CertFocus 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, a second version of the product was released independently, having been developed to better accommodate the growing needs of our clients. In September 2008, the organization launched the new company name, logo and website, CertFocus, 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.
Joe Sforzo
President
Joe Sforzo is the founder, President and CEO of Vanguard. 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.
A graduate of Hofstra University holding a BBA in Finance, Joe is a quarterly guest speaker at Columbia University's Construction Management and Engineering Program.
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.
A graduate of Hofstra University holding a BBA in Finance, Joe is a quarterly guest speaker at Columbia University's Construction Management and Engineering Program.
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 a graduate of the University of Phoenix with a BSBM in Business Management and a BSM in Marketing, and she is often a guest speaker on topics related to the Surety industry and Certificate management issues.
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 a graduate of the University of Phoenix with a BSBM in Business Management and a BSM in Marketing, and she is often a guest speaker on topics related to the Surety industry and Certificate management issues.
