members in attendance at any regular meeting.

Section 2: Any member who is delinquent in the payment of dues for two full years will be automatically suspended from membership in the Association and shall be sent by mail a notice of delinquency and upon payment of all past and current year’s dues, such member shall be reinstated. If payment is not received within thirty days of notice, such member will be removed from the membership roll.

Section 3: A member whose dues are not paid for the current year and/or prior years, who resigns or is removed from membership and subsequently desires to be re admitted, must follow the procedures for application under Article 7 of these By-Laws and pay all such delinquent dues, not exceeding two years, plus the current year’s prorated dues.

Section 4: A member whose dues are fully paid, including current year’s dues, who resigns and subsequently wishes to be re-admitted, may do so by following the procedures for application under Article 7 of these By-Laws without penalty.

Article 11

Amendments

These By-Laws may be amended with the consent of two-thirds of those members in attendance at a regular meeting of this Association; however, no amendment shall be voted upon unless it shall have been submitted in writing to each voting member at least five days prior to said meeting and be signed by at least five active members in good standing at the preceding regular meeting or at a special meeting called for that purpose.