Safeguard Properties

Industry Leader

A strong focus and investment in innovative technologies allows us to provide the highest quality service to our clients and proactively develop industry best practices and quality control procedures.

Company History

For 30 years, Safeguard has built a reputation of success based on a commitment to customer service.

As the leader in the mortgage field services industry, Safeguard is dedicated to building and sharing industry best practices to protect the integrity and value of our nation’s housing stock, to deliver the most efficient and cost-effective services in the industry, and to work on behalf of our clients to comply with all regulatory requirements.

The Beginnings of Safeguard

Our Founder: Robert Klein (1952-2018)

Robert's vision was to create a company focused on client satisfaction through business partnership.

Robert Klein founded Safeguard in May 1990. Under Robert’s leadership, Safeguard grew from a handful of employees into the largest mortgage field services company in the industry, with an extensive network of contractors throughout the United States. Robert built Safeguard around the doctrine of “Customer Service = Resolution®” with the mission of creating a company focused on client satisfaction and strong business relationships.

After stepping down as CEO of Safeguard in 2010, Robert’s vision and ingenuity continued with the creation of Community Blight Solutions (CBS), a company focused on understanding, solving, and eliminating the problems of communities experiencing blight. Prominent solutions included the Slavic Village Recovery Project, SecureView, and advocacy of fast-track to foreclosure legislation.

Robert served as the founder and chairman of both Community Blight Solutions and SecureView until May 2018, when he passed away suddenly at the age of 65. He will be remembered as an innovator, leader, and an advocate for the industry.

Community Initiatives

Safeguard is more than a property preservation
company – we protect the communities where you work and call home.

To maintain Safeguard’s longstanding reputation as an advocate within the housing industry, a variety of tools have been created to protect and partner with jurisdictions, addressing the challenges facing properties within communities across the country.

Community Outreach

Community Outreach

See where Safeguard’s Community Initiatives department has shared timely and valuable information with local, regional, and statewide code enforcement, in addition to elected official associations. Is your association on the map?

Community Solutions

Community Solutions

Safeguard has built partnerships around the country to create and provide solutions to help preserve and protect communities.

Community Service

Safeguard Cares Community Service

Giving back by lending a hand is an important element to building strong communities. Involvement in projects that allow staff, contractors and community partners is Safeguard’s opportunity to say “thank you” and share goodwill. Is your community on the map?

Customer Service and Partnerships

Safeguard is committed to delivering the highest quality services to clients, working in partnership with them to safeguard their interests, and upholding the value of all properties managed.

Protecting and Preserving Neighborhoods

Safeguard is dedicated to protecting and preserving vacant and abandoned properties to prevent them from becoming a nuisance to neighboring properties or bringing blight to communities. Safeguard also supports efforts to prevent foreclosure and help troubled homeowners remain in their homes.

Contributing to communities

Safeguard supports programs that help to maintain strong and vital neighborhoods, improve the quality of life for people of all ages, and provide a safe and happy environment for families to raise children.

Respecting Employees and contractors

Safeguard respects the nearly 400 employees and thousands of contractors nationally who join in our mission to deliver excellence in the work we complete. Safeguard is committed to providing employees and contractors with the training they need to do their jobs effectively, treating them with respect, providing a comfortable work environment, and doing our best to assure their safety in the field.

Work with the industry leaders

Join us in our mission to make property owning easy.

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CEO

Alan Jaffa

Alan Jaffa is the Chief Executive Officer for Safeguard Properties, steering the company as the mortgage field services industry leader. He also serves on the board of advisors for SCG Partners, a middle-market private equity fund focused on diversifying and expanding Safeguard Properties’ business model into complimentary markets.

Alan joined Safeguard in 1995, learning the business from the ground up. He was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2002, and was named CEO in May 2010. His hands-on experience has given him unique insights as a leader to innovate, improve and strengthen Safeguard’s processes to assure that the company adheres to the highest standards of quality and customer service.

Under Alan’s leadership, Safeguard has grown significantly with strategies that have included new and expanded services, technology investments that deliver higher quality and greater efficiency to clients, and strategic acquisitions. He takes a team approach to process improvement, involving staff at all levels of the organization to address issues, brainstorm solutions, and identify new and better ways to serve clients.

In 2008, Alan was recognized by Crain’s Cleveland Business in its annual “40-Under-40” profile of young leaders. He also was named a NEO Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award finalist in 2013.

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Esq., General Counsel and EVP

Linda Erkkila

Linda Erkkila is the General Counsel and Executive Vice President for Safeguard Properties, with oversight of legal, human resources, training, and compliance. Linda’s broad scope of oversight covers regulatory issues that impact Safeguard’s operations, risk mitigation, strategic planning, human resources and training initiatives, compliance, insurance, litigation and claims management, and counsel related to mergers, acquisition and joint ventures.

Linda assures that Safeguard’s strategic initiatives align with its resources, leverage opportunities across the company, and contemplate compliance mandates. She has practiced law for 25 years and her experience, both as outside and in-house counsel, covers a wide range of corporate matters, including regulatory disclosure, corporate governance compliance, risk assessment, compensation and benefits, litigation management, and mergers and acquisitions.

Linda earned her JD at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. She holds a degree in economics from Miami University and an MBA. Linda was previously named as both a “Woman of Influence” by HousingWire and as a “Leading Lady” by MReport.

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COO

Michael Greenbaum

Michael Greenbaum is the Chief Operating Officer of Safeguard Properties, where he has played a pivotal role since joining the company in July 2010. Initially brought on as Vice President of REO, Mike’s exceptional leadership and strategic vision quickly propelled him to Vice President of Operations in 2013, and ultimately to COO in 2015. Over his 14-year tenure at Safeguard, Mike has been instrumental in driving change and fostering innovation within the Property Preservation sector, consistently delivering excellence and becoming a trusted partner to clients and investors.

A distinguished graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Mike earned a degree in Quantitative Economics. Following his graduation, he served in the U.S. Army’s Ordnance Branch, where he specialized in supply chain management. Before his tenure at Safeguard, Mike honed his expertise by managing global supply chains for 13 years, leveraging his military and civilian experience to lead with precision and efficacy.

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CFO

Joe Iafigliola

Joe Iafigliola is the Chief Financial Officer for Safeguard Properties. Joe is responsible for the Control, Quality Assurance, Business Development, Marketing, Accounting, and Information Security departments. At the core of his responsibilities is the drive to ensure that Safeguard’s focus remains rooted in Customer Service = Resolution. Through his executive leadership role, he actively supports SGPNOW.com, an on-demand service geared towards real estate and property management professionals as well as individual home owners in need of inspection and property preservation services. Joe is also an integral force behind Compliance Connections, a branch of Safeguard Properties that allows code enforcement professionals to report violations at properties that can then be addressed by the Safeguard vendor network. Compliance Connections also researches and shares vacant property ordinance information with Safeguard clients.

Joe has an MBA from The Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and holds a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University’s Honors Accounting program.

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Business Development

Carrie Tackett

Business Development Safeguard Properties