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John H. "Jack"
Lyons
Owner/President
Chief Title Officer
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Jack Lyons was a former Navy SEAL and a real estate
industry veteran with a decade's experience when he
founded Independence Abstract & Title Agency (IATA)
in 1988. Recognizing that personal attention and dedication
to detail were valuable advantages in a regulated industry,
he coined a unique phrase for his new company: "Where
Service and Commitment Meet."
This simple but powerful statement of principle has
guided IATA as it has expanded from a single New Jersey
office to multiple locations in both New Jersey and
Pennsylvania. As IATA has grown from two people into
a company of over 50, it has never lost sight of Jack
Lyons' original vision. Jack maintains a hands-on management
style to this day, interacting daily with his top mangers,
key personnel, and loyal client base.
As far as Jack is concerned the three most importance
things in title insurance are "service, service,
and service".
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Beth Hildebrand
Operations Manager
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As a veteran of thousands of closings
since entering the title industry in 1986, Beth is extremely
qualified to be Operations Manager of Independence Abstract
& Title Agency (IATA). In her position, Beth supervises
the production, performance and development of IATA
employees, making sure that title commitments are delivered
in a timely fashion, and that all closings are run professionally,
efficiently, and on schedule. By sharing her experience
of the closing process, including firsthand knowledge
of details that can impede settlement, Beth ensures
that the closing experience is positive for buyers,
sellers, and all other parties involved.
In addition to her numerous duties at
IATA, Beth is a strong leader, valuable troubleshooter,
and trusted decision maker. Beth is a Pennsylvania Commissioner
of Deeds, and holds both a Notary's license and an Individual
Title Producer's License from the State of New Jersey.
Her favorite saying is, "Whoever said you can't
please all of the people all of the time, wasn't trying
hard enough."
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Sandi Merryfield
HUD (Housing and Urban Development) Department Manager
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As the manager of the HUD department at Independence
Abstract & Title Agency (IATA), Sandi oversees the
day-to-day workings of a dedicated staff of real-estate
professionals who serve the needs of IATA clients and
the buyers of HUD homes. Supported by her staff, Sandi
acts as the IATA liaison with the U.S. Department of
HUD with all parties involved in the sale of a HUD home.
She is responsible for contract extensions, scheduling
closings, identifying defects in title in HUD foreclosures
and clearing them prior to the conveyance of title.
Mindful of the responsibility entrusted by HUD, Sandi
works to maintain IATA's standards of service, while supervising
these complicated transactions, all the while fulfilling
the terms of the HUD contract.
Sandi holds an Individual Title Producer's License
from the State of New Jersey, a New Jersey Notary's
license, and is a Pennsylvania Commissioner of Deeds.
If there's one thing Sandi knows firsthand, it's that,
"Success in the title business depends as much
on attitude as it does on aptitude."
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Johnna L. Ryan
Accounting Department Manager
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Overseeing the accounting department of Independence
Abstract & Title Agency (IATA), Johnna brings 19
years of experience in accounting and bookkeeping, as
well as seven years' experience in title insurance to
a demanding position. In addition to supervising a seasoned
staff of bookkeepers, Johnna also keeps watch over operational
items affecting the foundation of the company, such
as insurances, health plans, pension plans, vacation
schedules, and 401(k) plans.
Johnna manages the financial side of IATA, supervising
accounts receivable and payable, payroll, wiring of
funds, escrow receipts and disbursements, bank account
reconciliation, and investment banking.
Johnna also holds an Individual Title Producer's License
from the State of New Jersey, a New Jersey Notary's
license, and is a Pennsylvania Commissioner of Deeds.
The way Johnna looks at things, "Something that's
impossible is usually only the one thing you haven't tried
yet."
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Juan C. Perez, Esq.
General Counsel
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Juan is the managing attorney of Independence Abstract
& Title Agency's (IATA) legal department and is responsible
for overseeing underwriting activities and clearing complex
title matters. Juan is also responsible for overseeing the
foreclosure department and serves as Vice President of Independence
Legal Services, L.L.C., IATA's affiliate. Juan brings over
twelve years of experience in real estate and commercial litigation
to his position.
Prior to joining IATA in March of 2004, Juan was Counsel to Budd Larner, P.C., where his practice focused on the
representation of institutional lenders in litigation and transactional matters, including foreclosures, replevins,
collections, bankruptcies, lease negotiations and other real estate matters.
Juan has appeared as a panelist at seminars involving creditor's rights and has appeared on WYSP's
Legal Line to discuss residential real estate closings. Juan is past Chair of the District IV Ethics Committee
(Camden/Gloucester Counties) and is a member of the Camden County Bar Association,
Pennsylvania Bar Association and the New Jersey Hispanic Bar Association. He is licensed to practice law in New Jersey,
Pennsylvania and Florida. Juan received his B.S. degree in Secondary Education from the University of South Florida in Tampa,
Florida and his J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley in Michigan.
Independence Abstract takes pride in the people of its management team. Their experience, skills, and problem-solving abilities
help to keep a staff of more than 50 customer-service professionals working like a well-oiled machine. Please feel free to call any of our managers
if you have a question about their specific departments.
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