EDWARDSVILLE - Abstracts and Titles, Inc. is celebrating their 60th anniversary, and they couldn’t be prouder to call Madison County home.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
On Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, staff members and community leaders gathered at Abstracts and Titles at 205 N. Second Street in Edwardsville for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the milestone. As President Susan Engelke and Vice President Lisa Engelke — a mother-daughter duo — reflect on their journey, they look forward to continuing to help community members in Madison and St. Clair Counties and beyond.
“We wouldn't have made it this long if we hadn't been doing things right,” Lisa said. “We have the expertise. We have the roots. We have the experience. We have the customer service. I just think it’s a huge testament to doing the right thing.”
Susan echoed Lisa, pointing out that not many title companies survive as long as Abstracts and Titles has. Susan joined the business when it first opened in 1965, and she has been passionate about examination and escrow closing ever since.
“I have enjoyed it. I love doing this type of work. Real estate law is very interesting,” she explained. “We still find ourselves asking questions. Should we do this? Should we do that? It’s never the same, and that’s what keeps it interesting.”
The administration office at 205 N. Second Street was built in 1979, but Abstracts and Titles has another location in Edwardsville and a third in Collinsville. They primarily serve Madison and St. Clair Counties but work with community members across southern Illinois.
Sydney Stolte, who has been with the business for 36 years, manages the Collinsville office. She agreed with Susan, highlighting real estate as an ever-changing and very interesting area of law. She added that the office culture has been a driving force in her decision to stay for all these years.
“People always say, ‘How can you do this every day?’ And I’m like, ‘It’s not the same every day,’” she laughed. “You just see us at the very end when we’re explaining papers. There’s a lot more to it.”
Alicia Obernuefemann joined Abstracts and Titles in 2000. Not only is there more to the job than “hitting print” on documents, she joked, but there’s also a real sense of community in the work they do. She has enjoyed watching the counties build up over the past few years and playing a part in that through their work at Abstracts and Titles.
“We try to connect to the people,” Obernuefemann added. “It’s not just a file. It’s not just a closing or whatever we’re doing. We’re connecting to the people. There’s a story in every single file. That’s what we dive into, and we tailor the circumstance around that story.”
Susan, Lisa, Stolte and Obernuefemann all noted that there’s something special about Edwardsville, and they’re proud to call their hometown their home base. As they prepare to celebrate another 60 years of business, they can’t wait to watch the town continue to grow and build around them, and they look forward to doing what they can to help make this happen.
“We just love being a part of this community,” Lisa concluded. “Edwardsville has been our home and our heart.”
For more information about Abstracts and Titles, Inc., including how to utilize their services, visit their official website at ATI65.com or their official Facebook page.
