About Us

Sal Spano, Esq. – President and Counsel (1930-2015)

Sadly, in April 2015, we lost Sal, one of our founding partners and a beloved fixture in the title industry.  Sal held many positions during his 55 year career, starting as a homebuilder in his family’s construction business. Intrigued with land use and the complexities of subdivisions and map filings, Sal worked his way through St. Johns Law School thereafter holding the position of Senior Counsel to Security Title Guaranty (predecessor to Fidelity National Title).  In 1985, Sal and his son Paul founded Spano Abstract Service Corp.

Sal will be remembered as a generous and kind man who was always willing share his time and vast knowledge of real estate with clients, friends and even competitors.  Sal’s spirit, enthusiasm, and his willingness to help others are the cornerstones of the values we strive to carry forward every day, in honor of his memory.

Paul F. Spano – President

Spanning 30 years, Paul’s background includes Title Examination and extensive experience in Title Closings, which enables him to be deeply involved in all phases of title production and closing processes. Paul provides outstanding pre-closing review and consultation in complex title and financing arrangements involving residential, commercial, and new construction, which facilitates a smooth closing process. Paul also plays a very active role in the real estate community with his involvement in many professional associations and organizations. He is particularly proud to serve as an Executive Member of the New York State Land Title Association, which helped navigate the title industry thru Agent Licensing as well as the changing landscape of new State and Federal regulations.

Vivian DeRisi – Office Manager

Vivian brings a wealth of experience to her role as Office Manager. During a career spanning over 2 decades, Vivian has mastered the critical tasks involved in the flow of title orders from application to closing.  She has held positions in almost every title organization department, including: Recordings; Escrows; Bookkeeping and Accounting; and supervision of the Closing Desk. Being able to draw upon these experiences and knowledge has enabled her to successfully handle the financial and administrative responsibilities of running a title business.

John L. Denker, Esq. – Senior Counsel (1958-2022)

Formerly with First American Title Insurance Company of New York, John has over two decades of experience as Title Counsel and has emerged as a leading title authority in the field. John’s keen understanding of Real Property Law and legal matters relating to title insurance, enable him to identify potential title problems before they result in closing delays.  This is especially helpful at a time when there are many distressed property issues.

Thomas E. Gaffney, Esq. – General Counsel

Concentrating on Real Estate transactions since his legal career began in 1983, Tom has become widely recognized as one of the most respected Title Counsel in the Industry. Tom’s extensive background representing major lenders, coupled with a high level of expertise in Title Insurance, is the reason he is most often entrusted by clients to guide them through even the most complex transactions.

Albert DeGregoris, Esq. – Compliance Counsel / Director of Information Technology

With over 24 years’ experience in Real Estate Law, Al has represented many institutional lenders and numerous buyers, sellers and title companies in varied types of Real Estate transactions.   Al also has worked as a Technology Consultant to other attorneys and title companies.  He has been certified by Lexis/Nexis, Amicus Attorney and is a Microsoft, GFI, and Watchguard Technology Partner. He specializes in Data System Design and support of legal specific, mission critical computer systems.  Al has spoken at several Technology seminars including LegalTech New York.

Michael Ricigliano, Jr., Esq. – Counsel

A graduate of Hofstra University School of Law and member of the New York and Connecticut bars, Michael has represented private and corporate clients for over 20 years in all aspects of real property law, including: institutional financing; mortgage closings; real estate development; zoning and land use; sales and acquisitions; leasing; and landlord / tenant disputes. Prior to joining Spano Abstract Service Corp., Michael was Counsel to Fidelity National Title, the largest title insurer in the country. He performed all aspects of real estate title clearance including advising on application, examination, reading, and underwriting. His versatile background and practical approach to problem solving is the reason we’re excited to have him as part of our legal team.

Glenn R. Jersey III, Esq. – Counsel

Glenn is well-versed in real estate and has represented a wide variety of clients in the purchase and sale of residential and commercial real estate, institutional and private lending, mortgage closings, partition actions, real estate development, and landlord tenant disputes. His diverse real estate knowledge is vital in helping clients identify potential title issues and guiding them toward the best resolution.

Janine Engert – Senior Reader / Clearance Officer

With more than twenty-five years’ experience in the Title Insurance and Settlement industries, Janine Engert brings a diverse and extensive body of knowledge to her position as a Senior Reader at Spano Abstract Service Corp. As the head of our Special Search Division, Janine’s paralegal background and creative problem solving skills are valued assets to attorneys involved in real property litigation, or pre-contract research.

