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Safeguard Properties Recognized on HousingWire List of 100 Most Innovative Housing Industry Tech Providers

Safeguard Properties Named to 2015 HW TECH100™ List

Company’s MapAlert® solution provides the ability to monitor, manage and protect housing portfolios through visual mapping and analytics

Cleveland, March 11, 2015 — Safeguard Properties, the largest field services company in the U.S., is pleased to announce that it has been named to the  2015 HW TECH100™ list of the 100 most innovative technology providers in the housing industry.

The award, in its second year, received more than 250 entries, with only 40 new companies making the list. This was Safeguard’s first year entering the competition.

“Big data analytics is a natural fit for the mortgage servicing industry. Our clients’ portfolios of residential properties are located in virtually every community in the U.S. It is our mission to provide preservation services and innovative technologies that proactively protect those communities. MapAlert® continues Safeguard’s tradition of investing in technologies that help solve the industry’s most challenging problems,” said George Mehok, Safeguard Chief Information Officer.

MapAlert is a software-as-a-service geographical information system (GIS) designed specifically for residential mortgage companies and real estate asset managers. MapAlert provides the ability to monitor, manage and protect their investments through visual mapping and analytics. In addition, MapAlert’s cloud framework can handle millions of properties and hundreds of analytical variables allowing clients to customize their filters and reports to be as general or as specific as they choose.

“Presenting complex data visually using GIS technology helps our clients’ to make quicker and more effective decisions at the regional, local or community-block level.  By geo- locating millions of properties, and overlaying real-time weather data from the most trusted sources, our clients can immediately assess the impact to their portfolio,” said Amitha Rao, Safeguard AVP of Data Analytics and Client Systems.

Traditionally, it has been very challenging for mortgage servicers to identify properties affected by weather or other types of events that can potentially damage properties. It could take days, weeks or months depending on the scale of the disaster. With MapAlert, the impact of a severe weather event can be assessed within minutes allowing for preservation activities to be dispatched with greater precision.

“This year we were struck by the level of innovation we saw, with 40 new additions to the HW TECH100. That speaks to how much change is taking place in the mortgage industry overall right now; we’re seeing a lot of market disruption, and technology providers are clearly taking advantage of the opportunity that creates,” said Jacob Gaffney, HousingWire Executive Editor.

For more information on MapAlert visit Safeguard’s website.

Please click here to view the full 2015 HW TECH100™ list online.

About Safeguard Properties: Safeguard Properties is the mortgage field services industry leader, preserving vacant and foreclosed properties across the U.S., Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and Guam. Founded in 1990 by Robert Klein and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Safeguard provides the highest quality service to our clients by leveraging innovative technologies and proactively developing industry best practices and quality control procedures. Consistent with Safeguard’s values and mission, we are an active supporter of hundreds of charitable efforts across the country. Annually, Safeguard gives back to communities in partnership with our employees, vendors and clients. We also are dedicated to working with community leaders and officials to eliminate blight and stabilize neighborhoods. Safeguard is dedicated to preserving today and protecting tomorrow. Learn more at www.safeguardproperties.com. 

About Safeguard Technologies: Safeguard Technologies provides specialized IT services with a focus on field services solutions such as property management, inspections, workforce scheduling, data analytics and workflow routing. Our integrated software platform provides clients with end-to-end automated mobile field data allowing them to turn this data into actionable results, lower their operating costs and ensure regulatory compliance. As an independent technology company of Safeguard Properties, we’ve leveraged our 25 years of experience building field services technologies for the mortgage banking industry to deliver a proven product for companies managing remote assts. At Safeguard Technologies, Information = Results™. www.safeguardtec.com

About HousingWire: HousingWire is the nation’s most influential industry news source covering the U.S. housing economy, spanning residential mortgage lending, servicing, investments and real estate operations. Winner of numerous awards, including a 2012 Eddie Award for national editorial excellence in the B2B Banking/Business/Finance category, HousingWire has been recognized for excellence in journalism by the Society of Business Editors and Writers, the American Society of Business Press Editors, the National Association of Real Estate Editors, and Trade Association Business Publications International. Learn more at http://www.housingwire.com. 

About the HW TECH100™: The HW TECH100™ highlights the housing economy’s 100 most innovative technology companies, along six unique dimensions of innovation. The annual awards program is the only program of its kind to include technology serving both the U.S. residential real estate and U.S. residential mortgage industries.

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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