Financial Title Company history

1984: A holding company, Fidelity National Financial Inc., is formed and buys controlling interest in FNTIC.

The sale of stock to employees in 1985 gave Fidelity the distinction of being the nation's first and only employee-owned title insurance underwriter.

In 1991, company revenues were $220.6 million, a 23.5 percent increase over the previous year, and profits were $6.2 million, up 36 percent, according to California Business.

1992: Fidelity moves to the New York Stock Exchange.

Foley strayed from Fidelity's core business when he got involved in the effort to turn around the struggling CKE Restaurants, Inc., beginning in 1993.

Stepping outside the title business, Fidelity's 1995 acquisition of World Tax Service worked to further enhance its market position in California.

Fidelity had begun working, in 1997, on its bundled services capacity, including title and escrow, tax, credit, flood, foreclosure appraisal, document record, and electronic commerce.

In 1998, nine years after its initial entry in the state, FNTIC would merge with Alamo Title and gain the number two spot among underwriters in Texas.

Pending legislative reform of the financial services sector and concerns about overcapacity also pushed companies to merge, according to an August 1999 American Banker article.

Fidelity's acquisition of Chicago was completed in 2000 and valued at more than $1 billion.

2001: Year-end revenues hit $3.9 billion.