We’re back with Episode 3 of Marissa On The Record! My third guest is none other than Brendan Rooney! Brendan and I met at my very first Wisconsin Land Title Association (WLTA) convention in Sheboygan, WI in April 2023 (fun fact: Brandt Keefe was there, too). It was my second time exhibiting on behalf of Capitol Lien, so I was a little nervous. Cue my introduction to Brendan, who was also exhibiting. Brendan is a calm, approachable, and easygoing person who helped to put my first-time jitters at ease.
Since our first encounter three years ago, Brendan and I have remained friends. Brendan works at Customers Bank as VP, Relationship Manager. As a millennial in the banking side of title, he brings a refreshing perspective. I’ve worked in escrow at a title company, but my overall understanding of title banking is limited. I appreciate hearing about his experience and his approach, as his position is integral to the success of the title industry.
Despite his roots in the NYC metro area, Brendan has also been a fixture at many of the Midwestern land title events I’ve attended. Brendan has also recently joined WLTA’s Rising Title Professionals group, further solidifying his passion for connecting with other industry professionals. I hope that you enjoy getting to know Brendan, as I have!
Episode 003 – Brendan Rooney, VP, Relationship Manager, Customers Bank
- For those who don’t know you yet, what does a Relationship Manager at Customers Bank do day to day?
At a high level, I help title and real estate companies operate more efficiently, both operationally and financially.
Day to day, that means:
- Structuring operating and escrow accounts
- Designing treasury workflows (wires, ACH, Positive Pay)
- Coordinating software integrations (Qualia, SoftPro, ResWare, etc.)
- Modeling financial impact—interest income, fee savings, liquidity
- Acting as the quarterback between operations, compliance, and the client
It’s part banking, part consulting, and part risk management.
- How does your role intersect with the real estate industry specifically?
As a Relationship Manager, we service and maintain the escrow accounts that title agents rely on for both residential and commercial transactions.
- What tools or processes save you the most time when coordinating with your clients?
Mastering the banking transition process. After personally helping over 500 title agencies switch banking partners, I’d say we’ve refined onboarding. What is typically clunky and convoluted, we’ve turned into a much more streamlined experience.
We operate with a 100% paperless model, which benefits both our team and the title agent, not only during onboarding but also when executing changes quickly.
- What’s the most underrated part of working in this industry?
Relationships. It’s a niche industry, and reputation matters. Showing up consistently, answering your phone, and helping others solve problems goes a long way. At its core, this is still a handshake business.
- You are a fellow convention exhibitor, and you travel a lot in your position – what is your favorite event you’ve attended, and why?
I prefer smaller, regional conventions. You get deeper conversations instead of drive-by booth traffic, and the quality of dialogue is much higher.
- If you had to describe due diligence in one word, what would it be?
Discipline.
- In your experience, how does diligence tie into protecting a bank’s reputation?
Due diligence is critical across all industries, especially banking. Banks don’t fail overnight; they erode over time through weak controls.
Strong due diligence protects:
- Capital
- Clients
- Counterparties
- Brand integrity
Reputation is an asset, and diligence preserves it.
- How does strong due diligence protect not just the bank, but borrowers and counterparties as well?
It ensures:
- Funds are legitimate
- Transactions are structured properly
- Counterparties are vetted
- Escrow funds are safeguarded
In title specifically, it reduces the risk of fraud events that can impact multiple parties in a transaction.
- With the rise of AI in our work environments, where do you still see the need for human expertise and judgment over automation?
White-glove customer service. No one wants to call and speak to a robot first, especially when there’s a real issue. Clients want to know they can call someone directly and get immediate help.
- What makes an external due diligence partner truly valuable to a bank?
Clear communication and alignment around a shared goal: helping the title agent succeed. At the end of the day, we’re all just one piece of their larger puzzle.
- When a transaction goes sideways, what role does a strong banking relationship play in getting it back on track?
When fraud occurs, every minute matters. With a strong relationship, escalation paths are shorter. You’re not waiting in a queue, you’re calling someone directly. That trust significantly reduces resolution time.
- What advice would you give to others entering banking, finance, or the real estate space?
Raise your hand and offer to help. You’ll learn something new every time.
And always answer your phone. Being reliable, even when you don’t have all the answers, goes a long way in a service-driven industry.
- If you weren’t working in banking, what would you be doing instead?
If you asked me when I was 10, I’d say the bat boy for the New York Mets.
Realistically, probably a New York City firefighter. I’ve always respected the service they provide to the community.
- Which actor would you choose to play “Brendan” in your own biopic?
If he ever gets into acting, people say I look like Luke Combs.
If he sticks to music, I’d go with Vince Vaughn.
- Any final comments you’d like to add?
If you’re in title or escrow and haven’t evaluated how your banking partner integrates with your production software, you’re likely leaving money and efficiency on the table.
We’ve built our platform specifically for this industry.
About the Author
Marissa Berends is a Certified Abstractor and Industry Relations Coordinator at Capitol Lien, a nationwide due diligence and risk mitigation services provider. Since joining the company in September 2021, she has earned abstractor certifications in Minnesota, Nebraska, and North Dakota, and most recently graduated from the Wisconsin Land Title Association’s Title Examiner courses.
Marissa is involved with the following groups: Women in Title (WiT); Wisconsin Land Title Association’s (WLTA) Convention Committee, Membership Committee, and Young Title Professionals; Property Record Industry Association (PRIA) National Education Committee; Illinois Land Title Association’s (ILTA) Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Acceptance (IDEA) Committee; Minnesota Land Title Association’s (MLTA) Education Committee, American Land Title Association’s (ALTA) Title Advisory Network (TAN), Michigan Land Title Association’s (MLTA) New Title Professionals, and the National Association of Land Title Examiners and Abstractors (NALTEA).
About Capitol Lien
Capitol Lien empowers real estate and title professionals with trusted public record research and due diligence services nationwide. With over 30 years of experience, Capitol Lien specializes in fast, accurate property and title searches, lien reports, and document retrieval that help title agents, underwriters, and legal teams operate their businesses with confidence. The Capitol Lien team takes the hassle out of title research with local experts and innovative tools that make it easier to mitigate risk, stay on schedule, and keep your closings moving smoothly.
Learn more at capitollien.com. Ready to simplify your title research? Send your next order to Capitol Lien and experience the difference trusted diligence makes. Stay in touch with Capitol Lien on LinkedIn for industry updates and information. Reach out! contact@capitollien.com or 800-845-4077
Discover more from Capitol Lien
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.