Mason Hauser – Title Officer / Account Executive

Mason, a true title veteran, brings more than 35 years of customer service-oriented experience to Spano Abstract Service Corp. With a trademark level of service that far exceeds the industry standard, he is highly regarded in the legal community and enjoys a loyal client following. Mason´s ability to guide clients through transactions ranging from single-family closings to complex commercial and industrial developments makes him a tremendous addition to our experienced team of title professionals.

RaeAnne has spent more than 30 years in the title industry helping serve clients´ evolving needs. Her dedication to customer service has earned her a very loyal and devoted following and her vast experience, from application to closing, adds to the growing strength of Spano Abstract Service Corp. RaeAnne´s versatility and attention to detail have guided clients through matters ranging from clearing title objections to the complex tax computations and deed preparation necessary to facilitate a smooth closing.

Scott Fleischman – V.P., Strategic Business Development

The word that repeatedly comes up when describing Scott’s contributions to our success, as well as the success of our clients, is service. His passionate nature is the driving force behind his commitment to providing clients with a level of service that exceeds the industry standard. He can often be found rushing a deed to a recording office to help a client meet a deadline or attending a “must close” closing on a Sunday afternoon. He truly believes that the success of our company is directly related to the success of our clients. For over 15 years, and in the face of a recession, Scott has concentrated his talents on uniting our clients with bankers, developers and brokers, creating successful networking groups that have been beneficial to all.

Maria DeBonis – Special Accounts Coordinator / Reverse Mortgage Specialist (1958-2017)

Sadly, on June 4, 2017, our friend and colleague Maria DeBonis, passed. Maria was a 30 year veteran of the Title Industry, beginning her career with Topaz Abstract Corporation. While her knowledge and experience in the Title Insurance field was vast, she concentrated her talents on servicing the Reverse Mortgage Industry, and has set the standard for handling these unique transactions in New York State. Her professionalism, expertise, dynamic personality and wonderful smile will be sorely missed by all of us and all who knew her.

Ray Badra – Account Executive

Ray has met the benchmark for quality service and integrity that our clients have become accustomed to. His management experience while at First American Title Insurance Company has enabled him to become proficient in handling the issues that may arise during the course of servicing our clients. Ray is very “hands-on” and is always ready to lend a hand in helping clients solve problems that may arise. A true team player, Ray is always the first to volunteer to help.

Emilia C. Sanches – Account Executive

We proudly announce the addition of Emilia C. Sanches to our growing team of title professionals. Emilia is a former partner at Oak Title Abstract Corp. in Mineola, NY and a longtime employee of Congressional Abstract. Her extensive background in the title industry, spanning over 30 years, includes all phases of title insurance production and customer service. We are certain that Emilia will be a great asset to our company and clients.

Stephen McCoy – Customer Relations Specialist

Steve, formerly of Eastern Abstract Corp., has held nearly every position at that agency, including manager, in-house closer, survey inspector, and recording coordinator. Steve has personally closed thousands of residential and commercial transactions during his distinguished career. He also partners with many local developers and continues to be an integral part of insuring multiple commercial real estate projects in the fast-growing Bronx. Steve is a true customer service expert and has also worked in the non-profit and technology sectors. He holds an MS from the New School, Graduate School of Management and Urban Policy and regularly conducts title insurance educational seminars for real estate brokers throughout New York City.

Ann Marie DeBonis-De Gregoria – Account Executive

Ann Marie comes to Spano Abstract with a vast background in sales and business development. During her tenure at Hewlett Packard, Ann Marie led and participated in complex sales campaigns for fortune 500 companies, including Citigroup and AIG. She shares Spano Abstract’s philosophy of growth through exemplary customer service. We are pleased to welcome her to the Spano family and are certain she will be a great asset to our clients and the company.

Anthony Debonis – Account Executive

Anthony was introduced to the Title industry at an early age by working alongside his mother, Maria Debonis, handling general office responsibilities as well as becoming a survey inspector for Topaz Abstract Corporation and Spano Abstract. With an extensive background in sales, Anthony understands that exemplary customer service leads to growth and longevity, and is therefore priority one. We are pleased to welcome him back to the Spano family.