CFPB Announces Changes to Senior Leadership

Investor Update
January 5, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today announced leadership changes within the Bureau. The positions being announced today are: the Chief of Staff; the Chief Information Officer; the Chief Financial Officer; the Assistant Director of Consumer Lending, Reporting, and Collections Markets; and the Assistant Director for the Office for Servicemember Affairs.

“I am very excited for the new additions we are announcing today to the Bureau’s senior leadership,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “The mix of experience and talent this group brings will provide great value to the Bureau as we continue to work on behalf of consumers everywhere.”

The following individuals were announced today as joining the CFBP leadership team:

Leandra English is returning to the CFPB to serve as the Chief of Staff.  Ms. English has previously served in a number of senior leadership roles at the Bureau, including deputy chief operating officer, acting chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, and deputy associate director of external affairs. Most recently, Ms. English served as the principal deputy chief of staff at the Office of Personnel Management.  Ms. English also served as chief of staff and senior advisor to the deputy director of management at the Office of Management and Budget. Ms. English received her B.A. from New York University and her M.S. from the London School of Economics.

Jerry Horton will serve as the CFPB’s Chief Information Officer. Before joining the Bureau, Mr. Horton worked at the Department of State where he started and led the Office of the Chief Architect for State’s global information presence. Prior to that, Mr. Horton was the chief information officer at the U.S. Agency for International Development and before that held the same role at the U.S. Mint in the Department of the Treasury. Before working in the government, Mr. Horton spent over 20 years in the private sector leading both business and technical functions for a wide variety of startups, two supercomputer manufacturers, and several large corporations. Mr. Horton received his B.S. from the University of Colorado.

Paul Kantwill will serve as the CFPB’s Assistant Director for Servicemember Affairs. Prior to joining the Bureau, Mr. Kantwill served as the director in the Office of Legal Policy, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Personnel & Readiness at the Pentagon. In this capacity, Mr. Kantwill was the Department of Defense’s legal policy expert on the financial industry and the effects financial products and services had on military members and their families. Mr. Kantwill had a 25 year military career as an active duty officer in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, and has served in Afghanistan, and the Persian Gulf. Mr. Kantwill received his B.A. from Loyola University, Chicago and his J.D. from Loyola University, Chicago School of Law. 

John McNamara will serve as the CFPB’s Assistant Director of Consumer Lending, Reporting, and Collections Markets.  Mr. McNamara previously served in the same capacity in an acting role, and before that was the debt collection program manager at the Bureau. Prior to joining the Bureau, Mr. McNamara was the chief marketing officer for LiveVox, a provider of cloud contact center solutions, and was the president, chief executive officer, and co-founder of Fidelis Recovery Solutions, Inc. Mr. McNamara has over 30 years of experience working in the debt collection market. Mr. McNamara received his B.A. and M.B.A. from Kennesaw State University.  

Elizabeth (Eli) Reilly will serve as the CFPB’s Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Reilly previously served as the deputy chief financial officer at the Bureau, joining as one of the agency’s first employees in 2010. Prior to joining the CFPB, Ms. Reilly was a program examiner and acting branch chief at the Office of Management and Budget. Ms. Reilly was also a Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea, West Africa. Ms. Reilly received her B.A. from Wesleyan University and her M.A.L.D. from Tufts University.

Source: CFPB

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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