How does a company go from a sketch on a napkin to one of the fastest-growing title and settlement service providers in the country?
In this special video, The WFG Origin Story: How Patrick Stone Built Williston Financial Group From the Ground Up, Founder & Chairman Patrick Stone and CEO & President Steve Ozonian share how Williston Financial Group (WFG) was born — and how a simple idea grew into a national organization rooted in innovation, efficiency, and a people-first culture.
When Pat entered the title industry in 1975, real estate transactions took 45 days to close. Decades later, they still took 45 days. Fragmented systems, siloed processes, and limited transparency were slowing the entire industry. Pat saw an opportunity to do things differently.
His vision centered on building a title company focused on:
- Transparency for Realtors®, lenders, consumers, and title agents
- Reduced time and cost through more intelligent workflows
- Technology that truly improves the transaction
- A flat, collaborative organization that keeps leadership close to customers
- Service excellence backed by best-in-class NPS
The video traces Pat’s journey from title examiner trainee, to coming out of retirement to launch WFG, to the family moment that inspired the name “Williston.” It also highlights how WFG grew from a small team in Lake Oswego into a national provider without losing sight of its core values: communication, collaboration, and customer experience.
CEO Steve Ozonian shares why he joined WFG and how the company continues to invest in technology and efficiency to build a Category One company, becoming the Apple or Ritz Carlton of the title industry.
For professionals across the title, escrow, lending, real estate, mortgage, and prop tech industries, this story offers rare insight into how thoughtful leadership and a relentless focus on service can transform an entire industry.