In this interview, NotaryCam CEO and 2020 HW Vanguard Rick Triola, delves into why more title industry professionals have adopted remote online notarization (RON) in 2020 and shares why he believes RON is here to stay in 2021.

Here is a small preview of the interview with Triola on RON adoption in 2021— be sure to watch the full interview above. The transcript below has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

HW: I’d like to go a little more in-depth on industry professionals are adopting RON. Even if there is no nationwide legislation allowing RON, do you see title agents still adopting it in 2021?

Rick Triola: Absolutely. I come from the title world, which is where this whole thing got started a long time ago. Change is difficult for anybody when you get on the title and closing side of the table. When I first started as a Realtor, I was doing one or two types of these transactions, but when I got on the other side of the title and escrow world, they were trying to close 30, 40, 50 files in 30 days. I think title agents and lenders now understand their clients are looking for these products, and both borrowers and the sellers would prefer to get in and out. The world has changed, and with RON’s ease of use, they’ll see that 2021 is a huge time to adopt.

HW: What state will probably be the last to accept RON and why?

Rick Triola: I grew up in New York, and I always said when I started down this road, that New York would probably be the last state. The funny thing is that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo actually delivered one of the first emergency COVID legislations. Ironically, California, where I sit today and being the tech capital of the world, appears to be the last state.