Knox County Register of Deeds Nick McBride announced Tuesday that Barry Vest will serve as the office’s Chief Deputy.
McBride, who was sworn into office last week, said: “Barry will be a great addition to our team! He has the knowledge, professionalism and a personality that will enable him to help our customers and also be a leader within the office. His experience in the title business and with the various documents is a great asset.”
Vest, a Knoxville native, graduated from Halls High School in 1994. He then spent three years in retail management before entering the property title business.
“I have built a strong relationship with real estate agents and mortgage companies,” Vest said. “For the past 12 years I have served as an escrow closing officer at a number of title companies, including Warranty Title, Southeast Title and Tallent Title Co. I think I can use this experience to not only help the office but to help the county as well. I want to thank Nick and the taxpayers for this great opportunity.”
Vest started his career as a courier for Abstract Title Co. There he learned the business by searching property titles, shipping closing documents, preparing HUD statements and closing disclosures for the final sales.
Vest currently lives in Fountain City where he raises his 12-year-old son, and for the past four years volunteered as the head football coach at Halls for the KMYFL League. His son Landon attends Apostolic Christian School.
The Register of Deeds office is responsible for safeguarding the county’s property records. The office affects more than $7 billion of commerce in Knox County each year and records about 70,000 to 90,000 documents annually while managing between $16 million and $18 million in revenue.
McBride, who began working the office almost 30 years ago, was elected to lead it in August.
“I’ve always said I’m not a politician but just someone who believes in making government work for the people,” McBride said. “I promise to have an open-door policy to address any concerns our citizens might have and I promise to be accessible on a daily basis.”
Nick McBride, Knox County Register of Deeds
Barry Vest, Chief Deputy Knox County Register of Deeds
