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Albany, New York-based technology and closing cost data provider for the real estate and home finance industries Ernst Publishing Company has announced that for the second straight year it is sponsoring the awarding of two scholarships by the Property Records Industry Association (PRIA).
The awards are paid for from a fund established by Ernst Publishing in recognition of the company's late founder, Carl R. Ernst.
The recipients of the two Ernst Scholarship Awards this year are Gayle VanHooser, register of deeds for Grundy County, Tennessee, and Melissa Dunlap, chief of state to the South Carolina Secretary of State. Recipients receive with the award a one-year PRIA membership with conference registration and travel to one PRIA conference during that year.
"With local government officials having such pivotal roles in regard to the processes we depend upon today, we're proud to make these scholarships available."
The awards are valued at $2,000 in addition to the one-year PRIA membership. The criteria for the awards include a requirement that eligible applicants have not previously been PRIA members and have demonstrated exceptional accomplishments in their fields, been active in their communities, and proven service consistent with PRIA's mission and continued excellence.
"PRIA was created in the spirit of collaboration. We achieve so much when we have full participation in important industry trade associations that shape our future. Unfortunately, many local governments do not have the budget to allow their staff to attend conferences," said Gregory E. Teal, president and CEO of Ernst Publishing. "With local government officials having such pivotal roles in regard to the processes we depend upon today, we're proud to make these scholarships available. And, we are proud to continue my father's (Carl's) legacy."
The recently-awarded scholarships will be presented during PRIA's winter conference with the recipients in attendance.
"The late Carl Ernst was one of the original members of the Property Records Industry Joint Task Force, the predecessor to PRIA," said PRIA President Mark Ladd in a release announcing the awards. "He was a tireless advocate for the development of both eRecording and basic standards for the property records industry. We could not be more pleased to partner with Ernst Publishing Co. in sponsoring this scholarship."
Industry-wide, Ernst programs process an average of 150 million real estate transactions a year and have processed more than one billion transactions since the company was founded 26 years ago.
