LuAnn Hileman Crass, Esq. – President
LuAnn Hileman Crass, an Oliver Springs, TN native, has a BSBA from UT and a J.D. from Lincoln Memorial University’s Duncan School of Law. She was licensed in the State of Tennessee in 2013 and in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in 2014.
She began her legal practice at a local firm, preparing documents for real estate closings and handling civil litigation matters for clients in the financial sector. In her role at Melrose Title Company, LuAnn will help provide legal guidance relating to residential and commercial real estate transactions, with her practice focusing on commercial deals.
When not working, she is a sports fanatic who enjoys being on the water and spending time with her husband and their large family. LuAnn has a young daughter and two rescue dogs.
Erica L. McClure, Esq. – Vice President of Commercial
Born and raised in Northeastern Ohio, Erica has called Knoxville home since 2008. She has a B.S. in Biology & a B.A. in Criminal Justice from the University of North Carolina – Wilmington, and a B.A. in Anthropology from UTK, where she worked at the Forensic Anthropology Center (the Body Farm) and focused on physical anthropology. Erica earned her J.D. from Lincoln Memorial University’s Duncan School of Law and has been licensed to practice law in the State of Tennessee since 2013. Erica has also been trained in both Civil and Family Mediation.
Erica began her private practice in Juvenile and Family law, where she found a passion for representing children in abuse and neglect cases. She has since practiced in Contract and HR law. Erica now serves as the Staff Attorney for Melrose Title Company and offers legal guidance in all aspects of title work. She also manages all Commercial real estate transactions for the company. Erica takes pride in her professional efficiency and accuracy and values every relationship she builds with clients, agents, lenders, and others in the title industry.
Jimmy Swafford
Senior Transaction Specialist
Jimmy Swafford is an Oak Ridge native who brings 15+ years industry experience. He enjoys being part of homebuyer transactions and helping people attain their goals and share in their excitement.
He enjoys traveling, entertaining, hiking, church based activities and spending time with best pal, a Mountain Cur/Jack Russell rescue dog.
Morgan L. Loveday
Transaction Specialist
Morgan Loveday is a Knoxville native who brings in 4 years of banking experience to her role of Transaction Specialist at Melrose Title Company. She spends her free time outside with her husband, two kids, and four dogs. She enjoys being part of the transaction and helping people get into their dream homes.
She is a hobbyist photographer and specializes in real estate photography.
Dylan Daniel
Transaction Specialist
A native of South Florida, with a background in Customer Service, Insurance, and Banking. He enjoys applying his previous experience to Title Work, and helping people start their new chapter of life in their dream home.
When he is not working, he enjoys spending time exploring East Tennessee with friends and family. He loves to be outdoors, kayaking, hiking, or just enjoying nature. He also has a strong love of music; you will find him in a local record shop almost every weekend!
Nancy A. King
Post-Closing Specialist
A West Virginia native and graduate of Marshall University with a degree in Office Administration, Nancy King lived in Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina before settling in Knoxville. She has been married to her high school sweetheart for 25 years and has two children. She has worked as a substitute teacher in the North Carolina school district and in Knox County.
In her free time she enjoys time with family time…hiking, sightseeing and enjoying the outdoor fun that Knoxville has to offer.
Sonya Lockmiller
Policy Specialist
Sonya has a BS degree from the University of Illinois in Accountancy, as well as an MBA from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Her previous professional experience includes working in the gaming industry, banking, property management and the title industry in Illinois for the last 10 years. She moved to Tennessee in 2021, and loves the beauty of East Tennessee. She enjoys working in the title industry as she loves real estate and enjoys helping people in their housing purchase.
Sonya has been married to her husband for 29 years, and has three children and one dog. When not working, she enjoys hiking, reading, and exploring the beauty of the area.
Anita Ward
Transaction Coordinator
Anita, a Maryville native, brings a diverse background in education and paralegal work to her role. Now based in Knoxville, she empathizes with clients’ relocation journeys. Passionate about making homeownership dreams a reality, Anita joined Melrose Title for its values of ethics and professionalism.
Anita has two children and loves spending time with family and friends. She is active in her church, enjoys walking, being outdoors, yoga, music, traveling, and dogs.
Melrose Title General Counsel – Howard & Howard, P.C.
Lewis S. Howard, Jr.
Born in 1959 in Knoxville, Tennessee, Lewis S. Howard, Jr. is the Founder and Managing Partner of Howard & Howard, P.C. Mr. Howard graduated from the University of Tennessee, receiving a B.A. in 1982 and received his J.D. from Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama in 1985. While at Cumberland School of Law, he studied international and commercial law at Cambridge University in England and was a member of Phi Delta Phi international legal fraternity.
He was one of the first and youngest attorneys in Tennessee to be certified as a Civil Trial Specialist and was certified for over 10 years as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He serves as General Counsel/CEO and a Director of Windrock Land Company, a publicly traded land development and natural resource company which operates the largest privately owned Off-Highway Vehicle Park in the country. Mr. Howard’s primary practice involves general civil litigation, real estate, and business law.
Mr. Howard is married with two daughters, enjoys outdoor sports and activities, is a certified scuba diver and bareboat captain. He competed for over 20 years in endurance and triathlon events, including the Ironman Triathlon, and remains an avid cyclist.
Joshua B. Bishop
Joshua B. Bishop is a partner with experience in representing developers in the acquisition, development, leasing, management and sale of real property. His practice includes the representation of landlords and tenants in the leasing of shopping centers, office buildings and mixed-use developments. He also handles various types of lending and financing transactions representing real estate developers as well as local, regional and national lenders.
Mr. Bishop was born and raised in Cleveland, Tennessee. He graduated from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga with a B.A. degree in 2000 and received his J.D. from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis in 2004 where he was a member of The University of Memphis Law Review. He is married and has one daughter and one son.