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CertFocus, formerly S2000 CertsOnline,
was originally developed in 2005 as an extension of
Surety 2000, a web-based system designed as an e-commerce clearinghouse
for the insurance industry. In 2008, Version 2 of the product was released
independently of Surety 2000 as a separate website s2000certs.com and was
developed to better accommodate the growing needs of our clients. In September
2008 the organization launched the new company name, logo and website,
CertFocus (www.certfocus.com), which better reflects the mission of the
organization.
CertFocus's founding company, Surety 2000, has been providing electronic
insurance document solutions to the insurance industry since 2000 and is the #1
provider of electronic surety documents. The patented process is currently used
by every major surety company, over 500 surety agencies and over 2000
construction firms across the United States and Canada. Surety 2000 is the most
widely accepted electronic bid bond and is currently accepted by 32 State
Departments of Transportation, a privately held telephone company, several
cities, counties, and municipalities.
The company is under the leadership of President and founder, Joe
Sforzo and Vice President, Lisa Clemens. Both individuals bring over 15
years of insurance experience and a strong understanding of the certificate
process from both the Certificate Holder perspective as well as the insured's
perspective. Both individuals bring a passion for outstanding customer service
and a commitment to continually improve the company's product to meet the
growing automation demands of our clients.
Administration Profiles
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Joe Sforzo, President
Joe is the founder of Vanguard and remains as President and CEO. As founder,
Joe implanted many of the core values of the company that remain today.
Creating an environment for the most talented staff, Vanguard has developed as
a leading New York broker for surety and insurance for the construction and
property development industries.
In 1999 Joe developed a patented web based secure process for executing surety
bonds. This system, surety2000, is used on a daily basis by virtually every
major firm in the industry, including both brokerages and sureties. For more
information visit www.surety2000.com.
Joe is a guest speaker at many industry functions including the New York City
Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling Association. In addition, he is a quarterly
guest speaker at Columbia University's Construction Management and Engineering
Program.
Joe is a graduate of Hofstra University holding a BBA in Finance.
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Lisa Clemens, Vice President
Lisa joined Surety 2000 in June of 2000 as regional manager and quickly became
Vice President of Operations. Since joining the organization she has worked to
introduce the electronic surety process to the industry by working closely with
government agencies and the insurance industry to develop standards for
acceptance. Her strong customer service background and over 14 years of
insurance experience have directly contributed to the success of Surety 2000
and the increasing acceptance of the process.
In 2005, Lisa worked directly with programmers to develop the CertFocus system.
Upon completion of the initial design she worked closely with clients to
evaluate the program and make necessary changes to the original design. In
2008, she successfully launched the upgraded product and has worked closely
with clients to ensure success and understanding of the product.
Lisa is often a guest speaker at Surety, Government and Construction
association meetings around the United States and Canada where she discusses
various topics related to the Surety industry and Certificate management issues
facing today's businesses.
Lisa is a graduate of the University of Phoenix and holding a BSBM in Business
Management and a BSM in Marketing.
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