Bill thinks the figures are an indicator of local real estate activity, since Republic is the largest title company in DFW (and the largest commercial escrow operation in the country). He says commercial closings were up 27% in 2010, gross revenue increased 54% over 2009, and Q4 commercial revenue (primarily December) was the best since 2006. But Bill is more than just numbers—here we snapped him with two of the paintings from his massive art collection displayed around the office. His collection prominently features the works of Dallas-based Dutch artist Arie Van Selm.

Republic Title EVP/general counsel Peter Graf, executive chairman David Shuttee, Bill, and prez Bo Feagin. Bill says he’s seeing a lot of optimism across the real estate industry. With some movement again and lowering prices, deals have started and transactions are what create jobs. Bo says things are moving slowly, even while the lending community is returning. In 2009 and '10, there were stressed sales, foreclosures, and receiverships; yes, the market still has a lot of those, but he says, there are more real transactions today that point to recovery. David agrees, as he sees many companies with cash buying now instead of just kicking the tires.

We caught a large portion of the Republic Title staff red-shirted for Go Red day, a reminder that heart health starts at home (or the office). Staffers brought in sweet treats and Bill slipped us a few chocolate-covered red velvet cakeballs from the spread. To hear more from Bill, you can catch him as a moderator for Bisnow's Second Annual Real Estate Summit May 16 at the Westin Galleria Sign up here!

The Transwestern industrial team and Cobalt Capital Partners volunteered Tuesday to offer a bon voyage meal to the 263 troops departing out of Terminal B at DFW International Airport on their way to Iraq and Afghanistan. The Transwestern and Cobalt team helped the USO set up tables and chairs before serving these heroes a hot BBQ lunch. (And we recognize some of these troop patches from Fort Hood's First Cavalry Division and Fourth Infantry Division, in which our DFW reporter's husband served during his tour of duty.) Hua and Godspeed, fellas!

BISNOW HOTEL INVESTMENT SUMMIT:
COMING MAY 10

Mark your calendar for May 10, our first national Hotel Investment Conference at DC’s Capital Hilton, not just because it’s down the street from the White House (with a lovely view of the Washington Monument), but because the DC area is the new hotel capital of America. Enjoy great programming and plenty of time to arrange meetings with important contacts in the meantime (and in-between time). Click here to join the hundreds of top executives who’ve already signed up.

Among our many remarkable panelists: Andrew Coleman, SVP of Walker & Dunlop, whose capital market experts have been involved in over $400M of national hospitality assignments since June 2010. Other speakers include top officials of Marriott, Choice Hotels, Pircher Nichols & Meeks, Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, Hersha Hospitality Trust, Mesa West, LaSalle Hotel Properties, Crestline Hotels, Apple REIT, Ackman-Ziff, LW Hospitality Advisors, Humboldt Hospitality Advisors, Morgan Keegan, Allied Advisors, Arent Fox, Greenberg Traurig, and OPX. Sign up now!

Dallas brokers last week joined the Granite folks at the unveiling of $3.5M in renovations at Spectrum Center in Addison, including: $1.5M of interior lobby and restroom upgrades and another $1.5M of exterior renovations such as the drive-up and additional surface parking. Here’s Granite Properties’ Billy Conn, Richard Jordan, James Thibodeaux, Chuck Stewart, and top dog Michael Dardick. There are even more renovations planned: updating elevator cabs, restrooms (yes, more), and common corridors, leasing manager Robert Jimenez tells us. The property was built in 1983 and Granite purchased it in May 2008.