press releases
buySAFE Appoints Two New Members to Its Executive Team; buySAFE Names Vice President, Legal and Claims & Vice President, Technology
Alexandria, Va. (March 02, 2004) - buySAFE, Inc. (www.buysafe.com), which offers one of the highest levels of protection from online auction risks through the buySAFE with The Hartford program, today announced the addition of two new members to its executive team. James J. Mercier assumes the position of Vice President, Legal and Claims and George Flanagin joins buySAFE as Vice President, Technology.
Mercier previously held the positions of Senior Legal Counsel and Senior Vice President, Claims at Hartford Fidelity & Bonding Company (HF&B), a Hartford Financial Services Group company in Hartford, Connecticut. Prior to working at HF&B, he was a partner at Hartford-based Pepe & Hazard, where he practiced surety and construction law. Mercier began his career at Travelers Indemnity Company in the surety claims department. He is currently a Vice Chair of the Fidelity and Surety Law Subcommittee of the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association.
Flanagin comes to buySAFE from Virginia Commonwealth University where he taught computer science at the University's School of Engineering. His professional career includes previous tenures with Boeing Defense and Space Group, Hewlett-Packard Labs and Thurdion, Inc., a Windows software development company in Santa Cruz, California. Flanagin is the author of more than a dozen published articles and papers on IT subjects, and is a frequent speaker at international conferences, including the keynote address at Software Methods and Tools 2000 in Sydney, Australia and an upcoming tutorial on "Managing IT Professionals" at the May 2004 International DAMA conference in Los Angeles.
"I look forward to the broad range of experience and strong execution capabilities both Jim and George bring to buySAFE," said Jeffrey E. Grass, president and CEO, buySAFE. "With growing demand for safer online transactions, their roles will be integral to our success. We're thrilled to have these two talented individuals join buySAFE as our service continues to gain market acceptance."
buySAFE with The Hartford is the only service that enables approved sellers to present a credibility seal on their online auction listings and provides surety bonds, which guarantee the seller's performance and financially protect buyers. buySAFE performs a rigorous qualification check on sellers and issues the buySAFE Seal only to the most reputable, trustworthy online merchants. The Hartford Financial Services Group underwrites and issues the surety bonds, which provide that The Hartford will refund the item's sale price or replace the item in the event that a bonded seller does not fulfill the terms of the sale. This protects consumers from certain online transaction risks such as fraud, misrepresentation, refund failure and seller default.
about buySAFE
buySAFE makes online marketplaces safer, resulting in reduced risks for buyers and increased profit opportunities for sellers. buySAFE with The Hartford is the first and only service to guarantee online transactions for buyers by using surety bonds to provide protection from risks, such as fraud, misrepresentation, refund failure and seller default. Using the latest advances in business assessment techniques and technologies, buySAFE comprehensively qualifies online sellers and provides the buySAFE Seal to approved sellers for display on their auction listings, which informs buyers that they are dealing with a reputable and trustworthy seller. Approved sellers can guarantee their online transactions with surety bonds issued by The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., buySAFE is on the Web at www.buysafe.com.
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