AmTrust Title Insurance Co. has hired attorney Read Hammond as senior vice president/Southwest Regional manager, the company announced. Hammond, a national commercial title underwriter and commercial operations manager with more than 17 years of experience, will be based in Houston. He will be responsible for growing AmTrust’s business in Texas and establishing operations in New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada. “We are delighted to bring Read aboard to oversee expansion throughout the Southwest region,” AmTrust Executive Vice President Steven Napolitano said in a release. “Read has unparalleled experience as a national commercial underwriter and operations manager, overseeing all aspects of the title business from production to budgets to accuracy to timing, and more, and he is also widely known and respected in the industry,” Napolitano added. “He understands our culture and is extremely qualified to spearhead growth as the company expands westward.” Prior to joining AmTrust, Hammond served as vice president/area operations manager and underwriting counsel for First American’s operations in Texas.