"Joe and I really didn't have a specific goal when we started," says Patrick Carothers, Co-Owner and Founder of Penn Bridge. Alongside Joe Brasacchio, they reflect on their recent milestones, "We just knew we had to provide seamless, behind the scenes service, and make sure we got the deals closed. We have now closed probably 30,000 deals, and nothing has really changed with our philosophy."

 

What has changed is the number of deals and the array of veteran Pittsburgh title insurance professionals that have joined together to make Penn Bridge what it is today. "You only can provide seamless title service if you have experienced professionals working for your team," Carothers acknowledges. "And that is hard, because people don't always go to college to work in this industry. For us, it's been amazing. We have been able to attract and retain unbelievable talent. That begins with our Operations Director of seven years, Barb Stone, and our Sales Directors, Rich Darr, Jettie Bergman, and Moe Walker. In addition, we have 12 full time processors and coordinators who on average have 15 years industry experience. 

 

With a tagline as simple as - We close the deal - it’s no surprise that their focus to being the best is showing in their numbers and recognitions. Admittedly, Rich says it’s something you can only truly achieve if you’re willing and experienced enough to be able to close hundreds of times a month. He adds, "I have the job of selling the company to the real estate industry every day. But I never feel like I'm "selling" as much as I'm directing my long-time contacts to a place that will achieve their goals."

 

For Rich, Jettie, and Moe those contacts are usually REALTORS®. When the topic was brought about, the three of them laughed and joked, Rich voicing, "I sound like a broken record, but it's the truth - Who is supposed to pick the title company? The buyer. Who sometimes picks the title company? The lender. Who almost always picks the title company? The REALTOR®!" 

"Of course they do," Moe chimed in. "People buying a home look to their agent for all aspects of the deal, and title is one that most people just don't know about. Agents do. And it's our job to make sure the agents that refer their deals to Penn Bridge always look good, and that the transactions are done professionally and correctly." And, in line with their company motto, Jettie brought it full circle saying, "You do that by closing the deal, always keeping the client as our number one priority." 

That same team-oriented dedication to delivering the best experience can be found in the work ethic of each and every member of the Penn Bridge team. When Jettie joined the team several years ago, she immediately saw the love and dedication that the staff had. "Penn Bridge just delivers. I've always been driven…okay, beyond driven to deliver for my clients,” she says. “I want to pay attention to every detail, to over communicate, and to always be available. I realized very quickly - so does Penn Bridge."

"All the work ethic and dedication that this team puts into their job and their clients, starts at the top…with Barb," Joe pointed out. Pat agreed, "When other companies say they’re ‘always available’, Penn Bridge simply is always available. And that’s thanks in large part to Barb’s dedication to the team meeting any obligation it agrees to. Whether it’s a Saturday morning or 9pm on a Tuesday, Barb is available and ready to get the job done. And not just Barb, but Rich, Jettie, and Moe all have this same dedication."  Joe adds, "It's a quality you can’t teach…it’s something special that a person just has in them."

Admittedly, Barb says it's all her years spent in real estate as a paralegal prior to joining the team at Penn Bridge that has proven to be her greatest asset. “I am here for our team and for the agents,” she says. To help them work through any daily dilemmas they may have, or any unanticipated problems that need solving. “There is always something new and interesting to work out,” Barb exclaims.

 

So what is next for Penn Bridge you might ask? Well, Carothers predicted more success for the team through consistency. "I think the industry likes what we do. We just need to keep seamlessly closing deals and let the rest take care of itself."